IBM to Reveal New PowerPC Roadmap


IBM will soon provide details of its PowerPC roadmap, with a March 31 event scheduled, c|net Asia reports. IBM executives are expected to reveal details of forthcoming Power processors, as well as some of its chip manufacturing plans.

The article notes that likely candidates for discussion are the Power 5 (the 'G6') and the joint IBM/Sony/Toshiba Cell processor. c|net speculates that existing PowerPC processors - such as the 970 and 970fx, may also be on the agenda.

IBM's Power4-based PowerPC 970, used in Apple's Power Mac G5s, is also the basis for Microsoft's forthcoming XBox 2. IBM has demonstrated an increasing interest in the video game business, demonstrated by its Cell development. Cell is also likely to have handheld PC applications.

Analysis: It's clear that IBM has taken a strategic decision to market PowerPC more heavily; few consumers would associate PowerPC with IBM. But that may all be about to change.