It’s all far too late, of course, but the announcement that IBM Corp is to license Apple Computer Inc’s Mac OS for the PowerPC Platform is now expected on May 6 – and it looks as if the thing will be ring-fenced from corporate IBM or the RS/6000 division. According to PC Week, the licensor will be IBM Microelectronics Inc, which is one of IBM’s OEM sales and contract manufacturing arm. IBM Microelectronics will have the right to preload Mac OS on PowerPC Platform systems – but the company is so unenthusiastic that it will only be pre-loaded on special order – the standard preloaded operating system will be AIX Unix. As with Motorola Inc, the deal will also give IBM the right to sublicense Mac OS to other hardware manufacturers. VLSI Technology Inc is also expected to preview its building block chip sets for the PowerPC Platform.
