Apple Computer, which has been known as a company that likes to keep all the secrets in house, according to a report from a web-site, asked Intel Corp. to help develop its commercial PowerMac computers scheduled to ship in the third quarter of 2006. While there is no news that Apple does not manufacture its products, it is widely believed that Apple develops and designs all of its devices on-site.

AppleInsider web-site reports that Apple had contracted a design team at Intel to help design mainboard for the forthcoming Intel-based PowerMac computers. The reason why the Cupertino, California-based computer company decided to ask Intel's help is aggressive transition to x86 processors: the company already plans to launch iMac, PowerBook, iBook and Mac mini products in the first four months of 2006.

Earlier in 2005 software developers could obtain a system to test their Apple software on an x86 machine. That software developers-oriented computers featured Intel Pentium 4 processors and a mainboard built by Intel Corp.

Analysts believe that asking Intel to develop platforms for its computers would significantly cut down costs on design for Apple.

?Apple's decision to work with Intel Oregon on the Power Mac design may also have its costs benefits. Intel has done exactly this for the Wintel world several times over, and the benefits from a manufacturing cost have been huge,?Mark Margevicius, an analyst for Gartner Research is reported to have said.

Apple announced plans to deliver models of its Macintosh computers using Intel microprocessors by mid-2006, and to transition all of its Macs to using Intel microprocessors by the end of 2007.

Apple and Intel did not comment on the news-story.

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