Apple adopts Wintel's AGP

Apple has adopted technology developed by its rivals in the Wintel world, in a bid to offer a wider range of hardware add-ons.

The manufacturer has traditionally developed its own hardware and shied away from standards used by PC vendors. But it is in the process of making hardware changes to allow its customers access to the host of peripherals available to Wintel users.

Apple plans to incorporate support for AGP, created by Intel to run fast 3D graphics, by mid-1999, even though the manufacturer was unsure of the possible applications of the latest technology. Intel targets AGP mainly at games playing.

Apple's latest offering, the iMac, will feature USB technology offered by vendors such as Compaq and Dell, allowing Mac customers to use peripherals developed for PCs. The iMac is due to be launched in August.

Analysts believed Apple's decision was prompted by the fact that large developers are reluctant to build exclusive peripherals for the company's much reduced customer base.

But John Ferman, Apple's UK product marketing manager, denied the manufacturer had been forced into making its machines more PC-friendly. He also rejected the idea that the manufacturer had plans to move away from its Power-PC processor. 'We have no plans to use Intel processors,' he said.