Machines based on Intel microprocessors and running Microsoft operating systems and software have captured about 80% of the worldwide PC market, compared to about 10% for Apple.Ī March launch date would be several months sooner than expected. Kahng would not disclose prices, but the Mac clones are likely to be slightly cheaper than Macs from Apple Computer though still a bit more expensive than IBM-compatible PCs.Īpple enthusiasts hailed the news, saying attractive clones at reasonable prices should help the Cupertino, Calif., company in its effort to wrest market share from the industry’s dominant players, Intel and Microsoft. The first clones are expected to be shipped in March, said Stephen Kahng, a well-known Silicon Valley computer designer who is president and chief executive of Power Computing.
Power Computing Corp., based southeast of San Francisco in Milpitas, said it will sell Macintosh machines under its own label and also make components and complete systems for other companies. Ending a long and anxious wait for fans of the famed Apple Macintosh personal computer, a California start-up with backing from Olivetti of Italy on Wednesday announced the first-ever agreement to build Macintosh “clones.”