Apple rumored not to renew contract with NVIDIA for graphics chips

They buyed a cell chips company right?

Considering this is a rumor from a site run by a former editor at the TheInq and they have a long history or attacking nVidia for often no reason, there is no reason to take this seriously. I'm sure there are some fierce negotiations in process, but the way the GPU market has narrowed to just kick nVidia to the curb would not be good for either company.

This is a rumor that is being repeated far too often, and let's not forget how popular the 9400m is as well.

This comes as no big shock...Apple's working on something that's not getting enough press...http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/28/apple-steve-jobs-technology-enterprise-tech-apple.html?partner=whiteglove_google

I wouldn't count on it much of them killing their nVidia contract considering Dell has had some nasty words with them too (they were hit just as hard with the 8 series mobile defects) yet their laptops still use nVidia GPUs.

i hope they build there own, so it can fail and their arrogance can finally be rewarded. above comment is completely right.

Apple accuses another company of "arrogance." That's rich.

"Apple had to extend the warranty on MBP models sold from June 2007 to October 2008 to three years"

I wish. But alas, no, this is not true. Apple WILL fix issues related to the GPU issue for 3 years. But my warranty hasn't been extended. Or the words from Apple's mouth that you linked already above...

"If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within three years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty."

I don't see this happening, considering that ATI has had numerous problems themselves: huge delays on their cards for the high-end iMacs, overheating in iMacs, etc.

Charlie Demerjian, always bashing nVidia.

He also said that Dell has eliminated nVidia from all his computers

To be clear, I didn't say any of those were the most likely outcome. I just figured it's worth looking at alternatives. Apple has a lot of money and power; they're not like a consumer at Fry's who has to choose between two existing options.

To rebut:

1) Sure. It's unlikely, and would certainly never be incorporated into Apple entirely, but as a wholly-owned subsidiary, NVIDIA would guarantee Apple a lot of input into where desktop graphics are going, position them better for gaming, and put Microsoft in a difficult position vis-a-vis DirectX and Xbox. It may not be a great idea; it is positively something Apple could do that's worth at least thinking about.

2) Apple users care a lot less about GPU memory bus widths than many PC users. If Apple releases a Mac with Intel graphics that perform well, the only people steering clear strictly because of the Intel name will be overclockers and extreme geeks (I am one, BTW). That's not a market Apple is after. "Professionals", who use their computers for Internet apps, productivity apps, and maybe media purposes really don't care about the history of the manufacturer of the graphics chip. If it works, they won't care.

3) Indeed, like I said, it's pretty unlikely, and it's not a solution you'd decide to do today. But Apple is crafty, and they're making good choices at the API level with Cocoa across OS X and iPhone. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that they've been working on graphics for a couple of years. Again, not at all likely, but it *is* something to consider before jumping to the "it's either NVIDIA or AMD" conclusion.

And I really don't see Apple getting into the Intel/NVIDIA dispute. Maybe they'll lean on Intel a bit, but they are so intertwined with Intel right now that I don't see them looking for government involvement (note that Apple can't sue Intel for monopoly violations or anti-competitive behavior; they'd have to petition the FTC or another government body). It would just be too damaging to the relationship.

Me, I think NVIDIA looks at Apple's recent press barrage and blinks, offering lower prices and some kind of back end protection in the event of future defects (which NVIDIA could hedge with an insurer, since a $1B hit would be devastating to them). But Apple positively has a world of options here.