G4 launch puts Motorola in driver's seat

As the sole supplier of CPUs for Apple's advanced new PowerMac, Motorola is once again in a position to control the precarious balance of system availability.

The possibility of production problems for the complex new G4 PowerPC chip could be a source of anxiety for Apple, its customers and its dealers.

There are some indications that Apple's G4 availability may have been premature.

Apple's interim CEO Steve Jobs announced immediate availability of some G4 systems earlier this week, but a spokesman in Apple's direct sales unit said systems won't be available for another 10 days, and that no units have been shipped to retailers.

A full analysis appears at www.zdnn.com .