Apple Intel Mac sports Windows XP – official support

It took a couple of months and resulted in $13 000 for the innovators for solving the riddle of how to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac, but after that it took Apple 2 weeks to do what few people had the courage to believe. Namely release a software that allows you to install Windows on a Mac. The software is called Boot Camp and is so far only a beta, but it is available for public download. Boot Camp will later be integrated into “Leopard”, Apple’s next generation Mac OS X operating system.

“CUPERTINO, California—April 5, 2006—Apple® today introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP. Available as a download beginning today, Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac®, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS® X or Windows XP. Boot Camp will be a feature in “Leopard,” Apple’s next major release of Mac OS X, that will be previewed at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in August.”

Apple says in its press release that the decision for supporting dual-boot with OS X and Windows XP on Macs comes from the fact that many consumers simply wants such a solution. At the same time it says it has no plans for selling or supporting Windows for its systems. But making it possible for consumers to dual-boot could build up the courage for more people to venture for an Apple system.

This is truly a development few could’ve predicted six months ago and a big happening for both Microsoft and Apple. The question many are asking themselves now is if Apple is about to terminate OS X in the future, and that this is just the first step. We know that these kind of speculations have been spoken earlier and caused quite a ruckus, but this really brings new life to the discussion.

:: Read on about Apple Boot Camp and download the software