When Apple announced their Dual Processor G5’s, I was pretty amazed. From an article I read today, it seems that Apple are planning to better even themselves at the multi processor game.

You may have read about the new “Cell” processor which will be released for the Playstation 3. This will support multi core technology, which will allow a whole influx of new features and ideas. There has already been speculation that this technology would be utilised by Apple in the future:

The partners describe Cell as a 64-bit POWER-based “multi-core system” for computers and next-generation digital home appliances. Crucially, each core can run a single operating system, or run their own OS independently of the others. OS options include real-time support.

With the confirmation that Cell is indeed derived from IBM’s POWER architecture, and given they way the chip’s designers discuss it more in terms of a general-purpose CPU than the more console-oriented Emotion Engine of the PS2, it’s clearly going to raise the possibility that the part may be of interest to Apple.

This image shows an updated version of Apple’s CHUD tools, which may reveal the extra features to be added to Apple’s G5 Power Mac’s and XServe’s over the coming months.

As you can see, it hints at the possibility of up to four processors in an Apple, and we can presume that each one would be running dual (or more) quad technology. This would make for a new breed of computing power, ideal for the high end graphical design and 3D rendering mac user. It would also make the possibility of editing HD video in real time a much more realistic goal.

Keep up the innovation. I’m sure all will be released at an upcoming conference later this (or next) year.