NCR Corp’s decision to let its membership of the 88open Consortium lapse (CI No 1,512) is yet another blow to the flagging fortunes of Motorola Inc’s 88000 RISC microprocessor but indications from the US suggest that Apple Computer Inc is now moving closer to the group. This will certainly please 88open, as well as Motorola, as Apple declared more than a year ago that it is designing around the 88000, but has never given an indication of when a box will come out, or what it will look like. If Apple were to join, it would likely pay the $250,000 required for principal membership, as Apple knows that it needs 88open’s Unix expertise for its federal and other markets. It also seems that Motorola and Apple have been working closely together on the next generation 88000 chip – the 88000/110 which is due out in the first half of next year.
