According to recent speculative reports by The Wall Street Journal and C|NET’s News.com, Apple may be in talks with Intel over using its chips in Apple’s upcoming product line. If Apple partners with Intel to use its chips, the company will discontinue the use of IBM’s PowerPC microprocessors.

Apple plans to move its entire product line to Intel chips by mid-2007 with its iBook and PowerBook systems making the change by mid-2006.

Both publications said this deal would most likely cause disruptions for Macintosh users.

Moreover, Apple would have to redesign its operating system to run on x86 architecture in addition the rest of the Mac-only applications, which according to analysts may cause Apple to lose some of its customers.

The recent announcement has to led a mixture of replies from the community as well as industry analysts. C|Net News.com quoted industry analyst Nathan Brookwood, Insight 64 Market Research Firm, "If they actually do that, I will be surprised, amazed and concerned."

The Wall Street Journal as well as C|NET’s News.com reportedly received the information from individuals who are well aware of the discussions between the two companies.

Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs is expected to make the official announcement later today at the company’s annual software developers conference in San Francisco, California.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Intel’s main rival, should also have an impact as the company has lost a potential partnership with Apple.

Apple and Intel were not available to comment on the report.