If you haven’t heard, the Parallels team is at it again. Earlier this week they released a new version which adds features like dragging and dropping files between operating systems, the ability to boot from a Boot Camp partition, and Coherency mode which hides the Windows desktop and makes Windows applications float on your Mac desktop.
As an Anonymous Coward said on Slashdot:
The constant improvement that this product has seen in its short existence is astounding. When you consider that it costs only $80 and has no competition at this time, it almost seems like they’re working too hard on it.
This got me thinking, could Apple have purchased Parallels? If you at look at the facts, it begins to add up. The Parallels team has been releasing new features like crazy and hasn’t been charging for them. They’ve added features like Boot Camp support, making Parallels compatible with Apple’s offering. The new Coherency mode is approaching what some people have envisioned the next version of Boot Camp to be like. To top it off, 3D acceleration is expected to land in Parallels right around the time that Leopard is shipping.
I might be completely wrong, but to me it looks like something is going on behind the scenes. If Apple has purchased Parallels, I think that explains why the Parallels team has been releasing features out the wazoo without charging for them. This won’t be the first time Apple has included third party software in one of their offerings, so I think this scenario is completely possible.
31 Comments
The Slashdot commenter is right, they’re working too hard on it. However you then mention maybe Apple bought Parallels, then you say they maybe funding it, that’s quite a conclusion, and one which I think is completely off. Parallels has other products, for Windows, the Mac version is only that, a mac port of a succesful app they already had.
It’s an interesting theory though.
Some Apple exec even complimented Parallels (conveniently ignoring VMWare’s Fusion), saying that it was such a good offering that Apple isn’t even going to try to compete with them.
The funding thing was an error in my article. It’s been changed now.
As far as Parallels having other products, I don’t think that would matter to them if Apple would offer them a huge chunk of change.
Btw, I’ve submitted this post to digg:
http://digg.com/apple/Is_Parallels_Leopard_s_Secret_Feature
Perhaps the developers of Parallels are not business savvy. Or, maybe they are betting on the long haul. I do hear your point about the app being of interest to Apple. It does open a huge market share to them if their machines run both OSs.
Was just at a trade show with Apple where Parallel’s was the featured app for utilizing Windows programs on the Apple platform - not Boot Camp. In fact, it wasn’t really even mentioned by the Apple team at this trade show.
Can you clarify what you mean by not changing for new features?
I paid $70 for the license to be able to use Parallels…if I dont get updates and added features for this product, I wont be renewing my license with Parallels. Although incredibly nice, it is still very much a beta product (at least that is how I see Desktop for Mac).
I see this more as just trying to be competitive. VMWare already has the ability to do a few of these “features” - copy and pasting directly to the VM is a good example.
Parallels will be working hard because they know VMware Fusion is on the horizon - they have to be better than VMware because VMware has the more powerful brand in the industry. Duh!
I’d be pretty surprised if this did happen… Apple does spring out of nowhere with new products and features but I don’t think they would do too much more then support / promote parallels.
Let’s not forget that this is as mentioned above just a OS/X port of an already popular application.
Devin, unless I’m mistaken, VMWare for Mac/Intel is still under development and not available. All I get at http://www.vmware.com/mac/ is a sign-up to be notified when the public beta is available.
Jim is correct. The beta though includes a bunch of the things parallels is working on. I dont think Parallels is ‘wondering’ if VMWare is going to come out with a viable solution though. It’s more a matter of when and judging by their past products, it will be a very full product.
I am still confused what it means to not charge for these ‘added’ features though. I paid an arm and a leg for a product. Are they simply updating someone people have paid hard money for?
I think that it would be freekin awesome if you could “unlock” the windows feature in leopard by installing vista from a disc. Yet I think that if apple did it, they would elimenate the start menu altogeather and have a seperate section of the dock for windows apps… Then each windows app would open in its own window (kinda like coherence mode, yet nicer)… If apple did this, I think that everybody in the world would use a mac!!!
My guess is they’ve talked to Apple who have probably said that if they keep this up they will acquire Parallels for a hefty sum. This certainly motivates the Parallels team and makes them even more attractive to Apple.
Interesting theory. Yes, VMWare is going to release _something_ but you have to give props to the Parallels folks for upgrading at no charge to users. Many developers would call it a version upgrade and charge for the kind of additional features Parallels is including in a no-charge “update.” That said, I don’t think their business plan means they’re an acquisition by Cupertino. I think it’s smart … they’ve won users by being first to market, and they’re working hard to keep them (hold market share) by providing the upgrades at no charge (initially). It’s a paid Beta, after all. It’s entirely possible that the cost of entry to Parallels goes up, depending on the price of VMWare’s solution. This is smart business, but I don’t think it’s a sign that Steve & Co. are behind it. On the contrary, I think Apple would sit on the upgrade until Leopard releases.
I’d suggest that Parallels realise that vmware will be providing some meaningful competition, so they need to make the most of their first-mover advantage. There are a lot more pre-built vmware type images out there than parallels, so parallels have to compete on product features.
Parallels is a front for a group of Russion programmers. While Apple could buy the company, hard to get control of the programmers.
I have just been playing with CrossOver for OSX and would highly recommend checking it out as it takes a slightly different approach which gets around needing a Windows license.
http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/
Enjoy!
I would be more inclined to think that apple would license vmware’s software for inclusion in OS X. This could also explain the delay in the release of VmWare’s Mac integration. I unfortunately could not wait for VmWare any longer and had to purchase Parallels. I would also note that raw packet support in Parallels appears to be hacky compared to the clean implementation of VmWare Workstation.
There are a number of you who mentioned Apple has in the past supported Parallels. This is true, Apple recommends Parallels over Boot Camp on their website. They also sell it in their stores, so they have faith in the product.
Well, most of the features they have been adding have been substantial. They’re not the typical mid-release cycle free updates you get from most companies.
As far as Parallels being a beta, I don’t see how you can say that. I’ve never had a problem with Parallels. Windows crashing, yes, but not Parallels. I’ve been able to do all of my programming homework in a VM with no issues what so ever. If you think beta means not enough features as competitors, I think you need to rethink your definition. As long as the software runs without issue, it’s out of beta for me.
Parallels could still do this. Remember, the coherency mode is just a beta, and just like CoverFlow, I’m sure Apple will tweak Parallels if they include it in Leopard.
Do you have a source for this? I’ve never heard of Parallels being a group of hackers.
I think that Parallels is trying to make sure that they’re already ahead of the game when VMware releases its OS X product. While it may SEEM like they have no competition at the moment, VMware has been in the virtualization game a whole lot longer than Parallels and if VMware provides their product for free like they have on Windows and Linux, Parallels is going to be in a world of hurt.
I thought about this awhile ago, why doesn’t Apple just buy Parallel, instead of working with the whole Boot Camp. And it does seem like Parallels is working very hard, I just thought it was because of Vista coming out that they were working so hard. But it would be great if they got together. Either way I’ll be buying Parallels when I get a MacBook Pro.
Apple promote parallels on its get a mac website and on its commercials:
http://www.apple.com/getamac/windows.html
Just came across the comment with a mention that Parallels development is in Russia. I did some research and found out that their dev. base is in Moscow and they’re hiring developers for $1000-1500/mo which is a way too little given the abovementioned amount of work and the fact that Moscow is a very expensive place to live. Just wow.
P.S. the link to the hiring ads - http://catalog.itpeople.ru/E601096643/
I don’t think apple would by parallels. Making the mac run both osx and windows does open up market share but users are still running windows. I think this is a small part in getting people to transition off windows to osx. I also think the intel switch was more than just hardware performance. I have faith in the rumor that the mac os will eventually run windows apps with out needing windows.
We’ll see what happens. But why is parallel always requiring a new serial number then?
http://www.mostofmymac.com
Umm, I think that what apple will do is let people run their windows apps in leopard… They would want to do this so that the only reason to get winodws (its software/devices) is gone. Once people see that mac can do everything, they will get a mac. Devs will realize that windows is stupid, and will only develop for mac…
Of course, this could also backfire! Devs may realize that if macs do windows too, what is the point of making mac apps at all… So this makes me think.. They have to come up with a way to encourage devs to stop deving for windows…
The solution:
In my mind, the solution would be for mac to require the purchase of a windows disc (with license)… This extra price would make consumers think twice about adding windows support….
Or, maybe, jobs does not care if people run windows stuff on a mac… They still paid thousands for the mac in the first place!
If Apple has bought Parallels, and nobody knows it, I would be surprised. That being said, F U in the grotto, VMWare!
P. S. The damn type is too light in the name, email and URL fields, web-bois.
I met several of the Parallels programming team at WWDC2006, and I didn’t notice a Russian accent in the group. I’m pretty sure they are all stationed in Virginia where Parallels is HQ’ed.
Apple has more to gain by leaving Parallels alone. By buying Parallels/bundling a Windows virtualization solution, Apple would increase the risk that Microsoft (or other companies like Adobe) would ditch their Mac versions for Windows only versions. If Apple is including such a tool in the box, then there is less reason for companies to develop for the OS X platform.
No, it is in Apple’s interest to keep itself seperate from Parallels. However, it is also in Apple’s interest to have a robust virtualization solution(s) available. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out Apple investing heavily in Parallels stock, though.
Sorry, I meant Washington State, where Parallels is HQ’ed.
$80 is an arm and a leg for you?
Oh wait, you mean the copy of Windows you had to buy!
10 Trackbacks/Pingbacks
Could Apple Buy Parallels?…
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