May 18, 1998: In a joint announcement after the recent World of Amiga show in London, and as a reaction to the plans revealed by Amiga Inc., Haage&Partner and phase 5 digital products have emphasized their full and continued support for the PowerPC integration. With joint efforts both vendors will further support the developers and the users of PowerPC technology, and will ensure a fast growing number of stunning and powerful applications. With many thousands of PowerUP boards being shipped so far, a number of installed systems which is rapidly growing, the PowerUP boards already provide an attractive market for all developers. This fact is underscored by many upcoming PowerUP releases of major Amiga software packages, and the increasing support of software vendors which has been agreed on during the WoA even after the announcements of Amiga Inc.
Haage&Partner and phase 5 digital products emphasized that the competition of their different approaches towards PowerPC integration, as well as the public dispute about this, are a matter of the past. "We will ensure that users of PowerUP system have a transparent integration of their PowerPC software, and will see a rich variety of most powerful applications to be released soon" say representatives of both companies. Further development of PowerPC system software shall be done with close consultations between the companies; beside that, cooperations in the development of powerful PowerPC-based system libraries and other OS extensions are being discussed.
In meetings of the managements of Haage&Partner and phase 5 digital products with Amiga Inc. already during the WoA show in London, it has been agreed that a new proposal will be presented to Amiga Inc. which outlines an alternative option to "Amiga Bridge" system planned by Amiga Inc.
This alternative is a new PowerPC-based system, which will feature the planned Amiga OS upgrade and can be out for sale in the retail channels by end of the year already. Beyond incorporating standard industry components and interfaces, such a system can provide additional options which allow for creative development and expansion in the spirit of the Amiga and can also run the current and next releases of AmigaOS.
Based on the PowerPC, this system will also provide continuity and innovation for all users and developers, and will allow the Amiga community to take part of such stunning developments such as Motorola's new AltiVec technology, an extension to the G4 PowerPC processors which will provide a breathtaking performance already early next year. With approval and support of Amiga Inc., this technology can introduce the long-awaited revival of the Amiga platform already this year, quickly providing a growing market of powerful systems which users can buy, and for which developers can develop and sell software and add-ons.
Haage&Partner and phase 5 digital products also encourage all Amiga developers who want to participate today in an existing innovation, and who want to be a part of an Amiga market which provides growth, continuity and innovation from now on and during the next years, to speak out now and commit themselves to support the PowerPC as the heart of the next generation of Amiga systems.
To get more information, please visit: phase 5 and Haage&Partner homepage