VMware to Offer Virtualization for Macs

Ahead of the start of Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco, virtualization software maker VMware announced a new product that will allow Intel Macs to virtually run any x86 operating system. The company said it plans to demo the product during the conference.

VMware is a little late to the party, however. Intel Macs have been out for nearly a year, and competing virtualization software maker Parallels released software that allows Windows and other x86-based operating systems to be run within Mac OS X. VMware says it is responding to demand.

"The demand for this has been unbelievable and it is clearly front and center for Mac users," cmpany president Diane Greene said. "This announcement brings our desktop platform and add-on capabilities to Mac users, and it will allow them to run a wide variety of operating systems without rebooting."

VMware said virtual machines created on other platforms would run in Mac OS X, and vice-versa. But as expected, virtual machines running Apple's proprietary OS will only run on an Intel-based Mac.

Those interested in the beta can pre-register on the VMware Web site, the company said. Selected testers will receive early access to the beta before it is released later this year.