Apple and Intel announce Thunderbolt

The updated MacBook Pros announced today include a fast new IO system, developed jointly by Apple and Intel and formerly known as Light Peak.

Both Apple and Intel have agreed to call the new technology by a common name: Thunderbolt. When the IEEE 1394 interface (“FireWire”) was developed, different companies used different names to refer to the interface. This led to some confusion in the marketplace, and it seems Apple and Intel are hoping to prevent a repeat of this.