Apple Computer, facing marketshare that's fallen below 5% and at least two more quarterly losses, is considering closer ties with former enemies Intel and Microsoft. Apparently, the company is considering making a line of PCs that runs on the Intel platform. Company officials did not disclose whether the machines would run Windows 95 or a version of the Mac OS designed for Intel PCs. In January, Bill Gates visited Apple Computer headquarters for a meeting with Gil Amelio, Steve Jobs, and Ellen Hancock to discuss Apple licensing Windows NT. They also discussed closer cooperation over the next several years. Apple isn't expected to return to profitability until September. The company is working on a new OS based on NeXT's OpenStep that is due early in 1998. A version that is backwards compatible with existing Mac OS software is not due until mid-1998. In an unrelated development, Apple is also courting IBM. Apple would like IBM to manufacturer future versions of the popular PowerBook laptops
