While finalizing Workstation 7.0, Player 3.0 and ACE 2.6, VMware is also working on the next generation of Fusion.
The product is becoming increasingly important for VMware, as Apple continues to attract new potential customers (mainly because of the iPhone) and gains market share.
The more Windows and Linux users consider switching to Mac OS X, the more Fusion (and its competitors) becomes the must-have gateway to the new environment.
The new Fusion 3.0, which will be available October 27, includes some new, welcome features:
- new 64bit engine optimized for Snow Leopard
- support for Windows 7 and its Aero interface
- support for OpenGL 2.1 and DirectX 9.0c Shader Model 3
- a P2V migration tool called Switching Made Easy that works over Ethernet or wireless
VMware may further capitalize its increasing leadership in this segment if the phantom Apple tablet PC that everybody is talking about is going to use a version of Mac OS rather than the iPhone OS, as some have speculated.
In that case VMware may really have a chance to revolutionize the way customers interact with the Windows and Linux applications by developing an brand new support for the tablet multi-touch display that works with any Fusion application.