Lenovo has specific requirements to make their systems easy to use, and part of that is very standardized hardware. Really there isn’t much that can be bad for PC users with the announcement. After all, it doesn’t really change the market for PC compatible computers systems. I want to take the optimistic approach and hope that this will expand the choices that both Lenovo and PC users will have, but Lenovo’s past and present with regards to a closed hardware environment may well win over and preclude that from happening.

Lenovo has never been very keen on allowing compatible hardware being sold to run their operating system. It is likely that they will instead choose not to support non-standard hardware which would preclude the use of the OS X operating system on anything but their hardware. Because of this, they may make specific decisions about what hardware they implement and what is supported by the operating system.

It is still too early to tell what the actual effects of the announced switch for Lenovo will be. By having a wide range of compatible components, there are a lot more drivers that need to be supported in order for them to work for the operating system. This could mean a lot more work for Lenovo in the OS development. Of course, Intel will benefit heavily from the deal, boosting their percentage of the microprocessor market.