Additional information provided by new sources and qualified as "technically possible" by initial Freescale story's sources gives us a more precise timeframe for the use of MPC7448 processors in Powerbooks.

Sources indicate that there is a plan B in case Freescale is not able to deliver the MPC7448 processor in sufficient quantities and soon enough for the next Powerbooks' speed bump. Plan B will consist of producing an MPC7447A processor with higher clock speed than the theoretical limits described in it’s specifications sheet. The MPC7447A processor could have a clock speed as fast as 1.6Ghz.

If Apple chooses to use plan B, the company will have the option to use the MPC7448 later in 2005 in another G4 based update for the Powerbooks, in case it is still impossible to outfit it with a G5 instead. In that case, we won't see Powerbooks based on the G5 processor before late 2005.

Anyway, the PowerPC G4 processor and especially MPC7448 seem to have a bright future. It will probably be an affordable and powerful processor that, although Apple might choose to not use it in Powerbooks, will certainly be used a lot in iBooks, for at least two future generations.