SAN JOSE, Calif. – To broaden its appeal in a Windows-dominated world, Apple Computer Inc. unveiled software Wednesday to let owners of new Intel-based Macs run not only its own operating system but also Microsoft Corp.’s rival software.

Apple’s shares surged as Wall Street bet the move would help Apple grow its current worldwide personal computer market share beyond the current range of 3 percent to 4 percent by attracting more business and home users.

“It makes the Mac the most versatile computer on the market,” said Tim Bajarin, a tech industry consultant at Creative Strategies.

Apple’s new “Boot Camp” software, a “beta” test version available as a free download, lets computer users with a Windows XP installation disk load it on the Mac. Users could then switch between the two operating systems – using only one at a time – by rebooting, a process that could take a few minutes.

Users would have to get their own copy of Windows XP – the home edition retails for $199.

Apple shares rose nearly 10 percent on the news, raising its market cap by more than $5 billion to $51.9 billion.