Folks are missing the real reason why Intel is making this move: because Samsung is getting really, really big and walking off with the entire mobile chip business. As their volumes increase and the chips become ever more sophisticated, they're become a chip fab powerhouse with the kind of volume it takes to rival even Intel when it comes to process advancements. That's a direct threat to Intel's primary competitive advantage - the best fabs in the industry.
This is all about attracting the most advanced ARM designs to Intel's fabs, so they can maintain their advantage over all rivals when it comes to chip fabrication. They simply can't afford to let Samsung continue to function as a major fab for other device manufacturers - the volumes are becoming enormous and the chips very advanced. If left unchecked, it would provide Samsung with the revenues and volumes to finance a lot of research, development and plant-building - enough to make them an equal to Intel even at the very high end.
This is something Intel cannot afford.
Look for them to cut some sweet deals with Apple over the next year.
It would be great if Apple could start getting ARM chips from Intel. The combination of Apple's world leading designs and Intel's world leading fabrication would give the iPad/iPhone an even bigger tech lead.
Intel doesn't make ARM Chips for itself. So, using Apple's knowledge for a mythical product isn't exactly the most rational concern I've ever heard.
Intel is committed to X86. Dumping it for ARM would mean Intel would be at the mercy of ARM holdings. Something that doesn't happen with Intel's X86 line. It makes little to no sense. X86 with ARM IP is a different story. Regardless of how good or not Apple's ARM IP is, Intel will always want to make sure X86 is ultimately undisputed unless they themselves can come up with something to supersede it that doesn't involve relinquishing control.
See: Intel Itanium
Two: In case no one has noticed, Intel is trying to expand it's foundry business. NOBODY will use Intel if they just start stealing secrets and handing it off to competitors. It's irrational thought and a stupid move for a company attempting to stay at the top of its game.
I was not suggesting Intel dropping x86 for ARM.
What I did do is not read 'third-party' and therefore concluded Intel to manufacture their own ARM processor. Ugh! My bad- again! I really must slow down and read all the words and the article {shaking head}
One big part of the story that isn't being reported here is that Altera doesn't make chips for smartphones and tablets. They make FPGAs. The story is that Intel will manufacture Altera FPGAs (based on ARM technology).
The story here unfortunately isn't as big as people are making it out to be. This isn't a story about Intel "giving up" on x86 in the mobile markets. Altera doesn't compete with Intel, so Intel's willing to manufacture their chips. We have yet to see if Intel will ever produce an application processor ARM-based SoC that goes into phones and tablets.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jameskatt2
Sure Apple can use Intel. Apple has the only 64-big ARM chip in a smartphone and tablet. And soon it will have AppleTV. Someone has to make all those chips.
Just a technical point here - as I understand it, what's unique to Apple is that it has the only 64-bit mobile operating system. Sure the A7 chip itself is 64-bit compatible, but so are Intel's Atom-based chips. The day before the A7 was announced, Intel specifically said at their developer forum that their new tablet chip (Bay Trail) was 64-bit capable. It's just that Android and other mobile OS solutions do not support 64-bit. So it's not the chip that makes Apple unique here, it's the OS.
Comments
Folks are missing the real reason why Intel is making this move: because Samsung is getting really, really big and walking off with the entire mobile chip business. As their volumes increase and the chips become ever more sophisticated, they're become a chip fab powerhouse with the kind of volume it takes to rival even Intel when it comes to process advancements. That's a direct threat to Intel's primary competitive advantage - the best fabs in the industry.
This is all about attracting the most advanced ARM designs to Intel's fabs, so they can maintain their advantage over all rivals when it comes to chip fabrication. They simply can't afford to let Samsung continue to function as a major fab for other device manufacturers - the volumes are becoming enormous and the chips very advanced. If left unchecked, it would provide Samsung with the revenues and volumes to finance a lot of research, development and plant-building - enough to make them an equal to Intel even at the very high end.
This is something Intel cannot afford.
Look for them to cut some sweet deals with Apple over the next year.
It would be great if Apple could start getting ARM chips from Intel. The combination of Apple's world leading designs and Intel's world leading fabrication would give the iPad/iPhone an even bigger tech lead.
Intel doesn't make ARM Chips for itself. So, using Apple's knowledge for a mythical product isn't exactly the most rational concern I've ever heard.
Intel is committed to X86. Dumping it for ARM would mean Intel would be at the mercy of ARM holdings. Something that doesn't happen with Intel's X86 line. It makes little to no sense. X86 with ARM IP is a different story. Regardless of how good or not Apple's ARM IP is, Intel will always want to make sure X86 is ultimately undisputed unless they themselves can come up with something to supersede it that doesn't involve relinquishing control.
See: Intel Itanium
Two: In case no one has noticed, Intel is trying to expand it's foundry business. NOBODY will use Intel if they just start stealing secrets and handing it off to competitors. It's irrational thought and a stupid move for a company attempting to stay at the top of its game.
I was not suggesting Intel dropping x86 for ARM.
What I did do is not read 'third-party' and therefore concluded Intel to manufacture their own ARM processor. Ugh! My bad- again! I really must slow down and read all the words and the article {shaking head}
Sorry, jumped the shark on this one.
One big part of the story that isn't being reported here is that Altera doesn't make chips for smartphones and tablets. They make FPGAs. The story is that Intel will manufacture Altera FPGAs (based on ARM technology).
The story here unfortunately isn't as big as people are making it out to be. This isn't a story about Intel "giving up" on x86 in the mobile markets. Altera doesn't compete with Intel, so Intel's willing to manufacture their chips. We have yet to see if Intel will ever produce an application processor ARM-based SoC that goes into phones and tablets.
Quote:
Sure Apple can use Intel. Apple has the only 64-big ARM chip in a smartphone and tablet. And soon it will have AppleTV. Someone has to make all those chips.
Just a technical point here - as I understand it, what's unique to Apple is that it has the only 64-bit mobile operating system. Sure the A7 chip itself is 64-bit compatible, but so are Intel's Atom-based chips. The day before the A7 was announced, Intel specifically said at their developer forum that their new tablet chip (Bay Trail) was 64-bit capable. It's just that Android and other mobile OS solutions do not support 64-bit. So it's not the chip that makes Apple unique here, it's the OS.