Intel has adopted a power conscious strategy in an effort to fortify its x86 perimeter against an ARM offensive into the mainstream PC market.
As TG Daily previously reported, Santa Clara’s current domination of the lucrative space is threatened by ARM’s low-power RISC chips, which are expected to capture at least 13% of the “classic” PC market by 2015.
“We decided our roadmap was inadequate and needed to [alter] the center point,” Intel CEO Paul Otellini said today during the company’s annual investor meeting.
“This shift we announced today is fundamental. We are [moving] our center [power] point for all our [laptop and mainstream desktop designs] from the 30-40 watts to approximately 15. [Of course] we will still build [processors] that scale up the range, but our [focus] will be on ultramobility.”
Unsurprisingly, Otellini also emphasized that Intel remained wedded to x86 architecture and had little interest in licensing RISC-based ARM processors for mobile devices.
“[Sure], we have an ARM architecture license. [But] we have no intention to use [it] again to build [a RISC-powered] chip. There’s [just] no advantage, because we’d be beholden to someone else. [Plus], we would pay royalties to them and lower the overall profits. I think we can do better.
“[Really], the most important thing for us is to figure out how to [make money] and how to be [in the market]. And we think the best way to [do that] is by designing best-of-class x86 chips.”
