Rumor: Intel Lynnfield and P55 chipset delayed

Sources at motherboard makers told DigiTimes that Intel recently decided to delay the launch of its mainstream Lynfield desktop processor and P55 chipset due to the economic decline. Originally, the chip firm planned to introduce these chips by the end of July, but DigiTimes claims the chip giant is now looking to debut these products by the end of August or early September. If market conditions remain bad, the introduction may be further postponed.

Both Lynnfield and P55 were originally scheduled to launch by the end of July. The economic decline which has caused motherboard makers to suffer overstocked chipset inventory is the major reason for the pull back, according to the sources.

After the P55 launches, Intel plans to phase out non-IGP P45 and P43 chipsets and will transition its 4-series IGP chipsets to the entry-level.

In additional news, Intel will provide engineering samples of its next-generation entry-level CPU Havendale to motherboard makers in February this year, while design validation test (DVT) will be complete in July to August with mass production in September to October. However, Intel has postponed shipping to January next year to give its current entry-level CPU inventory more time to clear.