Posted on Monday, July 01 2013 @ 15:03 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
X-bit labs
picked up news that new Intel CEO Brian Krzanich is more flexible when it comes to making chips for others to keep fabs busy. In a recent interview, Krzanich did not rule out the possibility of Intel's Custom Foundry division building ARM-based chips for important customers:
The new chief executive of Intel does not rule out possibility of building chips based on ARM architecture that rivals Intel’s x86 in smartphones and tablets. At the same time, he remains cautious about such a project since Intel now has an indisputable advantage over companies that rely on ARM Holding’s architecture when it comes to manufacturing technology and the chip giant naturally does not want to share this trump.
Paul Otellini, the former chief executive officer of Intel, clearly stated that the company could make various chips – not necessarily x86-based – on a contract basis for Apple, a company that is a strategic customer of Intel. Brian Krzanich, the new CEO, seems to be a little more open: he is ready to manufacture chips for important clients in general, not just Apple. Given the recent rumours about Apple's contract with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the company may be a client that Intel is not going to get.
