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Intel blue logo 2020

Intel logo since September 2, 2020.

Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California within Silicon Valley. It is the world's largest and highest valued semiconductor chip manufacturer based on revenue,[1][2] and is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers (PCs). Intel ranked No. 46 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.[3] Intel is incorporated in Delaware.[4]

Intel supplies processors for computer system manufacturers such as Apple, HP, and Dell. Intel also manufactures motherboard chipsets, network interface controllers and integrated circuits, flash memory, graphics chips, embedded processors and other devices related to communications and computing. Intel technologies adopted by Apple include Thunderbolt and USB.

History[]

Intel_-_Our_Rock_Stars_-_Spot

Intel - Our Rock Stars - Spot

Intel Corporation was founded on July 18, 1968, by semiconductor pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore (of Moore's law), and is associated with the executive leadership and vision of Andrew Grove. The company's name was conceived as portmanteau of the words integrated and electronics, with co-founder Noyce having been a key inventor of the integrated circuit (the microchip). The fact that "intel" is the term for intelligence information also made the name appropriate.[5] Intel was an early developer of SRAM and DRAM memory chips, which represented the majority of its business until 1981. Although Intel created the world's first commercial microprocessor chip in 1971, it was not until the success of the personal computer (PC) that this became its primary business.

During the 1990s, Intel invested heavily in new microprocessor designs fostering the rapid growth of the computer industry. During this period Intel became the dominant supplier of microprocessors for PCs and was known for aggressive and anti-competitive tactics in defense of its market position, particularly against Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), as well as a struggle with Microsoft for control over the direction of the PC industry.[6][7]

The Open Source Technology Center at Intel hosts PowerTOP and LatencyTOP, and supports other open-source projects such as Wayland, Mesa3D, Intel Array Building Blocks, Threading Building Blocks (TBB), and Xen.[8]

Apple and Intel[]

After Apple adopted the PowerPC G3 processor in November 1997, it produced commercials ridiculing the slow speed of Intel Pentium processors. However, by 2005, Apple was experiencing heat problems with the PowerPC G5 processor, which was having trouble surpassing 3 GHz. Apple had also been unable to deliver a G5-based PowerBook, which Steve Jobs had promised two years earlier.[9]

Intel processors used by Apple[]

Apple_WWDC_2005_-_The_Intel_Switch_Revealed

Apple WWDC 2005 - The Intel Switch Revealed

Steve Jobs announced at the 2005 Worldwide Developers Conference that Apple would switch from PowerPC to Intel processors. Jobs was joined on stage by Intel's then-CEO Paul Otellini for the announcement. The transition was completed in 2006. However, market analysts began to speculate that Apple would begin to transition away from Intel.[10]

Intel Core Solo 2006-02-28
Intel Core Duo 2006-02-28
Intel Core 2 Duo 2006-11-08
Intel Core i7 2010-04-09

Intel modem chips used by Apple[]

Apple had previously used chips from Infineon Technologies in early iPhones before Infineon's smartphone modem business was acquired by Intel for US$1.4 billion in 2011.[13] Starting with the iPhone 7 in 2016, Apple started using 4G modem chips from Intel, though only in models for GSM networks as their performance on CDMA networks reportedly did not match that of competing chips from Qualcomm.[14] However, by the release of the iPhone XR and XS in 2018, Apple was exclusively using Intel modem chips across all types of wireless networks as Apple was involved in a royalty dispute with Qualcomm.[15] However in April 2019, Apple settled with Qualcomm, and committed to using their 5G modem chips in next year's iPhone 12 series. As a result, Intel's then-CEO Bob Swan became concerned that they were spending too much money to primarily support a single customer.[16] Apple then announced that it would acquire most of Intel's smartphone modem business, along with about 2,200 employees and over 17,000 wireless patents.[17] The deal was reportedly worth US$1 billion.[16]

Transition away from Intel processors[]

According to a former Intel engineer, after Apple had a "really, really bad" experience with processors using Intel's Skylake architecture in 2015 Macs, the relationship between the companies had soured.[19] By 2018, Apple had internally initiated Project Kalamata to find a roadmap away from Intel processors.[20][21]

On June 22 at the 2020 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced that it would transition to its own processors by 2022.[22] The first processors to be released during this transition, the Apple M1, was found to exceed the performance of every Intel processor used in Apple products, with the exception of multi-core performance of the Intel Xeon from the top-of-the-line 3rd generation Mac Pro.[23] By the end of 2021, only three Intel-based Macs remained: the 27-inch iMac, the Mac mini (still offered as an alternative to the M1 version), and the 3rd-generation Mac Pro.[24]

In response, Intel hired former "Get a Mac" actor Justin Long from Apple's "Mac vs. PC" campaign to become its spokesperson in 2021 for PC products based on Intel processors. The tech media perceived this move to be a sign of desperation by Intel.[25][26][27]

References[]

  1. "Samsung Dethrones Intel As World's Biggest Chip Maker", Fortune. 
  2. Intel 2007 Annual Report. Intel (2007). Retrieved on July 6, 2011.
  3. Fortune 500 Companies 2018: Who Made the List (en-US).
  4. 10-K.
  5. Secret of Intel's name revealed. The Inquirer (2007). Retrieved on June 11, 2012.
  6. Goodin, Dan (September 23, 1998). Microsoft's holy war on Java. Retrieved on November 18, 2018.
  7. "USA versus Microsoft: the fourth week", BBC News, December 14, 1998. Retrieved on January 7, 2008. 
  8. What is 01.org? - 01.org. 01.org (July 13, 2012).
  9. Steve Jobs predicted the Mac's move from Intel to ARM processors by William Gallagher, AppleInsider. 2019-04-08.
  10. Apple Prepares to Sell Macs With Its Own Chips in 2021 by Ben Mahaney, Yahoo! Finance. 2020-04-26.
  11. So small. So fast., Apple Computer. 2006-02-28. Archived 2006-03-02.
  12. Apple Unveils New MacBook With Intel Core 2 Duo Processors, Apple Computer. 2006-11-08.
  13. Apple buys Intel’s smartphone modem division for $1 billion by Michael Liedtke, Associated Press. 2019-07-25.
  14. The Real Reasons The iPhone 7 Ended Up With An Intel Chip Inside by Mark Sullivan, Fast Company. 2016-09-12.
  15. 15.0 15.1 The Intel XMM 7560 cellular modem in the iPhone XS/XS Max is the reason why your iPhone has inferior reception compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 found in the CDMA models of the iPhone 8/X, NOT because of the antennas. by throneofdirt, Reddit. 2018-09-28.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Here’s Why Apple Just Spent $1 Billion to Buy Intel’s Modem Business by Mark Gurman and Ian King, Time. 2019-07-25.
  17. Apple to acquire the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business, Apple Inc. 2019-07-25.
  18. Confirmed: iPhone 11 Series Phones Have Intel Modems by Sascha Segan, PC Magazine. 2019-09-17.
  19. Former Intel engineer says Skylake problems were turning point for Apple’s ARM Mac transition by Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac. 2020-06-24.
  20. Apple Project Kalamata – future Mac’s may have custom chips (opinion) by Ray Shaw, GadgetGuy. 2018-06-18.
  21. Apple Aims to Sell Macs With Its Own Chips Starting in 2021 by Mark Gurman, Debby Wu, and Ian King, Bloomberg. 2020-04-23.
  22. WWDC Special Event — June 22 by Apple, YouTube. 2020-06-22.
  23. M1 benchmarks prove Apple Silicon outclasses nearly all current Intel Mac chips by Malcolm Owen, AppleInsider. 2020-11-17.
  24. Here are the only Intel Macs left in Apple’s lineup following today’s ‘Unleashed’ event by José Adorno, 9to5Mac. 2021-10-18.
  25. Intel's new PC ads bring back the 'I'm a Mac' guy out of desperation by D. Hardawar, Engadget. 2021-03-17.
  26. ‘I’m a Mac’ guy Justin Long now featured in slightly desperate Intel ads by Md Umar Khan, Gamers Grade. 2021-03-18.
  27. Intel’s desperate attack on MacBooks is already backfiring by Chris Smith, Boy Genius Report. 2021-03-19.

External links[]

Articles[]

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