Intel got some more time to think about the settlement offered by the Federal Trade Commission in the case of unfair competition practices that started back in December 2009. Intel has now accepeted the settlement and promised to behave in the future.
FTC accused Intel of using anti-competitive measures against other larger circuit makers like NVIDIA, VIA and AMD. Intel has maintained its leading position through extorsion and threats to make potential customers turn away from competing products, according to FTC.
Even though Intel has agreed to the settlement with the FTC Intel is very clear by saying that it admits to nothing of what it has been accused of doing. This closes all doors for any additional law suits by any other competing company. At the same time it has agreed to open up its platforms for partners and competing products.
Among others Intel has promised to supply all retail platforms with a PCI bus of some sort the coming six years, which basically means that every CPU on the market will be capable of talking across the PCI Express interface, an opening for NVIDIA to connect its graphics circuits.
Other than that Intel promises to stop all forms of threats and extorsions, and that it will not develop products that intentionally cripples performance of competing products.
NVIDIA aside, VIA was given a good note when Intel agreed to prolong the x86 licence by 15 år, up to 2018.
The preliminary settlement can be found at the FTC website and will be public for the 30 days the Commission has to decide if the settlement is good enough for the people.
