NVIDIA VP Jen-Hsun Huang is one of the more colorful persons that can be found in the semiconductor industry, and often manages to create big headlines. He has now officially stated that he wants to cooperate with Intel and suggests it starts making ARM system processors.
When it comes to world-leading fabs and manufacturing technologies Intel leads the industry, and with its new 22 nanometer technology with FinFET transistors it is expected to increase the lead. As new technologies and fabs becomes exponentially more expensive Intel has opened up its fabs to third parties , although not everyone is welcome to use its fabs and its desirable manufacturing technologies.
Intel is in full operation to prepare mass production of its coming 14 nanometer technology
NVIDIA VP Jen-Hsun “Jensen” Huang suggests to Forbes that Intel should become a foundry for mobile makers like e.g. NVIDIA, but also companies like Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Apple.
“Why not be a foundry for all the mobile companies? There’s no shame in that,” NVIDIA VP and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang.
Intel was not late to reply, where it kindly rejects Jensen’s advice. The reason is that it doesn’t want to cooperate with the competition at this crucial time when Intel self is about to break into the mobile phone market.
“We have a small nascent foundry business, but our focus with our SOCs (systems on a chip) is really on Intel based platforms,” sa Intels talesman Jon Carvill. “Our process technology is a huge advantage going forward in 2012 and 2013, so our focus at this time is on building Intel products, not on building products for our competitors.”
Intel has made similar statements in the past, since it intends to compete with ARM actors using its world-leading fabs. Intel is working to get the world’s first processors “Ivy Bridge” built on its 22 nanometer technology out on the market, and next year the mobile platform Medfield will be upgraded for a successor based on the new technology.
