Comments on: Report: Apple to use Intel's Silverthorne chip in 2008

Apple is apparently considering Intel's upcoming low-power chip for use in 2008, but it's not likely that it will have Intel inside the iPhone next year.

[EmbSysPro]

No other realistic options?

That is and isn't a true statement. If your intimately tied to the ARM architecture and ARM ecosystem then there are compelling reasons to continue stay put and your statement is true.

But Raza Microelectronics's Au1250 MIPS32 architecture, offers more processing power and is computationally more efficient for handheld multimedia processing chores.

I know that everybody and their cousin is using ARM and ARM is a very good architecture, I like it also, but it's not the only game in town nor is it the best.

[slickuser]

single x86 codebase...

The move will help Apple to maintain single OS code base for all of their devices!

This is a huge design win for Intel!!!

INTC - Buy! Buy!! Buy!!!

[Peter Bonte]

ARM = PPC

If the ARM architecture is a PPC (and i think it is) then all these
apps already have a compatible version, Apple is still supporting
PPC's. Optimalisation is another matter, that can take some extra
work.

[johnq_public]

Why NOT to choose Intel

Licensing - will your ASIC company be building in an Intel plant when it gets it's RTL ingegrated or at TSMC? How soon will you see an Intel chip built at another fab? Not soon I believe... even if you could, could you start using another fabs expertise? Intel didn't lead the world in embedded DRAM which is all the rage in the silicon world.... who are ya gonna call then?

RTL/architectural licensing - have you ever noticed that people actually take stock cores or modify them... worse yet, even make their own? Not going to happen with Intel architectures anytime soon. This already happens with ARM and MIPS. Yeah, the solution is supposed to be done finished and ready to go... if you need a shrink wrapped solution then by all means go COTS.

Custom Silicon - related to licensing... this is not the PC market. Will Intel make the PDA mother board or do all the design specs for a reference implementation? I'm sure Motorola/Samsung/Nokia are ready to all merge their platform into one so that they have no packaging/feature/silicon/board differentiation worth talking about... not! :D

Devotion to market - I hate to say it... but in the era of '1000 miles deep, one inch wide' from Andy Grove time frame... they have sold off most of their communication groups(various companies)/StrongARM(to Marvell). Are you willing to invest in something that isn't their cash cow right now? If so, I guess you can handle to switch to any platform/familiarity etc.

-JQP

[slickuser]

you moron

what are you talking about????

[slickuser]

You must be a pissed off AMD employee!

You must be a pissed off AMD employee!

[jscott418]

Power vs Speed

This is the problem in all CPU devices to some extent. Part of the
reason why both AMD and Intel gave up on the GHz race. The duel
core ideal was much better at keeping heat and power down. But
still maintain a good balance of speed. Unless a break through
come along in batteries I think Intel and AMD and others will have
to make power consumption a priority.