AMD has been going through difficulties regarding performance of their PC processors in the past few years and more precisely ever since the release of Intel’s Core 2 Duo processors back in 2006. Their problems in this product field were further aggravated by the release of flawed AMD Phenom processors back in 2007 and now by the release of the highly-anticipated but underperforming Bulldozer architecture.
While AMD stated that it remains committed to the x86 processor market recent developments around the company have hinted that AMD may have abandoned the goal to compete directly with Intel on the processor market.
The latest hint has just come as the CEO of AMD Mr. Rory Read said that AMD does not exclude the possibility to include processors based on another architecture in its product portfolio. In particular this means that AMD may start working on processors based on ARM architecture.
The possible AMD entry in the ARM processors field is further stimulated by the rapid growth of the smartphone and tablet markets where ARM processors are the norm. In fact both AMD and Intel missed this moment and are now looking for a way to earn money on this field also.
The popularity of tablets has diminished consumer interest towards netbooks and notebooks. Intel was able to respond to the threat and AMD has its own solution, named Trinity but this may not be enough and AMD may in fact be forced to enter the ARM processor market in order to stay afloat in these shaky times for the company. Will it happen? We will see in 2012.
Source: IXBT