If you’re Apple Inc. and you’re unhappy with how much power your notebook processors are using, what can you do about it? Apparently, threaten to cut off your supplier and move on, which is exactly what Cupertino did with Intel -- but don’t worry, they’re not going anywhere (for now).
AppleInsider is reporting that Apple was allegedly so unhappy with how much power Intel’s notebook processors were consuming that they threatened to end their relationship with the chip maker. That’s the word from The Wall Street Journal in a new article on the company’s Ultrabook group, which was said to be a “real wake-up call” for Intel.
“The company in May announced a sharp revision in its product roadmap to lower the average power draw of its chips from a range of 35 watts to 40 watts to just 15 watts,” the report reveals. “[Intel Ultrabook director Greg] Welch said Apple informed Intel that it better drastically slash its power consumption or would likely lose Apple’s business.”
Apparently, the company took the threat seriously, with the announcement this week that Intel Capital “will invest $300 million in a new ‘Ultrabook fund’ to invest in new technologies.” Intel Capital is billed as “the strategic investment arm of the world’s largest chipmaker.”
While there have been rumblings in recent months that Apple may move its MacBook Air line to what have been called “A6” processors -- presumably the next generation mobile chips aimed at the iPad 3 and iPhone 6 -- it appears that Intel has succeeded in staving off Apple’s departure, at least for now.
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(Image courtesy of Ubergizmo.com)
