You know you're a trend-setting company when other companies start building their future plans around yours. Apple products are becoming a key factor in Intel Corp's goals for new processors, revealed a senior executive with Intel today.
Tom Kilroy, a senior vice president with Intel, had mentioned at the Reuters Global Technology Summit in New York today that the explosive success of the iPad as well as other Apple products is beginning to make Intel think about future products and how the chips inside will power them.
"We work very closely with them and we're constantly looking down the road at what we can be doing relative to future products. I'd go as far as to say Apple helps shape our roadmap," he said.
"Apple -- they push us hard," Kilroy said.
While Intel's chips have powered about 80 percent of the world's personal computers, they have yet to get in on the mobile market, as manufacturers tend to lean toward energy efficient processors.
However, in products like the MacBook, Apple uses Intel chips. While some have said that ARM processors could tackle Intel off of the chipmaking throne, Kilroy was quick to dismiss those claims.
"Go look at the performance of those platforms. They're taking our latest and high-end versions of second-generation core, and ARM doesn't even come close to any capability there," he notes.
Kilroy also said that it's ultimately Apple's call as to whether Intel would be given a place in future MacBooks.
via Reuters
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