Win10 Free has become mainstream: Is this Intel's nightmare?

Microsoft developed Windows 10 can support mobile devices and PC devices, can run on ARM architecture processors or on X86 architecture processors, which will open the ARM camp into Intel's X86 site, to Intel It is definitely a nightmare!

Intel retreats to the PC and server market

Intel sold the ARM-based XSCALE business in 2006, and has been making it difficult in the mobile market since last year, by providing tablet companies to Shenzhen, China last year. Probably up to $1 billion in subsidies has won a four-fold increase in the tablet market, but such huge subsidies are unbearable even if Intel's annual revenue exceeds $50 billion.

Intel has changed its strategy since mid-year, adopting a strategic cooperation with China's Rockchip Micro, which integrates Intel's chips and baseband to reduce power consumption and cost, and invests in China's Violet under the company. RADICO's holding company has licensed the X86 architecture to Ziguang, and internally merged the mobile business unit with the PC division to temporarily retreat to the server market and the PC market.

Intel is in an absolute monopoly in the server chip market, with a market share of 97%, and the PC market accounts for about 80% of the market. As long as it continues to maintain its position in the server chip market and the PC market, Intel also Can continue to be brilliant and wait for the opportunity to enter the mobile market.

The 2014 financial report released on January 16 this year shows a total revenue of 55.9 billion US dollars and a net profit of 11.7 billion US dollars.

ARM Attacks Intel's Site

ARM is trying to break Intel's monopoly in the PC and server markets.

In 2013, Google's chromebook was officially launched to the market. The price was as low as $179, and it also had an advantage in terms of battery life. Therefore, the rapid development of Chromebook in August 2014 is estimated to increase by 79% according to gartner.

TrendForce's data shows that the growth rate of notebook computers in the first five months of the year was only 9%. In these notebooks, for example, Samsung uses Samsung's own ARM architecture processor, and Acer's Chromebook uses NVIDIA's ARM. Architecture processor.

In 2014, APPLIED MICRO introduced a 64-bit ARM architecture server chip and was used by HP for servers.

Intel's chip price disadvantage is obvious.

In 2014, the average price of server chips in Intel was as high as 629 US dollars, and the average price of mobile chips was about 88 US dollars. At present, Qualcomm, which monopolizes the smart phone market, has an average price of about 60 US dollars for its high-end mobile phone chips, and only 9 US dollars for low-end chips. Even if the server chip will cost more than the mobile phone chip, the ARM-based chip is undoubtedly far superior. Intel's chip price is low, it is no wonder that Apple also intends to use ARM-based chips in the MAC to replace Intel's chips to increase profit margins.

The last obstacle that prevented ARM from entering the PC and server market was Windows.

Because the enterprise and personal market use Windows system, and Windows system is built on X86 architecture, although ARM architecture notebooks and servers are much cheaper than X86 architecture, there are power consumption advantages. Corporate and individual users are still primarily choosing X86-based products to be compatible with existing enterprise systems, and about 80% of chromebooks are used in the education market.

The role of Windows as a productivity tool has begun to be valued.

At the end of 2014, according to IDC, global tablet PCs grew by 7.2%, IPAD fell by 12.7%, Android tablet increased by 16%, and Windows tablet grew by 67%. One of the important factors is that IPAD and Android tablet increase productivity. The role is limited, and the powerful performance of Windows helps increase productivity.

Today, the introduction of Windows 10 solves the last obstacle for ARM to enter Intel's server and PC market. Low price and low power consumption will help ARM enter the server and PC market. Intense competition will lead to Intel profit. A sharp decline, maybe Intel's nightmare is really coming.