The fastest growing segment in processors right now is in the smartphone space, and this segment is dominated by ARM at the present moment. Intel, never to leave the CPU space up for grabs, is gunning for ARM using its Atom-based technologies.
Intel CTO Justin Rattner told Reuters that the chip giant will make a chip that will be more miserly on power than what ARM can offer right now.
"With (our) Moorestown processor we equal them on standby power, in the next generation Medfield we will equal them on active power," Rattner told Reuters in an interview.
Not only that, but Intel said that it has tricks up its sleeve that will give it the upper hand.
"I expect us to just pull away after that because we have a fundamental technology advantage, which they don't have," he said.
Rattner didn’t seem to share what the advantage might be, but we are guessing that it might have something to do with the company's massive R&D budget.