Ashraf, re compare of Baytrail with apple A7
Isn't the gist of the article that Intel's 22 nm device and Apple's 28 nm device are in same ball park ? Did I misunderstand that ?
Basically it looks like the benefit of Intel's efforts in process can be matched by Apple's efforts in design.
Does that put in question any intrinsic superiority of x-86 architecture ?
So if we agree that x86 is great for legacy apps, but that there is no natural market for it in phones (due to lack of legacy apps), then what should Intel's management do to fill its fabs ? Legacy x86 systems are insufficient. And new mobile apps are not a natural fir for x86.
Apparently Intel's new management thinks the choice is either to 1- keep fighting the hitherto losing battle of just catering to x86 crowd, or 2- fab the mobile systems that are in demand. even if they are competitors.
In my humble opinion, what Intel needs is that the trend of process shrink encounters a huge physics problem that Intel has solved (or can solve), and that competitors will spend years struggling with and falling behind. Anything like that on the horizon ? 10 nm ?