That said the current issue is the result of weeks of research, over a dozen talks with sources inside the involved companies, at competitors, suppliers, and in upstream and downstream industries. All pointed to the exact same problem and result, there is no ambiguity on this one among our sources. A massive $20+ billion market cap tech giant bet everything on Intel’s 10nm process to get a leg up on the industry during an upcoming generational change. Intel has not announced this company as a Custom Foundry client either, and would not provide a list of current customers when SemiAccurate requested it last week.
As you know Intel’s 10nm process is now years delayed, is not economically or technically viable, and is unlikely to ever work financially speaking based on what SemiAccurate understands of the problems Intel is still trying to fix. The customer in question put their entire upcoming line of chips at Intel on 10nm, and Intel failed. There was no Plan B, no out, and according to multiple sources, the customer in question can not survive. This is mainly due to a major industry transition that is going on now, the company in question will not have a product to sell into it.
This isn’t a mom and pop company with a trivial product line, it is a foundational technology giant. They have been in business for decades and much of a sector depends on them. And as far as we can see they are dead. Without a product line for a major industry transition, they can not survive and will be acquired or simply die. There is no way out at this point.
The List of $20+B Market cap of possiblities, and excluding ones like Qualcomm, TI, Broadcom, Xilinx, AMD, STMicroelectronics as they are either too big or don't do any business with Intel, the last two are known Global Foundry's key customers, and Xilinx are TSMC based. What we have are: Maxim
Skyworks
NXP
Analog Devices
Microchip
The problem is none of these companies require latest node for their product portfolio, and even if they do the product is likely not be substantial of their revenue, i.e it won't bring the company down as the article has suggested.
Henry James
Could be Apple too?
Daniel Hernandez
With those quads, hopefully.
Ryan Stewart
it's Fairchild via ON semi
20+ billion marketcap is a red herring
Christopher Torres
I answer to myself. Its not Apple, unfortunately. Apple rejecting Intel in favor of AMD would be a huge mindshare blown against Intel.
Matthew Clark
>Maxim
I could see this
it would be dumb but I could see it
>Skyworks
literally wut
>NXP
is literally getting bought by Qualcomm right now, not fucking likely they'd take on an Intel shitstorm
>Analog Devices
probably this
Analog has made confusing choices in the past and they used to have a huge hard-on for Intel contracts
>Microchip
A company with an Intel contract on the line wouldn't be buying DOD Fuccbois
Austin Flores
NOKIA? ERIC?
Bentley Perry
Apple is not going AMD. If Apple abandons Intel it's for their own ARM based chips.
