Intel and Arm may seem like rival companies, but today the two chip businesses announced a new collaboration. Intel’s press release said its foundry services division will help Arm-based chip designers build their processors in their factories using the Intel 18A process:
The press release stated:
ARM customers designing their next-generation mobile SoCs will benefit from the industry-leading Intel 18A process technology, which delivers breakthrough transistor technologies for improved power and performance, and from IFS’s strong manufacturing footprint, which includes US – and includes EU-based capacity.
Intel added that the first chips with this new partnership will focus on mobile SoC designs, which means the next smartphone you buy could have an ARM-based design made at an Intel foundry. The deal could eventually expand to include Intel making ARM-based chips for automotive products, data centers, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and more.
Right now, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) makes most of the chips used in smartphones. If Intel manages to take some of TSMC’s market share, it could be a huge new source of revenue for the company. It could also allow for some flexibility in supply chains if those chips can be made in the US and Europe.
