Can Intel Dethrone The Foundry Giants?

Mark LaPedus, Semiconductor Engineering
December 12th, 2013

For some customers, Intel may be an interesting partner. For others, foundries still have some distinct advantages.

The leading-edge foundry business isn’t for the faint of heart. It requires deep pockets and sound technology to keep pace in the chip-scaling race. And despite pouring billions of dollars into new fabs and processes, foundries are competing for fewer customers at each node.

Given the difficult business conditions, only a handful of vendors can afford to compete in the high-end foundry business. Going forward, though, the business is expected to get even more competitive—and intriguing—as Intel expands its efforts in the foundry arena.