Earlier today chip maker Intel beat analysts’ estimates with an earnings report showing the company’s income hadn’t fallen as much as expected in the previous quarter.
As Business Insider explained before the earnings call, Intel’s numbers aren’t look good ahead of the rollout of Windows 10.
In the past, a new version of Windows has been the time many customers upgraded their PCs with Intel and other computer component makers being the beneficiaries.
With this version of Windows Microsoft are giving it away free to users of Windows 7 and 8 which means the rush of upgrading customers is going to be subdued compared to previous occasions.
For Intel, the Internet of Things should be the big opportunity in the post PC world but smart devices require low powered chips rather than the more power hungry chips the company excelled in supplying for desktop computers.
At the moment Intel seems to be focusing on the data centre market that may well be a suitable market for power hungry CPUs but is still very much leaving the company isolated from the bulk of the industry which will increasingly demand ultra low powered chips.
For Intel, like Microsoft, the struggle for now is to keep relevant in a dramatically shifted marketplace.