Intel may have a fight unseating ARM chips

18.05.2011
With the world's biggest chip maker focusing in on the mobile market, there's a lot more pressure on the ARM chip community.

But fear not. Industry analysts say ARM is in a great position to withstand any Intel onslaught.

On Tuesday, Intel CEO Paul Otellini, speaking at the company's financial analyst meeting, announced he is refocusing the company, moving its "center" from PC processors to . That means Intel will be trying to break into the elusive, yet lucrative, mobile market that encompasses .

It also means that Intel has focused its crosshairs directly on ARM chips, which heavily dominate the mobile landscape. To means taking it away from an ARM chip.

While ARM companies may be looking over their shoulders at the competition coming their way in the next year or so, it shouldn't be causing any panic, says Rob Enderle, an analyst with the Enderle Group.

"It's going to be almost impossible to [unseat ARM chips]," said Enderle. "ARM is entrenched. There's a high level of difficulty going after an entrenched vendor. Look at how hard it's been to go after Intel in the PC market. ARM is entrenched in cell phones and tablets, and once they're that in place, it's hard to work around that."