Intel has put an end to "tick-tock" cycle of product development, according to a new shareholder filing (via The Motley Fool). Rather than relying on an update cycle that swings from a major overhaul one year to more minor improvements the next (the tick-tock), Intel says it will instead focus on a new "Process-Architecture-Optimization" cycle:
As part of our R&D efforts, we plan to introduce a new Intel Core microarchitecture for desktops, notebooks (including Ultrabook devices and 2 in 1 systems), and Intel Xeon processors on a regular cadence. We expect to lengthen the amount of time we will utilize our 14nm and our next generation 10nm process technologies, further optimizing our products and process technologies while meeting the yearly market cadence for product introductions.
Intel's change of cadence likely reflects the difficulty in keeping up with the pace of major architecture overhauls every other year. Under the new cycle going forward, Intel says it plans to introduce a new product based on its 14nm process under the code name "Kaby Lake." As the third product to be built on the 14nm process, Intel says Kaby Lake will feature performance enhancements over the current Skylake chips.
Check our the writeup by AnandTech for more information and their take.
For those holding out for the next big move, Intel says it is also developing its next-generation 10nm process, which should make its debut in 2017.
