MediaTekthe Taiwanese chip design giant, is preparing to shake up the Windows PC landscape: it is reportedly working on a chip based on Arm architecture, capable of running Microsoft’s operating system. This new chip represents a direct challenge to the market dominators, Intel and Qualcomm, and could also challenge Apple’s dominance in Mac computers with its Arm chips.
MediaTek’s entry into the Windows PC chip market is favored by the expiration, in 2024, of the exclusivity agreement that linked Qualcomm to Microsoft for the development of Arm chips compatible with Windows, around which there is also a legal dispute which could block new PCs with Qualcomm processors. In 2016, Microsoft had chosen Qualcomm to lead the transition of the Windows operating system to Arm’s underlying processor architecture, which has long powered smartphones and their small batteries. Microsoft has granted Qualcomm an exclusivity deal to develop Arm-based Windows-compatible chips until 2024.
The expiration of the said agreement opens the door for other players such as MediaTek, which can leverage its experience in designing smartphone chips to compete in this new sector. It was initially unclear whether Microsoft had approved MediaTek’s PC chip for the Copilot+ Windows program, but according to Reuters, which first reported the news, the MediaTek chip is based on ready-made designs from Arm, which speeds up the development process significantly and reduces costs. Additionally, the Taiwanese company has a strong track record of producing low-power chips, a key factor for laptops aiming for longer battery life.
The arrival of the MediaTek chip is scheduled for the end of 2025 and it could represent a turning point for the Windows PC market. Increased competition could lead to lower prices and greater innovation, benefiting consumers. MediaTek and Microsoft, however, have so far declined to comment.
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