Rumor: Intel stops developing 10nm chip production

Intel would have deleted its 10nm node, according to rumors. It has been known for a long time that Intel has major problems to get the 10nm chip production in order, but the company counted on mass production at the end of 2019.

The rumor that Intel is taking the plug from the 10nm production is from SemiAccurate which relies on unnamed sources. SemiAccurate has been skeptical about the feasibility of Intel’s 10nm process. The site has proven sources within Intel but is also sometimes with rumors. In June tweaker Squee reported on the basis of conversations with those involved that Intel would “practically skip the 10nm production and beat 7nm in a year or two.”

Intel has large difficulty to produce 10nm chips in large quantities and cost-effectively. The company had set itself aggressive targets with regard to the reduction of chip features during the transition from 14nm to 10nm. Due to the problems, the company has been at 14nm since 2014, although the production has improved. In July, however, Intel announced that the 10nm mass production should start at the end of 2019, which interim CEO Bob Swan repeated this month in which, according to him, an improvement in the yields was visible in the past period. Until now, only the Core i3-8121U a CPU without igpu for laptops appeared

Last week, the message on OregonLive also appeared that Intel is reorganizing its production departments. The publication relates the reorganization to the problems with 10nm. The head of the manufacturing department, Sohail Ahmed, would leave the company and the department would be split up in the Technology, Manufacturing and operations and Supply chain sections.

If the rumor is true that Intel is largely eliminating 10nm, it can focus on his 7nm. That reduction is less aggressively planned and according to the previous CEO Brian Krzanich, would not experience the problems as Intel does with 10nm.