Intel’s new CEO scoffs at the company’s inability to ‘deliver better products’ than Apple’s M1 chip

Intel’s new CEO Pat Gelsinger said the company must “deliver better products” than Apple, which he described as a “lifestyle company”, and said that Intel’s best days are “ahead of them” ” (via The Oregonian)

Speaking yesterday at a general Intel meeting, Gelsinger ironically hinted that Apple is just a “lifestyle company”, so Intel must be able to outperform its technology:

“We have to deliver better products for the PC ecosystem than anything possible for a lifestyle company in Cupertino. We have to be that good in the future.”

Apple’s mockery comes after the launch of the Apple Silicon last year, which began moving Intel chips into Mac computers. The M1 chip, Apple’s first custom silicon processor for the Mac, has far exceeded the capabilities of equivalent Intel offerings, with markedly better performance and power consumption.

Gelsinger will replace Bob Swan as CEO of Intel, having spent 30 years at the company before leaving in 2009. He was the company’s first chief technology officer before becoming CEO of VMware. Speaking to employees, Gelsinger insisted that Intel has its best days “ahead”.

He joined the company in a time of crisis as it faces several threats. With the big Apple customer swapping Intel for its own custom silicon, and Microsoft hoping to do the same in the near future, Intel has been struggling to deliver technological innovations. That was after the company repeatedly reported delays on its latest processors, while its main competitor, AMD, continued to capture valuable market share.

In December, a large hedge fund with a billion-dollar stake in Intel, Third Point, published a letter urging Intel to take “immediate action” and shake up its business model to combat growing threats to the company. Gelsinger’s arrival will somehow appease shareholders, but the company still has a way to go to restore its balance.

Gelsinger starts as CEO next month, having been removed from his current job with a reportedly $ 116 million package.