Re: no one else has any share of any significance.
Don't underestimate the effect VIA has on both Intel and AMD. If not for VIA, Intel and AMD would be assured of getting their variable costs back for almost any CPUs produced (except, perhaps, the very large die P4s).
With PIII, Athlon, Celeron, and Duron costing something like $20 to $20 to manufacture, test, and package, Intel and AMD could make more of those parts than they expect to sell, and be prepared for yield disappointments or demand surges. Later, the parts could be marketed to less demanding customers (perhaps, given what most PCs are used for, more sensible could be a better term!), at cost or a little over cost without affecting the company's primary markets.
But with VIA offering 800MHZ chips now, with GHZ chips soon to follow, old 500MHZ to 750MHZ PIIIs, etc. can't be sold to recover variable costs, which would tend to make Intel and AMD cautious about overscheduling production starts. |
