Intel introduces new Quark chip targeting the IoT market.

The world's largest computer chip manufacturer has shown it is ready to enter the vast Internet of Things market.

At a press conference held on Tuesday, November 3rd, in San Francisco, Intel announced three new lines of ultra-low power Quark chips, along with software and technical specifications to help the company's customers quickly enter the rapidly growing IoT market.

The Internet of Things, or IoT for short, is a term used to refer to the computing and communication capabilities of devices in everyday life, from household appliances to cars. This field requires chips that consume extremely low power.

To put it into perspective, compared to Intel chips found in typical laptops which consume around 15 watts, Quark chips only consume about 27 milliwatts, or a few tens of thousandths of a watt.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich introduced the new Quark chip for IoT at an event on November 3rd in San Francisco, USA.

Intel has maintained its x86 processor chip design since the 1980s. The new Quark D1000 chip, the first of three new Quark chip lines, is developed from that design but lacks the full capabilities of x86 chips, according to Douglas Davis, Intel's vice president of IoT.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich introduced the new Quark chip for IoT at an event on November 3rd in San Francisco, USA.

These new chips cannot run Windows or other software typically developed for x86 technology. Many companies developing IoT applications do not rely on conventional operating systems, which are developed for PCs or mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Instead, IoT software runs directly on the hardware, Davis said.

Intel is one of many companies seeking to establish technology platforms in the embedded sector. Major players pursuing this trend include Cisco Systems, Qualcomm, General Electric, and IBM. Many of these companies utilize chip technology licensed from ARM Holdings, which dominates the smartphone market.

Also at the press conference, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced new products, reaffirming the company's commitment to driving the IoT trend. The company has invested in a range of startups producing smartwatches, smart glasses, and drones.

Intel's chips have long been commonly referred to as microprocessors, but the company is now classifying its new Quark chip line into a different category: microcontrollers. This type of chip is becoming increasingly popular, appearing more and more in cars to assist with control and enhance safety while the vehicle is in operation.

For example, the newly released Quark D1000 chip will identify anomalous information sent by surrounding sensors, a company representative said.

Quark chips are also designed to operate stably under abnormal temperature conditions, whether too high or too low.

With the launch of these new chip lines, Intel is directly competing with rivals Freescale Semiconductor Inc. and Atmel Corp.

Another major challenge for this market is price. Intel has traditionally sold computer chips for hundreds or even thousands of US dollars, but chips for IoT need to be very affordable. The Quark D1000 will cost between $2 or $3, depending on quantity, and is expected to drop even further, Intel promises.

Intel has not disclosed the pricing for the Quark D2000 series, which is expected to launch later this year, nor the Quark SE SoC for IoT, which is expected to be available in the first half of next year.

The IoT market is showing many promising signs of an upcoming boom in hardware, software, and services. Microsoft is developing a version of Windows 10 for IoT devices, called Windows 10 IoT Core. Meanwhile, ARM also offers the Mbed platform, which includes the operating system and cloud services.

According to PCWorld