Intel introduces new Quark chip aimed at IoT market

The world's largest computer chip maker shows it's ready to enter the vast Internet of Things market.

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

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

To put that into perspective, compared to the Intel chip that powers a typical laptop, which has a power output of about 15 watts, the Quark chip only consumes 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 3 in San Francisco, USA.

Intel has maintained its x86 architecture for its processors since the 1980s. The new Quark D1000, the first of three new Quark chips already available, builds on that design but lacks the full capabilities of an x86 chip, 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 3 in San Francisco, USA.

These new chips can’t run Windows or other software typically developed for x86 technology. Many companies developing IoT applications don’t rely on the traditional operating systems that are typically developed for PCs or mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Instead, IoT software runs directly on the hardware, Davis said.

Intel is one of many companies looking to build technology platforms in the embedded space. Big names trying to follow the trend include Cisco Systems, Qualcomm, General Electric and IBM, many of which use chip technology licensed from ARM Holdings, which dominates the smartphone market.

Also at the press conference, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced new products, affirming his determination to promote the IoT trend. The company has poured money into a series of startups producing smart watches, smart glasses and drones.

Intel chips have long been called microprocessors, but the company now classifies its new Quark chips as microcontrollers. These chips are becoming more common, appearing more and more in cars to help control and enhance safety while the vehicle is in operation.

For example, the newly launched Quark D1000 chip will identify unusual information sent by surrounding sensors, the company representative said.

Quark chips are also designed to operate stably in abnormal, extremely high or low temperature conditions.

With the launch of these new chips, Intel competes directly with rivals Freescale Semiconductor Inc. and Atmel Corp.

Another big hurdle for this market is price. Intel has long sold traditional PC chips for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, but IoT chips must be very low-cost. The Quark D1000 will cost $2 or $3, depending on quantity, and Intel promises it will drop further.

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

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

According to PCWorld