Intel Reportedly to Release Discrete USB 3.0 Controller

From X-bit Labs: Intel Corp., the world’s largest maker of central processing units and chipsets, will reportedly release its own discrete SuperSpeed USB controller in a bid speed up transition to the new interface and also obtain a new revenue stream.

The lack of core-logic sets with USB 3.0 support dramatically slowdowns adoption of the new interface. NEC have shipped around three million discrete USB 3.0 controllers from September, which means that only a tiny fraction of mainboards supplied in the same timeframe can support the standard. Moreover, Intel’s own 6-series chipsets due in 2010 are not going to support USB 3.0, which will further delay mass implementation of the interface.

NEC Electronics, Via Technologies and some other vendors have already introduced standalone USB 3.0 controllers, but only NEC has shipped a noticeable amount of appropriate chips. Since discrete USB 3.0 controllers are likely to get popular and due to lack of an integrated solution due any time soon, Intel Corp. plans to introduce its own USB 3.0 chip already this year, reports DigiTimes web-site.

No details about the USB 3.0 controller from Intel are clear, but what is known is that the company still has fabs making chips using older process technologies. Since a discrete controller is not very complex and those fabs have excellent yields, Intel can enjoy great production yields and profit margins since there are still not a lot of USB 3.0 controllers on the market.

Intel did not issue any official confirmations regarding plans to launch standalone USB 3.0 chips, but if the information is correct, then the prices on appropriate controllers will indisputably get lower and the adoption rate will speed up.

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