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    Software delay shadows AMD launch

    Discussion in 'Notebook News and Reviews' started by Run1track, Jul 29, 2004.

  1. Run1track

    Run1track Notebook Deity

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    Software delay shadows AMD launch
    By Chris Kraeuter, CBS.MarketWatch.com
    Last Update: 4:25 PM ET July 28, 2004


    SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- AMD introduced a new line of low-priced desktop processors Wednesday, but the launch was overshadowed by Microsoft's delay of software supporting 64-bit extensions, a blow to AMD's higher-end chips.



    AMD shares (AMD: news, chart, profile) fell 2.4 percent to $11.33.

    Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD introduced last year its 64-bit architecture with Microsoft's support, but Microsoft (MSFT: news, chart, profile) has yet to release an operating system supporting the chips.

    The Microsoft platform is considered important to the success of AMD's Opteron and Athlon 64 chips because it is so widely used and it will help validate the need for applications that can process 64-bit and 32-bit applications concurrently.

    An operating system designed with both 64-bit and 32-bit applications in mind will be able to take full advantage of a chip's performance capabilities.

    Margaret Lewis, AMD's software strategy manager, said Opteron and Athlon 64 both offer high performance on 32-bit applications regardless of what operating system is running.

    "This doesn't really impact our sales or product plans," she said. "Most customers we work with today, while evaluating 64-bit technology, are still doing 32-bit work," Lewis said.

    However, she stated customers seeking optimized performance for both 64-bit and 32-bit applications can use the Linux platform. Also, Sun Microsystems should have its Solaris operating system optimized to work with AMD's 64-bit chips later this year.

    Opteron, targeted mainly at servers and high-end workstations, was the first 64-bit chip to be backward compatible with 32-bit applications. AMD launched it in mid-2003 and followed that up with the launch of Athlon 64 for desktop and mobile PCs.

    Intel (INTC: news, chart, profile), AMD's larger and primary competitor, is readying 64-bit extensions for its Xeon server chips. The company has made no announcement about 64-bit extensions for the desktop.

    Microsoft stated its Windows Server 2003 SP1 and Windows Server 2003 for 64-bit Extended Systems and Windows XP 64-bit Edition for 64-bit Extended Systems won't be released until the first half of 2005. The software was expected later this year.

    "The delays are quality driven," a Microsoft statement said. The company needs more time for tuning and testing "in order to meet the high quality requirements of our customers."

    Sempron processors launched

    AMD introduced Wednesday a low-cost line of processors called Sempron for use in PCs and laptops. The chips replace its Duron line and will eventually replace its Athlon XP line.

    China-based Lenovo is offering the Sempron chips, and Hewlett-Packard said it would offer them in its Pavilion and Presario computers later this year. Acer will also make the chips available this year.

    The chips compete with Intel's Celeron processors and were introduced at prices below what Intel was offering. New Celeron versions are on the way and price cuts are also likely.

    AMD made an initial announcement about its Sempron family on June 7. Earlier this week, AMD lowered the prices of its Athlon 64 product line as it continued to ramp production of its chips on 90 nanometer manufacturing technology.

    JMP Securities analyst Krishna Shankar said Sempron should "compete well with Intel in the value-PC market with superior performance."

    Desktop Semprons start at $39 and range up to $126, in 1,000-unit quantities. Mobile Semprons are priced between $84 and $120.


    Chris Kraeuter is a reporter for CBS.MarketWatch.com in San Francisco.

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    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015
    Run1track, Jul 29, 2004
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  2. Andrew Baxter

    Andrew Baxter -

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    yeah, this really sucks for AMD. They get ahead of the game with the 64-bit processor and then they find out they're too far ahead of the game. doesn't make a whole lot of sense as to why the stock should get punished, but hey that's wall street for ya.
     
    Andrew Baxter, Jul 29, 2004
    #2