Intel Atom shortage confirmed, denied, confirmed

WHETHER THE the "tightness of supply" of Intel's little Atom chip is anything more interesting than a simple consequence of ramping up the part, we can't say. It has been fun trying to find out, though.

Reports first surfaced late April, that OEMs were struggling to get hold of the 45nm tiddlers, about which there was so much fanfare at Computex last week.

On June 2, Intel confirmed in a conference call that it was experiencing " some tightness" of supply of the chip. We wrote it up here: Intel confirms short supply of Atoms.

Last week, in an intimate Q&A session with Anand Chandrasekher and Gary Willihnganz at the Taipei launch of the Centrino Atom, we asked if there was a shortage Atom chips.

"I am not aware that we made a statement," replied Anand.

So there isn't a shortage? we asked.

"We are in the process of ramping out our processors..."

"So there is a shortage?"

"What are you a legal person? [laughter] Do I have to define is?"

At this point, marketing minder Gary Willihnganz jumped in to deliver a a monologue of such length and inconsequence that we won't trouble your eyes with its here.

When he finished we again asked: “Is there a shortage of Atom processors?"

“I don't see a shortage,” replied Anand.

The next day, we asked a few OEMs offering Atom-based PCs if they were having trouble getting hold of the all the processors they required.

One replied: "The information I have is that Intel cannot fulfil on the Atom yet. We order that [amount], but they can fulfil maybe around 70 – 80."

"Per cent of what you ask for?"

"Yes."

"Why is that, do they give a reason?"

"I think it is because in the beginning, when Atom first was bought in, most of the manufacturers have a less[er] forecast, so Intel didn't put enough resource into produce the Atom. But then the demand it straight goes up. So I think they need time to catch up."

We asked the representative from another OEM firm if they were also having trouble getting hold of enough Atoms. “I don't think so, no. But I know there is a shortage," was the reply.

"How do you know there's a shortage? Did intel tell you so?"

"No I read it in the media." µ

See Also
Intel Atom shortfall hits OEMs

Intel confirms short supply of Atoms