In the realm of desktop and laptop technology, there has been a noticeable calm for quite some time. Windows has firmly established its dominance, while Linux has not been able to make a significant impact as a competitor. The Apple Mac, although pricier, has gained popularity in specific markets and industries, especially with the introduction of the powerful M-series Apple processors, boosting Apple’s market share to 16% by the end of 2023. Chromebooks have also found their place, particularly in the education sector.
Despite the various alternatives available, Windows still commands a substantial 72% share of the global desktop OS market, as reported by Statista.
For years, Windows PCs have relied on Intel’s x86 architecture for processors, leading to the term “Wintel” to describe these machines. Intel holds about 80% of the desktop and notebook x86 market, with AMD claiming the remaining 20%, according to Mercury Research.
Efforts have been made to challenge the Wintel dominance, such as Qualcomm’s entry into the desktop arena in 2016 with Snapdragon chips based on the Arm architecture. However, the need for an x86 emulator for traditional Windows apps resulted in subpar performance.
While Arm-based PCs have shown improvement in performance, they have not yet posed a significant threat to Wintel’s stronghold, with the main competition coming from Apple’s M-series custom silicon powering the new Macs.
A new era of competition is on the horizon, driven by the rise of generative AI. Qualcomm is gearing up for a renewed push into the PC market later this year, as announced by the company’s president and CEO Cristiano Amon during a recent earnings call with analysts.
2024-04-16 08:51:02
Article from www.computerworld.com