Microsoft could be working on its own chip to take on Apple
Microsoft could be taking a page from Apple’s playbook and working on its own chips for Surface devices. Tech publication Hot Hardware recently spotted a job posting for a Director of SoC Architecture at the company’s Surface division on LinkedIn.
“Are you passionate about building cool devices and technologies? The Surface team is lighting up Microsoft experiences with the next generation of devices,” the ad stated.
It included a description of the requirements and qualifications for applications. It explained that Microsoft’s Silicon Architecture division was responsible for defining features and capabilities of SoCs that get injected into Surface devices.
Overall, the job listing was very vague, so it’s by no means a sure-fire indication that Microsoft is planning its own silicon. The position could be linked to Microsoft’s customs chips that it develops with AMD for its Xbox hardware, for instance.
However, what is noteworthy is that it was removed soon after being picked up by news publications, which should only add more fuel to the fire that Microsoft does not want its secretive ambitions leaked prematurely.
A shift to in-house chips for Microsoft’s Surface line-up would make sense based on Apple’s success in this department.
Apple has used its own silicon in the iPhone since the original model was launched in 2007. Recently, it also switched to using in-house chips for its computers and notebooks, including the latest iMac and MacBook models.
The M1 processor has outperformed the Intel processors the company previously used in its Mac systems and allowed the company to bring down prices. It also recently launched more powerful M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that will be available first in its 2021 MacBook Pros. Microsoft has already built an Arm-based custom chip in partnership with Qualcomm, dubbed the SQ1.
However, the chip is not compatible with x86 programs, which radically reduces the number of desktop applications that can run on it.
For Microsoft to pull off an in-house chip initiative, it would either have to improve the compatibility of existing Windows applications compiled for x86-based processors on a custom Arm chip — or build a custom x86 chip.
Source: Reuters
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