Intel has confirmed that the faster version of its Pentium
4 chip will not be available by the end of the year as previously promised. The 4GHz P4 will
now not become available until Q1, 2005, the fastest current Pentium 4 chip is the 3.6 GHz
processor.
Intel has not given the precise reasons behind the delay but has issued
the usual statement promising that the delay will end up greatly benefiting the
consumer.
This delay is the latest in a series of errors by Intel of blunder-like
proportions. This year has been rough on the Santa Clara based company, in February 2004
Intel was accused of introducing a new P4 processor which offered no major improvements in
performance.
In May, Intel had to cancel the next-generation Pentium 4 so that it could
focus on other, more promising technologies.
In June, a problem in the manufacturing
process led the world's largest chip maker to recall a small quantity of chipsets.
In
July, it was design problems which caused the company to admit that there would be a delay
in the release of the mobile computer chipset, Alviso until 2005.
Strangely enough
this series of mistakes has not had a negative effect on sales, with Intel claiming that
profits have nearly doubled in the second quarter and that it's on track to set record
sales in the current quarter.
Even with its impressive sales figures, Intel is taking
note of the problems that have been plaguing the company and CEO, Craig Barrett has sent a
rather severe message to senior managers claiming that ...there are many reasons for these
(product delays and manufacturing issues), but in the end the reasons don't matter because
the result is less-satisfied customers and a less-successful Intel. I believe, as you do,
that this is not the Intel we all know and that it is not acceptable.
