元器件交易网讯 5月28日消息，Motley Fool高级技术专家Ashraf Eassa发文评论英特尔与瑞芯微合作，称英特尔此项合作将拓展其在中国的市场，长远来看对英特尔同样十分有利。

　　以下为内容：

　　今日英特尔宣布联手中国平板芯片供应商瑞芯微，企图扩展其在中国科技生态系统的覆盖面。英特尔与瑞芯微将共同设计一款采用台积电28nm制程工艺、基于索菲亚（SoFIA）平台的四核芯片。这款产品主要针对低成本平板及智能机市场，并将产生有趣的长远影响。

　　独家讯息

　　此次合作看起来似乎是英特尔提供基本的索菲亚片上系统架构，使用自己的设计。仔细回想一下，英特尔正在计划推出两款产品：索菲亚3G和索菲亚LTE。索菲亚3G将采用两枚英特尔设计的CPU内核（可能基于Silvermot），LTE版本将采用四枚。但是在很多市场“四核”是必要的营销点，特别是ARM让即便最低端的产品也使用了四核、八核、更多核的芯片，即便这些“核”的性能并不怎么样。

　　因此为了解决这部分市场，英特尔将与瑞芯微合作开发拥有3G功能的四核索菲亚。英特尔将交出一些关键IP区块，且产品也将以英特尔命名。英特尔在其现有市场的分销能力无疑是强大的，而中国市场则是瑞芯微的强项。瑞芯微将增添集成网卡以扩大产品组合，而英特尔将推行X86进一步靠近ARM领地。

　　商业影响

　　英特尔似乎有与瑞芯微长远合作的兴趣。从经济角度看，这种合作短期内对英特尔好处不多，特别是需要处理代工利润，芯片的销售额将拆分为营收与利润。但是，让我们从长远的角度看看。

　　未来英特尔会采用自主制程工艺独立生产索菲亚系列产品。此外英特尔仍将提供CPU IP及其他重要区块，因此即便瑞芯微整合产品（让平板使用自己的IP），英特尔仍占有其中很大一部分设计。最重要的是英特尔可以在自己的工厂生产这些产品，每卖出一份产品都可以做到ARM达不到的特许监察——更重要的是——拥有台积电都不卖的晶圆。

　　因此英特尔的工厂获得了更多的批量，并在更广泛的客户群体中推广X86——如果没和瑞芯微合作的话就得不到的那部分客户。另一方面，瑞芯微也不必为开发自主内部网卡（这是极其昂贵且大多都失败了的部分）而担忧。总之这对双方来说是互利共赢的事情。

　　总而言之

　　新任CEO布莱恩·科再奇（Brian Krzanich）上任后，英特尔一次又一次的业务变动十分耐人寻味，显然英特尔对于赢得移动市场无比在意。这样做的目的是为确保X86及英特尔架构可以在计算机世界保持先进地位，并尽可能多的让自己的工厂占据份额。这项聪明的业务变动将最终证明，英特尔的管理团队是积极的，并保障了英特尔的长远未来。（元器件交易网毛毛  译）

　　以下为原文：

　　Today, Intel announced it would be teamingup with Chinese tablet chip vendor Rockchip in a bid to extend its reach withinChina's technology ecosystem. In particular, Intel and Rockchip will work togetherto design a quad-core Intel Architecture based product built on TSMC's (NYSE:TSM  ) (and perhaps on other contractfoundries') 28-nanometer process based on the SoFIA design that Intel isdesigning for the low-cost tablet/smartphone market. This has prettyinteresting long-term implications.

　　What's the scoop?

　　In this deal, it looks as though Intel isproviding the basic SoFIA SoC framework it is using for its own designs. As youmay recall, Intel is planning on launching two products: SoFIA 3G and SoFIALTE. The 3G part will sport two Intel-designed CPU cores (likely Silvermontbased) and the LTE part will sport four. However, in many markets, the"quad core" marketing point is a necessity, especially as ARM(NASDAQ: ARMH  ) has made it easy for itspartners to tout four or more CPU cores in even the lowest-end of products,even if those cores aren't very powerful.

　　So, in order to address this market, Intelis working with Rockchip to develop a quad-core SoFIA with integrated 3Gcapability. In particular, it looks like Intel is handing over some of the keyIP blocks and will be putting the Intel branding on the product. Intel willhandle sales/distribution in geographies where it is strong, and Rockchip willhandle sales in geographies (think China) where it is strong. Rockchip gets toexpand its product portfolio to include an integrated modem (it doesn't have anin-house modem strategy), and Intel pushes X86 further into ARM territory.

　　The business implications

　　Intel seemed to indicate it was interestedin a longer-term partnership with Rockchip. In the near term, the economics ofthis don't seem to be all that great for Intel, particularly as it's handingover foundry margin and is probably splitting the revenue and/or profits fromthe sales of these chips (although Intel didn't want to go into much detailhere). However, think about this from a longer-term perspective.

　　Going forward, Intel will bring its SoFIAproduct into its own manufacturing facilities built on its own processtechnology. Further, Intel will still be providing the CPU IP as well as othercritical building blocks, so even though Rockchip will be doing the integration(and bringing its own IP to the table), Intel still has a pretty sizable partof the design. On top of that, Intel will be able to run these products in itsown factories, and each sale of such a product is a royalty check ARM doesn'tget and -- more importantly -- a wafer that TSMC doesn't sell.

　　So, Intel gets more volume into itsfactories, and it gets to proliferate X86 across a wider base of customers thatit potentially wouldn't have gotten if it didn't partner with Rockchip.Rockchip, on the other hand, doesn't need to worry about developing its ownin-house modem (this is very expensive, and many have failed). In short, thisreally is a win-win for both parties.

　　Foolish bottom line

　　Intel is making interesting business moveafter interesting business move under new CEO Brian Krzanich, and it's clearthat the company is very serious about winning in mobile. The goal here seemsto be to make sure X86/Intel Architecture stays a first-class citizen in thecomputing world and to capture as much of the industry's volume as possibleinto its factories. A very smart business move on Intel's part, and one thatultimately proves that the company's management team is acting veryaggressively to secure its long-term future.