On April 2nd, Intel realized that the key to saving x86 lies in reopening the intellectual property licensing for x86.
Now, Intel's main competitors are no longer just AMD, but also Arm and its licensees such as Apple, Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek, and NVIDIA.
Since the advent of the iPhone, Arm has evolved from smartphones to personal computers and servers, with its processor design becoming the market standard.
Intel's CEO stated that x86 should also become the "American Arm," and the only way to achieve this goal is by adopting a licensing model similar to Arm's IP.
This means licensing third parties to use the x86 architecture and paying royalties.
The opening of x86 will have a profound impact on the computing industry, potentially prompting companies like NVIDIA, Samsung, and Qualcomm to design better x86 cores.
It is expected that the first non-Intel, non-AMD x86 processor will go on sale on April 1, 2026, marking the beginning of a new competitive landscape.
