Intel is planning to commercially ship its 10-nanometer processors by the end of the year and its products based on its 7-nanometer technology between two and three years, the chip maker's CEO Brian Krzanich said during a recent investor conference.
Krzanich, in an update, said that Intel plans to start its first commercial shipments of the first chips made using the first iteration of its 10-nanometer technology by the end of 2017, with most the bulk of the shipment happening as 2018 progresses.
Intel's next-generation 10-nanometer technology was initially planned to start volume shipments in 2016; however, some development issues caused some delays on the first products.
The company also expects to ship its first products based on its 7-nanometer technology between two and three years after the first 10-nanometer shipment occurs, which would likely happen between early 2020 to early 2021, two years following the first production shipments of 10-nanometer chips.
Intel said that its 10-nanometer technology would not display much difference from what its previous processors already have. Meanwhile, the features for its 7-nanometer remain uncertain.
Intel revealed that it plans to shift to a "data-center first" approach, which could mean that its products aimed at data-center applications will be moved to new manufacturing technologies first, with products for its other segments including the client computing group and the Internet of Things group.
"If I'm reading into this correctly, Intel is going to need a 'Plan A' as well as a 'Plan B' with respect to the data-center products it launches in the 2020 time frame. The 'Plan A' would presumably consist of chips using Intel's 7-nanometer technology, while the 'Plan B' could consist of chips built using Intel's 10-nanometer +++ technology," the Motley Fool noted.
Intel started commercial shipments of the first chips built using its 14-nanometer technology in the second half of 2014.