There have been signs that Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is pushing into the wearable computing industry for some time. Now it sounds like the chip maker already has some devices to show off—at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show next month.
The company invested in Recon Instruments last year. Recon made the first consumer version of the Heads-Up Display. That investment suggests that Intel may have Google Glass in its sights.
Intel CEO to show off
Recode.net reports that Intel CEO Brian Krzanich will be demonstrating the new wearable gadgets they’ve been working on recently. He said the company had been seen as a PC maker but that the market moved, so now it must remake itself. The world has shifted from PCs to mobile devices, and with it, the chips needed to power those devices have shifted as well.
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is apparently ready to reveal not just a series of photos or products which are about to go up for sale, but also products which are months or even a year away from landing on the market. (Sound like any other company we know?) He said they’re working on wearable computing devices, next-generation computers and tablets which Krzanich believes will have some features which are groundbreaking. He said their tablets can do things other tablets can’t do.
Intel to also unveil new Quark chips
In addition to these devices, Intel is also reportedly planning to show off a new chip which belongs to the Quark family, which it debuted recently. The very first chips from this family are used to power heating and air conditioning systems in Europe. However, this new Quark chip is said to be good for a wide variety of gadgets and gizmos, from wearable devices to machinery. According to the CEO, “Quark can make almost everything smart.” He said they plan to show off some things most people “would have never though could become smart and communicate.”
In addition, he also has plans to make Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) a major player in the smartphone and tablet market. He wanted to see Intel chips powering 40 million of the tablets which were sold in 2013.
Intel becomes more nimble
One of the issues which Intel had faced was the slow-moving process it had to design, build, and manufacture new products. However, Krzanich said the first Quark chips came out only six weeks after his team decided to launch them. They didn’t even have a name, a board, or a manufacturer six weeks before the chips were launched.
