Microsoft would develop its own ARM chips for the cloud and Surface..

[sanjay kumar]

According to Bloomberg, the American giant would seek to reduce its dependence on Intel by designing its own processors based on an ARM architecture… They would primarily be intended for servers in its data centers, but Microsoft could possibly decline them for its home computers.

What if Microsoft designed its own processors? In any case, this is what Bloomberg says, which has been able to collect the testimony of several internal sources. The Redmond company would work in secret on a processor design with ARM architecture to equip the servers of its data centers, now run by Intel Xeons.

It is far from being the first to do this: Amazon already equips its data centers with in-house ARM chips ( Graviton ).

Google has also designed its own chips, especially for calculations related to AI. Intel, however, retains an overwhelming share of the server processor market… But to imagine its long-standing partner also migrating to ARM is indicative of the likely profound changes in the years to come.

What if Microsoft was inspired by Apple?

These chips could also end up in Surface computers, although this is more hypothetical, according to Bloomberg sources. Microsoft has been exploring this possibility for a long time. The very first Surface tablet, called RT, was already equipped with an ARM chip customized by Nvidia. And last year, Microsoft partnered with Qualcomm to develop the Surface Pro X's SQ1 processor .

In any case, it is impossible not to think of Apple, from which Microsoft drew a lot of inspiration with its Surface products. Apple, which has just started a transition from Intel processors to ARM for its Macs. And whose first computers - Macbook Air and Macbook Pro - are real successes.

Microsoft responded to Bloomberg with a comment that could be taught in language schools: “Because silicon is a building block of technology, we continue to invest in our own technical capabilities in areas such as design, manufacturing and tools, while fostering and strengthening our partnerships with a wide range of chip suppliers ”. A quasi confirmation ... which perfectly spares the goat and the cabbage, just to offend neither Intel nor Qualcomm, one supposes...