What's New: Intel Settles Antitrust Complaint

Intel reached a proposed settlement with the FTC over the firm's second major antitrust complaint. Per the agreement, Intel may not offer computer makers benefits for exclusively using its chips, and may not retaliate against computer makers if they do business with other suppliers. A $10 million fund will help software vendors recompile their products for better performance with competing chips. Intel must rework its intellectual property agreements with competitors AMD, Nvidia, and Via Technologies to give them more freedom to consider mergers or joint ventures with other companies without the threat of patent infringement. Intel must also offer to extend Via's x86 licensing agreement through 2018, and must maintain the open standard PCI Express Bus interface in a way that will not limit the performance of graphics processing chips for six years.

Wednesday, Aug 4, 2010 11:46 am CDT

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