The FTC has added new allegations to the anticompetitive investigation that’s been underway on price fixing related to the Atom and Ion chipsets, this time focused on the GPU. The timing is a bit strange, given Intel’s recent retreat from the GPU market and failure of Larrabee, but here’s what the FTC says:
Intel has responded to this competitive challenge by embarking on a similar anticompetitive strategy, which aims to preserve its CPU monopoly by smothering potential competition from GPU chips such as those made by Nvidia, the FTC complaint charges. As part of this latest campaign, Intel misled and deceived potential competitors in order to protect its monopoly. The complaint alleges that there also is a dangerous probability that Intel’s unfair methods of competition could allow it to extend its monopoly into the GPU chip markets.
Of course, it didn’t take long for NVidia’s CEO Jen-Hsun Huang to respond:
The GPU is critical for common applications like graphics, video and photo processing. Today’s filing is sorely needed to stop Intel from using unlawful tactics to lock out the GPU and block consumers from its revolutionary benefits.”
