Channel partners have been a driving force behind the early migration of quad-core processors, an Intel executive said yesterday, with the chip giant expecting momentum to build on the heels of deep price cuts. "We passed the million mark [of quad-core processor shipments] in June, and it"s been expanding ever since," said Eric Thompson, North American channel marketing manager, in an opening session at CMP Channel"s XChange "07 conference Sunday. "I want to thank the channel," Thompson said. "They are leading the world in transition to quad-core."
Thompson"s remarks kicked off the conference at the Walt Disney Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, Fla., where more than 1,000 channel and vendor executives—from a range of technology areas—are gathering this week. While Thompson spoke, a ticker on a large screen behind him showed a number crossing the 1.2 million mark in tandem with his comments. He said recent Intel price cuts on quad-core units for servers and desktops could add another spark.