14 DAY TRIAL // There are two things that set the mobile market apart from that of personal computers, other than form factor: the processing architecture (ARM versus x86) and the operating system (iOS/Android versus Windows). Intel is doing something about the latter.
Which is to say, even if the Quark CPU and Edison system-on-chip turns out to be less than successful (unlikely as that is), the operating systems won't be such a barrier anymore.
Why? Because the industry will welcome the arrival of many more dual-OS implementations throughout this year.
That, at least, is what Intel Chief Executive Officer Brian Krzanich assured everyone of during his keynote briefing in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Microsoft may not like the idea of installing Android alongside Windows on a personal computer, but there are plenty who want it to happen.
Intel has given its blessing to dual-OS computers, and not just dual-OS tablets or 2-in-1 laptops either, but dual-OS desktops also.
There is another odd combination as well, that of Windows PC and monitor with its own tablet parts and Android installation.
So, at this point, Intel is quite certain that devices like ASUS Transformer Book Duet will keep coming out over 2014 and the years after that.
All this hardly comes as a surprise, of course, despite Microsoft playing the surprising part of naysayer for once.
After all, PCs have been selling less and less for a few years at this point, and now tablets and phones might go through something similar if wearable gadgets like watches, eyewear, and high-tech gloves or other clothes, steal the show from under them.
We might soon see PCs powered by powerful Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs running Android. Google hasn't said anything, but we doubt it would mind the extra revenue. After all, PCs may be declining, but they still sell very well.