Microsoft calls for 16-core server SoCs
A Microsoft executive called for a new class of multicore system-on-chips to drive the lower power servers needed for tomorrow's data centers. But he poured cold water on ARM-based chip vendors, hoping to get design wins in such systems.
"I've been involved in instruction-set architecture transitions multiple times, and they are extremely painful," said Dileep Bhandarkar, a distinguished engineer in Microsoft's data center group, speaking at the Linley Data Center Conference here.
"The rule of thumb is to make that kind of change you have to have at least a sustainable 2x performance improvement per dollar or per wattand ARM is not there," he said.
http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4212631/Microsoft-calls-for-16-core-server-SoCs
Hmmm...Google and Apple may feel differently.