Possible Advanced Micro Devices Processor Delay Could Give Intel a Boost

Advanced Micro Devices

might delay Trinity, its forthcoming desktop processor from August to October, giving Intel

a boost in the world of processor manufacturing.

According to

, sources from motherboard makers have revealed that Advanced Micro Devices needs to make some adjustments before Trinity will be ready for release. This is reportedly because of some production and design issues involving the new processors. But there may be other reasons for the rumored delay. Advanced Micro Devices is said to have a high inventory level of its previous-generation processor, Llano. The company would like to reduce supplies of Llano before moving on to the next generation. DigiTimes further reported that "many Socket FM2-based processors including A10-5800k will be delayed." Those are not the only changes occurring at the firm. Advanced Micro Devices had reportedly planned to replace the company's AM3-based processors with FM1-based processors. But while the phase-out was scheduled to occur during the middle part of 2012, DigiTimes reports that AMD will now complete the transition by the second quarter of 2013. During the transition, that processor series will account for 30 percent of Advanced Micro Devices' total desktop processor shipments, DigiTimes' sources claimed. While the desktop market is no longer the most profitable area within the computer industry -- laptops enjoy that distinction -- it is still an important sector with numerous opportunities to profit. Advanced Micro Devices graphics processors can currently be found within all of Apple's

desktop machines -- the iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini. But the core processors come from Intel. Apple's newest products, however, do not include Advanced Micro Devices technology. All of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models (including the next-gen variation) feature graphics chips from NVIDIA

. It is unknown which company will power the graphics of the rumored next-gen iMac or the still-unconfirmed upgrade to the Mac Pro. Given Intel's relationship with Apple, it seems likely that those machines will feature Intel processors. And if AMD follows through with the rumored plans to delay its next desktop processor, Apple and other computer manufacturers will be tempted to continue using processors from firms like Intel, which release their upgrades on a regular basis.