Technology 10/10: Intel places $20 billion gamble in the middle of the Arizona desert

Intel places $20 billion gamble in the middle of the Arizona desert

Intel has invested more than $20 billion in Fab 52 — a high-rise chip factory in Chandler, Arizona — that is the centerpiece of its turnaround strategy, with the goal of producing advanced chips in the United States after nearly a decade of reliance on foreign manufacturing.

Fab 52 uses photolithography equipment from ASML (Netherlands) to create chips using a new process called “18a”. However, during a recent visit, some of the $250 million machines were still not running, indicating that Intel is still in the testing and finalization phase.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan holds a wafer containing CPU cells for the Intel Core Ultra series 3 at the Intel Ocotillo facility in Arizona. (Source: Intel)

An overview of Intel's Fab 52 factory in Chandler, Arizona. (Source: Intel)

In August, the Trump administration invested $8.9 billion in Intel in exchange for a 10% equity stake as part of the CHIPS Act, which aims to revive the U.S. semiconductor industry. Intel pledged to build two new factories — Fab 52 and Fab 62.

Intel is simultaneously developing a new manufacturing process and chip design — something it has never done before. Panther Lake will use transistor stacking and back-side power, saving space and power. But experts say these are risky technological leaps.

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joins Microsoft

Rishi Sunak, the former British Prime Minister, has announced that he will take up a senior advisory role at Microsoft and AI company Anthropic, a notable move after he stepped down as leader of the Conservative Party following the July general election defeat.

At Anthropic, Sunak will advise on global strategy, macroeconomic trends and geopolitics . The role does not involve UK domestic policy, and he is prohibited from approaching UK government officials on Anthropic's behalf.

Mr. Rishi Sunak speaks outside 10 Downing Street, London, England, in 2024. (Source: Reuters)

At Microsoft, Sunak will provide strategic insight into global economic and geopolitical trends. He is scheduled to speak at Microsoft's annual summit.

Under Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) rules, Sunak cannot lobby for any company for two years after leaving office, and cannot use confidential information from his time as Prime Minister.

Motorola Edge 70: Big battery in a super thin body

Motorola has just launched a new super-thin phone with a huge battery to compete with Samsung and iPhone. The Motorola Edge 70 will be equipped with a 4,800mAh battery - an impressive number compared to thin and light competitors such as the Galaxy S25 Edge (3,900mAh) or iPhone Air (3,149mAh). This makes the Edge 70 one of the super-thin smartphones with the largest battery capacity today.

Motorola uses silicon-carbon battery technology, which has not been adopted by Apple, Samsung or Google. This type of battery is capable of transferring energy more efficiently, helping to prolong the usage time compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Image of Motorola's super thin, long-lasting battery phone. (Source: Motorola)

The Edge 70 is just 5.8mm thick — on par with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Despite its thinness, it still supports 68W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging (expected to be Qi2 standard), along with a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip and 12GB of RAM.

According to Motorola Poland, the Edge 70 can meet IP68/IP69 water resistance standards, 50MP camera, and use Gorilla Glass i7. The expected price is around 800 Euros.

Minh Hoan

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/cong-nghe-10-10-intel-dat-canh-bac-20-ty-usd-giua-sa-mac-arizona-ar970357.html