Intel will be closing the doors to its motherboard division after 20 years of producing motherboard for desktops that use their processors. In a recent article, Dan Snyder (Intel spokesman) told PCWorld that they will be exiting the motherboard business once the new-generation Haswell CPU starts shipping (est. June 2013) and will do so in the span of three years.
The article points out that the reason for this move is that Intel is responding to market pressures, citing there is no need for many desktop board makers and that demand is rapidly shifting towards tablets and laptops. Intel goes on to say that they will shift resources towards new, emerging form factors such as the NUC (Next Unit of Computing) and their Ultrabook pet project.
Mr. Snyder stresses that Intel will continue to support existing boards throughout their warranty periods and that they will be offering boards that support Haswell and will support those products throughout Haswell’s life.