Article at BusinessWeek.com on revenue woes in the chip industry:
It’s been clear for some time that 2007 would be a tough year for chipmakers. What’s been less clear is exactly how tough it would be.
Until now. The seasonal slump that hits the industry every January is well under way, and this year’s slowdown may be the worst in a decade, with only the faintest hope in the cards for the second half, say analysts and industry groups.
The January slowdown (caused by a holiday hangover) is a usual part of the landscape. What the article says is special about this year is M$oft:
But what makes 2007 special? At least one reason is the transition to the Windows Vista operating system. Microsoft has said it sold 20 million Vista licenses in its first month of general release. Still, PC upgrades on both the consumer and enterprise side of the business have been slow to materialize amid questions over whether to upgrade immediately.