i'd love a third player to enter the hardware space. i've been wanting this for a long while. each attempt has failed as the software sucks or the hardware is mediocre. no one wants to completely gimp their mobile experience just to say that they're using open source hardware/software/whatever.

the new player would have to be large enough to withstand several years of losing money and no profits though as people won't switch overnight and it will take several years for the hardware and software to mature to a point where people would be comfortable to switch.

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If it’s not x86 or ARM artichtecture, it’s almost impossible. The software industry struggles supporting just two architectures, imagine introducing a thrid one.

Next level hardware will have to rely on either of them, and I can’t see x86 being as efficient as ARM anytime soon, or ever.

RISC-V will become a player in the Linux world, but it’ll be another 5-10 years. Before optimization takes place.

ARM licensing is getting a bit out of hand.

It will happen. Hardware is cyclical, no vendor stays at the top for long. They establish a lead, juice sales, screw up support and the next one comes in to replace the last leader - it’s a tale as old as hardware.

TSMC needs competition. Intel aren’t providing it, Samsung is focussed on the old integrated model, Nvidia are coasting on GPU sales for AI, there IS room for a new player..

Maybe Bukele seeks to replicate TSMC in ES in partnership with a lower tier vendor?

Apple bought a whole division for Billions of dollars so that tech lead is difficult to catch-up in the immediate term but something that works for Billions of people on lower margins that approaches via a new paradigm could have a shot?