Intel Introduces New Processor, Will it Boost PC Sales?

Intel's (INTC) new 6th Generation Intel Core processor hit the market Wednesday, with the company promising it will offer improved performance, better battery life, and sharper graphics capabilities. Named Skylake, the processor is about the size of a pea, and is rolling out just weeks after PC maker Microsoft (MSFT) unveiled Windows 10. 'This is a very rare moment in time when we have this amazing innovation with 6th Generation Core paired up with the innovation from one of our partners, Microsoft,' said Navin Shenoy, vice president of Intel's Client Computing Group. Industry observers are eager to see whether the new Microsoft and Intel products will help boost flagging PC sales. Shenoy believes the innovations are strong enough to entice consumers to buy new PCs, and listed several of them. 'Things like using your face to log into your machine, using special cameras from Intel. Things like being able to talk to your machine with the Cortana feature in Windows 10. These are the kinds of new capabilities that people have never been able to do before,' said Shenoy. Intel said the new generation processor family is the most scalable ever for consumers and business, and includes the first-ever Intel Xeon processor for mobile workstations. Intel formally launched its new product in Asia Wednesday, and plans to introduce it in Western Europe and the United States at the end of September.