ARM CEO: Intel is a 'serious competitor' in mobile space

Despite Intel's early struggles to get its technology into smartphones and tablet computers, the chipmaker could still present a challenge to others in this space, says ARM Holdings CEO Warren East.

In an interview with Reuters at the Consumer Electronics Show, East called Intel® a "serious competitor," noting that it was inevitable that the world's largest processor manufacturer would move into the mobile market.

"Are they ever going to be the leaders in power efficiency? No, of course not. But they have a lot more to offer," East says, according to Reuters.

East states that ARM will remain on top of the mobile market, asserting that, in some cases, Intel has "literally wrenched" its chips into tablets and smartphones. He adds that this approach is "roughly good enough" for mobile devices.

This year is expected to be a big one for Intel in the mobile market. In addition to the emergence of the Intel-conceived Ultrabook™, the chipmaker has also introduced its new Atom™ Z2460 platform for smartphones and tablets and will release another chipset dubbed "Cloverfield" later this year.