AMD: Customers still scared of Intel

During AMD's 2010 Financial Analyst Day, the chip underdog spent a lot of time talking about Intel, and claimed that customers re still scared of Intel.

AMD president and CEO Dirk Meyer isn't convinced that the damage done by Intel which ultimately led to a $1.25 billion settlement a year ago has been fully undone yet.

We opened the door to the potential of a more free and open competitive environment ... I think that's the right mindset, in that this is an industry that developed a set of expectations, a culture, given the way, frankly, Intel ruled the roost ... And that mindset and culture isn't going to disappear instantaneously.

Meyer had more to say:

Frankly, we still talk to customers who are scared, and wonder whether the regulators are going to be diligent, and wonder whether Intel is going to follow the terms that they agreed to. I think the answer to both is 'yes,' but that the culture is going to only change over time.

Mayer was also eager to point out how things have changed following the settlement:

We have seen anecdotal examples of customers or retailers who are doing business with us now who weren't two short years ago, and I think there's clearly a correlation and even a causality there.

Here's to a fairer, more level playing field that will benefit all of us.