Part 2/9:
To understand Intel's plight, it’s essential to grasp its historical context. Despite inventing the world's first microprocessor chip, Intel had buckled under competitive pressures. Ignoring critical industry trends like the smartphone boom and underestimating the potential of graphics processing units (GPUs), the company had become complacent. Its near-exclusive partnership with Microsoft, dubbed “Wintel,” entangled it in the past, leaving it blindsided as PC sales began to dwindle around 2010.