Thunderbolt to move beyond Mac

Intel has reportedly decided to implement its Thunderbolt technology to motherboards designed for desktop and laptop personal computers. So far, Apple is the only major computer vendor offering Thunderbolt as a standard feature across much of its line-up. Thunderbolt is expected to be a standard feature on Intel-based motherboards, starting around the middle of next year.

 

Considering the expected timeline of this move by Intel, it would be safe to assume that Thunderbolt will start rolling out on mobos based on the company’s next-generation, Ivy Bridge based systems. Currently Thunderbolt is usually found only on high-end electronic devices and this move by Intel is likely to affect the other side of the data line by allowing more widespread adoption of this technology by consumer electronics vendors. While Intel is doing more to push its own Thunderbolt technology in the market, those with USB 3.0 devices can rest easy as Intel has committed to supporting both these I/O standards side by side.

Source: SlashGear