Intel has denied claims that the development of its 65nm chip fabrication process has fallen behind schedule.

According to market watcher In-Stat/MDR analyst Jim McGregor, the chip giant has "quietly pushed out manufacturing on 65nm [to] 2006". What McGregor called "challenging industry conditions" could see the process' ramp fall back to "mid-2006 or later", Silicon Strategies reports.

But an Intel spokeswoman denied the allegation: "We did not push out our roadmap. Our 65nm process technology will be ready in 2005. High-volume products will ship in 2006."

In August this year, Intel said it expects to debut 65nm parts in 2005, but admitted that volume production was unlikely to take place before the very end of next year - into 2006, in other words. ®

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