Intel plans to buy Altera FPGA for a $16 billion deal

Currently, Intel supplies Atom and Xeon processors for computing solutions.By acquiring Altera, Intel aims to target data-intensive networking centers at major companies such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and Ebay. FPGA solutions are desirable because they increase performance and consume less power. For data centers that are built to maximize efficiency, a high performance, low-cost solution is ideal.Intel's second aim is to target the faster growing mobile market. This market includes smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology. The demand and turnover for products in this market is much higher compared to computing devices. Mobile device makers rely on FPGA to power their products. FPGA used in mobile technology devices are available at low per unit costs.