Recently, at Barclays' 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference, Intel's interim co-CEOs, David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthauus, shared differing perspectives on the market performance of PCs based on Arm architecture. The discussion focused on customer satisfaction with products equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon X-series processors and the rates of product returns.

Michelle Johnston Holthauus pointed out that retailers are witnessing a high return rate for Windows on Arm devices. This issue arises primarily due to software compatibility problems. Many customers buy these new devices only to discover that their everyday applications do not function as expected on Snapdragon X-series processor-powered products, according to a report by CRN.

Michelle Johnston Holthauus emphasized that discussions with retailers reveal their biggest concern: a high return rate because customers assume everything should work seamlessly when, in fact, it doesn't. However, she also noted that Apple's successful transition to in-house Arm chips has set the stage for broader Arm adoption in the PC market, playing a significant role in its acceptance.

In contrast, Qualcomm responded to these claims from Intel with a statement to the media, highlighting that "The return rate for our devices is within industry standards and has consistently received 4+ star ratings in various consumer reviews. These products have garnered numerous accolades across the industry, including awards from different publications."

Qualcomm maintains confidence in its Arm-based solutions, projecting that in the next five years, more than 50 percent of Windows PCs will feature chips designed on the Arm architecture, moving away from traditional x86 architecture processors. Despite this optimism, market research last month reported Qualcomm sold 720,000 Snapdragon X-series devices in the third quarter of 2024. This volume represents just 0.8% of the overall PC market, indicating that the sales, thus far, are not particularly impressive.