When Intel first unveiled Light Peak in 2009, the technology was based on fibre optics. This year, Intel dropped that in favour of copper. Apple yesterday revealed a new lineup of MacBook Pros using the 10Gbits/sec interconnect.
While the copper version looks set to make its way into more products this year, Intel hasn't given up on its light idea.
"We haven't abandoned the idea of a light connection," Intel technology manager Jason Ziller told the Register.
"We still believe that optics is in our future and will be necessary over time and will be brought in over time. We are still doing research and we will assess when its appropriate time is to bring that into the platform."
The move to copper was due to cost pressure from manufacturers, he added. "We started having broader conversations with OEMs and got feedback about the technology," Ziller added. "We started studying ways to reduce the cost, and that's how the electrical solution came about."
This article originally appeared at pcpro.co.uk
