Intel engineers have alleged that the reason RDRAM did not become mainstream was because the Intel-Rambus relationship was bedevilled by a clause in the contract that gave Rambus the power to block Intel’s processor sales.
The clause obligated Intel to promote RDRAM. However the Intel engineers gave evidence in the Rambus vs Micron and Hynix patent trial that Rambus’ technology was flawed causing manufacturing delays, and that the contract clause meant Rambus could put Intel out of business.
The Intel evidence goes some way to eroding Rambus’ claim that Hynix and Micron conspired to kill RDRAM, by suggesting that the Intel-Rambus relationship wasn’t going to work anyway.
Rambus produced internal Micron emails suggesting Micron had asked Samsung, Infineon and Hynix to lower DDR prices to scupper the chances of RDRAM establishing itself.
Eventually, the CEO of Intel at the time, Craig Barrett, walked away from the business arrangement with Rambus saying they were trying to impose a tax on the DRAM industry.