Intel jumping the entry-level market ship

Certain sources have revealed that starting Q4 of 2005, Intel may begin halting production of their entry-level chipsets and entry-level motherboards, including the popular 865 and 915 chipsets. Though there was no official comment from Intel, the article mentions that a few OEMs and wholesalers have been informed of this quiet decision. The details are here. This would create a gap in the entry- to mid- range desktops that companies such as SiS and VIA already seem to be getting ready to fill.

SiS, a chief supplier of entry-level chipsets for the Intel platform, has secured a promise from United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) for more capacity...
Whether this is good or bad, I can't say. On the one side, Intel chipsets tend to be very high-quality, even for entry level, with stability a key factor. On the other, it would be nice to see some of the smaller producers being able to get a good chunk of that market, letting them have more room to develop better chipsets in the future.