The move is part of a cunning plan to gain the confidence of its partners in the IoT supply chains and step up the development of IoT-related processor platforms and chipsets.

This will push up Intel’s operating costs, but it might just convince supply-chain partners and accelerate development of IoT solutions and applications.

Intel, Qualcomm and Microsoft are all fighting in the IoT market and are making deals or seeking mergers and acquisitions to stay ahead.

Intel’s IoT platform lifecycle support programme announcement is expected to effectively boost the willingness of its partners to use Intel IoT solutions gear and expand its global IoT platform penetration rate.

All Intel IoT solutions platforms, including next-generation 14nm Skylake-SP server and processor platforms, existing Skylake-architecture Xeon E3-12xx/15xxv5 series, and the sixth-generation Core, Pentium and Celeron processors will see their lifecycle support extended to the range of seven to 15 years from the existing maximum of seven years.

In addition, processor platforms recording higher shipment records, including N3700 (Braswell), Celeron N3xxx (Braswell) and J1900/N2xxx (Bay Trail), as well as Atom C2xxx (Rangeley), E3800 series (Bay Trail) are all covered by the new lifecycle support program.

IoT solutions products have yet to contribute notable profits to Intel. In the first quarter of 2017, Intel made $721 million in IoT-related revenues, showing an annual growth of 11 percent.