Updated Intel has rejected claims that it is stopping the supply of Atom Z processors to netbook manufacturers before Christmas.

A spokeswoman for the chip giant told Register Hardware that “Rumours of ‘industry sources’ stating that Intel is no longer taking orders for Atom Z processors or ending production by end of year are 100% inaccurate”.

Word broke out late last week from Taiwanese sources that Intel told OEM customers it would stop accepting orders for the Atom Z series chips for use in netbooks (our emphasis). Some secondhand accounts, although not ours, spun the Taiwanese report into news that Intel is ending production of the Atom Z entirely.

The rationale for halting shipments for netbooks, according to the Taiwanese reports, was to help Intel define more clearly the boundary between netbooks and mobile internet devices. Intel's denial does not address this claim.

We will update the story when the company's US press office wakes up.

Update

Intel has reaffirmed to Register Hardware that rumours of an end to the supply and manufacture of its Atom Z series chips – either for netbooks or other PC categories – are unfounded.

“Rumors of 'industry sources' stating that Intel is no longer taking Atom Z processors orders for netbooks, or any other products, or ending production by end of year are 100% inaccurate”, the company added. ®