Trouble in paradise? Cracks show in Microsoft-Intel alliance

When Microsoft unveiled its Surface tablets earlier this year, Intel executives were shocked.

Microsoft started developing its self-branded tablets -- including one that uses an Intel chip -- without notifying Intel or asking for help. Intel, like many of Microsoft's other partners, didn't find out about Surface until shortly before the event, and it did not play a role in the announcement. Microsoft decided to go it alone, much like rival Apple has done.

Microsoft's decision represents new territory for the software and chip giants -- collectively known as the Wintel alliance to many in the industry -- and it's one of a growing number of cracks between the two that have appeared over the past few years. The strains in their longstanding relationship underscore the pressures technology companies face as they move into a more mobile world, forcing them to stray from existing cozy relationships and strike new alliances. Intel and Microsoft, giants in the PC world, face a particular challenge: adapting to new forms of computing without making their incumbent technology obsolete.