- Intel Job Cuts Leaving the Vital Linux core -Drivers Without Official Technical Support
- Orphans Intel drivers could eventually cause hardware compatibility problems for Linux-based systems
- Community developers may need to step in to replace lost Intel Driver -Expertise
Intel’s ongoing restructuring has led to significant changes in its contributions to Linux core development.
The Linux core mailing list shows that several Intel-developed drivers have been marked as orphans after the end of key engineers.
An example is the Intel Wwan iosm driver used with certain M.2 modema and is found in some Chromebooks that no longer have a maintenance after departing M. Chetan Kumar.
Loss of maintenance for key Intel Linux drivers
Intel PTP DFL Tod driver, which manages time-of-day features on FPGA cards, has also been left without support after Tianfei Zhang’s end.
In addition, Intel Ethernet RDMA driver lost one of his maintenance, Mustafa Ismail, leaving a single Intel Engineer to control it.
Other changes include the KEEM BAY DRM driver, core Probes code, once monitored by Anil S Keshavamurthy, and the T7xx 5G Wwan driver who lost both maintenance.
These maintenance changes are part of a wider restructuring on Intel, which has already cut more than 12,000 jobs in 2025 so far.
The company’s withdrawal from specific hardware segments, such as World War II and modem production, has also contributed to the decision to stop maintaining certain related drivers.
If there are no replacements for departure -vocal holders, affected drivers could gradually become outdated as Linux develops.
This can create performance and compatibility problems for hardware that is still in use, including laptops for programming, mobile workstations and systems running different Linux -Distros.
Without first -party updates, owners may need to rely on socially created patches or brand new drivers to keep their devices in operation.
Historically, the Linux community has entered to maintain orphans, sometimes producing solutions that match or surpass the original seller’s work.
However, complex drivers, especially those involving debugging tools, high-performance networks or specialized hardware, may be more challenging to support without insights from original engineers.
While Intel continues to contribute to the Linux core, its smaller footprint in certain areas raises questions of long-term support for its hardware.
Community developers to replace lost maintenance will decide how smooth these Intel-based Linux systems continue to run.
Via Phoronix
