At CES 2014 today, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced the McAfee brand name will be phased out and replaced by “Intel Security,” which will identify Intel products and services in the security segment. The re-branding will begin immediately, but the transition will take up to a year before it is complete.
Intel also said that the process would happen “as new products are introduced.” This would suggest that whenever Intel releases the next version of every McAfee product, only then will it be branded Intel Security.
The logo for Intel’s security products won’t be changing aside from the brand name. The red shield, which Intel says represents “the core values of security and protection” will remain.
Intel first announced plans to acquire McAfee in August 2010 for $7.7 billion in cash. The chip company paid $48 a share for McAfee, a whopping 60 percent premium for the antivirus software maker.
The rebranding doesn’t change how work will be done at the company. McAfee will continue to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Intel, with employees working side-by-side Intel employees. The mission statement remains as well: “Intel aims to provide ubiquitous security and identity protection for individuals and businesses on all computing devices, and lead the industry by enabling a safe digital experience for every person on Earth.”
Krzanich also announced plans to offer elements of McAfee’s security solutions for mobile devices for free. This includes its data and device protection solutions for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
Unfortunately, exact timing was not shared and Intel merely said more details would be announced in the coming months. We can only assume that Intel wants to rebrand its products before releasing them for free.
