Final answer:
Intel's misstep, or 'loose brick', was its focused specialization in complex microprocessors for PCs, hindering its ability to adapt to new markets such as mobile devices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Intel's "loose brick" referred to A) its narrow focus on complex microprocessors for PCs. This focus resulted in a lack of diversification in a rapidly changing technology market. While Intel excelled in creating powerful microprocessors for personal computers, it missed opportunities in expanding markets such as mobile devices and non-PC products. Companies like Apple capitalized on the shift to portable technology by designing and marketing innovative products like the iPhone, using global comparative advantages in design, manufacturing, and component production.
Intel's specialization left it less prepared to adapt to consumer demand for new technologies and form factors beyond the desktop PC, illustrating a strategic misstep in a dynamic industry.The loose brick for Intel was the narrow focus on complex microprocessors for PCs (option A). Intel initially developed microprocessors that were more powerful and programmable, revolutionizing computing by condensing a computer's processing power into a single integrated circuit (IC). Although Intel's microprocessors were successful in the PC market, their narrow focus on this specific product line limited their growth potential in other markets such as non-PC products and smartphones.