Um, most of what you say can be construed as fact, however, it was only fact before Rory Read took over. As of that point, AMD became a different company(or did you not read the article?). In AMD's own "official" words, what you call as my speculation, they say is fact. I mean, sure, things were different in the past...but I have no need, or want, to dwell on mistakes...you learn from mistakes, not obsess over them. It's called "growth".
Financials do not tell the story of what a company is doing. Fact is, nvidia, by Jen Hsun's own speech, is NOT a hardware company..they are a software comapny, that also sells hardware.
That mindset has nVidia market it's software, and then leverages that software to make extra sales via hardware that works best with the software they sell. Jen Hsun wanted to do the same with AMD, and make them something they are not today, but what nVidia is today. That's his ego...playing a role. Just becuase I used the word ego, doesn't make it a bad thing. Everyone has one. That ego is what makes nVidia the success they are.
AMD, in the reverse, is a hardware company, that relies on otherd to make software that uses the solutions AMD privdes to the best it can. Very different companies, very different goals and ideals, and very different approaches to success. Thus, they are not truly comparable, except that they both operate within the same confines of the tech market.
And because they are not comparable, they were chosen to provide the desgins, based on the difference in the package they offered. You construe this as a bad thing, however, it's exactly what their customers asked for, clearly by them winning these contracts. it's not them being pushed around, or bullied..it's them conforming to the needs of their customers, and ultimately, that is the path to success. You see this as a weakness...when clearly, I, and their customers, see it as a strength.