https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Itanium_Sales_Forecasts_edit.png It was ...

tw04 · on May 17, 2016

No, it was intended to be the "Big Iron" CPU replacement. They never had any intention of bringing it to the desktop which is why they delayed as long as they did in x64. They wanted 64-bit to be a long-term differentiator between server class and desktop class CPUs. Hence the forecast being Servers sold a year...

guard-of-terra · on May 17, 2016

"No, it was intended to be the "Big Iron" CPU replacement"

All the computer press was pretty sure it would replace x86. Microsoft released Windows port for Itanium, which was unseen of them.

zurn · on May 18, 2016

They planned to keep x86 as 32-bit which means gradual phase out (complemented by x86 emulation on Itanium).