While the focus has been on Intel’s partnership with various companies on the creation of the new Ultrabook category of laptops here at MWC they are talking about a very different kind of partnership. This time, they are talking about new partnerships that will grow their presence in the exploding worldwide smartphone market. Just one example of this is the Intel/Orange partnership that will see the release of an Intel phone in France and the UK this summer. ZTE will use processors in their smartphones and, India’s Lava will release the XOLO X900 in partnership with Intel as well.
Let’s step back and think for a moment about what this really means. Intel is associated with laptops and desktops. Until recently mobile computing meant lugging your laptop from place to place, plugging it in, firing up the computer (which more often than not ran one of Intel’s processors) and then, when it was time to move to a new location break down the mobile office and grab your ten pound bag. These days mobile computing is as simple as pulling out your smartphone or tablet. It is small, light, likely has ubiquitous connectivity and can run for hours and hours. The fact that Intel is making a huge push into this area makes one thing clear- mobile computing has changed and it has changed for good.
We expect to hear much more from the company in the days and weeks to come but here is a bit of what we already know. According to Intel, Android smartphones powered by their chips are and will be unique in that the CPUs aren’t just faster than competing smartphone processors but they are faster AND more power efficient. How power efficient are they? The specifications for their reference smartphone reflect a standby of up to 14 days.
And Intel has big plans for the future. Among them…
plans for the Z2580 processor that will double the speed of their current Atom Z2460.
plans for chips that will find their way into budget smartphones that cost under $150 BEFORE carrier subsidy
Plans for more strategic partnerships.
In all, as computing increasingly goes mobile Intel, a company know for its work with desktop and laptop computers is clearly “on the move”.
Please note, that in accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that Intel Corporation has covered my travel, accommodations and costs related to our visit to MWC 2012.
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Smartphone Roundup Of What’s To Come In The Near Mobile Future
MWC: AppUp, MeeGo, Open Source, and Tablets
MWC: One Last Look at Mobile World Congress 2011
Judie’s Mobile World Congress 2012 WrapUp via Vonage Mobile
Huawei Ascend P2 has Speedy 4G LTE
HTC Releases Five Phones and One Tablet in an Attempt to Rule Them All
