Intel expands mobile computing with new silicon, software and connectivity capabilities

MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS 2011, BARCELONA, SPAIN: Intel Corp. has announced a number of advancements to its mobile portfolio across a broad spectrum of silicon, software and connectivity, including the sampling of “Medfield,” the company’s 32nm phone chip.

The company also announced accelerated LTE platforms, a new MeeGo tablet user experience, the acquisition of Silicon Hive, and several new mobile investments and software development tools to aid in the delivery of premium Intel® architecture-based device experiences across multiple operating systems.

As the lines between computing and communications continue to blur, this mobile momentum builds on and complements Intel’s growing capabilities in mobility. Intel is accelerating plans to become the processor architecture of choice across a variety of smart device and market segments -- netbooks and laptops, cars, smart phones, tablets and smart TVs -- while addressing the evolving needs of device manufacturers, service providers, software developers and consumers around the world.

“The mobile Internet, with all of its complexity, presents tremendous opportunity and growth prospects for the industry at large,” said Anand Chandrasekher, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the company’s Ultra Mobility Group. “Through these efforts and others still to come, Intel is bringing the full weight of its resources, technology investment and the economics of Moore’s Law to drive down costs and power requirements for new markets, while delivering the leading-edge performance that the industry has come to expect from us.”

Multi-comms and silicon
With the recent acquisition of Infineon AG’s Wireless Solution Business now closed, Intel outlined its strategy to deliver a smart, multi-communication architecture to address varying customer and service provider needs around the world, such as network capacity, application, device, cost and end-user experience with solutions from WiFi to LTE.

Intel announced that Intel Mobile Communications (IMC) will sample its first compact, low-power multi-mode (LTE/3G/2G), truly global LTE solution in the second half of the year with broad market availability for devices in the second half of 2012. IMC is also now shipping the world’s smallest, fully integrated HSPA+ solution with true 21 Mbps downlink and 11.5 Mbps in uplink for small form factor devices, and announced a new platform supporting Dual-SIM Dual-Standby (DSDS) operation for the emerging Dual SIM market.

These new mobile solutions underline IMCs’ product and technology leadership and help to position the business for continued growth in an era of multi-communication solutions.

Expanding upon Intel’s silicon capabilities, the company announced that it is sampling its 32nm “Medfield” smart phone chip with customers. “Medfield” is scheduled for introduction this year and will extend the performance benefits of Intel architecture into a low-power solution specifically designed for the smart phone market segment.

Further building on these silicon capabilities, the company announced the acquisition of Silicon Hive, an Intel Capital portfolio company, which brings better still imaging and multimedia video processor technology, compilers and software tools to its growing Atom processor portfolio. The Silicon Hive capabilities will aid in the delivery of more differentiated Atom-processor based SoCs as multimedia and imaging grow in importance across the mobile smart device segments.

Intel also announced a new development by its researchers in radio frequency (RF) integration with new process technology that will make it possible to put three chips of a typical RF chipset on a single chip. Using the most efficient transistors in the world, Intel researchers are able to achieve lower power and faster radio components compared to what is possible today. By taking advantage of Moore’s Law, the research could mean better power, performance and reduced costs for future SoC designs.

Finally, an efficient and flexible access network is essential to continue the evolution of the mobile Internet and enable network operators to deliver services faster and cost effectively expand network capacity with demand. Building on this, Intel, KT and Samsung announced collaborative plans to demonstrate live-air LTE solutions using the Intel architecture-based Cloud Communications Center (CCC). The effort is designed to expand data traffic capacity and network flexibility while reducing an operator’s total cost for network deployment and operation.

Software advancements
Further scaling the development of flexible, open software platforms and applications for all mobile devices, Intel demonstrated a compelling new MeeGo tablet user experience to be made available through the Intel AppUp Developer Program.

The MeeGo tablet user experience features an intuitive object-oriented interface with panels to display content and contacts - all geared to give consumers fingertip access to their digital life: social networks, people, videos and photos. The MeeGo tablet user experience is on display at the MeeGo Pavilion at Mobile World Congress.

Since MeeGo was introduced one year ago, the open source operating system platform has made great strides with multiple code releases ranging from netbooks to handsets. MeeGo has also gained strong industry momentum with software vendors, system integrators and operators, as well as OEMs and products shipping today in multiple form factors including netbooks, tablet, set-top-boxes and in-vehicle infotainment systems in cars.

In addition, Intel announced new MeeGo and AppUp software development tools and other programs to help developers port, write new applications, and tune and publish to the Intel AppUp center more quickly. The programs include developer access to software development platforms, new tools and other expansions such as a worldwide university program, an Application labs program and porting resources.

“Intel supports all major operating system environments, working closely with developers, service providers and manufacturers around the world to deliver premium, cross platform experiences,” said Renée James, senior vice president and general manager of Intel’s Software and Services Group. “Our MeeGo tablet user experience shows the power and flexibility of MeeGo, and by adding new developer tools and programs we will accelerate our tablet strategy and MeeGo ecosystem momentum to enable faster time-to-market with innovative products for OEMs and service providers alike.”

Building on Intel’s support of multiple operating systems, the company announced its intent to deliver the industry’s fastest performance on open source Android with Intel Atom processor-based devices running Gingerbread and Honeycomb, slated to come to market this year.

The company also announced a series of Intel Capital investments to drive continued innovation across the mobile hardware, software and applications ecosystems, and to enhance the user experience across a continuum of devices, including handhelds, tablets and laptops. The investments include Borqs, CloudMade, InVisage, Kaltura, SecureKey Technologies and VisionOSS Solutions.

“By applying Intel’s world-class manufacturing and the most advanced silicon transistor technology to these new segments, we plan to deliver the best transistors and the highest performing, lowest power products that will enable continued innovation and new user experiences,” Chandrasekher said.

“When these chips are combined with our support for leading mobile operating systems from Android to MeeGo, our proven ability to create broad ecosystem support, and our growing software and connectivity capabilities, I’m confident we will create exciting opportunities for our partners.”