We know that Intel is going to be pushing smartphones in a big way and an executive recently showed off a prototype device based on its Medfield chipset.
The Medfield processors are the next-generation chips from Intel which may help it get in the mobile space in a big way. Right now, the market for powerful processors with low battery draws currently is dominated by ARM and that definitely doesn’t sit right with Intel.
Will this Intel Medfield smartphone ever hit the market? The prototype itself may never wind up in retail stores but its existence alone proves that the chips are ready and can fit into this type of form factor.
We may not have to wait too long to see the first device, either, as there are rumors that the Nokia N9 could be the first Medfield smartphone and it will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in mid-February.
The Nokia N9 kind of looks like an older Macbook and it is supposed to sport a 1.2-GHz Intel processor. Rumors suggested it would first use Qualcomm’s processors but all signs point to Medfield powering this device. We’ll be at MWC, so we’ll be able to confirm all of this in just a few weeks.
Another interesting thing is that this may be the first MeeGo smartphone that hits the market, as this platform is the love-child of Intel’s Moblin and Nokia’s Maemo.
I’m just hoping that the Mefield chips are good enough to compete with the stuff we’re seeing in the market now. The NVIDIA Tegra 2, for example, already is a dual-core monster which enables things like 1080p HD video recording and playback.
The partnership with Nokia could be a starting off point, as the company is still the world’s largest smartphone provider. Still, getting in with Apple, Motorola, or Samsung would definitely be a bigger push down the road.
[Via SlashGear]