Intel will launch 32nm Medfield specifically for use in smartphones and tablet PCs in the first half of 2012, but will struggle to win general adoption of the platform by vendors which have offered smartphones, according to Taiwan-based makers.
Because Intel did not establish close partnerships with first-tier smartphone vendors, while notebook vendors, which have smartphone product lines, are conservative about the new platform because of the negative experience with Intel's mobile Internet devices (MID), these factors are expected to pose strong difficulties for Intel to enter the smartphone market.
Intel has been working on improving its Atom SoC for smartphones and tablet PCs, and expects the new chip's power consumption will drop below 10W with related manufacturing process to also advance to 32nm Saltwell and then 22nm Silvermont, followed by 14nm Airmont within the next three years.
Although Samsung Electronics reportedly will launch a smartphone adopting Medfield and Android 4.0, and will sell it through Sprint, the sources pointed out that the cooperation between the two firms is because Samsung does not want to be limited by a single platform and therefore is more aggressive in developing products with different platforms, but the same situation may not apply for other first-tier smartphone vendors.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini to promote Intel-based smartphone
Photo: Monica Chen, Digitimes file photo





