Chip major Intel is planning to combine
four divisions under a new mobile and communications unit to catch up in
smartphones and tablets.
The new division combines Intel’s netbook and tablets division, its ultra
mobility division, the mobile communications division and the mobile wireless
division.
“The ultimate goal is we want to speed
up and improve the development process,” spokesman Robert Manetta told
Reuters.
Intel’s processors power 80 percent of the world’s PCs but the company so far has
failed in the fast-growing smartphone and tablet market.
The new division will be headed by Mike Bell, who moved to Intel last year
after playing a hand in the development of the iPhone at Apple, and by former
Infineon executive Hermann Eul.
Eul had headed Intel’s mobile communications division, which included the
cellphone technology business it bought from Infineon in January.
Intel‘s mobile wireless group is responsible for short-range networking like WiFi and
the ultra mobility group has developed smartphone processors.
Intel has been adapting its PC chip architecture to be more suitable for mobile
gadgets but it faces tough competition from rivals like Qualcomm and Texas Instruments.
They specialize in energy efficient chips – a big factor for devices that
rally on batteries – using technology licensed from Britain’s ARM Holdings.
Manufacturers are expected to unveil smartphones using a new Intel mobile chip,
codenamed Medfield, early next year.
Recently, Intel announced its collaboration with Reliance Communications to accelerate broadband
penetration using the PC as a growth engine.
The company also announced its partnership
with ASUS to produce entry level Netbooks designed for the first time buyers,
students and people on the go.
Both RCom and Intel will aim to increase
device footprint among internet subscribers across India by enhancing
collaboration with OEMs, joint retail promotions and selling Intel Architecture
based devices through the RCom Stores.
Intel Capital is floating a $300 million Ultrabook Fund aimed at investing in companies building hardware
and software technologies focused on enhancing how people interact with
Ultrabooks, achieving all-day usage through longer battery life, enabling
innovative physical designs and improved storage capacity.
By Telecomlead.com Team
editor@telecomlead.com
