Intel's CES focus on phones, core, tablets

Intel Corp. proved its predictably solid self at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in a press conference announcing new platforms, new ecosystems, and chips being delivering ahead of schedule and at lower power margins than previously expected.

The chip maker may have come late to smartphones, but that hasn’t stopped Intel from aggressively pursuing its mobile strategy in developing markets.

On Monday, the firm persisted with that approach, announcing a new Atom processor-based platform aimed at the “value segment” of the smartphone market, supported by three partners; Acer, Lava International and Safaricom. The phones would be distributed predominantly in Africa and developing countries in Asia.

Intel also showed off highlights of its upcoming "Clover Trail+" platform aimed at performance and mainstream market segments.

Mike Bell, Intel’s VP of mobile and communications, said he was “thrilled” by the progress the firm had made in 2012 and said he was excited to unveil Intel’s latest reference design offerings to partners.

“A reference device is not just about a chip and a few drivers,” said Bell, noting that many other key metrics went into thinking about mobile, from responsiveness to app compatibility to user interface.

“It’s a combination of our hardware, software and systems,” he said adding that Intel had proven itself in metrics pertaining to competitive battery life, despite earlier doubts from critics.

“We hit a home run with that,” he said.

Introducing the new Intel Atom processor Z2420 –previously known as Lexington—Bell said the firm had combined certain high-end features like hyper threading technology for speeds of up to 1.2 GHz, with features that appeal to more cost-conscious consumers like dual sim/dual standby capability, a micro SD card slot, wireless display technology and FM radio.

The platform also supports 1080p hardware-accelerated encode/decode as well as two cameras that allow for users to capture seven pictures in less than a second in 5-megapixel quality.
On the wireless side, Intel has also tapped into its own resources for the company’s own XMM 6265 HSPA+ modem.

Bell noted the reference design was a “no compromises platform” and industry sources have predicted it could end up in 500 million units by 2015.



Intel also pulled back the curtain on its forthcoming 22nm quad-core SoC for tablets, codenamed "Bay Trail," apparently already booting and scheduled for availability by holiday season 2013.

Bell said the first quad-core Atom SoC would be the most powerful Atom processor to date, delivering more than twice the computing performance of the firm’s current generation tablet offering.

Intel said it would also include improved integrated security features, and boast “real all-day battery life” with “weeks of standby,” all in a package that could be as thin as 8mm.

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