• Motorola signs deal with Intel to use their processors

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    howard
    Published on 01-11-2012 08:57 AM
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    I was just announced that Motorola will begin shipping Android Smartphones and Tablets which use Intel's Atom processor in Q2 of this year.

    I was a little caught off guard by this as I always thought Intel processors used too much power for use in Smartphones.

    Another thing which is really interesting is that Motorola is being acquired by Google. What impact will this have on Android? Google has always said that Motorola will be a separate company but that's generally a short term only thing. Eventually they'll probably integrate them.

    Now that Intel has signed Motorola, what of other top Android OEMs like Samsung, HTC, LG and Sony?

    Did Intel give Motorola a deal they couldn't refuse? Is this a result of Android OEMs needing help to differentiate their products further?

    Does this mean Intel powered Motorola smartphones won't run Android apps written for ARM powered ones? Maybe Intel knows something we don't.

    I've also been thinking about the Tablet angle. Maybe Motorola is thinking of making Intel powered, Windows 8 Tablets.

    What market positioning will these Intel powered devices have? Will they be halo products for Motorola or are these going to be cheap ODM'd products which are designed by a 3rd party? Is Intel so desperate to get into the Android space that they're going to settle for the low end for now?

    What do you think?

    Intel and Motorola Mobility Strike Multi-Year Strategic Mobile Partnership

    Motorola Mobility to Begin Shipping Intel®-Based Smartphone in 2H 2012

    Jan. 10, 2012 LAS VEGAS - Jan 10, 2012 - INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW - Intel Corporation and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) announced that the two companies were entering into a multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship that includes smartphones which Motorola will begin shipping later this year using Intel® Atom™ processors and the Android™ platform.The collaboration, which also covers tablets, will combine Intel's leadership in silicon processor technology and computing innovation with Motorola's mobile device design expertise to deliver products that have the high performance, long battery life and convenience necessary for increasingly mobile lifestyles."When great silicon and software technology meets great mobile and design innovation, amazing things can happen," said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini. "Our long-term relationship with Motorola Mobility will help accelerate Intel® architecture into new mobile market segments. We expect the combination of our companies to break new ground and bring the very best of computing capabilities to smartphones and tablets, which in turn will help to create powerful new experiences that connect and enrich people's lives wherever they may be.""We are delighted to be partnering with Intel to deliver smartphones and tablets based on Intel's Atom processor to consumers and businesses," said Sanjay Jha, Chairman and CEO, Motorola Mobility. "Though there are 5 billion mobile subscribers in the world, less than 800 million are using a smartphone today. With Android as the leading smartphone OS globally and advancements in computing technology we see tremendous opportunity for the converged devices market."Smartphones and tablets are quickly becoming an indispensible part of people's daily lives -- making them constant companions. The strategic relationship between Intel and Motorola Mobility will expand opportunity for continued innovation in these areas as they work closely to leverage Intel's low power system-on-chip (SoC) roadmap for Motorola Mobility's converged mobile device portfolio. The companies will collaborate across hardware, software and services to deliver complete solutions and disruptive new user experiences that offer long battery life, increased computing performance, advanced imaging and video capabilities, and seamless wireless connections.
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Motorola signs deal with Intel to use their processors started by howard View original post
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    1. Drillbit's Avatar
      Drillbit - 01-12-2012, 12:25 AM
      First of all, Android apps written with the SDK (Java language), are going to run on Intel processors, no matter what. The compiling process happens on the phone (dynamic), not prepackaged (static). This means the app is installed on bytecode, and the OS dynamically compiles the app into native code depending the platform the OS sits on.

      There are Android apps that use the NDK (Native Develeopment Kit, using C++). The binary code is compiled before distribution. Few apps are written like this, like Opera Mobile and the Firefox mobile browser for Android and few apps have native extensions. With these, its possible that an updated NDK allows you to compile for two versions, then upload them in the Android Market. The Android Market has a device detection system, so the user that downloads the app will get the Intel or ARM version depending on the device. This mechanism is also used to determine tablet and smartphones, as well as the OS versions of the phone, then lets you download only the appropriate version.

      So yeah. No problem. The Android Market and development kits already have the built in mechanisms to deal with diversity.

      Let me make a note on another thing. I find it ironical that Sanjay Jha himself led the development of all the Qualcomm chipset technologies right up to the Snapdragon himself. He was COO of Qualcomm before being Chairman and CEO of MM.

      Then although some Motorola low end Androids did use the Qualcomm MSM7200 chipsets, like the Cliq, virtually none of the Motorola top end and middle end ever used a Snapdragon. Woot. Motorola also doesn't use any of Qualcomm's LTE chipsets. The Droid Bionic uses a custom PGA and the Droid RAZR took a chip from Samsung.

      Intel is clearly entering the mobile business and made it equally clear they are going to butt heads with Qualcomm. The press is already singing this Intel vs. Qualcomm tune, already making out Qualcomm as the new Intel. I can understand Lenovo launching an Intel smartphone in China; they are among the top five biggest Intel chip buyers in the world and kissing butt is understandable. But Motorola isn't a PC company.

      So does Sanjay Jha has some grudge going on against Qualcomm? I don't know. I have not seen or anything in public. But there seems to be a pattern in Jha's actions. Qualcomm may not be that happy about it, and neither does Texas Instruments, who has been supplying those OMAP chipsets all these years.