Intel Launches New Mobile System on Chips, LTE Solution

Brian Krzanich

Intel Corporation CEO, Brian Krzanich has announced a series of mobile platforms including the company’s new low-cost system-on-chip (SoC) for phones, phablets and tablets, a global LTE solution, innovative personal computing experiences, and a range of customers for mobile device and network infrastructure offerings.

The announcements include the Intel Atom x3 processor series, Intel’s first integrated communications SoC solution for the growing value and entry device markets, and the five-mode Intel XMM 7360 LTE Advanced solution, designed for performance and worldwide coverage.

Krzanich further highlighted joint efforts with Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson and Huawei to address the demand for new telecommunications, cloud and data center services, improve network efficiencies, and accelerate the industry’s move toward a software-defined infrastructure.

Krzanich also reiterated that Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge users will have the latest anti-malware solution from McAfee VirusScan Mobile technology built into and activated on their devices. “The evolution of the mobile landscape and growth of smart, connected devices has led to increased demand for more connectivity and real-time, protected data on those devices,” said Krzanich. “All of these factors are driving a transformation of the network to accelerate the delivery of new personal computing experiences, services and capabilities in a safe and secure manner. Intel is one of the only companies in the world that can provide solutions end-to-end for the full spectrum of mobility.”

With technologies that span silicon, software and security, Krzanich said Intel was one of the few companies able to deliver solutions end-to-end, for devices, the network and the cloud.

Intel introduced the Intel Atom x3 processor series (formerly code-named “SoFIA”), Intel’s first integrated communications platform for entry and value tablets, phablets and smartphones. Combining 64-bit multi-core Intel Atom processors together with 3G or 4G LTE connectivity, the integrated communications SoC combines the applications processor, image sensor processor, graphics, audio, connectivity and power management components in a single system chipset. This integration allows device manufacturers to deliver full-featured tablets, phablets and smartphones at affordable price points for the rapidly growing entry and value market segments.

Intel is bringing the benefits of integrated Intel architecture and wireless communications to customers, including the China technology ecosystem, with greater velocity. Twenty companies, including ASUS and Jolla, have committed to delivering Intel Atom x3 designs.

Intel also announced its third-generation five-mode, LTE Advanced Category 10 modem. The Intel XMM 7360 supports 3x carrier aggregation and download speeds up to 450 Mbps. Its compact size and power efficiency enable the Intel XMM 7360 to accommodate a wide range of form factors, from smartphones and phablets to tablets and PCs. It also expands Intel’s portfolio of LTE solutions, giving device manufacturers a competitive option to quickly design and launch LTE devices in various market segments and geographies. At Mobile World Congress, the company also demonstrated a pre-5G concept system that combines LTE with 802.11ad to deliver speeds of more than 1 Gbps using Intel technology end-to-end.

With hardware and software products like Intel RealSense depth sensing technology, wireless charging and True Key technology by Intel Security, among others, Intel continues to deliver new experiences that provide more natural, intuitive and immersive ways for people to interact with technology. Building on the success of the world’s thinnest tablet, the Dell Venue 8, Krzanich showed a sneak peak of the Dell Venue 10 tablet, featuring a detachable keyboard and Intel RealSense snapshot technology.

In addition to working with Samsung to help protect Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge devices, Krzanich said Intel Security is also collaborating with LG Electronics to help secure personal data. LG Electronics will make McAfee Mobile Security from Intel Security available on the LG Watch Urbane LTE, delivering anti-theft capabilities that allow the owner to lock, locate and wipe the device, if needed. LG Android device users are already protected today with McAfee Mobile Security on their devices.

Krzanich outlined how Intel is working with industry leaders to transform network infrastructure with standardized hardware and software, and helping to accelerate the industry’s move toward a flexible, agile software-defined infrastructure. This enables both telco and cloud service providers to improve network efficiencies and accelerate the delivery of new services and capabilities for consumers and businesses.

Huawei and Intel are collaborating to deliver robust cloud solutions that will enable telecommunications service providers to transform their data centers. The companies will develop the next generation of Huawei’s FusionSphere based on Intel architecture, and will use the Data Plane Development Kit and Open vSwitch to increase network virtualization performance of FusionSphere. These solutions aim to enhance performance that is optimized to minimize TCO for cloud workloads in a scalable and secure manner.