Innovator Spotlight: Intel’s Mobile Strategy – This time for real?
Javier Agüero
Javier Agüera is the co-founder of GeeksPhone, a Spanish company founded in 2009 that was the first European brand to launch a smartphone based on Google’s Android operating system: the GeeksPhone One. Javier is passionate about mobile technology and is a firm believer in disruptive technologies. He is also a winner of Spain’s first TR35 competition for his work in the mobile industry.
It’s difficult to find a consumer electronics brand that has achieved such a level of public recognition among the public as Intel. In fact, Intel’s wise strategy (raised once competition from AMD was becoming a concern) of placing a sticker saying “Intel Inside” on all their technology-powered PCs, was a first at that time. They have now a well-earned reputation of being an innovative technology company whose products enjoy the perception of confidence and reliability present not only among the techies, but also the “average Joe.”
However, times change, and personal computers (as understood in a traditional way) are no longer cutting-edge technology; they have simply become a part of our daily lives. While this business will support Intel’s figures for a mid-term run, it seems obvious that Intel needs to embark themselves into new ventures. And in fact, they have been doing it for a while, but in a silent, unperceived way. Some moves made quite a lot of sense, like the development and launch of their Atom line of ultra-portable and low-cost chips, which were the driving force behind the (now old-fashioned) netbook fever. Other strategies, like the one they have followed in the mobile industry, have been quite erratic, to say the least.
It started more than a decade ago, almost by chance. In 1998, Intel incorporated a division called StrongARM after a lawsuit with NEC. StrongARM, which was the foundation of Intel’s first ultramobility division, then named XScale, positioned Intel as the de facto chipmaker for the first handheld computer devices (PDAs, PocketPCs). These devices were the seed of our current smartphones, and Intel positioned themselves as one of the key fathers of this development. However, the business didn’t turn out to be profitable enough, and was sold to semiconductor giant Marvell. Some time passed until there was a new attempt, this time in the software side. Moblin OS was announced in 2009, then merged and renamed to Meego OS in 2010, and finally ended up in becoming Tizen –with the sole support of Samsung as a vendor- in late 2011. It’s still unclear whether Tizen will eat a portion of the pie or, as its predecessors, will end up being left with a handful of good intentions.
The latest move from Intel surprised almost everyone in the mobile industry. It was rumored that Intel was planning to port their desktop-based processors (x86) to the mobile scene, but it was not clear as it would be a huge engineering effort to nail down power-hungry chips such as desktop processors in order to achieve the decent battery life figures found in smartphones and tablets. Medfield, as Intel named this new line, was announced this summer, and followed by a co-keynote with Google announcing the commitment of both companies to bring Android to this powerful mix. Devices are expected to come in the following months, despite venders that are still reticent and most will likely wait until they are able to see their potential.
Bringing desktop experience (and capabilities) to mobile devices is a sure bet; but we will have to wait as well to see if Intel has succeeded in their challenge. Hopefully this will open the doors of greater possibilities and a new, bright future for mobile devices (and, after their unfortunate steps in the field, for Intel itself).
Editor’s note: Intel just announced the entry of its x86 products into the mobile market at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
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