The smartphone collaboration between Intel and Lenovo continues to expand as the chipmaker will reportedly be powering the phones that will be released in China and other markets within the next few months.
Lenovo is planning to reveal two new smartphones powered by Intel from January to February of 2015. Intel is expected to incorporate its 64-bit Atom processor and the LTE-Advanced modem chips for the upcoming devices. One of the smartphones has China as its target market, whereas the other device will target other countries in the early weeks of 2015.
Both Intel and Lenovo will be present at the Consumer Electronics Show next month where tech companies will be presenting their announcements for a wide range of products.
With Lenovo releasing the said devices, these will highlight the first ever smartphone in China that supports 4G connectivity and is powered by Intel. Such release will also mark a highly significant target for Intel as China continuously recognizes and supports 4G technology.
The announcement of the upcoming 4G devices’ release came after Intel announced the Asus PadFone x Mini, also known as the company’s first 4G smartphone in the United States.
However, introducing these high-speed devices may not necessarily place Intel in the lead among similar chipmakers, such as Qualcomm, which has gained control of more than half of the international modem market for mobile devices. Chip supplier MediaTek has also become a popular competitor among tablet and smartphone manufacturers.
Intel’s Platform Engineering Group Vice President Aicha Evans stated the company’s emphasis on wireless technologies, referring to Intel as a “credible player” within and outside of China.
“We’re determined,” she said. “This is going to be a marathon with a lot of sprints in between.”
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich also stated that the company will continue to seek growth in the mobile device industry while emphasizing other pertinent markets, such as wearables.
However, while such businesses promise advancements for the company, Intel’s mobile business is still in an unlikely situation. Intel’s Mobile Communications Group lost $1 million in 2014 Q3.
