Intel shows first low cost mobile memory

Intel has announced it is shipping its first low cost NOR Flash memory chips that are designed to build ultra low cost phones for the developing market.

The new memory, available from 32MB to 1GB, is designed with adjustable pin placement that allows them to be used in low cost, single chip radio devices. The first handsets using the memory will be available this autumn and will be aimed at developing nations.

"We're expanding Intel's proven leadership in NOR flash memory for handsets to the emerging low-cost handset market segment," said Darin Billerbeck, vice president and general manager of Intel's Flash products group.

"We view the low-cost handset market segment as an ongoing growth opportunity and we have a migration path in place to transition our products from 130nm and 90nm process technology to 65nm process technology in 2007."

Intel is already manufacturing its latest desktop and mobile processors at 65nm and has shown consistent power and cost savings by using smaller transistors. If the same savings are shown in memory then the cost of the final handset would be expected to reduce sharply.

This is the first product from the company aimed at the mobile phone market since Intel sold off its cellular and handheld business to Marvell Technology Group in June for around $600 million. However, this was aimed at high cost, high function phones.

"Intel has had limited success in the handset chip business, despite investing several billion dollars," said Gartner analyst Stanley Bruederle.

"Although the company supplies application processors for the majority of PDAs and won design-ins for Motorola's and Samsung's smartphones, Intel has done less well in communications processor (baseband) chips, with the BlackBerry design-ins as its only significant wins."

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