Previously, Intel CEO Paul Otellini mentioned that devices running Intel"s Bay Trail Atom platform could be available for as low as $200, with later information coming out that these $200 devices would likely run Android as opposed to Windows 8. Yesterday, Intel chief product officer Dadi Pelmutter reiterated to CNET that cheap Bay Trail Android devices are coming as he offered up more information on cheap Intel-powered tablets.
According to Pelmutter, the availability of cheap Windows 8 tablets depends on the price points that Microsoft makes Windows 8 available to OEMs. Pelmutter said that Intel has "good technology that enables a very cost-effective price point", but Microsoft"s license costs for Windows 8 means that there will likely be "a slightly higher price point" for Windows 8 laptops.
It was also mentioned that Intel is pushing to have their mainstream Core line-up available in devices as low as $399 to $499, with the Atom range filling out the price points below and up to that. Intel is also working on incorporating multi-mode LTE radios into application processors by 2014, while a data-only multi-mode LTE chip will launch mid-year.
Intel is making a big push into smartphones and tablets in response to a declining market for traditional PCs. Both Intel"s upcoming Haswell (Core) and Bay Trail (Atom) processor line-ups are said to bring sizable power savings while upping the performance, putting pressure on ARM manufacturers like Qualcomm to deliver chips that outpace Intel in some areas.
Source: CNET | Image via Expert Reviews