Intel’s WiMAX Ambitions: Fantastic or Foolhardy? You Be the Judge

At its Developer Forum Wednesday, Intel officials outlined the company’s plans to combine WiMAX with Centrino Duo processors to develop what it claims will be a new category of mobile, broadband-connected computing devices. The initiative, which is slated to bear fruit next year, includes the use of High-k metal gate silicon technology to deliver better battery life.

 

CBR reporter Rhonda Ascierto pointed out in a Thursday report that Intel’s main focus remains on notebook computers, but the company is branching out into handheld, Internet-enabled devices and, even more of a reach, the WiMAX networks needed to support such products.

 

“Intel's WiMax ambitions may still be premature, at least in the US where cellular coverage is almost ubiquitous and WiFi is fast becoming available throughout major metropolitan areas,” Ascierto said in the report.

 

Intel officials said its new WiMAX-enabled products, which fit into the new category of “Mobile Internet Devices” or MIDs, will use the company’s latest 45nm processors.

 

Hmm… now I wonder—does iPhone fit into the MID category?

 

In a Wednesday announcement about the WiMAX initiative, Anand Chandrasekher, senior vice president and general manager of Intel’s ultra mobility group stressed consumer demand for the “full Internet” on mobile devices.

 

That seems like a pretty overt reference to the capabilities offered by Apple’s iPhone, if you ask me.

 

In fact, one could view this entire initiative as an effort to compete with iPhone specifically and maybe, in a broader sense, other smartphone/service offerings. That seems like a pretty big bite for Intel to get it mouth around.

 

“Not only does Intel want to create an entire new category of handheld computers called Mobile Internet Devices, it wants to set up a whole new network to service those devices,” CNet blogger Tom Krazit said in a Wednesday post.

 

Stay tuned—we could be in for an interesting ride.