Nvidia sets to “leap ahead” Intel in mobile processor supremacy race

Looks like Nvidia’s CEO: Jen-sun Huang wasn’t just throwing brawl talks at Intel not quite long ago, because Nvidia is on its schedule this year to release the first high-definition capable processor named APX 2500®. With this, Nvidia will take the first lead in mobile processor market that integrates graphics processor as one single die chip. The idea of this integration is sparked by the evolving usage of smartphone, from a mere mobile phone to make & receive calls, into a mobile entertainment device.

Nvidia is not the sole barista in the processor industry, who has been brewing such flavorous multimedia mobile processor in their kitchen, back in February I’ve mentioned here at PA; that Samsung is also planning to release 3D enabled of ARM-based mobile processor. Intel also has joined in the multimedia processor war; by keep on mentioning the future Moorestown platform that combines CPU, graphics and memory controller into only a processor. Intel is taking its time with the next replacement of Menlow® platform, plans to unleash it in 2009/2010.

But what really separates Nvidia’s APX 2500® from Intel’s Moorestown®, are their destined specs and market targets. In short, the APX 2500® is meant for performing high-definition multimedia up to 10 hours of 720p video. Michael Rayfield, NVIDIA’s GM of Mobile Business Unit, demonstrated a thick APX 2500®-based device to Brooke Crothers (Nanotech) by plugging it to a large screen TV via HDMI connector; and it played high-definition movies with the same fluidity and resolution as you get from a big HDTV box or bigger computer.

Brooke describes the APX 2500®-based device as: “The platform that Nvidia is demonstrating goes far beyond the staid, pin-striped Windows Mobile that is used today. Nvidia is showing finger-flick-and-roll screens and accelerometer-based reorienting 720p video.” Now we know where Windows Mobile 7 gets its title “iPhone-killer” is, but Rayfield insinuated that the prototype device will become a thin final product. Is it just me or does it sounds to you like another reference to as thin as iPhone, or he’s aiming for more?

While the Moorestown platform is somewhat Ashok Kumar, an analyst from CRT Capital Group has projected about Jen-sun Huang’s brawl talks on Intel: “But there is another element that Huang seems to overlook--Intel has not, so far, been interested in the high-end 3D-gaming market, other than as a vehicle to sell their own high-end CPUs." The reason why Intel is only injecting a not-so-powerful integrated graphics juice into its Moorestown® platform, is because Intel is more interested to make mobile processor that can support as much as OS platforms out there. Just like Intel’s graphic integrated PC chipsets that only have mediocre graphics power, such as 945GM or the newest one: X3100. But on the other hand, the Moorestown platform will bring in features that APX 2500® doesn’t have, like: SSD controller, WiMax, GPS, etc.

Secondly, the Moorestown platform will target its market on a broader range of devices. From mobile phones, PDA, UMPC, MID (Mobile Internet Device), etc. That means supported OS will range from Linux, Windows, Symbian and maybe even Mac OS. What a contrast to APX 2500®, because until now Nvidia has made it exclusively only for Windows Mobile. It’s understandable that Nvidia keeps on courting with Microsoft, since the most-used OS around the world plays an important role to support its graphical drivers.

Apple doesn’t sit tight in its comfy sofa while watching these multimedia mobile processor wars takes place, you might have heard that Apple made a surprise by acquired PA Semi. PA Semi is the designer of a 64-bit PowerPC-alike processor chip. It’s obvious that Steve Jobs (Apple’s CEO) is up to something in his sleeves again this time, perhaps we’ll be seeing Apple’s new wonder device sooner than we think.

And how about Palm? Where will Palm Nova be standing when it’s out in 2009? Palm needs to lure hardware manufacturers such as Intel & Nvidia, to support their upcoming Linux-based OS, otherwise Palm will be in another difficult position when the war of multimedia mobile processor is in its peak around 2009-2010.

Sources are from:

• Intel endgame is mobile phones (Nanotech)
• Windows Mobile to get pumped up on Nvidia (Nanotech)
• Nvidia-Intel 'grudge match' unwise, analyst warns (CNet)
• Nvidia APX 2500
• A PowerPC in your iPhone? (iPhone Atlas)

[blogged with my Treo 750v]