Future Android Builds Will Support Intel's Atom

By Kevin Parrish
published

Future versions of Google's Android Os will support Intel's Atom E-Series SoCs, both of which is expected to arrive in devices sometime during the first half of 2012.

MarketWatch reports that Intel and Google have formed a partnership that will see future releases of Google's Android OS optimized for Intel's Atom E-Series. Intel reportedly hopes that this move will help propel the company into a mobile sector currently dominated by ARM's mobile architecture.

The partnership between Intel and Google was revealed Tuesday during the Intel Developers Forum by Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini and Google's senior vice president of mobile Andy Rubin. The duo indicated that future versions of Android won't necessarily focus on the Atom SoC, but will support the x86-based architecture along with other architectures already saturating the mobile market.

Tuesday Otellini also said that Intel has made "real progress" in its attempt to enter the smartphone sector, and expects to see the first wave of devices sweep the market within the first half of 2012. "Every time we collaborate with Google, good things come out," Otellini said. "I'm excited and have high expectations around this as well."

In addition to x86 support in Android, Otellini also showcased new technology slated for Q4 2011 that will allow users to have the same experience across multiple devices. One tech was called "Intel pair and share" which will allow users to link to PCs and access whatever is on the hard drive. Another called "teleport extender" will allow users to access text messages and other alerts on their phones from a linked PC.

Kevin Parrish
15 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Wish I Was Wealthy
    That is good for Intel to make more sales in the OEM market,but as far as what I have read in another post from another article that their was another cpu from another company that could out do intel's atom. Maybe tegra,but I forgot & I don't feel like checking out all those articles that I read in the past again. It was in Toms Hardware anyway.
    Reply
  • DjEaZy
    ... how about AMD fusion chips..? They are OpenCL and more capable in GPU department... why support atom's, when even some ARM CPU's are more capable...?
    Reply
  • memadmax
    The fanboy's may complain, but multi-cpu support is the name of the game.
    Reply
  • izmanq
    Yeah, I'm dissappointed too, why not with AMD Fusion too :| Why with evil corp like intel :D
    Reply
  • happyballz
    The more competition the better..AMD should also jump on this.
    Reply
  • vaughn2k
    The atom. Another technology that also can't die... even in the face of a C-50.
    Reply
  • cknobman
    Oh yeah Intel that is what I have always been waiting for, more Atom. In fact I was holding off on a Android tablet for this very reason!!!

    not.

    Last thing I want is a tablet hampered by a old power hungry(in comparison to ARM) architecture sucking my battery life like a vampire on a 400 pound fat chick.

    Reply
  • lucky015
    I get the sneaking suspicion that adding more and more support to different hardware to Android's core could ruin it fairly quickly, But we can only wait and see.
    Reply
  • seezur
    I think the point everyone seems to be missing is that this will open up support (most likely) to other x86 platforms. Sure Google and Intel will optimize it for Atom but if it works on one x86 chip it should work on the others. Besides even if they put code in the OS to prevent installation on non-Atom chips, it's open source so it will only take a small amount of time to port it.

    There are x86 versions of Android now but getting it to work on anything besides tested devices simply doesn't work.

    So AMD is being smart, let Intel and Google spend the money on development, then work with a company like Acer to get a Tablet with their stuff in it.
    Reply
  • LordConrad
    "...future versions of Android won't necessarily focus on the Atom SoC, but will support the x86-based architecture..."

    Android will rock on Zacate!
    Reply