In late April this year, Intel announced that it would withdraw 5g smart phone modem business.
At the same time, we also noticed that while exiting, Intel completed the evaluation of 4G and 5g modem business opportunities in the field of 'computers, Internet of things devices and other data-centric devices, and will continue to invest in 5g network infrastructure business. '
In other words, Intel did not completely withdraw from 5g business, but shifted its strategic focus to PC, IOT and data centric devices.
Intel
In cooperation with MediaTek, it focuses on the product definition, development, validation and support of 5g modem solutions, which is the very front line of Intel's 5g business towards 5g battlefield.
The main goal of the cooperation between the two sides is to provide excellent next-generation PC experience.
Athena plans to push PC to 5g
Regarding future PC innovation and experience, Intel has proposed project Athena, or Athena plan, which is Intel's redefinition for the next generation of notebook computers.
It takes six key indicators as the core dimension, and puts forward a new direction for notebook innovation in the future. After the concept of "ultrabook", Intel once again puts forward a new standard for notebook innovation.
These six key indicators include: instant response, high performance and quick response, intelligence, longer endurance, connectivity, and a new design.
Connectivity, or interconnection, is an important part of the Athena project.
The connection here includes the Wi-Fi 6 technology that has been brought to the ground with ten generations of core and core mobile super power (the Chinese name of Athena program) laptops.
LTE technology that has been implemented on some ACPC (always connected PC) and 5g technology that Intel has cooperated with MediaTek and will be widely applied to notebook computers in the future.
In the past eight years, Intel has led the notebook product innovation through the concept of "ultrabook", which makes the current notebook computer to be light and high-performance, with more changeable forms and better use experience.
However, in terms of connection, whether it's physical interface, wireless network or full-time online, it's the short board of current notebook computers.
Intel has built a solid foundation for the physical connection and wireless network connection of notebook computers in the future through the open lightning 3 protocol and the implementation of Wi Fi 6 technology with the core of the 10th generation. Making notebook computers truly online all the time is Intel's next important goal of improving connectivity.
The experience of 5g technology is not just to download faster or surf the Internet more smoothly.
Intel is committed to 5g technology investment, in order to completely change the way of data transmission and processing, integrate the intelligent features from edge to cloud, and support the delivery of 5g devices of various shapes and sizes, so as to bring more excellent user experience.
5g has the characteristics of super high speed, super connection and ultra-low delay, which makes 5g communication rate 10-100 times higher than 4G; 5g network ecology can be extended to cloud computing, AI, driverless, VR and many other fields to realize the real interconnection of all things.
It enables devices with 5g technology to obtain more cutting-edge application experiences, such as cloud games, 4K / 8K Ultra HD video streaming services, etc.
This will make future laptops more versatile. For example, playing large-scale 3A cloud games with ultra thin laptops will become the norm.
In fact, the development of communication technology changes human life everywhere. In the 4G era, human beings are moving towards a deep mobile intelligent era, where ordering, shopping and socializing can be realized without face-to-face.
In the 5g era, people will be surrounded by ubiquitous Internet of things devices, and more large-scale tasks that seem to be high load or impossible to achieve today will be easily solved.
Cooperation with MediaTek is an important step for Intel. Before that, intel was able to independently provide the front-end PC equipment, lightning 3, Wi Fi 6 and other interconnection technologies, as well as the back-end server and data center business.
The introduction of 5g solutions to future laptops is a complete seamless connection between the front end and the back end, breaking through the existing barriers. This step is of great significance!
The strong and the strong work together to give full play to their advantages in the fields they are good at
MediaTek is a global leader in cellular client solutions, with a competitive 5g multimode product portfolio in smartphone and other client segments.
This is an important reason why Intel chose to cooperate with MediaTek in 5g.
The division of labor of cooperation between the two sides is clear, and it can be said that the two sides are really strong and united to give full play to their advantages in the fields they are good at.
MediaTek has leading advantages in developing and manufacturing 5g modem equipment
In this cooperation, Intel is mainly responsible for developing 5g solution specifications for the PC segment; providing operating system host drivers (windows, chrome and Linux); performing cross platform debugging and optimization; and providing front-line customer joint design support for OEM partners.
MediaTek will develop and manufacture 5g modem equipment according to Intel's specifications.
In addition, Intel and MediaTek will work with module provider guanghetong, which will develop and manufacture m.2 modules for 5g solutions, provide operator certification and regulatory support, and provide module sales and distribution support with OEMs. At the same time, Intel has also reached an initial platform cooperation intention with Dell and HP. The first batch of devices equipped with new 5g technology will be launched in early 2021.
Intel's six technology pillars' connectivity '
In recent years, Intel has completed the magnificent transformation from the chip company to the data company, from the semiconductor business to a broader data business blue ocean. Among them, how to organically connect the underlying chip with other new businesses is an issue that Intel focuses on.
In December last year, Intel put forward six technical pillars with process and packaging, architecture, storage, software, interconnection and security as the core, which laid the foundation for Intel's strategic direction in the next few years or even decades and set a clear goal, as well as outlines how Intel can complete the combination of new and old businesses through technology ecology.
Among the six technical pillars, interconnection and connection are the key links to connect different businesses, different equipment and different technologies. A breakthrough in 5g means getting the key to the future.
From technology research and development, ecological construction, verification and support, to product development, manufacturing, and finally landing, Intel has laid a broad road for the application of 5g technology in PC, and what kind of chemical reaction will be produced under the joint efforts of Intel and MediaTek? Leave the rest to time to witness!