Semiconductor company MediaTek intends to improve the performance of low-cost Android-based smartphones, using its latest system-on-a-chip (SoC) technology, currently on its MT 6572. The MT6572 is the world’s first dual-core SoC, which is integrated with WiFi, GPS, FM Radio and Bluetooth.
The new chip is targeted at the entry level segment of the smartphone market. The heart of the new system is a dual-core Cortex A7 processor, which increases the speeds of the device up to 1.2 Ghz. The company claimed that the Cortex A7 is the most energy-efficient application processor that ARM has ever developed. Devices which have been powered by the SoC can also be equipped with a 5-megapixel camera, which is capable of recording videos of up to 720p.
The screen resolution of these devices can be raised to 960 x 540 pixels and the MT 6572 also integrates with MediaTek’s HSPA plus modem. However, the company has not made it clear which smartphones will be based on the MT 6572.
The Cortex A7 based phones will cost below $100 in 2013 or 2014. The devices will have power which is equivalent to the 2010 era $500 smartphone. MediaTek and ARM agree that the smartphones which are based on the Cortex A7 and the MT 6572 will redefine and democratise the smartphone market.
