MediaTek to Launch Ultra Cheap Handset Chip Against Spreadtrum Communications

Taipei, March 21, 2011 (CENS)--MedaiTek Inc. has recently announced plans to introduce an ultra low cost multimedia system-on-chip for mobile handsets in a bid to rival a competing solution Spreadtrum Communications Inc. of mainland China will roll out in April.

According to MediaTek, the upcoming handset solution, codenamed as MT6252, supports serial flash memory and is cost efficient for handset makers as it uses lesser passive devices and smaller printed circuit board than existing solutions. Also, the MediaTek solution supports four-SIM, four-standby mobile phones, convincing the mainland's home-grown handset makers including Gionee Communications Equipment, Ragentek Communication Technology Co., Ltd. and Leatek Technologies International Co., Ltd. to support it.

MT6252 is also designed to replace MediaTek MT6251, a provisional low cost solution to 2.5G mobile phone. Industry executives pointed out that the SOC-based MT6252 is crucial to whether or not MediaTek can dominate the mainland's market for 2G chips.

The mainland's market for low-end handset chips had been controlled by Infineon Technologies AG of Germany with its ULC2/3 solutions until the end of last year, when Intel phased out of the low-end business after acquiring Infineon's handset chip asset.

The low-priced solution Spreadtrum will launch in April is named SC6610, which incorporates embedded SRAM into it.