MediaTek unveils dual-core smartphone platform, amid fears of slow growth

Telecom Lead Asia: MediaTek has launched its dual-core smartphone platform – the MT6572 — amid fears of slow growth.

The handset chip maker on Thursday said mobile consumers can expect hundreds of commercial models powered by the MT6572 beginning in June.

The commercial launch is significant as MediaTek’s Q4 net profit decreased 9 percent to $4.88 billion NTD (about $165.39 million), while revenue reached $26.73 billion NTD. MediaTek’s revenue for 2012 was $99.26 billion NTD, up 14.33 percent. The net profit in 2012 was $15.68 billion NTD.

During an analyst call in February, MediaTek blamed inventory issues and pricing competition from manufacturers in China and Latin America, for the slowdown in revenue growth. The chip company will decrease its product inventory and reduce the price of some chipsets by 10 percent.

MediaTek anticipates decrease in its overall growth in the first quarter of 2013 to the range of $21.9 billion NTD to $24 billion NTD, down from $26.73 billion NTD in the fourth quarter. MediaTek plans to return to positive growth in the second quarter of 2013.

On Thursday, MediaTek claims that its MT6572 is the world’s first dual-core SoC with integrated Wi-Fi, FM, GPS and Bluetooth functions.

The system-level design reduces the e-BOM cost, simplifies product development and enhances time to market.

The new MT6572 integrates a dual-core Cortex-A7 CPU sub-system with speeds up to 1.2GHz in the 28nm process technology.

The new MT6572 also integrates MediaTek’s multi-mode Rel. 8 HSPA+/TD-SCDMA modem, 3D Graphics, support for up to HD 720p video playback and record, 5MP camera and up to qHD (960×540) displays.

Jeffrey Ju, GM of the smartphone business unit at MediaTek, said: “We continue to drive the democratization of smartphones by re-defining the entry level segment, moving the baseline to dual-core processing.”

As operators look to reduce device subsidies and enable platforms with easy-to-adopt reference designs, the launch of the MT6572 will expand MediaTek’s differentiated product portfolio.

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