Stefan Mileschin

Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek has decided that it wants into the US market and get away from its image of making low-cost processors for entry-level Android phones.

Its latest chip design which is aimed at the US and European markets is being targeted for higher-end devices.

While many mobile chip designers are proudly showing off their four core designs, MediaTek's MT6595 chip has eight processing cores, four of which are using ARM's latest a17 design.

What might be putting the fear of Jehovah into the likes of Intel is that the idea is that the new chip to power LTE-capable smartphones sells for less than $200 unsubsidised.

Mohit Bhushan, who heads US corporate marketing for MediaTek said the secret sauce was LTE which the outfit did not have in its chipsets last year.

Speaking to Recode. Bhushan said that with many carriers reducing their subsidies on new devices, MediaTek sees an opportunity by powering LTE-capable smartphones that can sell for $199 or even $99.

The new chip, which probably won't arrive on phones until late this year or early next year, packs many of the features that market leader Qualcomm has on its chips now. If Qualcomm can get advanced LTE features on its chips then MediaTek could find the market crowded.

http://news.techeye.net/chips/mediat...-mobile-market