Intel is getting into the mobile space, focusing on Android

For years WinTell partnership racked up hundreds of billions for both Microsoft and Intel with PC sales. The world has changed. First laptops outsold desktops. Smartphones outsell PCs. Mobile devices are not run on Intel chips any longer. ARM is the leader in that category. Microsoft announced that next version of Windows 8, which will run on tablet devices, can be run on ARM based system as well on Intel.

Intel chips can perform well better than competition, but people do not buy just chips. Intel has been trying to enter mobile space looking for a partner with ability to scale. Nokia has ability to scale but its Meego operating system is dead. Instead Intel now is working with Samsung to make Bada run on its chips. Samsung can scale world-wide but unfortunately its Bada OS is lackluster having only 2% global market share.

Now I am reading articles that Intel is working with Google and Motorola (which is the same company now) to have Ice CreamSandwich run on Intel chips.

Samsung Responds to Google buying Motorola Mobility

Financial Times reported that Samsung is going to work with Intel to extend proprietary Bada operating system to run on Intel chips. Intel has long wanted to compete in the mobile chips space finding itself behind competition. Intel partnership with Nokia on Meego operating system is doomed and new partnership with Samsung, one of the biggest phone makers, makes sense for Intel.

Samsung, on the other hand, privately (along with HTC) expressed concerns about Google buying Motorola Mobility and its further dependency on Android. Google becoming phone maker will directly compete with OEMs who produce phones with Android OS. Also, Android OS is no longer free (patents royalties) and not as opened. Samsung is trying to advance further own mobile operating system (Bada) to reduce the risk of depending too much on Android. There are also Samsung phones with Windows Phone operating system that will reduce dependency on Android further. Today Bada and Windows Phone have about the same global market share: 2%