Broadcom Introduces Powerful Chip for Low-End Androids

Chris Neiger, The Motley Fool
Updated

Broadcomintroduced the first quad-core HSPA+ processor with 5G Wi-Fi, near-field communication, GPS, and indoor positioning. The company said the BCM23550 processor is designed for high performance entry-level phones, and is built for the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean mobile operating system.

The company said the new processor is a "turnkey solution" that will allow smartphone makers to quicken production of full-feature 3G smartphones, because the chip works with current smartphone designs that have similar-sized Broadcom chips.

In a press release, Broadcom's Vice President of Product Marketing and Mobile Platform Solutions, Rafael Sotomayor, said, "By combining the performance benefits of a quad-core solution with high-end features like 5G WiFi, globally certified NFC technology, and advanced indoor positioning technology, the platform offers device manufacturers a flexible and cost-effective path to address the affordable smartphone segment."


Some of the chips' main features include:

  • Quad 1.2GHz A7 CPU

  • 21 Mbps (megabits per second) of HSPA+ downstream connectivity, with 5.8 Mbps upstream

  • Dual HD display support

  • VideoCore IV high-performance graphics

  • Full 1080 HD camcorder and playback

  • HD voice support

  • Near-field communication support

  • 5G Wi-Fi technology

Broadcom expects production of the new chip begin in Q3 2013, and is sampling the chip right now.

The article Broadcom Introduces Powerful Chip for Low-End Androids originally appeared on Fool.com.

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