In it’s continuing efforts to expand the company’s market share of the mobile computing industry, Intel’s CEO, Brian Krzanich, announced at the Intel Developer Forum in Shenzhen on Wednesday the establishment of an Intel Smart Device Innovation Center in Shenzen, as well as a $100 million Intel Capital China Smart Device Fund. The collaboration is designed so that both the Shenzhen technology ecosystem and Intel can re-ignite growth by focusing on “smart” devices — including wearables, Web-connected devices, the Internet of Things, hybrids and mobile technology.
The venture will provide both Intel and the growing Chinese technology industry with yet another means to co-operate and expand their market shares. Intel Capital has invested more than $670 million in 110 companies in China since 1998 with two already established investment funds. The $100 million Intel Capital China Smart Device Fund is intended to accelerate the innovation of smart devices such as tablets, smartphones, wearables, and IoT(internet of things).
Intel made the following statement regarding the IntelSmart Device Innovation Center in Shenzhen-”The center will expand Intel’s work beyond tablets and provide local OEMs, ODMs, and software developers with access to Intel technology platforms and enabling support, including master reference designs for turnkey solutions, development tools, supply chain sourcing, quality management and customer support — acting as a bridge between product conception and commercial deployment.”
The Intel Atom is proving to be a popular cpu choice for Windows and android tablets with it’s high performance and low power requirements. The company also demonstrated a mobile soc named SoFIA at the Intel Developer Forum, which is aimed at the entry and value priced smartphones and tablets. While Intel was slow to get into the mobile market in any significant way, the company seems to have realized their error. This is evident in their being very aggressive about becoming a major player in what will be the main growth market for chips in the coming years, with the slowdown of the pc desktop segment.