The New Intel Mobile Division

Intel's haphazard ultra mobile strategy is finally getting some much needed consolidation. We got the first hints of this at IDF where Intel announced a restructuring that would combine its ultra mobile (read: Atom) and Core (read: everything else) design teams under one virtual roof. The goal there was to promote better sharing of technologies and improve execution efficiency. Today, Intel told Reuters that it is consolidating four divisions (netbook/tablets, ultra mobility, mobile communications & mobile wireless) under a a new mobile and communications business unit. The move makes tremendous sense as the line between netbooks and tablets blurs considerably over the next two years. Not to mention that the ideal SoC architecture for a smartphone, tablet and netbook is likely one and the same.

We're all expecting to see big news from Intel in the Android smartphone space next year. Whether it will be enough of an about face to bring Intel to a competitive point remains to be seen. On the tablet side, I'm expecting Intel to focus more on Windows 8 tablets rather than play too much in the Android space.