3/12 Taiwanese Mediatek has started sampling a mobile processor that contains both a quad-core Cortex-A7 and a modem for a variety of mobile standards. Mobile processor is designed for Android-based smart phones and tablets in the upper price segment.
MT6589 is the world's first quad-core mobile processor, or modapp as ST-Ericsson calls this type of system circuit that includes a quad-core Cortex-A7. In addition, the company modem circuit capable mobile standards HSPA + and TD-SCDMA as UMTS Rel. Eighth Thus, the circuit is tailored for the Chinese market.
Whether it contains Linköping based Coresonic baseband is not clear but seems likely. The company's baseband processor is programmable and can handle standards such as LTE, HSPA and GSM in less silicon area than competing solutions, a fact that got Mediatek to buy Coresonic in April.
The graphics used PowerVR Series5XT from Imagination and the glory are manufactured in a 28nm process.
Mediatek is a bit of an unknown but has grown dramatically during the year. From 10 million chips last year to 110 million this year.
With MT6589 company takes a step up from simple Android mobiles to the more advanced. Meanwhile, the company appear to be three to six months before leading Qualcomm with a mobile processor with a quad-core Cortex-A7.