Intel’s new 3-in-1 processor to enable smaller consumer devices

Washington

INTEL Corp on Thursday unveiled an unusual 3-in-1 chip that it says will enable consumer devices to be much smaller — cellphones that could fit in a lapel pin, for instance, or wristwatch-size computers.

The experimental chip combines functions that ordinarily require three different manufacturing processes — flash memory for data storage, microprocessor logic for computing functions, and analog circuits for communications.

Intel, which is discussing the combined manufacturing process at the Intel Developer Forum in Amsterdam, isn’t saying when it might begin selling such chips, nor is it disclosing potential customers.

Separately, Intel announced that British Telecommunications PLC will collaborate with the chip company in developing wireless services. Intel’s new integrated chip technology is expected to reduce the number of components needed in cellphones and other communication devices, reducing their size, cost and power consumption.

Intel is by no means the only company working on smaller, more-integrated chips. Texas Instruments Inc., a major maker of chips for cellphones, is working with Advanced Micro Devices Inc. to fold general-purpose logic, digital-signal processing and memory into a single package, Texas Instruments says. The company also is working in-house to combine analog, radio and power-management functions.

-- The Wall Street Journal