MediaTek Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions, has announced that the first handsets powered by its dual-core MT6577 smartphone platform are ready to hit the Indian market.
 
Spice and Micromax have selected the MT6577 to power their upcoming handsets. Spice plans to launch Mi 500, and Micromax will introduce the dual core version of its Superphone A90 along with two other models based on MediaTek dual core platform MT6577, expected to launch later this month.
 
The MT6577 features a dual 1GHz Cortex-A9 application processor from ARM, a PowerVR Series5 SGX GPU (graphics processing unit) from Imagination Technologies, MediaTek’s proven 3G/HSPA modem, and runs the latest Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” (ICS) operating system. The platform integrates a dual-core application processor architecture widely deployed in the majority of today’s premium smartphones.
 
Developed specifically for the fastest growing sub-$200 smartphone segment, the MT6577 platform will help bring unprecedented levels of user experience by boosting the application and browser performance of these handsets by upto 40%, compared to single-core platforms.
 
Dual-core processors account for more than 20% of the smartphone chip shipments in 2011 and should see growth over the next two years, becoming more prevalent in entry-level smartphones by 2013, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics.
 
“MediaTek believes that the budget-friendly smartphones powered by the MT6577 will surge the next growth of entry level smartphones industry in India. This platform promises lucrative prospects to developers and their customers by providing features such as improved user interactivity, mobile connectivity and rich multi-media experience at affordable prices,” said Grant Kuo, Managing Director, MediaTek India.

Finbarr Moynihan, General Manager, Business Development, MediaTek said, Says Deepak Mehrotra, CEO, Micromax, “We at Micromax understand and respect the value driven choice of our customers. We believe that the new MediaTek platform will allow us to take pocket-friendly innovation to a whole new level by providing exceptional communication and multimedia experiences to customers from all across India.”
 
MediaTek’s other HSPA smartphone platforms the MT6573 and MT6575 - have been extremely well-received by customers and consumers worldwide, and are currently shipping with major international brands such as Lenovo and TCL/Alcatel among other top tier OEMs.