NVIDIA have finally got the go-ahead for their LTE modem unit to gain acceptance by the giant AT&T network in the United States.
AT&T HTC One X went dual-core for LTE compatibility, last one to do it?
The three top carriers in the United States are now firmly committed to having phones that run LTE, which means that any company that does not will not get a look-in when it comes to getting their chipsets on the best handsets. This became a reality for NVIDIA when it found that they could not run their Tegra 3 on US phones because of AT&T’s insistence that LTE modems are used. This led to the rather funny situation of HTC phones running Tegra 3 worldwide, but just not in the US. A good example is the AT&T HTC One X which features a dual-core Snapdragon S4 versus a Tegra 3 quad-core for the rest of the world. Luckily, the dual-core S4 is as powerful (if not more) than the Tegra 3 quad-core because NVIDIA's chip is based on last year's design architecture.
This has all changed, we think. The next-gen Icera 410 LTE is NVIDIA’s entry into the market. AT&T has accepted the usage of it. The chipset in the Icera is favored by gamers around the world, and the news means that they can expect the same chipset in the States. Of course, other carriers may not choose the Icera, but it is definitely a step forward for NVIDIA.
Stan Boland, Senior VP of Mobile Communications at NVIDIA, ha this to say: 'Validation with AT&T is an achievement that paves the way for NVIDIA Icera powered LTE devices on the AT&T network through this year and next'.
Hopeful words? We shall see.
