New Delhi, 13 September 2012 – MediaTek Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions, today 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.

The MT6577 platform will help commence a new era in entry level smartphones by providing features which were so far available only in very expensive and high-end mobile phones, thereby further democratizing smartphones. The MT6577 can support rich multimedia experiences with an 8MP camera, up-to 1080p Full-HD video playback and the ability to support high-resolution displays up to 720p (1280x720) resolution. The platform also supports dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth4.0, GPS and FM, by pre-integrating MediaTek’s leading 4-in-1 connectivity combo.

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.

Grant Kuo, Managing Director, MediaTek India, said, “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.”

Finbarr Moynihan, General Manager - Business Development, MediaTek said, “The Indian market witnessed a dramatic increase of 87% in smartphone sales last year, with 150 models launched by more than 30 vendors. Some of the MT6577 capabilities such as the increased application and browser performance and advanced multimedia features will bridge the performance gap between entry level and high-end smartphones, thereby changing the market dynamics of the Indian smartphone industry.”

Quoting the findings of the information company, IHS, he said, “Smartphone shipments in 2013 are forecast to account for 54% of the total cell phone market, it will be the first time when smartphones will make up more than half of all shipments. Price-efficient platforms from MediaTek, like the MT6577, have resulted in growing sales of mid and entry smartphones over the past few years. We hope to continue driving sales of mid and entry smartphones in the coming year while democratizing their availability to Indian consumers.”

Elaborating on how MediaTek’s MT6577 is helping them provide unparalleled experience to their users, Mr Dilip Modi, Co-Founder, Si2i Mobility, said “MediaTek has invariably been at the forefront of introducing superior quality and easily adaptable products at incredibly affordable prices. Thanks to low-cost superior technology that is now available, we see a growing base of Indians switching from basic feature phones to advanced and rich multimedia smart phones. We believe that our upcoming mobile handset(s) powered by MediaTek’s MT6577 will help us bring the market to an inflection point in terms of mid and entry smart phone prices, and set in motion a new era of telecom revolution for the knowledge economy.”

Says Mr 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.

About MediaTek

Since 1997, MediaTek has been a pioneering fabless semiconductor company and a market leader in cutting-edge systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile devices, wireless networking, HDTV, DVD and Blu-ray. Our tightly-integrated, innovative chip designs help manufacturers optimize supply chains, reduce the development time of new products, and extend a competitive edge in crowded markets. Through MediaTek Labs, the company is also building a developer hub that will support device creation, application development, and services for the Internet of Things era. By building technologies that help connect individuals to the world around them, MediaTek is enabling people to expand their horizons and more easily achieve their goals. We believe anyone can achieve something amazing. And we believe they can do it every single day. We call this idea Everyday Genius and it drives everything we do. Visit mediatek.com for more information.