ZTE Grand X IN: EU's first Intel smartphone to launch next month

Chinese phone maker ZTE has announced that the Grand X IN smartphone will go on sale in Europe next month, marking the first time smartphones powered by Intel's Medfield processors have been sold in the EU. It is the first device as part of a wider portfolio of smartphones the company intends to launch over the next 12 to 18 months.

It runs Android ICS paired with a 32nm Intel Atom Z2460 processor (PDF) clocked at 1.6GHz with 1GB of RAM as well as 4GB of on-board storage and a microSD card slot. Dominating the front is a 4.3-inch 960x540 QHD touchscreen. At the back is an 8MP camera with flash along with the "Intel inside" logo, and a 0.3MP version is fitted to the front for video calling. It is also capable of recording and playback of 1080p video.

The usual connectivity options are present, including HSPA+ offering up to 21Mbps as well as NFC, Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi b/g/n, GPS and it's also DLNA compatible. It weighs in at 140.8 grams including the battery, and measures 127x65x9.9mm.

Although Intel has enjoyed dominace in the desktop, notebook, and server markets, the mobile segment is largely controlled by ARM-based SoCs. Intel hopes to change this with its Medfield Atom chips.

Early benchmarks are encouraging, with the Atom SoC beating the Google Nexus and iPhone 4S when tested in March. Its real-world performance remains untested however, and there are concerns about whether Intel's offerings can really compete against ARM's when it comes to energy consumption and battery life.

ZTE is yet to confirm pricing or the exact day it will launch beyond saying it would be the beginning of September.