UMDs set to outsell desktops, notebooks

Ultra-mobile computing devices could outsell desktop and notebook computers in the long term, and semiconductor companies are taking note of that trend, according to a report from In-Stat.
The firm noted Intel is preparing to challenge ARM, a company that has cornered the embedded mobile semiconductor market for consumer electronics devices for nearly a decade.
“Mobile devices are now performing many more computing-related tasks than in the past, thus, placing additional performance and power demands on processors,” said Jim McGregor, In-Stat analyst. “But battery technology cannot currently keep pace with these ever-increasing demands and, at the same time, consumers want compact mobile devices that they can easily slip into a pocket, thus, precluding the use of a larger battery. Processing solutions that offer high-performance, while limiting power consumption, are needed.”