Intel Bets Quite a Bit on Ice Cream Sandwich

Now that Intel finally has chips that are both powerful and energy efficient enough to put on a good show on the tablet and smartphone front, the company is seriously considering what operating systems to focus on. 

We have already mentioned that the Santa Clara, California-based company had Windows 8 slates queued up for production. 

That said, it bears noting that Intel is still more confident in Google's Android 4.0 operating system, otherwise known as Ice Cream Sandwich. 

According to the CPU giant, since tablets are more about software than hardware, the operating system is very important. 

As such, Intel needs to plan its moves well if it is to actually become successful in this field. 

"With the silicon integration capability we have to be able to drive the bill of materials cost down and integration up in the tablet space, which I think is going to be a sweet spot for Intel," says Intel's CEO Paul Otellini. 

On the subject of ICS, Intel more or less clearly said that it did not expect anything to pose much of a threat to Apple's iPad without it. 

While Windows 8 might prove impressive and versatile, it won't arrive for a while and, even when it does, it will be behind Android in terms of apps and popularity, meaning that Android 4.0 is really the only way to go right now. 

“Tablets are a little bit about hardware and an awful lot about software. Until you get to Ice Cream Sandwich, the offering isn't as powerful as with what's out there with Apple,” Otellini says. 

“As Ice Cream Sandwich tablets start shipping I think you'll start seeing a little bit better receptivity, you know Google just added the Music Store, the videos are better, everything got a little bit better with ICS. […] I don't know that the whole tablet thing is settled down by any stretch. [...] The jury is out on, I think, the long-term segmentation by form factor, but I do think you'll see more progress on the Android side as a result of ICS.”

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