NVIDIA
First, let's look at the phrasing from the Wall Street Journal interview that leaked the news:
The Optimus One [LG's flagship phone], for instance, won't boast the impressive hardware specifications of some of its rivals, but LG plans to catch up with follow-up models. The company plans to launch devices using Nvidia Corp.'s (NVDA) dual-core processor in the fourth quarter.
LG's Optimus One phone is widely reported to include Texas Instruments'
Until we have more information from the companies, these three burning questions should decide how meaningful the LG win could be.
1. Android or Windows Phone 7?
Tegra's a multimedia powerhouse, so it makes sense that NVIDIA could enjoy success on Microsoft's
Three years late out of the gate, with a small app base and a significant likelihood of delays until after the holidays, Windows Phone 7 will almost certainly struggle. Scoring a spot in a gaming-centered Windows Phone 7 smartphone doesn't exactly prove that NVIDIA can thrive on Android, today's fastest-growing mobile OS. Yes, NVIDIA's chip could succeed in phones focused around gaming, but it needs more mass-market acceptance to prove its viability.
2. Will NVIDIA power an LG tablet?
The other major buzz from the interview was the shot LG's Chang Ma fired at Apple's
3. Can one win change the momentum?
The mobile processor space remains crowded. Qualcomm's
However, NVIDIA's Tegra 2 hasn't enjoyed any significant success yet, so it'll be interesting to see whether a win from a major player such as LG opens the floodgates a bit. We've already heard reports from our partner site Conceivably Tech that Motorola
I'm sure we'll get more information on the LG win in coming weeks. Watch for whether NVIDIA's Tegra will find its way into tablets or Android phones as well, and keep an eye on the slow trickle of holiday products that will begin in the coming weeks. This holiday season, Tegra's wish list probably involves a whole slew of Android tablets on Santa's sleigh.