Makers underscore improved product performance by adopting more powerful CPUs and high-resolution capacitive touch panels.

TOP TRENDS

• Improved performance:Makers are enhancing device operation through powerful CPUs and higher-resolution screens. The current selection uses Arm processors such as the 11 and the Cortex-A8 and -A9. A rising number integrates the last or its dual-core variant. In the long term, the trend will shift to the Cortex-A9 MPCore version. In terms of displays, 1024x600 and 1280x800-pixel capacitive touchscreens will take the mainstream position in 2012.
• Wireless connectivity: Units enable cable-free Internet access via 802.11b/g or 802.11b/g/n. More are also incorporating 3G capability to tap existing networks. Bluetooth is offered as an additional option.
• Android 2.3 leads: Android OS dominates China’s MID category with a more than 90 percent share. Most units operate on the 2.3 version, a trend expected to persist in coming years. Windows-based variants, meanwhile, will grow.
• Price & output projections: Prices are projected to drop 10 percent in 1H12 amid sliding CPU costs. With the device’s growing popularity, some makers forecast higher yield by at least 20 percent or even past 50 during the year.

Product gallery Acuce Co. Ltd Model: A72C Description: 7in capacitive touchscreen, 800x480 pixels; Boxchip A10 CPU; 512MB DDR2 RAM, 4GB internal memory

Feihong Industry Co. Ltd Model: FH8803 Description: 10in multitouch screen, 1024x768 pixels; Telechips TCC8803 CPU; 512MB DDR3 RAM

Kinwei Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd Model: KW-PC8008A Description: 8in capacitive touchscreen, 800x600 pixels; Rockchip 2918 dual Cortex-A8 CPU; up to 1GB DDR3 RAM

Shenzhen State Micro Technology Co. Ltd Model: MN1908 Description: 7in capacitive touchscreen, 800x480 pixels; Arm Cortex-A9 CPU

Tomstar Industrial Ltd Model: TM-M018 Description: 7in capacitive touchscreen, 800x480 pixels; Cortex-A8 CPU; 512MB DDR3 RAM, 4GB NAND flash memory

Yifang Digital Technology Co. Ltd Model: M1005 Description: 9.7in capacitive touchscreen, 1024x768 pixels; Arm Cortex-A8 CPU

Note: This article "Dual-core CPUs, HD panels advance mobile Internet device line" was originally published by Global Sources, a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with China manufacturers and India suppliers, providing essential sourcing information to volume buyers through our e-magazines, trade shows and industry research.

All price quotes in this report are in US dollars unless otherwise specified. FOB prices were provided by the companies interviewed only as reference prices at the time of interview and may have changed.

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