Challenges ARM, questions openness of certain open OS, thinks Nokia WP getting better day on day
Orange has announced that it will launch the first smartphone in Europe powered by Intel chips and software. The phone will be targeted at the mass market, priced at a point that makes it an affordable, high end smartphone option, Orange said.
The launch of the phone, built by Taiwan ODM Gigabyte, is continuing evidence of Orange’s commitment to branding 25% of its phones in its own name, and to widening the range of suppliers it brings into the industry. But it is also a power play by Orange to “challenge the ARM architecture” and other players into the device ecosystem to up their game in terms of performance and price.
Yves Maitre, Senior Vice President of Group Devices at Orange, told Mobile Europe that Orange worked with Intel because the established phone hierarchy told him that his vision of more powerful phone for less cost was not feasible within his timeframe of Summer 2012.
Maitre said that Orange is not working with ODMs for the good of its own health, but in response to consumer demands, and to keep moving the industry forward.
We are not making money with ODMs, OK?
“The target of ODM is first to answer to consumer demands —the day consumers stop asking for ODMs we will stop with ODMs. We are not making money with ODMs, OK?
“The second is to challenge big brands. In 2010, I was asking for a phone to address the mass market with increased performance, and the answer was it is not feasible, so I go Intel and to Taiwan and speak to Gigabyte and we have done it. I wanted more power, for less price, and people were telling me we had to wait…quadruple core for ARM…it would not be now and would be more expensive. And then we decided to go with Intel and say that’s the delivery plan: it’s summer 2012, towards a price that is mass market, affordable, and that’s what we are going to deliver and it has been a beautiful journey.
“We are working closely together and we can say that the customer now has the benefit of the power of a computer in their hands, and most importantly it’s opening the way to changing the industry and challenging the ARM architecture.”
No bullshit or powerpoint
So what does Intel bring that Orange could not have found with the ARM-based chip providers?
“In terms of processing you have a significant difference that consumers will see because it’s really something you can feel, look at and see the big difference. My chairman, I told him, look Stephane [Richard, Orange CEO and Chair] with this device you have a camera with the power of a computer: 10 pictures every second at 8 megapixel. We’re bringing a computer in the pocket at a price which is much below the price of a computer. That’s what we are doing. And believe me when you use the device you realise that’s not bullshit or powerpoint, you can really see the difference.”
More Q&A with Yves Maitre:
Is this the so-called “Orange London” device that was apparently leaked within a survey on coolsmartphone?
Yes. Yes, the name is wrong, OK, but OK, it was not supposed to be released but it has been released and we have to acknowledge that. The final name will be released by the marketing team in each country when they go commercial
And the decision to build on Gingerbread, not Ice Cream Sandwich?
The key reason was that we started the project 18 months ago and when we start we were not not in the race to have ICS. Samsung has it and after that we decided to wait to do it as soon as we can.
How do you think Nokia is doing with Microsoft? Are there any sales details you can share?
We are supporting Nokia and Microsoft and we are very optimistic. The first results are improving day after day. We want more diversity in Orange and if Microsoft can help us to bring this enlargement of choice we will continue to support them.
Is support of competing OS important for you?
Today unfortunately…unfortunately…I have a feeling that some companies who had a very open philosophy have started to question their philosophy for financial reasons. One of the reasons we are working with Intel is that Intel lead the Linux Foundation for years, and the spirit of Intel towards freedom and openess matches with the values of Orange. We will continue to work with the Linux Foundation, and you know that Tizen is coming, and you will see more and more coming of Tizen https://www.tizen.org/. Linux mobile is Tizen, everyone can use it and we are very pleased to be part of this journey with Intel and with Samsung.
Phone details:
Code-named Orange Santa Clara, it’s an Android smartphone due for launch in Europe this summer. At launch, the phone will run Android’s Gingerbread platform with a planned upgrade to Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich platform shortly thereafter. The new Orange smartphone is based on Intel’s smartphone reference design and is powered by the Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 and supports HSPA+ with the Intel® XMM™ 6260 Platform. The phone has a 4.03” display, slender dimensions at 123mm x 63 x 9.99, 16 Gb of memory and weighs in at 117g.
Also: high-definition (HD) video, a camera that can take 10 pictures in under a second with 8-megapixel quality. And pre-loaded: a number of services unique to Orange, including Orange TV, Daily Motion, Deezer (France only), Orange Wednesdays Your Orange and Orange Gestures.