MediaTek is at Mobile World Congress (MWC) showcasing several processor and processor-adjacent technologies.
- Due to sample by the end of the year, the M90 modem offers the usual performance upgrades and support for the newest 3GPP specifications and, significantly, integrates satellite connectivity, including NR-NTN technology for high-speed services. MediaTek previously only supported lower-speed IoT-NTN, and this required the standalone MT6825 chip. Some built-in AI functions help the M90 perform better.
- Hybrid computing, a 6G concept for processing at the edge, which for telcos means at the cell site or elsewhere in the radio access network (RAN), is on display. For example, AI models could run at the telco edge because if anyone should be counted among AI movers and shakers, it’s the phone company. Hybrid computing is an evolution of the 5G mobile edge computing (MEC) that garnered no interest beyond telcos.
- In parallel, the gateway and context-synchronization system endows all connected devices with generative AI capabilities. We infer that AI inferencing occurs in the gateway (e.g., a Wi-Fi router). Keeping data locally to perform inferencing instead of doing it in the cloud improves privacy because if there’s one thing customer premises equipment (CPE) is known for, it’s security.
- The Dimensity Auto development platform is powering an eCockpit demonstration with an 8K screen. MediaTek and its smartphone-chip rival are relatively new to automotive semiconductors but, compared with incumbents, have the advantage of cutting-edge technology portfolios (including AI accelerators) from their annually updated smartphone processors.
- Speedy 224 Gbps serdes are available to MediaTek’s ASIC customers. These communications links are the cornerstone of large-scale AI-processing systems and are essential to MediaTek’s ASIC business.
- The Dimensity 7400 and 7400X replace the 7300/7300X for mainstream mobile devices, appearing to be physically identical but boosting CPU and AI-accelerator (NPU) performance. Likewise, the Dimensity 6400 updates MediaTek’s budget smartphone processor.
Bottom Line
From a technology perspective, the M90 modem and 224 Gbps serdes are the most significant items on display at MediaTek’s MWC booth this year. As for processor (XPU) products, Dimensity Auto has the greatest potential to disrupt the market, although it isn’t new this year. The rise of new automakers and screen-based dashboards is a juicy opportunity for a fast-moving, technologically savvy chip company like MediaTek.