AMD Will Follow Intel Into Android: Just You Wait

Why in the world would it make sense for AMD to let loose an announcement about their willingness to work with groups to bring their processor architecture to Android and Chrome-toting machines here in the spring of 2013? Because of Intel.

This past week, Intel paired with both Samsung and ASUS to push their silicon to Android tablets galore. While many considered it a bit too late for Intel to join in on the fun after NVIDIA and Qualcomm have been in the mix for several years, the fact remains: it was a big deal that Intel stuck to their guns and brought Clover Trail+ to the Android universe.

And with Samsung, no less. While the Samsung Galaxy Tab line hasn't exactly been known for its top-tier graphics in the past couple of generations – not since the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with NVIDIA Tegra 2, that is – being inside a Samsung device at all is a big deal. It's not a precursor to absolute victory, on the other hand.

Samsung played host to Texas Instruments processors on their Galaxy Tab 2 tablets and a the little-known Samsung Galaxy Beam, and they're not doing so well at the moment. Even though they are appearing here and there in Android-toting devices as recent as just a few months ago, they announced they'd be out of the phone and tablet chip business back in September of 2012.

But the fact remains: Intel's entry into the Android universe in a very real way appears to have stoked the flames for AMD. Where one goes, the other SHOULD follow.