Nokia N9 to debut Intel Atom processor?

The Gadget Show  Friday 21 January 2011

Is Nokia preparing a MWC surprise?

Details are coming together on the Nokia N9, arguably the Finns’ most important handset for years, and the juciest rumour is that the next N-Series range-topper will have an Intel Atom processor wedged inside.

The N9 set to leave behind the Symbian OS on Nokia’s flagship smartphone range in favour of the new MeeGo platform developed alongside Intel. And while that is a move into uncharted territory to some extent, the possibility of Intel hardware on the inside too would make the N9 a pivotal release for both companies.

Intel’s Atom processors have already successfully found their way into netbooks and tablets, and the chip maker says it is targeting the smartphone market next. Should the rumours prove true, it will be a 1.2GHz Atom chip inside the N9 – as we speculated last week.

That will sit underneath a mammoth 4.3in screen, while the top-notch 12-megapixel camera from the current N8 should be retained on its successor – and that’s no bad thing, either.

We’re still hoping the N9 will make its debut at Mobile World Congress next month, ahead of a launch in the springtime.