Ixonos adopts Qualcomm chipsets for Android development

FINNISH UPSTART Ixonos is hoping to create a splash on Nokia's home turf with the announcement that it has adopted Qualcomm chipsets for developing mobile devices.

The company said that it has reference designs at its disposal and is using the Qualcomm chipsets to develop devices for other firms based on the Android operating system. It's developing for Android because that, you see, already has a rather cosy relationship with Qualcomm kit.

"We have chosen Qualcomm's chipsets as one of the key platforms for developing smartphones and other next-generation connected devices because of their maturity and strong Android integration," said Ixonos Group's president and CEO Kari Happonen, before adding that that was not the only egg in its basket.

"We also continue to deliver devices based on other chipsets from leading vendors such as Intel, Texas Instruments and ST-Ericsson, based on the preferences of our corporate clients."

The firm expects to start seeing its turnkey devices released by customers during the first half of 2012, and according to its announcement, is pretty far gone with the development of some.

"We are already working on our first Qualcomm reference designs and have full capability to offer our customers a full product road map of Qualcomm-based Android devices," added Folkert Wierda, head of Ixonos' device creation centre.

"Existing and new device-manufacturer and operator customers as well as any company looking for a device creation R&D partner can turn to us for faster time-to-market and high-quality connected devices designed to deliver superior user experiences."

You might not have heard of Ixonos much before, but it has been around since at least 2008. We can't say where it has got this fresh vigour from, but can't help but wonder whether its technical skills or at least worker numbers were swelled after Nokia, which is also from Finland, started swinging its redundancy axe. µ