AMD to Supply Graphics Tech to Qualcomm

Chipmaker AMD has announced it will be licensing 3D graphics technology to Qualcomm for integration into mobile phones.

Although the move has been rumored for almost half a year, chipmaker AMD has officially announced it will be licensing 3D graphic technology to Qualcomm for use in the company’s next-generation products for mobile phones. Qualcomm is one of the leading suppliers of chipsets used in mobile devices.

“AMD’s graphics technology is based on years of high-quality graphics processing and expertise in the mobile market, enabling cutting-edge handheld devices with maximum performance,” said Adrian Hartog, senior VP and general manager of AMD’s Consumer Electronics Group, in a release. “The combined force of Qualcomm’s chipset solutions and AMD’s graphics technology is well-positioned to meet mobile consumers’ growing demands for visually compelling content.”

The deal will include AMD’s patented Unified Shader Architecture (which initially rolled out in Microsoft’s Xbox 360 gaming console), and enable mobile developers to tap into OpenGL ES 2.0 capabilities in mobile devices. In addition to obvious applications in the arena of mobile games, the technology could also be used to produce novel user interfaces and present GPS and location-based information in new and compelling ways.

Terms of the licensing arrangement were not disclosed.