In the US, an extraordinarily small amount of phones utilize MediaTek chipsets. However, with the introduction of the LG X power to Sprint and Boost Mobile, that small amount is growing by one. The X power, which was just revealed today for the aforementioned CDMA carriers, sports a MediaTek MTK6755M (more commonly known as the helio P10) clocked at 1.8GHz. MediaTek is calling this its "first premium chipset offered in a device on a major U.S. carrier network."
The X power launched about a month ago on Cricket with a measly 1.3GHz Snapdragon 210, so it's a bit of a surprise to see Sprint and Boost Mobile's variants utilizing a chip with more than a little extra power. In addition, while the CDMA variant has 2GB of RAM, the Cricket model only has 1.5GB. Other specs remain the same though; the three variants all have 5.3" HD displays, 5MP/8MP camera combos, Android 6.0 Marshmallow, 16GB of storage with microSD slots, and substantial 4100mAh batteries. Something of note is that while the Boost model has 9.5GB of usable storage, the Sprint one only has 8.9GB available to the user. Now, we can't be sure that extra 600MB is all bloatware, but there's a fair chance it is.
If you're interested in the X power, you can pick it up at Boost Mobile for 9.99 starting today and at Sprint for $9 per month for 24 months (that's $216 total) on September 23rd. That's a pretty big price difference; maybe Sprint thinks that the extra bloat warrants a higher price tag.
PRESS RELEASE
San Diego, CA– September 16, 2016 –The first MediaTek-enabled smartphone for Sprint launched today, breaking new ground for MediaTek in the U.S. market. This marks MediaTek’s first premium chipset offered in a device on a major U.S. carrier network.
Sprint introduced the LG X power™ which features the MediaTek helio P10 chipset for its high-performance, power efficiency and compact size to allow for a slim, stylish device design.
“Collaborating with Sprint and LG to enable a WorldMode smartphone based on our MediaTek helio series chipset is an important milestone for MediaTek,” said Mohit Bhushan, MediaTek Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Business Development. “We are actively investing in advanced modem feature development for Sprint’s networks and look forward to many more devices in 2017 and beyond.”
MediaTek helio P10 offers high-performance 4G LTE octa-core processors as well as the older modems, such as, CDMA2000, WCDMA, HSPA+ and GSM. MediaTek spent significant time and effort to optimize its LTE carrier aggregation feature for Sprint’s LTE+ network to deliver super-fast data speeds, increased capacity and markedly improved data service for its customers.
“The LG X power is the first adoption of a MediaTek chipset for the Sprint network and the MediaTek helio P10 brings to our customers the power of the Sprint LTE+ network at an affordable price point,” said Ryan Sullivan, Sprint’s Vice President of Product Development.
The MediaTek helio P10 series integrates a suite of multimedia features including gaming-quality graphics and HD screen support for the LG X power’s 5.3-inch HD touchscreen display. MediaTek’s premium chipsets also include technology for superior hi-fidelity, hi-clarity audio and dual-camera features for increased light capture and enhanced color resolution for an uncompromised user experience.
The LG X power is available today for Boost Mobile customers, and comes next week to Sprint. The smartphone features include an 8MP rear-facing camera, 5MP front-facing camera, 1.8GHz Octa-Core processor, Android™ 6.0 Marshmallow OS, and long lasting battery power.
Consumers are more aware than ever about the true cost of smart devices. Competition in the smartphone market and the array of consumer choices drives demand for super-mid market devices with advanced technologies like the LG X power.
“Our work with Sprint allows us to spotlight MediaTek’s innovative chipset technology to a new market and continue our commitment to bring advanced, affordable technology to mainstream consumers,” said MediaTek’s Bhushan.
Since 1997, MediaTek has been a pioneering fabless semiconductor company and a market leader in cutting-edge systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile devices, wireless networking, HDTV, DVD and Blu-ray. Our tightly-integrated, innovative chip designs help manufacturers optimize supply chains, reduce the development time of new products, and extend a competitive edge in crowded markets. Through MediaTek Labs, the company is also building a developer hub that will support device creation, application development, and services for the Internet of Things era. By building technologies that help connect individuals to the world around them, MediaTek is enabling people to expand their horizons and more easily achieve their goals. We believe anyone can achieve something amazing. And we believe they can do it every single day. We call this idea Everyday Genius and it drives everything we do. Visit mediatek.com for more information.
Source: MediaTek, Sprint, Boost Mobile