Intel: Multi-core processors are a detriment to many Android-powered devices

The general manager of chipset manufacturer Intel, Mike Bell, believes that very few Android-powered devices take full advantage of the dual- or quad-core processors they're packed with, because the chipmakers behind them are yet to create a multi-core technology that panders to Android's needs.

In fact, he believes that more than one core can often act as a detriment to the device it's housed in.

"If you take a look a lot of handsets on the market, when you turn on the second core or having the second core there [on die], the [current] leakage is high enough and their power threshold is low enough because of the size of the case, that it isn’t entirely clear you get much of a benefit to turning the second core on," Bell said.

"We ran our own numbers and [in] some of the use cases we've seen, having a second core is actually a detriment, because of the way some of the people have not implemented their thread scheduling."

With Intel looking to get into the mobile processor business, it's hardly surprising to see it slagging off the opposition. Intel does know its stuff, though, so there probably is some truth behind Bell's comments.

The Lenovo K800, the Lava Xolo X900, and the Orange San Diego (Santa Clara) will all pack Intel's Medfield mobile processor when they hit store shelves.