Intel is combining its two consumer processor manufacturing units, those that make its Atom processors for mobile phones and tablets and the one that makes its Core series processors for desktops and notebooks, into a single “Client Computing Group” early next year. That’s according to an internal email sent out by Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich yesterday to the company’s staff, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

If you’ve ever owned a computer, chances are that you’ve had one powered by an Intel chip but the same cannot be said for your mobile phone or tablet, which more than likely run a processor made by someone like Qualcomm or Samsung.

Until now, Intel has addressed these two markets with the “PC Client Group” handling the Core series of processors and the “Mobile and Communications Group”, which handled the creation of Atom processors and modems for mobile phones and tablets. The problem Intel faces is that the lines are no longer clear as to which processor will fit into a mobile device – notebook class processors have become more power efficient and tablet processors have become more powerful, finding their way into low powered notebooks.

“Industry-wide, the lines have been blurring,” Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said. “The question is whether we’re organized to map to where the market is going.”

The new Client Computing Group will combine the two former groups with the head of the PC Client Group, Kirk Skaugen, taking the reigns as well as all of the teams responsible for processor development from the Mobile and Communications Group to form the new unit. The teams in charge of Intel’s modems, which stem from the 2010 acquisition of Infineon Technologies, and other wireless technologies will form part of the new “Wireless R&D Group”.

[Source – WSJ, Via – PC World, Image – Intel Free Press on Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)]