Intel is officially free of its communications and applications processor business as the keys were handed over to Marvell Technology Group on November 8. The deal dates back to June 27, when Marvell agreed to purchase Intel’s cellular communications and applications processor business for $600 million. Along with this purchase, Marvell also acquires a patent portfolio covering cellular and application processor technologies.

“Marvell’s mission is to be a long-term, leading supplier in the cellphone and consumer electronics markets,” said Dr. Sehat Sutardja, Marvell’s chairman, president and CEO.  “By adding cellular baseband and applications processors to our broad, diverse product portfolio we continue to expand the reach of Marvell technology into an increasing number of consumer devices and end markets.”

Up until this point, it was uncertain whether or not Marvell would end up with Monahans, the third generation of Intel XScale technology and 1.25GHz successor to the PXA27x Bulverde chip. In Marvell's announcement, the company said that it would continue design and bring to market a family of Monahans processors for wireless and embedded applications.

Marvell said that its Monahans family of processors is now shipping in volume, and will be found in handsets, smartphones, handhelds and consumer electronic devices. For more on Monahans, see this article.