Adding another name to the list of entrants to the smartphone field, Nvidia–best known for its graphics cards–has unveiled its Quark concept phone. Now, as we understand it, Nvidia isn’t looking to actually make phones under its own brand, but rather to supply the processors to power other companies’ smart phones, and to that end they’re showing off their GoForce 6100. The Nvidia webpage for the GoForce 6100 has an impressive list of features:

• Dedicated high performance 250MHz ARM1176JZ-S core
• Hardwired acceleration for all processing-intensive multimedia and security functions
• Integrated WiFi 802.11 b/g/i/e baseband and analog front end
• H.264, WMV9/VC-1, at up to VGA resolution, 30fps
• Up to 8 megapixel camera sensor support
• Support for Linux, Windows CE 5.0, Windows Mobile
• Support for all available DRM formats
• Fully integrated, high quality analog audio subsystem
• Integrated TV encoder and video DACs
• 802.11e for VoWLAN QOS support
• USB 2.0/OTG PHY integrated
• Drives LCD displays up to WVGA resolution
• S-Video TV-out
• Connects to any network – Up to 3G cellular (HSDPA), WiFi , Bluetooth, GPS, WiMax
• Ultra low power consumption even when running high-performance media features

Nvidia is expecting the GoForce 6100 to find its way into devices this year and in 2008. Given Apple’s amicable relationship with Nvidia, could we see their chips powering future iPhones? You never know.

Filed under: iPhone News