TSMC will reportedly start production of Atom system-on-chip products in Q4 2009 at the earliest.

Intel announced a strategic partnership with the Taiwanese chipmaker on Tuesday, but few details were revealed. Atom SoCs are to be used in a wide range of products, including MIDs, netbooks and nettops, and smartphone devices.

Intel's move is widely seen as an attempt to reduce manufacturing costs during a time of economic crisis, and other chipmakers who use TSMC's facilities, such as ARM, don't seem to be overly concerned about the Intel-TSCM partnership.

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