AMD opens R&D center in India

Advanced Micro Devices unveiled today a new silicon design and platform research and development (R&D) facility in India.

Located in Bangalore, the new 52,000 square-foot center replaces its previous R&D lab that was opened in 2004, and is expected to house up to 350 engineers.

The Bangalore team "focuses heavily on next-generation microprocessor silicon design, and the development and testing of associated platform reference designs", an AMD spokesperson told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. Currently, the engineers are leading the development of "Shanghai"--the chipmaker's first 45-nanometer quad-core microprocessor, and are focused on the final design requirements for the chip.

Shanghai is expected to be launched by the middle of 2008.

This is also the team that was responsible for the key intellectual property of Barcelona, the U.S.-based company said. Barcelona is AMD's first quad-core chip which was finally launched in September this year, after some delay.

AMD will continue to use its existing premises for administration, sales and marketing staff.

In November, the current No. 2 chipmaker sold an 8.1 percent stake estimated to cost between US$550 million and US$700 million to Abu Dhabi's Mubdala Development--a move that will likely help boost and sustain its business.