“In what might be a high-profile case of career suicide, an Intel Germany executive has reportedly confirmed that Apple plans to use Intel’s Atom processor in a future iPhone,” Tom Krazit reports for CNET.

“The report says the Atom-based iPhone would be larger, and uses the reference design for a mobile Internet device that Intel created for its Fall Intel Developer Forum. That design was a mockup of what MIDs using the next-generation of Atom, code-named Moorestown, might resemble, rather than an actual product blueprint. A switch to Intel’s chips is certainly possible for an iPhone released around the 2009-2010 timeframe expected for Moorestown, and it’s also possible that Apple has an Atom-based tablet-like device in the works, but it’s far from clear,” Krazit reports.

Full article here.

Jonny Evans reports for Macworld UK, “Allegedly the device – which may be larger than a phone – will offer a 720 x 480 pixel display, and will be announced during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. It’s thought this device (if these rumours carry any truth at all) will be more focused as a portable media centre and productivity solution than the current communication-focused iPhone.”

“This news is interesting because it had been widely believed the current Atom processor emanates too much heat for deployment within an iPhone,” Evans reports. “It appears Intel (perhaps working with Apple, and potentially with the engineers from PA Semi) has developed a new version of Atom specifically for use within mobile devices.”

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Markim" for the heads up.]