Networking gear and microprocessor maker Broadcom introduced a new system-on-chip (SoC) series for low-end Android devices at Mobile World Congress this week. A second line for commercial purposes was also unveiled.

The Android Ice Cream Sandwich line is based on AMD’s Cortex single and dual-core 40-nanometer A9 designs.

The BCM21654G offers performance of up to 1.0GHz, compared with the 1.3GHz packed by the higher-end BCM28145 and BCM28155 SoCs. All three come equipped with a chip dedicated to offloading video processing from the CPU, including built-in camera footage, but the latter two can handle higher qualities than the 54: 720p and 1080p respectively. Lastly, the premium chips feature another hardware improvement over the first one, in the form of attached HSPA+ modems rather than the regular HSPA one.

While the specs themselves are clear, the same cannot be said of exactly why Broadcom tagged its new product family as optimized for the latest version of Android. The Inquirer got its hands on this quote from Nambi Seshadri, the CTO of the company’s mobile and wireless internet unit, which is the closest thing to an explanation so far.

“Responsive user interfaces, brilliant graphics and advanced features like Wi-Fi Direct, NFC and Bluetooth low energy are now basic smartphone requirements, regardless of price point, and our new platforms deliver all of these features with affordability that will appeal to consumers around the world.”

MWC, as always, is overwhelmed with debuts from the biggest brands in the mobile industry. Looking ahead however, we can expect Broadcom’s next big launch later this year: a new wireless chips based on the WiFi standard.  Supposedly we can expect more than just a speed boost, but also the advantages of a new homegrown innovation that involves transmissions sent directly to end devices.