Intel Corp is to expand into TV and mobile handheld devices through a new unified software platform launched in the second half of the year and an online application store in China, the world's biggest chip maker said in Beijing Tuesday.

It is to launch a cross-device platform called MeeGo, which is designed for phones, cars and home appliances such as TVs with various services. The first device with MeeGo will be available in the domestic market in the second half of this year. Intel will also open an online store called AppUp Center for MeeGo device users in China in future, Renee James, senior vice president and general manager of the software and services group at Intel, said during the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing.

"MeeGo is a unified operating environment running across a common computer architecture therefore it can give developers broader reach and easier access to end users, on any device," James said.

Intel dominates the global chip market in the personal computer sector with more than 80 percent market share but still faces strong competition in mobile and home appliance chip markets from rivals such as Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek and Trident.

The MeeGo platform was developed by Intel and Nokia. It is available to original equipment manufacturers, operating system vendors, network operators and others, targeting a wide range of devices, including smartphones, netbooks, tablet PCs, TVs and in-vehicle systems.