Intel has scotched rumours that its Pine Trail Atom processors would be delayed until early next year, reaffirming its plans to release by the end of this year.

According to an report over on CNet, the company used the Intel Technology Summit to put the lid on rumours that the next iteration of the Atom processor - Intel's popular ultra-low voltage chip much beloved of netbook manufacturers - had hit delays.

Speaking at the summit, general manager of Intel's Mobile Platform Group Mooly Eden stated that the delays were nothing but vicious rumours. While committing to a launch before the end of the year, Eden said that the next-generation Atom silicon would feature a low-voltage graphics chipset integrated directly onto the processor "in order to get better performance." Pine Trail will also include an integrated memory controller, and should improve performance over current generation silicon while reducing power draw.

The news that the launch is still on schedule should come as a relief to anyone looking forward to Android-based netbooks: the rumoured delay to Pine Trail had investors worried that the launch of Pine Trail-based Android netbooks such as the Acer dual-boot system revealed earlier this month would be similarly affected.

Are you looking forward to Pine Trail based netbooks, or are you going to need to see some firm facts and figures from Intel before you trade in your Atom N270? Share your thoughts over in the forums.