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Toshiba Reveals Mobile Strategic Initiative Targeted at U.S.-Based Mobile Handset Manufacturers |
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Saturday, 13 January 2007 |
Toshiba Commitment, Capabilities and Functional Analog Peripheral ICs
Provide Mobile Handset Manufacturers With the Flexibility and Modularity
to Speed Time-to-Market for a Range of Niches
Components, Inc. (TAEC)*, a leading supplier of functional analog
peripheral ICs for mobile applications, today disclosed the first details
of its Mobile Strategic Initiative, a new, comprehensive program to help
its U.S.-based mobile handset/mobile terminal customers achieve faster
time-to-market and stay competitive. Over the next twelve to fifteen
months, the company plans to roll out an expanded product portfolio,
including newly developed products as well as products never offered before
to the U.S. market. These discrete-analog and mixed-signal building blocks
provide the connectivity between the baseband and various functions,
including the display, camera, keypads and external storage devices. The
TAEC customer-driven solutions offer flexibility and modularity across
multiple platforms. The company further stated it intends to exert a
leadership role in coopetition with baseband and application-processor
vendors as well as I/O and core companies to tackle tough issues such as
system integration, emerging standards and interoperability.
"Formerly a one-size fits-all mass market with only three segments
(low-end, mid- and high-end), the mobile handset market is fragmenting into
a growing number of niches based on geographic and socioeconomic
distinctions. Coupled with this long-tail phenomenon, product life cycles
continue to shrink. In general, customers are asking chip companies like
Toshiba to take on more of the work and we are committed to our shared
success," said Andrew Burt, vice president of the Imaging and
Communications Marketing Group for the ASSP Business Unit at TAEC.
"We are stepping up our long-standing involvement in emerging mobile
industry standards such as the Mobile Industry Processor Interface
(MIPI(TM))," Mr. Burt explained. "Our customers recognize this
participation is essential and, in addition, are applauding our move to
build relationships with baseband/application processors suppliers as well
as I/O and core companies to ensure interoperability. We as suppliers all
recognize that an understanding of how our own solution interfaces into a
complex, multi-vendor-based system is vital. Also, with respect to products
based on emerging standards, standards compliance is no guarantee of
universal interoperability."
"Responding to the above-mentioned proliferation of niches and
concomitant rise of converging mobile products with overlapping functions,
we have developed product families with a range of products that meet
slightly differing needs," Mr. Burt continued. "We offer the flexibility to
tailor solutions to customer needs as a customer-specific standard product
(CSSP). A common request is customized solutions that provide higher
integration and lower power in a smaller package, thus reducing
discrete-component count. Some customers have asked us to build CSSPs that
provide a bridge between competing standards such as legacy parallel
interfaces and newer serial interfaces. Others have welcomed our
intermediate solutions to cover design gaps. We provide modular solutions
across multiple platforms from ultra-low-cost handsets to high-end,
multi-feature cellular phones. Our solutions allow the addition of more
feature sets without major design changes and support low-power budgets."
Toshiba intends to roll out products in these categories over the next
12 to 15 months.
* An LCD controller supporting serial I/O
* Bridge ICs, consisting of serializer and deserializer (SerDes) ICs for
mobile interconnectivity such as linking a camera or LCD module to the
baseband or application processor
* White LED driver ICs that drive white-LED and camera-flash backlighting
* General I/O expander ICs, a proprietary Toshiba solution for I/O
multiplexer ICs in a GPIO-constrained design or in designs that require
mechanical or electrical flexibility
* Mobile TFT display and LCD drivers that control LCDs in applications
based on both conventional and emerging serial standards
* Near Field Communications, a new evolving standard and technology
* Audio codecs for audio playback
Along with these products, TAEC provides local application and
design-in support. In addition, TAEC plans to furnish all necessary support
tools for customer evaluation, including evaluation boards, development
boards and reference designs. The analog peripheral ICs complement other
mobile solutions from Toshiba, including the Toshiba Dynastron(R) CMOS
image sensor family, LCD drivers, memory products and LCD modules.
*About TAEC
Combining quality and flexibility with design engineering expertise,
TAEC brings a breadth of advanced, next-generation technologies to its
customers. This broad offering includes memory and flash memory-based
storage solutions, a broad range of discrete devices, displays, medical
tubes, ASICs, custom SOCs, microprocessors, microcontrollers and wireless
components for the computing, wireless, networking, automotive and digital
consumer markets.
TAEC is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America,
Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corp. (Toshiba), Japan's largest
semiconductor manufacturer and the world's fourth largest semiconductor
manufacturer. In more than 130 years of operation, Toshiba has recorded
numerous firsts and made many valuable contributions to technology and
society. For additional company and product information, please visit
TAEC's website at chips.toshiba.com. For technical inquiries, please e-mail
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Information in this press release, including product pricing and
specifications, content of services and contact information, is current and
believed to be accurate on the date of the announcement, but is subject to
change without prior notice. Technical and application information
contained here is subject to the most recent applicable Toshiba product
specifications. In developing designs, please ensure that Toshiba products
are used within specified operating ranges as set forth in the most recent
Toshiba product specifications and the information set forth in Toshiba's
"Handling Guide for Semiconductor Devices," or "Toshiba Semiconductor
Reliability Handbook." This information is available at
http://www.chips.toshiba.com, or from your TAEC representative. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 15 January 2007 )
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