Qualcomm Samples Multimedia Cell Phone Chip Set
(08/17/00, 11:19 a.m. ET) Electronic Buyers' News
Qualcomm Inc. on Wednesday announced early shipments of its chip set geared for multimedia-enabled cell phone handsets based on CDMA technology and other products.
The chip set, announced last February, has begun sampling this month -- roughly two months earlier than previously expected, according to officials at Qualcomm, San Diego.
The chip set is a major product line for Qualcomm (stock: QCOM), which is in the process of spinning off its semiconductor and software operations into a new, independent entity.
"The [chip set will] help manufacturers begin immediate development of advanced multimedia handsets," said Johan Lodenius, senior vice president of marketing and product management at Qualcomm's CDMA technologies division, the semiconductor and software arm of the company.
The chip set consists of six parts. A key to the product line is the MSM3300, which integrates a baseband controller and position-location, Bluetooth, MP3, MPEG-1, and other functions on one device.
The MSM3300 also incorporates Qualcomm's advanced software suite. Called the Wireless Internet Launchpad, the software supports the company's proprietary gpsOne position-location solution, Bluetooth, MPEG-1, MP3, and the MIDI standard.
Other parts of the chip set include the RFT3100 analog-baseband-to-RF upconverter, the IFR3300 IF-to-baseband downconverter, the RFR3100 RF-to-IF downconverter, the PA3100 power amplifier, and the PM1000 power management device.
Officials from Qualcomm did not disclose pricing for the chip set, but said production quantities will be available in the fourth quarter of 2000. |
