Toshiba Reveals Mobile Strategic Initiative Targeted at U.S.-Based Mobile Handset Manufacturers

Toshiba America Electronic 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 Tech.Questions@taec.toshiba.com.

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.

All trademarks and tradenames used herein are the properties of their respective holders. Dynastron is a registered trademark of Toshiba Corporation in the United States and certain other countries. MIPI is a trademark of the Mobile Industry Processor Interface Alliance.

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