Nokia will incorporate a single-chip solution based on Texas Instruments Digital RF Processor (DRP) technology to its future mobile phones.
The cooperation will allow Nokia to offer more cost-effective advanced handsets, especially in high-volume entry markets.
Today’s announcement fulfills a commitment TI made in 2002 when the company announced its intention to integrate the bulk of handset electronics on a single chip, including digital baseband, SRAM,logic, RF, power management and analog functions, and to sample the first product in 2004. The first version of the single-chip solution, which sampled in December 2004 and was developed through TI’sadvanced 90nm CMOS manufacturing technology, targets the mass-market voice-centric marketplace.
By adopting TI’s DRP-based single-chip technology for its future mobile phones, Nokia intends to increase its proven innovation and leadership position in the marketplace. Cost, size, power andperformance optimizations are crucial, especially for high-volume entry-level mobile phones. The combination of Nokia’s world-leading expertise in mobile devices with TI’s DRP based single-chiptechnology will take this optimization to a higher level. As a first step, Nokia phones based on the single-chip solution will target the entry-level mobile phone market, particularly in high-growthregions such as India and China.
Based on TI’s innovative DRP technology, the single-chip solution reinforces the company’s clear edge in integration, furthering TI’s and its customers’ competitive positions. This pioneeringapproach to wireless chip design applies digital technology to simplify radio frequency processing, which significantly reduces board space, extends battery life, and makes for a more cost-effective,powerful, versatile mobile phone. The world’s first GSM cellular phone call using TI’s DRP technology was made last February in TI’s labs, proving the technology.
The BRF6100 Bluetooth single chip, announced in June 2002, was the first implementation of TI´s DRP technology, followed by the BRF6150 and the BRF6300. TI´s integrated wireless technology roadmapalso includes a single chip solution for digital TV for mobile phones, as well as future single chip solutions for GPS, wireless LAN, UMTS and other air interfaces, paving the way for furtherintegration with the cellular modem and TI´s OMAPTM processors.
