SkyCross, a global antenna solutions company, has partnered with Infineon Technologies to reduce the bill of materials for ultra-low cost handsets. The handset architecture leverages the technical advantages of Infineon chips and SkyCross iMAT antennas to eliminate conventional RF components. This enables lower cost, simpler integration, and space savings without sacrificing performance, says the companies.
The benefits of the new handset architecture result from consolidating components. The Infineon platform is comprised of one single chip that integrates baseband, power management, RF, and two SIM interfaces. When this chip is paired with an iMAT antenna from SkyCross, which offers multiple feeds, each with high isolation, developers can eliminate the switchplexer in the system. The solution also bundles technologies, development tools, and customer support specifically designed for high volume production.
"Cost is a main driver in each of the mobile phone segments, but pressure is particularly intense for the rapidly growing, high volume, ultra-low cost segment," said Horst Pratsch, Vice President of Marketing for Entry Phone Business at Infineon. "This pressure encourages innovation, and we are pleased to address the challenge with the talented team at SkyCross."
"This game-changing architecture developed by Infineon and SkyCross delivers design freedom to ultra-low cost handset designers," said Joe Gifford, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Product Management at SkyCross. "iMAT continues to demonstrate benefits across a wide range of products, and this use of the versatile technology represents a new wave of possibilities."
The ultra low-cost solution is available now, and future generations are coming soon. The Infineon X-GoldTM102 chip already in mass production incorporates the iMAT dual feed antenna into its XMMTM1020 platform. iMAT, launched in January 2008, is available today in production units such as the first USB dongle to be certified by the WiMAX Forum.
The solution will at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.