Chipmakers to debut low-power Wi-Fi
Published: 08 Sep 2003 12:15 BST
Chipmakers Broadcom and Philips Semiconductors are set to announce on Monday smaller and more power-efficient Wi-Fi chips, a move that could revitalise the prospects of the popular 802.11b standard and allow Wi-Fi to be used in a wider variety of devices.
The new chips are based on the 802.11b wireless networking standard and will target manufacturers of portable devices, such as cell phones, handhelds and digital cameras, according to sources close to the companies' plans. Broadcom is expected to announce a single-chip Wi-Fi product, while Philips Semiconductors, the chipmaking division of Royal Philips Electronics, will introduce a combined package of two Wi-Fi chips, which is still considerably smaller than current products, the sources said.
Philips and Broadcom representatives declined to comment on this story.
By offering chips aimed at high-volume products such as portable devices, the companies could add new life to the 802.11b standard. After the introduction of the higher-throughput 802.11g standard, which is interoperable with networks using the 802.11b standard, the future of 802.11b was in question. 802.11g allows for the wireless transfer of 54 megabits per second (mbps) versus 11mbps for 802.11b.
The more efficient chips should also make it easier for manufacturers to build Wi-Fi into embedded devices. So far the growth of Wi-Fi in mobile phones and the like has been limited because the chips consume a large amount of power, relative to technologies such as Bluetooth, which was designed with battery-powered devices in mind.
The increasing use of Wi-Fi in embedded devices also has implications for the data networks operated by mobile phone network providers. Telcos are pitching GPRS and 3G as the ideal way to exchange data between mobile devices, but widespread use of Wi-Fi with public hot-spots is increasingly challenging these technologies.
Products based on 802.11g picked up where 802.11b slackened in the second quarter of 2003 and helped maintain strong growth in wireless networking, according to research firm Dell'Oro Group. Worldwide handset shipments in the second quarter grew 19.2 percent, to 118.3 million units, compared with the same period a year ago, according to research firm IDC.
Analysts had speculated that low-power versions of 802.11b chips would be suitable for popular portable devices and, hence, attractive to chipmakers and manufacturers. But the chips' relatively high power consumption was a challenge, and their larger size meant the devices had to be bigger.
Broadcom's new chip, however, combines the three main components of Wi-Fi processors -- the MAC, baseband and radio -- onto one chip, resulting in a smaller and cheaper product. The company also has improved the internal power management features of the chip so that it is up to 80 percent more efficient than previous Broadcom Wi-Fi products. Early versions of the processor are being sampled by manufacturers. The company is not expected to announce pricing or when the chip will be available in high volumes.
Philips' chip is not a single product, but it is smaller and will consume less power than previous 802.11b chips. The company is expected to introduce a smaller 802.11b chip in the first quarter of next year, according to those familiar with the company's plans.
Did you find this article useful?
21 out of 54 people found this useful
Digg
Slashdot
Del.ici.ous
Stumble
Reddit
