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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Broadcom Announces a Complete Portfolio of New Solutions for Bluetooth(R) Wireless Headsets
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 29 -- Broadcom Corporation
(Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless
communications, today announced a new advanced silicon and software
platform that significantly improves the user experience of wireless mono
and stereo headsets. Based on Broadcom's field-proven Bluetooth(R)
technology, the audio portfolio features two new single-chip solutions that
support Bluetooth Version 2.0 with EDR (upgradeable to Bluetooth Version
2.1) and Broadcom's innovative SmartAudio(TM) sound enhancement technology.
Targeting the greater than 80 million unit Bluetooth headset market(1), the
new Broadcom(R) solutions enables the development of complete lines of
high- and low-end headsets with sleek form factors, longer battery life and
an improved audio experience.
"This new product targets the second largest application in the
Bluetooth market and it provides an opportunity to drive further growth
within this segment," said Celeste Crystal, Senior Research Analyst,
Semiconductors at IDC. "As Bluetooth headsets continue to grow in
popularity, form factor and sound quality will continue to convince
consumers of the benefits of the wireless hands-free experience."
Previously existing Bluetooth headset silicon solutions suffered from
inconsistent radio performance and inadequate power management, as well as
excessive external circuitry and bulky batteries, while providing a
disappointing audio experience (unless supplemented with complex and
expensive external components). These limitations often resulted in
unsatisfying headset size, weight, style and sound quality.
To address these shortcomings, Broadcom today announced its all-new
Bluetooth audio portfolio that features two new chips optimized for
high-end and basic headsets (the BCM2047 and BCM2044), its new SmartAudio
voice clarity technology, and a specially tuned version of Broadcom's BTE
Bluetooth software. Broadcom's mature Bluetooth technology has shipped in
hundreds of millions of units and includes the highest performing radio and
baseband technology, which resists interference from other devices and
"blocking" by the human body that results in degraded radio performance.
The power-efficient architecture extends talk and standby time and features
many levels of software programmability with an ARM(R) architecture and
tools to enable unique features for product differentiation.
"To achieve this breakthrough in audio clarity and quality, we've
leveraged unique technologies from our deep communications portfolio,
which, coupled with our considerable expertise in Bluetooth, has resulted
in a powerful new platform that addresses existing audio headset
deficiencies," said Scott Bibaud, Vice President and General Manager of
Broadcom's Wireless Personal Area Networking line of business. "By enabling
smaller form factors, longer battery-life and significantly improved audio
performance with the most cost effective bill of materials, Broadcom is
enabling breakthrough wireless headsets and audio products."
DSP-Enhanced Solution for Premium Sound Quality
Broadcom's BCM2047 includes the industry's most powerful multi-core
architecture for Bluetooth audio products enabling premium headset
products. This device features unparalleled integration to achieve a truly
single-chip headset, featuring an integrated digital signal processor (DSP)
for premium sound quality. The audio processing capabilities of the BCM2047
are powered by an ARM(R) AudioDE(TM) data engine - a high-performance,
industry standard DSP. With sufficient performance to easily handle stereo
and audio, compression algorithms (i.e. SBC, MP3 and AAC), the DSP
architecture is optimized for Broadcom's SmartAudio technology to achieve
superior voice quality delivering a superior user experience for headset
prodcuts.
Cost-Optimized ROM-Based Alternative
For basic audio headsets that don't require extensive feature
programmability, the BCM2044 is an ideal choice. This ROM-based,
single-chip Bluetooth device includes many of the benefits of the BCM2047
at significantly lower cost. Featuring the same low-power Bluetooth radio
and high quality audio architecture as the BCM2047, the BCM2044 also
integrates a full feature power management unit including comprehensive
safety circuitry. The BCM2044 enables low cost headsets with the same range
and power management capabilities as those based on the BCM2047, with no
compromise in audio quality.
SmartAudio Voice Enhancement Technology
Broadcom's new audio platform features SmartAudio technology, a
proprietary sound and voice enhancement technology that provides
breakthrough performance, significantly improves audio quality in noisy
environments by reducing background noise by 95%, and enables unique form
factor designs with minimal unwanted acoustic echo. The platform also
includes Broadcom's new BTE Audio software stack optimized for audio
applications. Because the BTE Audio stack is derived from the widely used
BTE-Mobile and BTW stacks in mobile phones and PCs, interoperability with
Bluetooth audio sources is well proven and widely tested for
interoperability. Broadcom also offers the easy to use BTE Insight Tool for
Audio Software Development Environment, allowing customers to get to market
quickly with added differentiation. The software features portability
between the BCM2047 and BCM2044 chips, enabling developers to leverage
software development across different products.
Availability and Pricing
Broadcom's new audio portfolio is now sampling to early access
customers. The new platform also features development kits and reference
designs. Demonstrations of the technology were held at the recent CES show
and will appear at the upcoming 3GSM World Congress.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in semiconductors for wired and
wireless communications. Our products enable the delivery of voice, video,
data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile
environment. Broadcom provides the industry's broadest portfolio of
state-of- the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers
of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband
access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core
mission: Connecting everything(R).
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