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TOKYO — Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced that Renesas Mobile Corporation, which engages in SoC business mainly for mobile devices and car navigation systems, started operation on December 1, 2010. Renesas Electronics also announced that it has completed the purchase of the wireless modem business of Nokia Corporation on November 30, 2010, and has transferred its assets of the wireless modem business to Renesas Mobile, together with Renesas Electronics’ mobile multimedia SoC business, which Renesas Electronics spun off, through an absorption-type separation on December 1, 2010.
By combining Renesas Electronics’ mobile platforms and the assets of the wireless modem business acquired from Nokia, Renesas Electronics and Renesas Mobile plan to strengthen their product offerings targeting devices incorporating LTE and HSPA+ infrastructure technologies for the growing cloud computing field , as well as markets of mobile phones and car navigation systems mainly in emerging countries. In addition, the spin-off and establishment of Renesas Mobile enables the building of a global business structure specializing in the mobile multimedia business, with more streamlined management and faster time-to-market product launches that contribute to Renesas Electronics’ goal of expanding its global business.
Renesas Mobile has regional subsidiary companies based in Finland, India and China, staffed by personnel transferring from the wireless modem business Renesas acquired from Nokia Corporation, as well as from Renesas Design France S.A.S, an SoC design subsidiary of Renesas Electronics. Of the 1,800 consolidated employees of Renesas Mobile, 75 percent are based outside Japan, which enables the company to promote marketing, and design and development operations on a global basis.
By leveraging the acquired LTE and HSPA+ technologies, Renesas Mobile aims to expand its business in mobile platforms and embedded navigation applications mainly in overseas markets and double its sales in FY2012 from the FY2009 sales of Renesas Electronics’ mobile multimedia SoC business before the spin-off. Renesas Mobile also plans to start its long-term joint research cooperation with Nokia on next-generation communication technologies.
{complink 12722|Renesas Electronics Corp.}
Hi Brian, interesting points you raise and it seems that many, if not all of the barriers to entry for thin-film chip products have been eliminated. The main and maybe only reason I could see as to why thick-chip is still more popular is the initial outlay of capital required by the manufacturer to implement a thin-chip process. Also, the manufacturer may have to have the necessary real estate within the facility to include a thin-chip process, and if not may have to do a build-out. It would make sense that thin-chip resistors would become the norm based on all the advantages and now lower manufacturing costs. Looks like a winner to me and I would expect in the long run, they will become the norm.
Brian,I think in the long-run (2-3 yrs from now) thin-chips will be used in most electronic products. If you observed the technological trends things are getting slimmer which answered the space issue of the consumers.