MoUs designed to extend Qualcomm Technologies’ strong RF front-end design pipeline, supports China OEMs rise in the premium tier with comprehensive modem-to-antenna solutions.
Qualcomm Technologies, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, announced that it has signed four memoranda of understanding (MoU) wherein Lenovo Mobile Communication Technology, Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications, vivo Communication Technology, and Xiaomi Communications, express interest in the purchase of Qualcomm Technologies’ RF Front End (RFFE) components with a value of no less than $2 billion, in the aggregate, over three years. Any obligation to purchase and supply these components is subject to the execution of subsequent definitive agreements.
Qualcomm Technologies’ RFFE components constitute a rich portfolio of comprehensive, system-level modem-to-antenna RF front-end platform solutions, which are designed to enable OEMs to rapidly build mobile devices at scale for easy global expansion. The scope of Qualcomm Technologies’ broad RF front-end platform include GaAs Power Amplifiers (PA), Envelope Trackers, Multi-Mode PA and modules, RF switches, discrete filters and filter-rich modules, and antenna tuners across cellular and connectivity technologies.
In addition to MoUs, Qualcomm Technologies shared information surrounding its upcoming 5G Tunable RF front-end as part of its 5G roadmap. The break-through 5G Tunable RF front-end is designed to enable OEMs to differentiate their 5G products with thinner design, higher performing system-level expertise and 5G product readiness.
“Qualcomm Technologies has long supported the Chinese mobile ecosystem and MoU signings with Lenovo, OPPO, vivo and Xiaomi further demonstrates our commitment to that ecosystem, as well as our strategy to continue to grow our RF front-end business,” said Cristiano Amon, president, Qualcomm Incorporated. “Our robust RF front-end solutions help these OEMs to not only build power-efficient devices at scale in a cost-effective way, but also to deliver advanced mobile devices to consumers not just in China, but around the world.”
RF front-end technology is critical to the experiences users expect on their mobile phones. Qualcomm Technologies’ comprehensive RF front-end portfolio delivers industry-leading mobile solutions that support the current mobile ecosystem, as well as address the rapidly expanding complexity and challenges of 4G LTE Advanced and 5G networks. Specifically, Qualcomm Technologies’ comprehensive modem-to-antenna RF front-end portfolio is designed to help Chinese OEMs to move away from RF front-end technology based on a component approach to one focused on a system-level modem-to-antenna approach which is required for 5G RFFE solutions. Now, with Qualcomm Technologies’ comprehensive system-level modem to antenna solutions, Chinese OEMs can design mobile devices with wider frequency range, greater capacity, enhanced coverage and cutting-edge power efficiency to address 4G LTE Advanced technology demands, as well as upcoming 5G networks.
Christian Eigen, Leader World Wide Strategic Alliances, Lenovo, added, “Over the years, Lenovo has worked with Qualcomm Technologies across a wide range of technologies for our laptop and smartphone portfolio. With Qualcomm Technologies’ system-level approach to RFFE design we can continue to offer our customers products that combine a best in class design and innovation with optimal signal strength.”
“Qualcomm Technologies has a comprehensive RF front-end portfolio including competitive products with obvious advantages,” said Andy Wu, vice president, OPPO. “OPPO has been conducting in-depth collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, and we look forward to bringing more Qualcomm Technologies’ RF front-end components into OPPO’s products through the joint efforts from both sides.”
“Our global consumers demand high-level performance, longer battery life and advanced connectivity from their devices,” said Jesse Shi, senior vice president, vivo. “End-to-end system-level design and support from Qualcomm Technologies allows us to reduce our design-in effort and integration time, while still providing consumers with performance rich, premium-tier devices.”
“At Xiaomi, we pride ourselves on bringing the most innovative products we can to our growing customer base,” said KS Yan, MiPhone vice president, vice chairman of MiPhone quality committee, Xiaomi.” “By utilizing Qualcomm Technologies’ modem to antenna platform solutions to RF front-end design, we can take full advantage of performance enhancement features enabled by tight modem-RFFE interaction, bringing more advanced devices to market faster in order to better address global consumer demand for innovative, beautiful and affordable smartphones.”
This announcement was issued as part of Qualcomm’s China Technology Day, in which Qualcomm discussed the global future of mobile technology and how the expanded adoption of RFFE technologies will play an integral role in the rapid evolution to 5G.
Source: https://www.qualcomm.com/