CSR Takes the Lead on Ultra Low Power Bluetooth

(Top News, 13 Jun 2007)

CSR will be sampling the industry's first ULP (Ultra Low Power) Bluetooth silicon with a number of lead customers this year with silicon available in 2008. Previously known as Wibree, ULP Bluetooth is a new complementary Bluetooth technology that can be used to transfer simple data sets between compact devices and can run for up to ten years on one button cell battery. Adopted today by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), ULP Bluetooth creates a new market for Bluetooth connectivity, addressing products such as watches, training shoes, TV remote controls and medical sensors, to enable them to communicate with mobile phones and PCs.

"We believe Wibree (now ULP Bluetooth) is a unique technology that can leverage the very positive market position of Bluetooth technology in segments such as medical, sports equipment and well-being, where the total available market is extremely large and still relatively untouched," said ABI Research Director Stuart Carlaw.

"ULP Bluetooth is another great example of CSR leading in wireless innovations: first with single-chip CMOS Bluetooth, first with embedded WiFi, Bluetooth host software, Bluetooth multimedia system on chip (SoC) and a low-cost wireless VoIP solution," said CSR's CEO, John Scarisbrick. "ULP Bluetooth opens the door to a new class of wireless applications with considerable market potential. This perfectly complements CSR's demonstrated expertise in embedding essential short-range wireless technologies and core competency in bringing to market low-power complete wireless systems."

CSR