2 March 2011

Skyworks supports next-gen smart-phones and tablets from HTC

Skyworks Solutions Inc of Woburn, MA, USA, which manufactures linear products, power amplifiers, front-end modules and radio solutions for handset and infrastructure equipment, says that it is powering several new Android-based smart-phones from Taiwan-based HTC (one of the fastest-growing companies in the mobile sector) in addition to its latest tablet offering. The next-generation platforms, which include the Flyer tablet, Incredible, Desire S, Wildfire S, ChaCha and Salsa smart-phones, leverage Skyworks' highly integrated power amplifier modules as well as the firm's switch technology.

HTC’s newest smart-phone platforms encompass several features including high-definition video recording, a unique tilt design shape for the display and QWERTY keyboard, contoured body design, stereo surround sound, technology to share music, videos and photos direct to a TV, and dedicated Facebook buttons.

HTC’s most recent tablet is an ultra-light device that combines both natural touch and pen interaction to complement its existing trademark design language and incorporates the industry’s first cloud-based mobile gaming service on a tablet.

Skyworks is further expanding its partnership with HTC as it launches devices to meet growing consumer demand for mobile connectivity and social networking applications, says Liam K. Griffin, Skyworks’ senior VP of sales & marketing. “Leveraging our analog, RF and mixed-signal design capabilities, we are able to deliver a broad portfolio of solutions to meet our customers’ diverse needs while at the same time capturing an increasing level of content,” he adds.

Of the Skyworks power amplifier modules (PAMs) selected by HTC, the SKY77701, SKY77703 and SKY77705 are fully matched 10-pad surface-mount modules developed for wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) applications. The modules pack full 1920–1980MHz (SKY77701), 1710–1785MHz (SKY77703) and 880–915MHz (SKY77705) bandwidth coverage into a single, compact package. Because of high efficiencies attained throughout the entire power range, the PAMs deliver what is claimed to be unsurpassed talk-time advantages. The devices also meet the stringent spectral linearity requirements of high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), and long-term evolution (LTE) data transmission with high power-added efficiency (PAE). A directional coupler is integrated into the modules, eliminating the need for any external coupler.

In addition, the SKY77336 PAM is designed in a compact form-factor for quad-band cellular handsets comprising GSM850/900, DCS1800 and PCS1900, supporting Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK) and polar enhanced data for GSM evolution (EDGE) modulation. Class 12 general packet radio service (GPRS) multi-slot operation is also supported.

Of the Skyworks switches selected by HTC, the SKY13309-370LF is a pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (pHEMT) gallium arsenide (GaAs) integrated circuit (IC) single-pole, three-throw (SP3T) antenna switch operating in the LF–3GHz frequency range. Switching between the antenna and transmit/receive (Tx/Rx) ports is accomplished with three control voltages. The low loss, high isolation, high linearity, small size and low-cost features suit wireless local-area network (WLAN) and Bluetooth systems operating in the 2.4–2.5GHz band.

The SKY13364-389LF is a GaAs pHEMT SP10T antenna switch with an integrated CMOS decoder and dual low-pass harmonic filters. It has four WCDMA Tx/Rx ports, four global system for mobile communications (GSM) Rx ports, and two GSM Tx ports that suit cellular handsets and data-card applications.

See related items:

HTC selects Skyworks power amplifier modules and switches for 4G smart phones

Tags: Skyworks PAMs HTC

Visit: www.skyworksinc.com

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