24 February 2014

RFMD launches RF Fusion complete RF front-end for 4G world phones and tablets, for commercial availability in 2014

RF Micro Devices Inc of Greensboro, NC, USA has introduced RF Fusion - a complete RF front-end (RFFE) solution for global 4G world phones and tablets that integrates all major transmit and receive RF functionality, from the transceiver to the antenna. The first-generation RF Fusion (the RF7503) is designed for best-in-class performance and supports full global coverage of all major cellular networks, from 2G to 4G, in a miniature, highly integrated placement. RFMD says that it is in the advanced stages of supporting lead customer design activity and anticipates commercial availability this year.

Leading smartphone makers using RF Fusion can fulfill the promise of global world phone coverage without sacrificing performance at the RF component level, while also significantly reducing board space and accelerating implementation, versus competing complete RF front end solutions, RFMD claims.

“Smartphone manufacturers now have the flexibility to design a single, scalable platform across all major global modes and bands without sacrificing performance, space, or time,” says Eric Creviston, president of RFMD's Cellular Products Group. RF Fusion draws heavily on RFMD’s system-level expertise, advanced packaging and assembly capabilities, he adds, as well as performance across all major RF functionality, including power amplification, cellular switching, filtering, antenna tuning and control, and advanced power management.

RF Fusion leverages average power tracking (APT)- and envelope tracking (ET)-enabled power amplifiers (PAs), cellular switching, and highly optimized filtering and duplexing (BAW and SAW) to deliver what is claimed to be superior system-level performance, all in the what is reckoned to be industry’s smallest form factor, simplifying and accelerating the implementation of multi-mode, multi-band (MMMB) global world phones and tablets.

The market for 4G smartphones, tablets, and other data-centric mobile devices is expected to expand rapidly as 4G LTE connections proliferate. The number of 4G LTE connections is forecast to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43% from 238 million in 2013 to 2 billion in 2018, according to industry analyst firm Strategy Analytics.

RF Fusion complete RFFE solutions will be available in multiple geography-specific SKUs (stock keeping units) and will be compatible with additional RFMD RF solutions to support all major regional cellular modes and bands, providing smartphone makers with a single scalable source for the entire cellular front-end.

RFMD is presenting its expanding portfolio of RF solutions for smartphones, tablets, and other broadband mobile devices at the 2014 GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain (24-27 February).

Tags: RFMD

Visit: http://rfmd.com/rf-fusion