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Major Mobile Makers Join to Develop 3G Platform TMCnet Contributing Editor NTT DoCoMo (News - Alert), Inc., Renesas Technology Corp., Fujitsu Limited, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Sharp Corporation and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications will jointly develop a next-generation mobile phone platform for dual-mode handsets supporting HSDPA/W-CDMA (3G  ) and GSM/GPRS/EDGE (2G).These companies have joined forces to provide a platform with advanced functionality for 3G mobile phones and target to complete the development of the platform during Q2 FY2008 (July-September). The next-generation mobile phone platform will be based on the SH-Mobile G3, a single-chip system LSI which implements a baseband processor supporting HSDPA cat. 8/HSDPA/W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS/EDGE communications and an application processor with high-end multimedia functions, together with a reference design integrating audio, power supply, and RF front-end modules.Also included in the platform is a common software for basic functions, including a sophisticated operating system such as Symbian, device drivers, middleware , and communication software.The SH-Mobile G1has already been developed by NTT DoCoMo and Renesas .The SH-Mobile G1 is a first-generation single-chip LSI for dual-mode handsets supporting W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS . The solution is in mass production and handsets built around it first appeared on the market in the fall of 2006.NTT DoCoMo, Renesas, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi Electric, and Sharp are currently developing the second-generation successor, the SH-Mobile G2, and a mobile phone platform integrating core software. Handsets employing the G2 will appear in the fall of 2007. Mobile phone manufacturers Fujitsu, Mitsubishi Electric, Sharp, and Sony Ericsson (News - Alert) can implement the platform to eliminate the need to develop common handset functions. The elimination will significantly reduce development time and costs, and allow the manufacturers to invest more time and resources in developing distinctive handset features as well as expand their product portfolio. To further reduce costs, Renesas plans to provide the platform to the worldwide W-CDMA market, in addition to customers in Japan. “I am extremely pleased that six companies will be jointly developing a mobile phone platform with the SH-Mobile G3 as its core. We look forward to rolling out this platform in the W-CDMA market worldwide,” said Ikuya Kawasaki, deputy general manager of system solutions business unit 2 at Renesas Technology in a press release. “Symbian welcomes a mobile phone platform with the SH-Mobile G3 as its core and its potential to enable development of highly functional and low-cost 3G mobile phones, while shortening development times,” added Haruhiko Hisa, president of Symbian Japan, which developed one of the standard operating systems. Don’t forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.-------- Anuradha Shukla is a contributing editor for TMCnet, covering call centers, CRM and information technology. To see more of her articles, please visit her columnist page. |