TI Single-Chip Solution Drives GPS into Mainstream Mobile Phones

TI Single-Chip Solution Drives GPS into Mainstream Mobile Phones

March 27, 2007

Industry's Smallest GPS Single Chip, High-Performance
NaviLink(TM) 5.0 Solution Spurs Growth of Location-Based
Services 

    DALLAS, March 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Texas
Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced a
new single-chip device that is expected to drive GPS
applications into mainstream mobile phones.  Built on TI's
innovative DRP(TM) single-chip technology, the NaviLink(TM)
5.0 solution has a footprint of 25 sq mm, delivering high
performance with the industry's smallest solution size and
lowest bill of materials, making GPS more affordable to
accelerate adoption in mobile phones. The new NaviLink 5.0
GPS receiver architecture provides fast "time to first
fix" (TTFF) in weak signal conditions typical in
metropolitan areas and deep indoor environments. With GPS
available in more handsets, operators can broadly deploy
location-based services consumers have come to expect, such
as rich 3D mapping and navigation applications.  

    (Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061107170439-20.jpg )

    The NaviLink 5.0 solution supports both assisted-GPS
(A-GPS) and stand-alone modes of operation.  Unlike other
GPS architectures, the NaviLink 5.0 chip requires minimal
host loading and memory requirements, providing system
design flexibility and reduced power consumption, which are
key concerns for handset manufacturers.  The chip also
exceeds 3GPP and OMA SUPL performance requirements,
enabling ease of integration in mobile phones.

    "Most consumers are familiar with accessing
navigation data from their in-car systems and via the
Internet.  With TI's high-performance NaviLink 5.0
solution, we enable handset manufacturers to offer
affordable personal navigation systems and applications in
mobile phones for on-the-go consumers anytime,
anywhere," said Marc Cetto, general manager of TI's
Mobile Connectivity Solutions business. 

    With location-based services on the mobile phone, busy
consumers can access information about services and
businesses in their immediate area such as ATMs,
restaurants, movie theatres, and more.  They can also
identify the location of family and friends through
"presence" management, which lets users locate
personal contacts via their handset.

    "We see strong growth potential for GPS-enabled
handsets, particularly the high and mid-tier market
segments.  With GPS demand increasing due to location-based
services and regulatory requirements, an affordable
single-chip solution like TI's NaviLink 5.0 device will
help fuel GPS adoption in mid-tier handsets," said
Patrick Connolly, Senior Analyst, IMS Research.

    Data that consumers will access on their handsets with
GPS technology, such as localized maps, increases the need
for rich 3D graphics to better identify landmarks and their
surroundings on the small screen.  The NaviLink 5.0
single-chip solution is optimized to interface with TI's
OMAP(TM) and OMAP-Vox(TM) processors, which provide clear,
crisp 3D images to further enrich the user experience.  The
GPS chip also seamlessly interfaces with TI's 2.5G and 3G
chipsets to deliver a complete solution for handset
manufacturers.

    Availability

    The NaviLink 5.0 solution is expected to be in high
volume production in 4Q07. 

    Texas Instruments - Making Wireless

    TI is the leading manufacturer of wireless
semiconductors, delivering the heart of today's wireless
technology and building solutions for tomorrow.  TI
provides a breadth of silicon and software and 16 years of
wireless systems expertise that spans handsets and base
stations for all communications standards, wireless LAN,
GPS, Digital TV, Bluetooth(R) and Ultra Wideband.  TI
offers custom to turn-key solutions, including complete
chipsets and reference designs, OMAP(TM) application
processors, as well as core digital signal processor and
analog technologies built on advanced semiconductor
processes.  Please visit
http://www.ti.com/wirelesspressroom for additional
information.

    About Texas Instruments:

    Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP
and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world
signal processing requirements.  In addition to
Semiconductor, the company includes the Education
Technology business.  TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas,
and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more
than 25 countries.

    Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol TXN.  More information is located
on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com .

    Trademarks

    NaviLink, DRP, OMAP and OMAP-Vox are trademarks of
Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered
trademarks are property of their respective owners.


    For more information, please contact: 

    Tracy W. Steiner	
    Texas Instruments	
    Tel:   [phone]		
    Email: [e-mail]
    
    Stephanie Stewart	
    GolinHarris		
    Tel:   [phone]		
    Email: [e-mail]