Signature Q4 2008

China’s Bluetooth Technology Growth An Interview with Justin Shen Only a handful of companies in China could pull off what Accel Semiconductor Corp. has: creating a low-cost system-on-chip (SoC) containing a Bluetooth wireless transceiver that can be fully integrated into a whole range of wireless devices. SIGnature sat down with the sales marketing director of the Shanghai company, Justin Shen, for a look at how this development will affect wireless manufacturing in China. Please tell us about Accel Semiconductor Corp. The company started in 2004 with a vision of “ubiquitous wireless,” so we’re focused on all kinds of wireless solutions, not only Bluetooth technology. We specialize in complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOSs), which are especially suitable for low-cost and high-volume integrated circuits (ICs). We call the Bluetooth wireless SoC line “Ocean Blue.” We began shipping it at the end of last year, when we passed qualiﬁcation testing. Manufacturing is done in Taiwan, and assembly is done in mainland China. What made you choose Bluetooth technology over other wireless protocols? We think it has the most potential. In 2004, the Wi-Fi market had already become overly saturated. Wi-Fi’s applications are also more limited; most are conﬁned to PC. Considering that most of our products are geared toward portable devices, we felt that Bluetooth was the better choice. What applications does the Ocean Blue line enable? Presently, our applications are focused on PC dongles and Bluetooth enabled audio gateways (AGs), as these are entry-level industries. Later this year, we’ll enter the mobile phone, MP3 and GPS industries. For the ﬁrst two years, we want to stay focused exclusively on the mainland China market since our strength is offering Chinese manufacturers lower prices, better support and design specialization. At least half of all Bluetooth enabled devices are made in China. We feel we’re in a better position to understand these manufacturers’ requirements and can communicate with them more easily. What future do you see for this technology in China? “We think Bluetooth technology has the most potential. In 2004, the Wi-Fi market had already become overly saturated. Wi-Fi’s applications are also more limited.” – Justin Shen, Accel Semiconductor Corp. Bluetooth technology is still new to consumers in China. People haven’t embraced the technology yet, but once they do, it will have tremendous implications. Take MP3s, for example: In China, many people use MP3, but few are integrating Bluetooth technology. We now have developed a dongle for iPods that can share MP3s using Bluetooth technology. For Chinese MP3/MP4 players, the chip would be contained inside. Aside from ﬁle sharing, you could use a Bluetooth AG to answer the phone. The third feature is for interactive gaming, using PMP and MP4. We think these areas have massive growth potential. Justin Shen is the sales marketing director for Accel Semiconductor Corp. He spoke with Richard Baimbridge, who lives and writes in Shanghai. Bluetooth Special Interest Group | 11

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