作為改善財務(wù)狀況的戰(zhàn)略計劃的組成部分，歐洲芯片廠商意法半導(dǎo)體(STMicroelectronics)宣布計劃退出移動數(shù)字合資公司ST-Ericsson。意法半導(dǎo)體周一(12月10日)在電話會議上宣布，計劃在2013年第三季度結(jié)束前退出該合資企業(yè)，并已經(jīng)就各種選項展開磋商。
消息公布后，意法●愛立信表示會堅持其在今年四月份公布的戰(zhàn)略方向，繼續(xù)其下一代技術(shù)研發(fā)的交付工作。并將延續(xù)與意法半導(dǎo)體和愛立信的產(chǎn)業(yè)及技術(shù)合作關(guān)系，保證其客戶承諾和產(chǎn)品供應(yīng)。
與此同時，意法半導(dǎo)體首席執(zhí)行官Carlo Bozotti對分析師表示，ST將專注于五個關(guān)鍵產(chǎn)品領(lǐng)域。在這些領(lǐng)域中，ST已經(jīng)處于領(lǐng)先地位或者能夠很快成為領(lǐng)先廠商。這五個產(chǎn)品領(lǐng)域是MEMS與傳感器、智能電源、汽車電子、面向數(shù)字消費者的微控制器與應(yīng)用處理器。
在應(yīng)用處理器領(lǐng)域，ST將放棄移動數(shù)字領(lǐng)域，但將繼續(xù)生產(chǎn)機(jī)頂盒芯片、有線modem、DisplayPort連接芯片、網(wǎng)絡(luò)處理器、汽車信息娛樂器件與游戲ASIC。
Bozotti表示，作為重組的一部分，ST將分成兩個產(chǎn)品集團(tuán)：傳感器，智能電源與汽車及嵌入處理器。這兩個領(lǐng)域預(yù)計將實現(xiàn)盈利并創(chuàng)造現(xiàn)金。
ST表示，不計重組費用，這些變化將把公司的季度凈營業(yè)費用降低大約9億美元，到2014年初降至6-6.5億美元。該公司的營業(yè)利潤率目標(biāo)是10%或更高。
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本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
第二頁：ST退出無線市場紅海競爭是主因
第三頁：退出了，還可以做合作伙伴
相關(guān)閱讀：
• ST-Ericsson向ST轉(zhuǎn)移處理器業(yè)務(wù)，裁員1700人
• 意法愛立信重組完畢，強(qiáng)化ModAP業(yè)務(wù)盈利至上
• 意法半導(dǎo)體否認(rèn)將拆分出售手機(jī)芯片業(yè)務(wù)QKfesmc
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愛立信(Ericsson)在單獨發(fā)表的聲明中表示，將與ST共同確定合適的戰(zhàn)略解決方案，但未宣布打算出售其在合資企業(yè)中的股份。“愛立信繼續(xù)相信，modem技術(shù)對于無線產(chǎn)業(yè)來說具有戰(zhàn)略價值。Modem技術(shù)最初促成了該合資企業(yè)，”愛立信在簡短聲明中表示，“對于愛立信來說，建立該合資企業(yè)的首要目標(biāo)是成功地向市場推出新型LTE modem，這些產(chǎn)品將在市場上非常有競爭力并有強(qiáng)烈需求。”
意法●愛立信也表示將繼續(xù)與愛立信在先進(jìn)的無線通信領(lǐng)域的合作，把創(chuàng)新的具有競爭力的modem解決方案帶給市場。
意法●愛立信已經(jīng)開始同客戶和運營商，對其創(chuàng)新的LTE modem進(jìn)行測試，該平臺是其下一代NovaThor和Thor平臺的核心。意法·愛立信LTE modem已經(jīng)在愛立信先進(jìn)的網(wǎng)絡(luò)環(huán)境下以及其他一些網(wǎng)絡(luò)設(shè)備廠商的網(wǎng)絡(luò)環(huán)境下進(jìn)行了密集的IOT測試。
采用意法半導(dǎo)體先進(jìn)工藝制程技術(shù)的NovaThor單芯片modem和應(yīng)用處理器平臺已經(jīng)出樣，并且確認(rèn)了其在性能提升和超低功耗運行方面所取得的突破性進(jìn)展。下月即將于拉斯維加斯舉辦的美國國際消費電子展（CES）上，該項技術(shù)合作的成果，將會在意法·愛立信下一代NovaThorModAp平臺上進(jìn)行演示。
在ST方面，Bozotti則在電話會議上對分析師表示：“移動寬帶是非常重要的市場，但對于ST來說并不重要。”
過去三年無線市場發(fā)生的重大變化促使ST做出退出決定。來源：ST的戰(zhàn)略規(guī)劃介紹。
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本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
第三頁：退出了，還可以做合作伙伴
相關(guān)閱讀：
• ST-Ericsson向ST轉(zhuǎn)移處理器業(yè)務(wù)，裁員1700人
• 意法愛立信重組完畢，強(qiáng)化ModAP業(yè)務(wù)盈利至上
• 意法半導(dǎo)體否認(rèn)將拆分出售手機(jī)芯片業(yè)務(wù)QKfesmc
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ST表示，在退出過程中，將繼續(xù)利用應(yīng)用處理器、IP與制造工藝技術(shù)來支持ST-Ericsson。其中將包括FD-SOI工藝，ST率先在28納米節(jié)點采用這種工藝，并計劃向20納米推進(jìn)。
同時不會徹底放棄移動數(shù)字市場。ST仍將為該市場生產(chǎn)動作、環(huán)境、圖像與觸摸傳感器；以及音頻放大器、麥克風(fēng)、安全微控制器、AMOLED顯示驅(qū)動器。
同樣，意法●愛立信也表示將繼續(xù)與意法半導(dǎo)體的合作，作為其供應(yīng)鏈、先進(jìn)處理技術(shù)的合作伙伴以及應(yīng)用處理器IP的供應(yīng)商。
意法●愛立信總裁及CEO Didier Lamouche表示：“意法·愛立信在今年4月份確立了新的戰(zhàn)略方向：通過自身直接開發(fā)或者合作的方式，開發(fā)具有競爭力的系統(tǒng)解決方案。我們正在穩(wěn)健積極的執(zhí)行我們的戰(zhàn)略調(diào)整，并且已經(jīng)履行我們的承諾。正如我們今年早些時候所承諾的一樣，我們已經(jīng)開始向領(lǐng)先的客戶提供高集成度的ModAp平臺，并對我們最尖端的LTE modem展開內(nèi)場測試，同時正在向移動市場引入一項具有顛覆性意義的技術(shù)?！?
但是，Bozotti與ST拒絕評論ST-Ericsson合資企業(yè)的當(dāng)前價值，以及如果不能把該企業(yè)賣掉，處置ST-Ericsson會帶來何種成本。
ST-Ericsson自從2009年2月設(shè)立以來，每個季度都要虧損幾億美元，并欠下了母公司的巨額債務(wù)。Bozotti表示，ST-Ericsson對于大約兩年前移動數(shù)字設(shè)備市場發(fā)生的急劇變化措手不及，當(dāng)時操作系統(tǒng)發(fā)生變化而且主要廠商趨向垂直整合。Bozotti表示，ST-Ericsson也因為ST原來的一個大客戶發(fā)生變化而受到?jīng)_擊。
編譯：Luffy Liu
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
參考英文原文：ST to exit ST-Ericsson in 2013
相關(guān)閱讀：
• ST-Ericsson向ST轉(zhuǎn)移處理器業(yè)務(wù)，裁員1700人
• 意法愛立信重組完畢，強(qiáng)化ModAP業(yè)務(wù)盈利至上
• 意法半導(dǎo)體否認(rèn)將拆分出售手機(jī)芯片業(yè)務(wù)QKfesmc
{pagination}
ST to exit ST-Ericsson in 2013
As part of a strategic plan to improve its financial situation European chip company STMicroelectronics has announced its intention to exit from its mobile digital joint venture ST-Ericsson. ST announced in a conference call Monday (Dec. 10) that it intends to have left the joint-venture by the end of the third quarter of 2013 and that it is already in negotiations on the options.
At the same time CEO Carlo Bozotti told analysts that ST would focus on five key product areas where it already leads in the global market or where it can soon be the leader. These five product areas are MEMS and sensors, smart power, automotive electronics, microcontrollers and application processors for digital consumer.
In the area of application processors ST will abandon the mobile digital sector but continue to make set-top-box chips, cable modems, DisplayPort connection chips, network processors, car infotainment and ASICs for gaming.
As part of the re-organization ST will be divided into two product segment groups: sensors, smart power and automotive and embedded processing, Bozotti said. Both segments are expected to be profitable and cash generating.
ST said the changes will reduce the company's quarterly net operating expenses from about $900 million to between $600 million and $650 million by the beginning of 2014 excluding restructuring charges. The business would target 10 percent or more operating margin.
In separate announcement Ericsson said it would work with ST to find a suitable strategic solution but did not announce an intention to sell its stake in the joint venture. "Ericsson continues to believe that the modem technology, which it originally contributed to the joint venture, has a strategic value for the wireless industry," the company said in a brief statement. "For Ericsson, a key priority in this process is a successful market introduction of the new LTE modems that it is certain will be very competitive and needed in the market," it added.
"Mobile broadband is a very important market but not for ST," Bozotti told analysts during the conference call.
Major changes in the wireless market over the last three years have driven ST's decision. Source: ST's strategic plan presentation.
ST said it will continue to support ST-Ericsson with application processors, IP and manufacturing process technology during the disengagement. This will include the fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) process which ST has pioneered at 28-nm and with a road-map to 20-nm.
Meanwhile will not abandon the mobile digital market altogether. It will still manufacture motion, environmental, image and touch sensors for that market; as well as audio amplifiers, microphones, secure microcontrollers, AMOLED display drivers.
However, Bozotti and ST declined to comment on the current value of the ST-Ericsson joint venture or what sort of costs disposal of ST-Ericsson would incur if it could not achieve a sale of the business.
ST-Ericsson has been losing several hundred millions of dollars per quarter since its formation in February 2009 and has built up large debts with its parent companies. Bozotti said that ST-Ericsson had been caught out by a dramatic change in the mobile digital equipment market that started about two years ago with changes in operating system and a trend towards vertical integration amongst certain market leading companies. ST-Ericsson had also suffered because of change at a former major customer of ST's, Bozotti said.
責(zé)編：Quentin
