2013年度世界移動(dòng)通訊大會(huì)(Mobile World Congress，MWC)在西班牙巴塞羅納開(kāi)幕(2月25~28日)，今年幾乎每一家手機(jī)芯片業(yè)者都爭(zhēng)相推出支持兩種“必備”功能－－四核心以及LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器──的最新的智能手機(jī)IC。
當(dāng)然，并非所有的四核心都是同等級(jí)的，LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器也一樣，有不同的特性；而各家廠商的調(diào)制解調(diào)器芯片仍在電信營(yíng)運(yùn)商的不同認(rèn)證階段中，這也是芯片業(yè)者在宣布取得設(shè)計(jì)案之前必須跨越的門(mén)檻。
市場(chǎng)研究公司的調(diào)查報(bào)告顯示，2012年，F(xiàn)DD-LTE手機(jī)調(diào)制解調(diào)器的出貨量為4700萬(wàn)，高通狂瀾其中86％的份額。即使風(fēng)頭正勝的三星，也只有9％的份額，對(duì)他們來(lái)說(shuō)還有很長(zhǎng)的路要走。
Source：Forward ConceptsRQLesmc
Forward Concepts表示高通的統(tǒng)治地位在2013年還無(wú)法動(dòng)搖。
一個(gè)相對(duì)小有名氣的公司——GCT半導(dǎo)體贏得了3％的份額，這全靠他們獲得了LG手機(jī)的采用。而瑞薩移動(dòng)，NVIDIA Icera公司則分別獲得了約1％的份額。瑞薩LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器的主要銷(xiāo)路是富士通手機(jī)，F(xiàn)orward Concepts表示。
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
本文下一頁(yè)：Nvidia品牌智能機(jī)，基于Tegra 4i
相關(guān)閱讀：
• 英特爾LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器要到2014年面世
• 大環(huán)境惡劣，LTE基帶芯片廠商生存空間受擠壓
• 中移動(dòng)TD-LTE這塊大切糕，哪些廠商有本事分享？RQLesmc
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除了高通(Qualcomm)在1月份的美國(guó)國(guó)際消費(fèi)性電子展(CES)期間公布其Snapdragon 600與800的技術(shù)細(xì)節(jié)，博通(Broadcom)則是于2月中旬發(fā)表該公司號(hào)稱(chēng)尺寸最小的4G-LTE Advanced調(diào)制解調(diào)器芯片；而 Nvidia 與 Marvell 也在近日陸續(xù)發(fā)表新產(chǎn)品訊息，以爭(zhēng)取市場(chǎng)關(guān)注。
Nvidia 發(fā)表了Tegra 4系列產(chǎn)品的最新成員Tegra 4i，標(biāo)榜在單芯片上整合了LTE處理器與應(yīng)用處理器；市場(chǎng)研究機(jī)構(gòu)Forward Concepts總裁Will Strauss對(duì)該產(chǎn)品的評(píng)論是“致命一擊(stunner)”，因?yàn)橛斜姸嘞冗M(jìn)的功能整合其中。
Nvidia 終于展示了自己的手機(jī)，其實(shí)不僅僅是手機(jī)，還有一顆自己的芯Tegra 4i。
Source：the vergeRQLesmc
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
本文下一頁(yè)：就是沖著高通來(lái)的
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• 英特爾LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器要到2014年面世
• 大環(huán)境惡劣，LTE基帶芯片廠商生存空間受擠壓
• 中移動(dòng)TD-LTE這塊大切糕，哪些廠商有本事分享？RQLesmc
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Tegra 4i 搭載四顆與ARM共同開(kāi)發(fā)的Cortex A9 (2.3GHz)處理器核心，并配備第五顆“節(jié)省電池壽命”核心；該系列芯片并內(nèi)含60GHz繪圖處理(GPU)核心，以及針對(duì)整合而最佳化的i500 LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器。Nvidia資深副總裁Phillip Carmack在該公司官網(wǎng)的部落格上寫(xiě)道：“Tegra 4i將為主流智能手機(jī)市場(chǎng)帶來(lái)超級(jí)電話功能，而且打遍天下無(wú)敵手?！?
Carmack當(dāng)然不只有說(shuō)這些，其實(shí)Nvidia的 Tegra 4i就是沖著高通這家競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手而來(lái)；該公司另一位發(fā)言人即表示，Tegra 4i：“速度顯然比較快，而且芯片尺寸只有其最接近競(jìng)爭(zhēng)產(chǎn)品──高通Snapdragon 800──的一半?！比绻媸侨绱耍摦a(chǎn)品可說(shuō)是樹(shù)立了一個(gè)新標(biāo)竿。
Tegra 4i 芯片架構(gòu)
Source：NvidiaRQLesmc
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
本文下一頁(yè)：Marvell不甘落后推出五模LTE Modem
相關(guān)閱讀：
• 英特爾LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器要到2014年面世
• 大環(huán)境惡劣，LTE基帶芯片廠商生存空間受擠壓
• 中移動(dòng)TD-LTE這塊大切糕，哪些廠商有本事分享？RQLesmc
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在此同時(shí)，Marvell也發(fā)表了該公司采用ARM Cortex A7的LTE版本四核心多模平臺(tái)；與Nvidia的Tegra 4i相較，該應(yīng)用處理器顯然是要在多模支持功能上取勝──Marvell特別強(qiáng)調(diào)該公司所開(kāi)發(fā)的LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器解決方案是“業(yè)界最先進(jìn)”，支持經(jīng)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)實(shí)證的 五種模式蜂巢式調(diào)制解調(diào)器，包括LTE TDD / FDD、HSPA+、TD-HSPA+與EDGE。
Marvell前一版LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器芯片通過(guò)了艱難的認(rèn)證程序，因此該公司也宣布取得了全球多家OEM客戶的設(shè)計(jì)案，包括中興(ZTE)。Marvell共同創(chuàng)辦人Weili Dai接受EETimes美國(guó)版編輯訪問(wèn)時(shí)表示，預(yù)期采用該公司LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器/應(yīng)用處理器單芯片的終端產(chǎn)品將在今年上市。
Nvidia 的i500 LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器當(dāng)然也不落人后；該公司的Carmack在部落格寫(xiě)道：“i410已經(jīng)通過(guò)認(rèn)證，可應(yīng)用在AT&T的多模LTE網(wǎng)絡(luò)，這也是對(duì)其軟件 調(diào)制解調(diào)器架構(gòu)能力的證明；而那也成為我們第二代LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器i500的理想基礎(chǔ)，搭載了超過(guò)五倍的運(yùn)算能力?！彼硎荆琲500專(zhuān)為“支持全球多模LTE發(fā)展”以及各種高階主流裝置應(yīng)用而設(shè)計(jì)。
Tegra 4雖然沒(méi)有集成LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器，但與i500的搭配也很強(qiáng)大
Source：NvidiaRQLesmc
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
本文下一頁(yè)：唯一擁有軟件升級(jí)功能的LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器
相關(guān)閱讀：
• 英特爾LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器要到2014年面世
• 大環(huán)境惡劣，LTE基帶芯片廠商生存空間受擠壓
• 中移動(dòng)TD-LTE這塊大切糕，哪些廠商有本事分享？RQLesmc
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Forward Concepts的Strauss對(duì)Nvidia的調(diào)制解調(diào)器芯片印象深刻，主要是因?yàn)樵摴驹谑召?gòu)Icera之后，只花了20個(gè)月的時(shí)間就推出整合應(yīng)用處理 器與先進(jìn)調(diào)制解調(diào)器的單芯片產(chǎn)品；他還表示：“當(dāng)然，Icera是自2005年以來(lái)就供應(yīng)調(diào)制解調(diào)器芯片，而且擁有積極的新創(chuàng)公司文化以及先進(jìn)無(wú)線技術(shù)人才；在此同時(shí)，Nvidia的口袋深、企業(yè)文化也同樣積極。”
Nvidia的i500多模調(diào)制解調(diào)器芯片采用28納米制程，搭配65奈米、具備多樣性天線接收技術(shù)(RX diversity)的射頻收發(fā)器(支持FDD/TDD LTE、HSPA+、EDGE以及TD-SCDMA)。不過(guò)值得注意的是，i500采用的是LTE Cat 3規(guī)格(00 Mbps DL)，并非最新的Cat 4。
根據(jù)Nvidia說(shuō)法，其可透過(guò)軟件升級(jí)與載波聚合(carrier aggregation)支持LTE Cat 4(150 Mbps DL)；對(duì)此Strauss的觀察是：“也許這是唯一擁有軟件升級(jí)功能的LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器(透過(guò)無(wú)線、無(wú)耗損)；因此該產(chǎn)品真的是軟件無(wú)線電?！?
Marvell 則表示，該公司的LTE解決方案將在2013 MWC期間，應(yīng)用于中興現(xiàn)場(chǎng)展示的的第一款雙無(wú)線電、雙待機(jī)LTE智能手機(jī)；該公司的LTE平臺(tái)可支持TD-SCDMA以及雙無(wú)線電、雙待機(jī)LTE語(yǔ)音 通訊解決方案，也可支持電路交換回退(Circuit Switched Fallback，CSFB)語(yǔ)音解決方案。
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
編譯：Judith Cheng
參考英文原文：LTE, quad-core apps processor wars begin，by Junko Yoshida
相關(guān)閱讀：
• 英特爾LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器要到2014年面世
• 大環(huán)境惡劣，LTE基帶芯片廠商生存空間受擠壓
• 中移動(dòng)TD-LTE這塊大切糕，哪些廠商有本事分享？RQLesmc
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LTE, quad-core apps processor wars begin
Junko Yoshida
In the buildup to Mobile World Congress, Nvidia and Marvell rushed to announce smartphone ICs with the mobile industry’s two new must-have features. NEW YORK--As the Mobile World Congress raises its curtain next week in Barcelona, practically every mobile chip company is rushing to announce new smartphone ICs with the mobile industry’s two new “must-have" features--quad-core and LTE modem.
Of course, not all quad-cores are equal. LTE modems, too, come in different flavors. Every modem chip is at a different stage in operators’ certification processes, a hurdle that every chip vendor needs to clear before claiming a design win.
Aside from Qualcomm, which detailed its Snapdragon 600 and 800 during the International Consumer Electronics Show, and Broadcom, which discussed last week what the company claims to be smallest 4G-LTE Advanced modem chip, both Nvidia and Marvell are competing for the market’s attention this week.
Nvidia unveiled Tuesday (Feb. 19) Tegra 4i, a new member of the Tegra 4 family. It’s an application processor integrated with LTE processor on the same die.
Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts, called it a “stunner,” due to a number of advanced features integrated in it. The 4i is based on four Cortex-A9 (2.3-GHz) CPUs jointly developed with ARM, featuring a fifth “battery saver” core. It also comes with 60 GPU cores and a version of the i500 LTE modem optimized for integration.
Nvidia's senior vice president, Phillip Carmack, wrote in his blog on Nvidia’s website, “Tegra 4i will bring super phone capabilities to the mainstream smartphone market, and there will be nothing on the market like it.”
Carmack probably isn’t just saying that. With Tegra 4i, Nvida is firmly setting its sights on Qualcomm. Nvidia’s spokesman claims that Tegra 4i “is significantly faster yet half the size of its nearest competitor, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800.” If true, that sets a new benchmark.
Source: Nvidia
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Meanwhile, Marvell rolled out Wednesday an LTE version of the company’s quad-core ARM Cortex-A7-based world-mode platform. Compared to Nvidia’s Tegra 4i (a quad-core CPU based on ARM’s most efficient core—the R4 Cortex-A9 CPU—plus a fifth battery saver core), Marvell’s apps processor appears decidedly modest. However, Marvell is emphasizing its own LTE modem, calling it “the industry’s most advanced modem solution” that features support for field-proven five-mode cellular modems, including LTE TDD and FDD, HSPA+, TD-HSPA+ and EDGE.
LTE modem differences?
Marvell, which went through an arduous certification process with its previous LTE modem chip, is now claiming that the company is winning some LTE design-wins with global OEMs, including ZTE. Weili Dai, Marvell’s co-founder, told EE Times that the company expects products based on Marvell’s single-chip LTE/apps processor platform to go on sale this year.
That said, Nvidia’s LTE modem, i500, appears definitely keeping up with its competitors’ solutions.
In his blog, Nvidia’s Carmack wrote: “The i410 is now certified for use on AT&T’s LTE multi-mode network and is a testament to the capabilities of the soft modem architecture. It’s been an ideal foundation for the i500, our second-generation LTE modem, which has more than five times the computational capacity of its predecessor.” Nvidia’s i500 has been designed for “global LTE multi-mode deployment” designed to serve high-end and mainstream devices globally, wrote Carmack.
Strauss is impressed with Nvidia’s modem chip, largely because it took Nvidia only 20 months after it acquired Icera to deliver a combined application processor/advance modem product. He added, “Of course, Icera had been offering modems since 2005 and had an aggressive startup culture and advanced wireless design talent. Meanwhile, Nvidia had deeper pockets and an equally aggressive culture.”
Nvidia’s i500 multimode modem based on a 28nm process is paired with its own 65nm RF transceiver (multi-band FDD & TDD LTE/HSPA+/EDGE and TD-SCDMA) with RX diversity.
It’s important to note, however, that Nvidia’s i500 modem is introduced with LTE Cat 3 capability (100 Mbps DL), not Cat 4. But Nvidia claims that it is software upgradeable to LTE Cat 4 with carrier aggregation (150 Mbps DL). Strauss observed, “It is perhaps the only LTE modem capable of software upgradeability (over the air, no less); so it really is a software-defined radio.”
According to Marvell, at MWC 2013, Marvell’s LTE solution will be used in ZTE’s first dual radio dual standby LTE smartphone demonstration. Marvell’s LTE platform will support both TD-SCDMA and dual-radio dual standby LTE voice solution, in addition to a Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) voice solution.
責(zé)編：Quentin
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