ews & Analysis
NXP to Pick Up Its Missing IoT Link – Bluetooth Low Energy
NXP to buy Quintic's assets and IP
Junko YoshidaMADISON, Wis. — In pursuing the growing Internet of Things market, NXP Semiconductors has picked up a key technology piece that was conspicuously absent from the company's portfolio -- Bluetooth Low Energy.
The Dutch company announced this week that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Quintic to acquire its assets and intellectual property (IP) related to the wearable and Bluetooth Low Energy IC business.
Quintic is a nine-year-old startup with operations that span from Sunnyvale, Calif. to Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, China. NXP declined to disclose how much it paid.
Quintic, which started out its business in FM radio chips, has over the years developed a host of patents and IP related to low-power radio connectivity. The company's Bluetooth Low Energy products range from standalone Bluetooth Low Energy chips to those integrated with a sensor fusion hub based on ARM M4 cores -- designed for wearable and fitness devices.
By adding security, NFC and MCUs -- NXP's strengths -- to the combination of Bluetooth Low Energy and sensor hubs, NXP believes it will have a winning formula for IoT solutions.
Noting that NXP already has NFC and Zigbee, Mark Hamersma, general manager and senior vice president for emerging businesses at NXP, told EE Times, "With the acquisition of Bluetooth Low Energy technology, we now have all three connectivity standards" critical to IoT. "Our customers are delighted about this."
Why Quintic?
Asked what's so special about Quintic Bluetooth Low Energy, Hamersma explained, "The key is the low power consumption… And the company has a roadmap to take it even further."
Hamersma added that Quintic chips come with "a rich set of features." Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all Bluetooth Low Energy solution, the company provides products with different interfaces, supporting a variety of applications. In addition to a number of wearable devices, Quintic has also designed for wireless charging devices and banking dongles. Quintic’s engagement in a number of applications in the Chinese ecosystem, such as PC dongles for secure banking payment and mobile transactions, appears to also pique NXP’s interest, given its expertise in NFC and security.
“Quintic has picked up quite a lot of design wins since the third quarter this year,” said Hamersma. Asked about Quinitic’s revenue, he quoted, “with their product just started ramping (in Q3 2014), we expect to reach double digit million next year [US dollars].”
Quintic currently has about 65 employees. Most of them, except for eight based in Sunnyvale, Calif., are in China, focused on R&D and product development.
NXP said Quintic’s leadership is expected to join NXP as part of the transaction, which is targeted for the first quarter of 2015. Significant IP assets, including more than 60 US and Chinese patents, go along with the deal, the company said.
— Junko Yoshida, Chief International Correspondent, EE Times
Quintic is a nine-year-old startup with operations that span from Sunnyvale, Calif. to Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, China. NXP declined to disclose how much it paid.
Quintic, which started out its business in FM radio chips, has over the years developed a host of patents and IP related to low-power radio connectivity. The company's Bluetooth Low Energy products range from standalone Bluetooth Low Energy chips to those integrated with a sensor fusion hub based on ARM M4 cores -- designed for wearable and fitness devices.
By adding security, NFC and MCUs -- NXP's strengths -- to the combination of Bluetooth Low Energy and sensor hubs, NXP believes it will have a winning formula for IoT solutions.
Noting that NXP already has NFC and Zigbee, Mark Hamersma, general manager and senior vice president for emerging businesses at NXP, told EE Times, "With the acquisition of Bluetooth Low Energy technology, we now have all three connectivity standards" critical to IoT. "Our customers are delighted about this."
Why Quintic?
Asked what's so special about Quintic Bluetooth Low Energy, Hamersma explained, "The key is the low power consumption… And the company has a roadmap to take it even further."
Hamersma added that Quintic chips come with "a rich set of features." Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all Bluetooth Low Energy solution, the company provides products with different interfaces, supporting a variety of applications. In addition to a number of wearable devices, Quintic has also designed for wireless charging devices and banking dongles. Quintic’s engagement in a number of applications in the Chinese ecosystem, such as PC dongles for secure banking payment and mobile transactions, appears to also pique NXP’s interest, given its expertise in NFC and security.
“Quintic has picked up quite a lot of design wins since the third quarter this year,” said Hamersma. Asked about Quinitic’s revenue, he quoted, “with their product just started ramping (in Q3 2014), we expect to reach double digit million next year [US dollars].”
Quintic currently has about 65 employees. Most of them, except for eight based in Sunnyvale, Calif., are in China, focused on R&D and product development.
NXP said Quintic’s leadership is expected to join NXP as part of the transaction, which is targeted for the first quarter of 2015. Significant IP assets, including more than 60 US and Chinese patents, go along with the deal, the company said.
— Junko Yoshida, Chief International Correspondent, EE Times
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