Qualcomm and Foxlink Combine Expertise to Open Dedicated mirasol Fabrication Plant
- Plant to Increase Volume and Reduce Time to Market for mirasol Displays in 2009 -
SAN DIEGO and TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), and Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd., "Foxlink" (TSE: 2392), a leading developer and manufacturer of communications devices, computers and consumer electronics, today announced an agreement to bring a new, dedicated fabrication plant to Lungtan's Science Park in Taoyuan, Taiwan to manufacture Qualcomm's next generation mirasol(TM) displays. The fabrication plant is slated to be fully operational in 2009.
The collaboration solidifies Qualcomm MEMS Technologies' strategy to support volume demands for future mirasol displays. As a result of the agreement, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies will be able to offer a more varied selection of display products while reducing the time to market of those products. The capabilities of the dedicated plant will increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve agility.
"We have seen a strong response to mirasol displays and have made significant traction in the last year," said Jim Cathey, vice president of business development for Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc. "As a leader in supply chain management, Foxlink has decades of experience in delivering quality, timely products for global brand leaders. They are an ideal company with which to collaborate in delivering on the promise of mirasol's low-power, highly reflective displays."
In support of the effort, Foxlink has created a new business unit to support the production of Qualcomm MEMS Technologies' mirasol displays. Foxlink currently employs a workforce of more than 43,000 employees and operates more than 15 design manufacturing and sales sites worldwide.
"Given our extensive manufacturing experience in the consumer electronics industry, Foxlink has established itself as a leading producer of consumer electronics components," said John Chow, president, Microlink Communications Business Units, Systems Group, Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd. and chief technology officer of Foxlink Group. "This opportunity with Qualcomm MEMS Technologies presents us with the exciting challenges that come with manufacturing a true innovation. We look forward to bringing quality mirasol displays, in volume, to our customers."
Qualcomm's mirasol displays constitute a technology breakthrough that promises substantial performance benefits over competing display technologies. Based on a reflective technology called interferometric modulation (IMOD), mirasol displays harness ambient light and require no backlighting, thereby consuming significantly less power. The reflective mirasol display also automatically scales to the surrounding lighting conditions, allowing users to see their content in almost every environment, even bright sunlight.
About Foxlink
Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, Foxlink is a leading developer and manufacturer of communication devices, computers and consumer electronics. Foxlink (a publicly listed company on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, ticker number 2392), was founded in 1986 and initially specialized in the manufacturing of communication products, later expanding into consumer electronics. Foxlink has two principle business lines -- components and assembly -- which support the production of communication and consumer electronics devices such as cables, connectors, handsets, MP3 players, video game consoles, Bluetooth headsets and GPS units. In addition to its headquarters in Tucheng, Taipei, Taiwan, Foxlink has offices in Brea and San Jose, California; Chicago, Illinois; Seattle, Washington; as well as other locations worldwide to support its impressive, global customer base. For more details, please visit Foxlink's website at http://www.foxlink.com
About Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc. has developed the industry's first micro electrical/mechanical systems (MEMS) display for mobile devices -- a true technological innovation that offers low power consumption and superb viewing quality in a wide range of environmental conditions, including bright sunlight. Based on a reflective technology, Qualcomm's mirasol displays require no backlighting and therefore consume significantly less power than standard displays in portable devices. The mirasol display supports video at up to 30 frames per second. The display works by reflecting light so that specific wavelengths interfere with each other to create color. The phenomenon that makes a butterfly's wings shimmer is the same process used in Qualcomm's mirasol displays. Using advanced MEMS technologies, mirasol displays support Qualcomm's overall innovation strategy of increasing the capability of mobile devices while minimizing power consumption. Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc. is headquartered in San Diego, Calif., with offices in San Jose, Calif. and Hsinchu, Taiwan. To learn more about mirasol displays, visit http://www.mirasoldisplays.com
About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (http://www.qualcomm.com) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on CDMA and other advanced technologies. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Qualcomm is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 2008 FORTUNE 500(R) company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market(R) under the ticker symbol QCOM.
Qualcomm is a registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. mirasol is a trademark of Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Qualcomm Contacts:
Cheryl Schwarzman, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
Phone: 1-858-651-6276
Email: qmtpr@qualcomm.com
Tina Asmar, Corporate Communications
Phone: 1-858-845-5959
Email: corpcomm@qualcomm.com
John Gilbert, Investor Relations
Phone: 1-858-658-4813
Email: ir@qualcomm.com
Foxlink Contact:
K.L. Liao
Phone: 886-2-2269-9888
SOURCE Qualcomm
Released May 5, 2008