Spreadtrum Enters the Tablet Market

SHANGHAI, Jan. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Spreadtrum Communications, Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor company in China with advanced technology in 2G, 3G and 4G wireless communications standards, today announced that it has entered the tablet market with the introduction of a quad-core chipset for tablets with integrated connectivity, supporting WCDMA/HSPA+, Android 4.4 (KITKAT) and a turnkey reference design to help manufacturers reduce the time and resources required to bring new tablets to market.

"China manufacturers are rapidly increasing their production of tablets, and we are pleased to introduce a low-cost chipset coupled with a turnkey reference design for this market," said Dr. Leo Li, chairman and CEO of Spreadtrum. "This approach helps our customers bring low-cost devices to market that appeal to consumers who want access to tablet functionality but where affordability is a key factor in the purchase decision."

According to Gartner, "In 2014, the worldwide tablet market is forecast to grow 47% in 2014 with lower average selling prices attracting new users. Consumers continue to buy tablets as an additional device that they carry everywhere. Smaller tablets will take over from the larger tablet form factors, providing the added mobility that consumers desire at a lower cost and will compete with hybrids for consumer attention." Gartner expects worldwide device shipments for tablets to be 263.5 million units in 2014.¹

Spreadtrum's SC5735 integrates a quad-core ARM Cortex™-A7 CPU, supporting Android 4.4 and dual-band WCDMA/HSPA+ as well as quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE communications standards. The solution integrates a quad or dual Mali 400 for high performance graphics, and supports up to 1080p screen resolution as well as a 5 megapixel primary camera and up to 2 megapixel secondary camera. The chipset supports connectivity functions including GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth® and FM.

Spreadtrum's solution is sampling with customers now and is expected to reach mass production next month.

¹Gartner Press Release, Gartner Says Worldwide Traditional PC, Tablet, Ultramobile and Mobile Phone Shipments on Pace to Grow 7.6 Percent in 2014, January 7, 2014.  http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2645115

About Spreadtrum Communications, Inc.

Spreadtrum Communications, Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company that develops mobile chipset platforms for smartphones, feature phones and other consumer electronics products, supporting 2G, 3G and 4G wireless communications standards. Spreadtrum's solutions combine its highly integrated, power-efficient chipsets with customizable software and reference designs in a complete turnkey platform, enabling customers to achieve faster design cycles with a lower development cost. Spreadtrum's customers include global and China-based manufacturers developing mobile products for consumers in China and emerging markets around the world. Spreadtrum is a privately held company headquartered in Shanghai and an affiliate of Tsinghua Unigroup, Ltd. For more information, visit www.spreadtrum.com.

SOURCE Spreadtrum Communications, Inc.