14 DAY TRIAL // Broadcom has launched the BCM4354 system-on-chip in Barcelona, which taps into Wi-Fii 802.11ac protocol to transmit data and is said to provide faster, always-on smartphone experience.
If most chip makers present at MWC 2014 have launched 64-bit LTE enhanced processors, Broadcom is pushing in a slightly different direction.
The processor manufacturer is trying to carve out a place for itself in the smartphone sector, by pushing out into the world a 5G Wi-Fi combination chip for handsets.
Acknowledging a situation where a lot of customers can’t enjoy a speedy 802.11 Wi-Fi connection on their smartphone due to busy hotspots or walls, Broadcom aims to provide a solution with a chip that promises faster video and music downloads.
The chip is built upon the 2 x 2 MIMO technology (multiple input, multiple output) which is capable of improving power efficiency up to 25% when using Wi-Fi over 1 x 1 MIMO chips. The same tech makes use of interference to boost overall bandwidth performance.
Most importantly for regular users, the chip is said to be able to increase wireless coverage with up to 30% compared with chips available on the market at the moment.
Broadcom also make use of Transmit Beamforming (TxBF) tech to deliver better rates and increased performances in crowded environments. The chip is currently in production, but we’re not told when we’re actually going to see it come implemented in devices.
Anyway, before MWC, Broadcom also took the opportunity to unveil a new LTE platform chip destined for application in under $300 / €218 smartphones. This will place the chip maker in direct competition with offerings from Qualcomm, Intel and NVIDIA.
The above-mentioned chip is a “category 4” processor capable of delivering up to 150 megabits per second on FDD-LTE and TD+LTE networks.
Broadcom also has a “category 6” LTE-Advanced chip which can sustain transfers up to 300 megabits a second.