Anapass, Inc, a display SoC solution provider listed on the KOSDAQ, today announced that it has entered into strategic collaboration and investment agreements with GCT Semiconductor, Inc., a designer and supplier of advanced 4G mobile semiconductor solutions, to develop and commercialize mobile application processors (AP) for use in smartphones. Anapass will collaborate with GCT to develop a next-generation mobile application processor that is mated with GCT’s leading edge 4G RF/modem SoC solution. As a result, Anapass and GCT will provide a total solution platform incorporating 4G, LTE, RF, modem and AP to the explosively growing smartphone market.
Through this strategic collaboration and investment agreement, Anapass said it is securing technology and engineering resources related to the 4G LTE RF/modem platform from GCT, which is necessary for Anapass to develop a competitive mobile application processor for 4G smartphones. Anapass is also getting access to GCT’s broad 4G ecosystem including the world leading wireless operators and OEM/ODMs with which GCT has been establishing close relationships for years. As part of the agreement, Anapass is making a $30M strategic investment while seeking technology, business and strategic benefit to aid and support its mobile application processor strategy.
Anapass is a display SoC solution provider that developed and commercialized its proprietary intra-panel interface technology for flat panel TV displays known as AiPi (Advanced Intra Panel Interface). Anapass has also been a panel controller supplier for Samsung’s flat panel TV display business and has been listed on the KOSDAQ since 2010. The company has been seeking new opportunities offering the best products and business models, so Anapass said in its official press release that it intends to enter the fast-growing smartphone market in order to achieve diversification and expansion of products, customers and markets.
GCT Semiconductor is a 4G RF/modem SoC solution provider that commercialized the world’s first single-chip LTE solution based upon collaboration with LG Electronics. The LTE solution has been adopted by wireless operators including Verizon, Sprint, Metro PCS, Vodafone, Yota, YTL, SK Telecom and LG Uplus. According to a recent market research report by Forward Concepts, GCT has been ranked third in the 2012 market share of FDD-LTE baseband shipments, behind Qualcomm and Samsung. GCT recently announced that it entered into a 3G/2G IP licensing agreement with LG Electronics to support backward compatibility for 4G smartphones, and is currently developing a multi-mode 4G/3G/2G RF/modem SoC solution.
In addition, Anapass says it will leverage its technical know-how and experience from the successful commercialization of its panel controller products for flat panel TV displays in developing a competitive mobile application processor. Anapass says it is expecting that this agreement will allow the companies to introduce a competitive total 4G solution including 4G, RF, modem and application processor to the explosively growing worldwide mid-range smartphone market and to succeed in its plans for diversification and expansion of products and customers.