In the News
09/01/2000
IBM and Xilinx create new generation of ICs
null
NEW YORK - IBM Microelectronics, a leader in ASICs design and manufacturing, and Xilinx, a leading innovator of complete programmable logic solutions, have recently announced an agreement to combine cutting-edge technologies to create a new generation of chips for use in communications, storage and consumer applications.
 |
Under the agreement, the companies are working together to embed IBM PowerPC processor cores into Xilinx VirtexTM-II field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The pairing of a low-cost, high-performance PowerPC processor core with customizable FPGA circuitry will allow makers of electronic equipment to tailor custom chips for their particular application at reduced cost and with faster time-to-market.
"This joint effort will bring about a new design era combining programmable logic, time-to-market advantages with the cost benefits of standard cell technology," said Andrew Allison, a semiconductor industry analyst. "This is a potent combination."
The new devices will initially be fabricated by IBM for Xilinx using advanced chip-manufacturing technologies, including copper. This will enable Xilinx to broaden its manufacturing volume and geographic diversity, and leverage common foundry manufacturing processes.
"IBM and Xilinx are committed to meet each customer's unique blend of requirements for cost, design time and individualized function," said John Kelly, general manager of IBM Microelectronics. "This requires a variety of chip design options, from standard, off-the-shelf parts to FPGAs to ASICs. This agreement creates both a new approach in chip design, as well as a unique collaboration between the world's leading ASIC and programmable logic providers."
 |
The complementary marketing and technology agreement will enable customers who choose FPGA solutions from Xilinx to more easily migrate to IBM ASIC and standard product solutions as appropriate. Customers will factor performance, cost, time-to-market and volume requirements in making a determination as to the best option for a given application, while using standard PowerPC and system-on-chip CoreConnect bus technology across all solutions.
"The combination of technologies will lead to a new level of performance and flexibility in the semiconductor market," said Wim Roelandts, president and CEO of Xilinx. "IBM's process technology is the most advanced in the industry and the PowerPC architecture has become the standard in communications enabling us to deliver the highest performance and density products into the market at the leading edge of technology."
Under the multi-year agreement, Xilinx will license IBM's high-performance PowerPC processor cores and CoreConnect bus for integration into Xilinx FPGAs. The two companies will map the resulting designs to IBM's advanced chip manufacturing processes keeping Xilinx FPGAs on the leading edge of technology. IBM will license intellectual property from Xilinx that will add to IBM's capability to quickly move leadership process technologies into the marketplace.
Kelly explains that FPGAs are flexible, but large and expensive, while ASICs are less flexible, though small and cost-efficient; therefore, the agreement between IBM and Xilinx draws on the best of both worlds. Availability dates for the new chips will be announced later this year by Xilinx. The companies also plan to explore other areas of cooperation that could benefit customers of both companies.
Zuken tackles design challenges
LOS ANGELES - Zuken has recently announced its Advanced IC Packaging Solution, which reduces design cycle time from an average of two weeks for a complete package to only a few hours. The tool suite spans integrated circuit (IC) design capture, package synthesis, routing, analysis and CAM with a fully integrated tool set that can complete a ball grid array or chip-scale package design within minutes and at unprecedented levels of productivity.
Based on a rules-driven database, the solution significantly minimizes engineering resources and responsibility, asking engineers to only define design parameters before the constraints-driven tools ensure that the final solution meets all fabrication requirements.
"The Zuken Advanced IC Packaging Solution delivers a revolution in package design," said Kent McLeroth, Zuken's advanced packaging technical marketing manager. "As designs become denser and more complex, this approach is essential in maximizing speed-to-market and ensuring that final device performance meets design expectations.
The solution's die capture tool enables chip parameters to be read directly from chip design systems to which the engineer then adds the package requirements. Zuken's Package Synthesizer then automatically creates the bondshell, which includes ground plane, power rings, bond pads and pad-balls to the selected rules. This synthesis can reduce days of work to minutes.
With the radial router option, the solution includes a pin-swapping function to optimize a chip-package-board interconnect. The router operates with or without a netlist and uses a concurrent free-angle approach, rather than a sequential orthogonal router algorithm.
Package analysis with the solution includes analysis of radio frequency and signal integrity parameters through fast links to Agilent ADS and Ansoft tools. The inductive, capacitive and resistive (LCR) characteristics of the package are automatically extracted and can then be fed, together with the silicon parameters, into I/O buffer information specification models. Built-in support is provided for a variety of first-order analysis functions, including thermal, signal integrity and copper distribution.
The solution runs under Windows, HP-UX and Solaris operating systems. Software, library and design data can reside on any combination of platforms.
In related news, Zuken has announced its Board Integrity Solution, a set of tools for high-density printed circuit board (PCB) and multi-chip module (MCM) design. Combining technology and tools from its recent Incases acquisition, the resulting modular solution spans every stage of the design and development process, from creation to manufacturing.
The tool is particularly effective where high-density interconnect is required. Two key features of the solution are design partitioning and intellectual property re-use, which are key contributors to reducing cycle time. The first allows multiple engineers to work on each design simultaneously, and the second feature enables alternative design options to be quickly evaluated without starting each from scratch, both significantly reducing time-to-market.
"For the first time, we're now able to offer a complete design solution using Zuken tools, which are individually well-proven and seamlessly integrated throughout the design flow," stated Mark Ashton, Zuken's head of marketing.
One of the most important aspects of the Board Integrity Solution is an electromagnetic compatibility engineering tool. This provides fast screening of electromagnetic radiation (EMI) and signal integrity effects against pre-defined constraints, a process that typically takes just 15 minutes for a complete system. The results are filtered to highlight individual conflicts and problem sources. Both differential and common mode EMI effects are analyzed.
The Board Integrity Solution eliminates the layout bottleneck in traditional design processes and provides a choice of integrated tools for everything from high-density substrate design to general PCB layout. It comes complete with an advanced router for high-density designs. Placement and routing includes embedded analysis for thermal, high-speed placement and routing constraints, so design trade-offs can be easily managed. Productivity is also boosted by a "splash and route" feature that automatically reroutes new and existing traces to make way for additional components that may be added. High-speed technologies, such as RAMBUS, impose significant constraints on PCB design; the Board Integrity Solution features the only proven implementation of a RAMBUS Advisor tool available on the market.
Intelligent front-end engineering and design visibility throughout the processes ensure "right-first-time designs" that guarantee efficient, high-yield manufacturing. The Board Integrity Solution can be implemented at any stage in the design process, complementing and enhancing existing tools and design flows.
The design creation tool is fast and flexible for evaluating ideas, providing a single point of entry for conceptual and physical design. The designer can start with generic system and circuit ideas, analyze and test both function and performance, and add further parameters to the design until it is fully characterized for layout.
The base Board Integrity Solution is available today, with the high-speed modules scheduled to ship in October.
ICOS Vision Systems files claims against Scanner Technologies
HEVERLEE, BELGIUM - ICOS Vision Systems Corp. N. V., a leading developer and supplier of machine vision and inspection solutions for back-end semiconductor manufacturing and electronic assembly, has filed claims in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, against Scanner Technologies Corp. The claims allege unfair competition, tortious interference with advantageous business relations and trade disparagement. ICOS seeks a declaratory judgment of non-infringement, invalidity and unenforceability of Scanner's U.S. Patent Numbers 6,064,756 and 6,064,757 that relate to stereo vision inspection of BGA, CSP and bump-on-wafer products. ICOS filed the claims in response to a suit filed by Scanner on July7, 2000 alleging infringement by ICOS of these patents.
Young Poong acquires Signetics Korea
SEOUL - Young Poong Corp., a leading Korean multi-national firm with revenues approaching $2 billion annually, has acquired Signetics Korea Ltd., Korea's oldest and most experienced provider of semiconductor packaging and test services. To bolster capacity at Signetics, which operates two plants in Korea, Young Poong will immediately make a substantial investment.
"Signetics will complement several of Young Poong's business lines, including those in electronics, such as PC boards," said H. J. Chang, Young Poong chairman. "The purchase additionally gives Young Poong a respected high-technology company with major visibility in the U.S. and Europe through established offshore sales and support offices."
S. J. Yang, president and CEO of Signetics Korea, commented that Signetics has added millions of dollars in high-end assembly and test equipment this year to address a number of rapidly growing markets, including graphics, computer networks and telecommunications. "Young Poong's capital infusion will enable us to speed up our plans to grow from a $250 million company to a $400 million company."
Young Poong, which was established in 1949 and is headquartered in Seoul, has a debt of of 90 percent, which is much lower than most Korean companies. The company's business lines include nonferrous and precious metals refining, communications, construction, heavy machinery, life insurance, mining, printed circuit boards, retail book sales and textiles. Young Poong currently has nearly 3,000 employees worldwide; the Signetics acquisition will add about 1,500 to their workforce.
"This acquisition is good for Signetics and will also prove highly beneficial to our customers, as well," said Wayne Moore, president of Signetics High Technology Inc. (San Jose, Calif.). "Over the past year, as we have added strategic engineering capabilities and staff - here and in Korea - and added to our leading-edge test equipment, customers have started to view us as a company vying for a technology leadership position."
In addition to expanding final test platforms, Signetics is adding the capability to assemble ICs into several package formats, including flip-chip, chip-scale and advanced packages with lead counts exceeding 700 I/Os.
Siemens and Micro-ASI form strategic alliance
DALLAS - Micro-ASI Inc., a Dallas-based high-technology company specializing in advanced silicon innovations in semiconductor packaging, and the Electronics Assembly Equipment business unit of Siemens Energy & Automation Inc. have announced a strategic alliance to provide cost-effective, high-volume flip-chip manufacturing to OEMs and other electronic contract manufacturers.
Micro-ASI has installed both a design/prototype line and a multimillion-dollar high-volume turnkey manufacturing line for high-speed and high-quality module and circuit board production at its Wylie, Texas, facility. The line is composed of Siemens Siplace S25 and F5 flip-chip placement machines.
"With this alliance with Siemens, we believe Micro-ASI will be the first vertically integrated, non-captive company in the United States to focus on high-volume flip-chip modules and boards," said Joel Claybrook, chief executive officer of Micro-ASI. "While flip chips have been available for nearly 20 years, high manufacturing costs have kept them from being viable for widespread use in the commercial marketplace until recently. Costs are now coming down dramatically, and this alliance offers us the opportunity to take advantage of state-of-the-art flip-chip manufacturing to cost-effectively produce modules and boards for our customers."
In addition, the two companies will participate in joint research and development efforts, including the Flip-Chip Research Consortium at the Georgia Institute of Technology Center for Board Assembly Research.
PCIA initiative encourages collaboration in mobile communications
ALEXANDRIA, VA. - The Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA) has announced the PCIA global initiative: "Creating Winners in the Mobile Convergence Marketplace." The objective of the initiative is to fuel the growth of mobile convergence markets worldwide. It will provide its members with unique and comprehensive consumer and market data that will allow members to more effectively reach an estimated one billion mobile consumers. It will support and facilitate efforts to develop global, consumer-driven products and services by providing deliverables that are strategic tools for planning and marketing.
For its members, the initiative will provide access to global consumer and marketplace data, synthesize global regulatory and technical data, and serve as a neutral sounding board that identifies where greater industry cooperation is necessary to create market solutions.
Membership is comprised of interdependent convergence players, including content providers, carriers, network computing vendors, Internet service providers, software developers, device and semiconductor manufacturers, and application service providers.
"We are at the nascent stage of mobile convergence, and the PCIA global initiative will fuel this new industry's growth through strategic deliverables and strong leadership. This will enable companies to reduce the time to market, cut through the clutter of conflicting technical factions, and move beyond the uncertainty of untested business models," said PCIA president Jay Kitchen.
The initiative has come together based on the premise that the world's exploding consumer market for mobile communications products and services will reach its potential only if the industries that create those products and services work together to overcome marketplace, regulatory and technical barriers.
The initiative is in the early stages of recruitment, and was launched with the following members: Advertising.com, Air2Web, Citigroup, GWcom Inc., Idetic, Littlefeet Inc., PCS Innovations, Prodigy Communications, Psion, Sonera Corp., TD Waterhouse Group Inc., Ticketmaster, Visa International and Weather.com. Charter leaders Citigroup, Sonera, TD Waterhouse and Visa will have the opportunity to shape and direct the priorities for the initiative.
Hereaus sells leadframe business to Jade
HANAU, GERMANY - W. C. Heraeus International GmbH, part of the precious metal and technology group Heraeus Holding GmbH, has sold one of its subsidiaries, Singapore-based Heraeus Precision Engineering Pte. Ltd. (HPE), to Jade Technologies Singapore Ltd. (JTS), a manufacturer of stamped and etched leadframes for assemblers of ICs, LEDs and components for the electronics industry.
HPE is a leading supplier of leadframes to the semiconductor industry. The company was incorporated in October 1989 as a joint venture between W. C. Heraeus GmbH and Singapore Technologies Industrial Corp. W. C. Heraeus has held 100 percent of HPE since 1994, in which it had concentrated its entire leadframe business.
With this move, W. C. Heraeus continues its strategy to focus its activities in the precious and special metals sector. The capital obtained from the sale will be invested in W. C. Heraeus core business, such as electronic materials, ceramic colors, materials technology, precious metal chemicals and precious metal refining, to support internal and external growth. The areas of bonding wires, circuit materials and sputtering targets will be expanded.
Andreas Baumann, managing director of W. C. Heraeus GmbH remarked, "The combination of JTS and Heraeus Precision Engineering will create a very powerful global player in the leadframe industry."
Nordson-Speedline suit goes both ways
WESTLAKE, OHIO - Recently, Nordson Corp. filed a lawsuit against Speedline Technologies Inc., alleging infringement of Nordson's U.S. Patent 5,906,682, which covers dispensers by Asymtek (a Calif.-based subsidiary of Nordson) that use mass flow calibration (MFC) technology. MFC technology compensates for changes in the dispensing material to provide precise deposition.
The lawsuit alleges that Speedline's Camalot dispensing systems, which use a weigh scale and closed-loop feedback control, infringe Nordson's patent. Nordson has requested both monetary damages and injunctive relief.
Just days after Nordson's allegations, Speedline filed a countersuit, claiming that the MFC patent is invalid and not infringed by Speedline. David Hill, vice president and general manager of Speedline CAMALOT, said, "We are confident that our weight control technology does not infringe the Nordson patent. We are aggressively pursuing action to declare Nordson's existing patent invalid and not infringed."
The lawsuits were filed in the United States Federal Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose.
MicroTech 2001 call for papers
LONDON - MicroTech 2001, the return of the flagship microelectronics and packaging event, will be held January 28 through 31, 2001, in the Champagne Suite at Novotel Hammersmith, West London, England. The event is co-sponsored by EuroTraining, IEE and IEEE-CPMT (UK and RI) and will feature four days of tutorials, conferences and exhibition.
EuroTraining courses will take place on January 28 and will include "Encapsulation and Underfill for Advanced Packaging," instructed by Martin Bartholomew, "CDMA and MCM Technologies in 3rd Generation Mobile Communications," instructed by Charles Free, and "Microsystems and MEMS for Industry and the Environment," instructed by Malcolm Wilkinson.
MicroTech 2001 welcomes submissions of original or highly topical presentations on the technologies and applications of the following conferences: "Advanced Packaging" (January 29), "MicroSystems Packaging 2001" (January 30) and "Wireless Technologies" (January 31). Please send submissions of one-page abstracts no later than September 30, 2000, to: Nihal Sinnadurai, Technical Chairman, IMAPS-UK Secretariat, 63 Coachmans Lane, Baldock, Herts SG7 5BG, UK; 44-1462-896-733; Fax: 44-1462-896-567; E-mail: [email protected].
Alpha Metals and Oatey sign lead-free license agreement * JERSEY CITY, N. J. - The Oatey Company and Alpha Metals have signed an exclusive license agreement for Oatey's Safe-Flo lead-free alloy. Through this agreement, Alpha Metals will be able to offer this alloy technology to the electronics industry as a lead-free option. Oatey's technology covers a lead-free composition containing tin, silver, bismuth and copper. The composition range has been selected as the lead-free alloy of choice by several leading Japanese electronics companies. The Apha Metals/Oatey agreement facilitates the use of this alloys around the world.
A major concern of Japanese manufacturers was that this alloy composition would be limited in its use because of patent restrictions. However, through Alpha's position as a materials supplier to the electronic assembly industry, this alloy composition will be available on a worldwide basis. Additionally, Alpha Metals has the right to sublicense the technology to other suppliers of bar solder, cored wire solder, preforms, BGA spheres and solder paste.
For more information, visit www.alphametals.com
Newsmakers
 Cosmo Losco |
People
Willow Grove, Pa.-based Quad Systems Corp. has named Cosmo Losco as vice president of operations.
 Gary Kapral |
Gary Kapral has joined Electro Scientific Industries Inc., Portland, Ore., as corporate vice president, responsible for the company's vision-based businesses.
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based semiconbay.com, a Portal Bay Co., has appointed F. Terrence (Terry) Markle to director of finance and corporate controller; Mark S. Wanta to director of Web site operations; and Yosh Ashizawa to director of e-commerce technology. Ralph Harms, chief financial officer of Autonomy Inc., San Francisco, also has been named to the company's board of directors.
ViTechnology LLC, Haverhill, Mass., announced that Glenn Wyllie has been named technical sales engineer for its new automated optical inspection (AOI) systems.
Richard Savage has been named chief technology officer for San Jose, Calif.-based Olympus Integrated Technologies America Inc.'s new subsidiary of Olympus Optical Ltd. Japan.
Jim Healy has joined ASAT Limited and ASAT Inc., Fremont, Calif., as senior vice president worldwide sales/marketing.
Park Electrochemical Corp., Lake Success, N.Y., announced that Gary M. Watson has been elected to the position of senior vice president-engineering.
Universal Voltronics Corp., Mount Kisco, N.Y., has named two new additions to its management team: Uwe Uhmeyer, vice president of engineering, and David Burgess, vice president of sales and marketing.
Crystal Black has been appointed to marketing communications coordinator for Thermoset, Lord Chemical Products, Indianapolis, Ind.
Woodhead Industries Inc., Deerfield, Ill., announced the appointment of Bela J. Horvath to the new position of president/Asia-Pacific.
Lambda Technologies, Morrisville, N.C., has named Zak Fathi vice president of business development.
Companies
The SEZ Group, Villach, Austria, has announced a further expansion of its global sales and service support with its majority takeover of SEZ Japan, a joint venture with Sumisho Electronic Devices. The move, which gives SEZ offices in Tokyo and Nagaoka, further strengthens SEZ's presence in Asia, which already includes a location in Singapore and local representatives in Taiwan and South Korea.
Scanner Technologies Corp., Minneapolis, Minn., announced the award of two patents that relate to the 3-D inspection of BGA, CSP and bump-on-wafer products for its 3-D BGA stereo vision inspection equipment.
Piher International Corp., Libertyville, Ill., has received ISO 14001 certification.
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based TTI Silicon was awarded ISO 9002 certification from Underwriters Laboratory. The company also has opened a new sales office in Boston.
Leica Microsystems Inc. has opened a new 2,500-square-foot demonstration and customer-training facility in Wetzlar, Germany, approximately 40 miles north of Frankfurt International Airport.
Hudson Tool And Die Co., Ormond Beach, Fla., announced that its new $1.2-million technology center is fully operational.
Custom Silicon Configuration Services (CS2), Brussels, Belgium, has begun construction of a second area-array foundry in Kortenberg, Belgium.
Indianapolis-based Dynaloy Inc. has received certification of ISO 9001:1994 compliance.
The Dii Group Inc., Niwot, Colo., announced that Dii-Dovatron, its contract electronics manufacturing subsidiary, has selected ON Semiconductor as its 1999 Semiconductor Supplier of the Year.
Morgan Advanced Ceramics, a division of Morgan Crucible Co., announced the formation of its new semiconductor equipment industry unit, Morgan Semiconductor Products. Formed on April 1, 2000, the new unit will sell a range of solutions geared toward the semiconductor industry.
News Briefs
Alliance evaluates lead-free PCAs
ChipPAC, Sanmina, Hewlett-Packard Co. and Alpha Metals have announced the formation of a working alliance to evaluate the reliability of lead-free printed circuit assemblies. This alliance is designed to leverage the strengths of each company to execute the packaging, fabrication, assembly and system-level reliability testing of lead-free assemblies. Through these efforts, the goal of the program is to accelerate the delivery of a proven, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution. The process entails the evaluation of many factors, including several lead-free area-array and peripheral-array packages (BGAs, CSPs and QFPs), study of lead-free pastes, thermal cycling of assembled boards, and more.
Lytron appoints AMS Thermotech as U.K. distributor
Woburn, Mass.-based Lytron Inc. announced that its local customer sales, technical and applications support in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will be handled by AMS Thermotech. The company will represent all of Lytron's product lines, including recirculating chillers, copper and stainless-steel tube-fin heat exchangers, ambient cooling systems, aluminum-oil coolers, liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers, cold plates and custom designs.
NPL updates CD-ROM
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL), in conjunction with EPS, has announced the update of its lead-free interactive CD-ROM. Launched in August 1999, the Cook Book updates incorporate suggestions and information from the industry, including identification of the changes that have occurred in the past 12 months regarding legislation and the changing emphasis in the drivers for lead-free soldering; views from more key people in the industry; clarification of issues surrounding joint inspection using manual, automated optical (AOI) and automated X-ray inspection; enlargement of the Resources Section; and more video clips. For more information, e-mail NPL's Dr. Chris Hunt at [email protected].
ITT Industries to acquire C&K
ITT Industries Inc., White Plains, N.Y., announced that it has agreed to acquire C&K Components Inc., a privately held designer and manufacturer of switches for the telecommunications, computer and electronic-equipment markets. The acquisition is said to be valued at $117 million, after accounting for cash and debt in the company to be acquired. With the acquisition of C&K, ITT Industries reportedly will become the largest switch manufacturer in the world.
Chomerics and Cambridge Tool align
Chomerics, Woburn Mass., a division of Parker Hannifin Corp., and Cambridge Tool, a division of Leggett and Platt Corp., have formed a strategic alliance to provide EMI-shielded housings for electronic equipment such as telecommunication base stations. While both companies will continue to provide their respective products independently, the alliance reportedly offers a "one-stop" facility for obtaining die-cast aluminum housings with integrated EMI gaskets.
UCF opens high-tech business/technology incubator
The University of Central Florida (UCF), Orlando, Fla., recently opened a high-tech business and technology incubator to create new jobs, expand business opportunities and transfer technology from research laboratories to the marketplace. Located in the Central Florida Research Park, UCF's 17,000-square-foot Central Florida Business and Technology Development Center will nurture new, technology-driven companies by drawing heavily on university expertise. The incubation center represents UCF's first university-wide effort to develop small high-tech companies.
Parlex purchases Poly-Flex from Cookson
Parlex Corp., Methuen, Mass., announced that it has completed the purchase of two Cookson Group plc subsidiaries - Poly-Flex Circuits Inc. of Cranston, R.I., and Poly-Flex Circuits Ltd. of the United Kingdom. The acquisition broadens the Parlex product line of flexible interconnects by adding polymer thick-film circuits and circuit assemblies. The Poly-Flex operation contains the surface mount capability that is applicable to the Parlex product line of flexible circuits, laminated cables and assemblies. In addition, the Poly-Flex U.K. facility reportedly will provide a gateway into Europe, Parlex's fastest-growing market.
Müühlbauer speeds up flip-chip development
In response to the growing trend of miniaturization and increased electronics performance, and the transition from wire-bond technology toward flip-chip interconnects, Mühlbauer (Germany) has researched new equipment concepts and technologies focusing on bare die handling in flip-chip technology. This process includes producing semiconductor components by attaching dice to flexible carrier material. The prototype will be introduced in the third quarter. The flip-chip unit will consist of a mechanical part with a motor for different chip heights and an optical system designed for chip positioning on the wafer. The flip axle moves 0 to 180° with a speed of 80 ms. UPH promises to surpass that of traditional tools in the market. The advantages of the prototype will be the elimination of the wirebonding process, reduction of materials and lower height of components. The flip-chip unit can be incorporated in the super-high-speed die bonder DB 200.
Amkor expands CSP capacity and 3-D packaging family
Chandler, Ariz.-based Amkor Technology has expanded its stacked chip-scale package (S-CSP) production capacity to 400,000 units per week. The company also is increasing its research-and-development budget for 3-D packaging in preparation for the increased broad-market demand in cellular phones and new portable applications being forecast by leading analysts. Amkor developed its S-CSP packaging technology, which combines two or more ICs in a stacked-die configuration, to help OEMs meet consumer demand for devices with more functions.