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Skyworks and Ember to develop front-end modules for ZigBee applications

09/09/2008

Atlanta – Sept. 8 – Skyworks Solutions, maker of high-performance analog and mixed signal semiconductors enabling mobile connectivity, and Ember, a producer of ZigBee technology, today announced that they are partnering to develop the industry’s first portfolio of ZigBee front-end modules (FEM) targeting applications such as smart meters in energy management, home area networks (HAN), and industrial automation. ZigBee is a wireless network standard that solves the unique needs of remote monitoring and control, and sensor-network applications.

“Skyworks’ partnership with Ember accelerates our efforts in the energy management industry by more than doubling our addressable market for front-end modules,” said Stan Swearingen, Skyworks’ vice president and general manager of linear products. “By integrating our front-end modules with Ember’s ZigBee silicon, we are offering our customers a high-performance, plug-and-play solution.”

“Ember and Skyworks are teaming together to create the industry’s first ZigBee FEM that dramatically reduces component size, cost and power consumption,” said Bob Gohn, Ember’s vice president of marketing.

West Technology Research Solutions (WTRS) is forecasting the ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 market to grow at an annual rate of over 117 percent ─ from approximately 8.4 million units shipped in 2007 to as many as 516 million in 2012.