CSR to Combine High-Performance, Low-Power Bluetooth Reference Designs with Freescale Platforms

Ref: EME9871

Photo Ref: PEM4595

To download: http://www.csr.com/images/hires/pem4595.jpg

CSR plc (LSE:CSR) and Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL)(NYSE:FSL.B) are collaborating to provide mobile phone makers withfull-feature, high-performance, low-power Bluetooth(TM) referencedesigns. CSR's BlueCore hardware and software for Bluetooth will becombined with Freescale's 2.5G, 2.75G and 3G mobile phone platformsand the i.MX family of applications processors.

CSR's BlueCore4 ICs, BlueCore Host Software (BCHS) and BCHSInstant Mobile together with Freescale's platforms and processorsprovide a complete system solution for handset manufacturers to get tomarket quickly. Freescale's Mobile eXtreme Convergence (MXC) cellularplatforms and i.MX processors are designed to deliver high performancewith low power consumption, open OS support, and built-in security.

BlueCore4 is the industry-leading silicon implementing Bluetoothv2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate). BlueCore4 delivers data rates up to3-times faster with lower power consumption than previous Bluetoothdevices. CSR's BCHS provides the upper layers of the Bluetoothprotocol stack, plus a large library of Bluetooth profiles, to providea complete software solution with a simple API for embedded BlueCoreapplications. BCHS reduces power consumption by implementing allpossible low power modes such as deep sleep mode, allowing theBlueCore silicon to effectively shut down the Bluetooth radio when notin use, minimizing the drain on a phone's power supply.

"Our proven, integrated 2.5G and 3G platforms and applicationsprocessors, joined with CSR's market-leading BlueCore technology,offer mobile phone makers robust reference designs to help deliverbetter performance and longer battery life," said BerardinoBaratta,General Manager of Multimedia Applications Division forFreescale's wireless group. "These are mature solutions manufacturerscan trust and use to put Bluetooth technology on mobile handsetsquickly and easily"

Matthew Philips, Senior VP Mobile Handset Connectivity StrategicBusiness Unit, CSR added, "CSR is interested in delivering the mostadvanced wireless technologies to mobile device makers in the shortesttime possible and making the integration as easy as possible." Philipscontinued, "Our partnership with Freescale is an excellent step inthis direction, and we feel sure this will benefit mobile phone makerswho chose to use Freescale's leading handset platforms."

About CSR

CSR plc is the leading global provider of Bluetooth technology andhas developed expertise in other single-chip wireless communicationstandards such as Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). CSR offers developedhardware/software solutions for Bluetooth based around BlueCore, afully integrated 2.4 GHz radio, baseband and microcontroller.

CSR has now launched its fifth generation BlueCore suite and is involume manufacture of its fourth generation BlueCore devices.BlueCore4 supports the Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) standard, which wasratified at the end of 2004. BlueCore4 remains the only EDR silicon tobe shipping in volume today. In November 2004 CSR launched UniFi, thefirst single chip 802.11a/b/g embedded solution specifically targetingthe mobile phone and consumer electronics markets.

BlueCore features in over 50 percent of all Bluetooth devicesshipped and over 60 percent of all qualified Bluetooth enabledproducts and modules listed on the Bluetooth website with industryleaders including Nokia, Dell, Panasonic, Sharp, Motorola, IBM, Apple,NEC, Toshiba, RIM and Sony using BlueCore devices in their range ofBluetooth products.

In March 2005, CSR acquired Clarity Technologies Inc., for itsClear Voice Capture (CVC) technology that enhances the audioperformance of any voice-based product or system. Applications for CVCinclude wireless headsets, handsets and automotive hands free systems.

In August 2005, CSR completed the acquisition of UbiNetics'software business, providing a strong R&D team to accelerate itsexisting software development in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and UWB. TheUbiNetics team gives CSR the capacity to extend its offering to mobilehandset customers.

CSR has its headquarters and offices in Cambridge, UK, and officesin Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, India, France, Denmark, Sweden andboth Texas and Detroit in the USA.

More information can be found at www.csr.com and the partner website www.btdesigner.com

More information about Bluetooth technology can be found on theSIG web site at www.bluetooth.com

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:FSL) (NYSE:FSL.B) is a globalleader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors forthe automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets.Freescale became a publicly traded company in July 2004 after morethan 50 years as part of Motorola, Inc. The company is based inAustin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturingor sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale, a member ofthe S&P 500(R), is one of the world's largest semiconductor companieswith 2005 sales of $5.8 billion (USD).

www.freescale.com

Freescale(TM) and the Freescale logo are trademarks of FreescaleSemiconductor, Inc. All other product or service names are theproperty of their respective owners. (C) Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.2006.