Leadis Technology Expands LED Driver Portfolio With Four-Channel LDS8842 & Three-Channel LDS8830 Enabled With 1.33x Mode

Leadis Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:LDIS), an analog and mixed-signal semiconductor developer of color display drivers, LED drivers, and audio ICs for mobile consumer electronic devices, today announced sample availability of the LDS8842 and LDS8830, the second and third in a new family of charge pump based LED drivers featuring a highly efficient 1.33x-mode enabled charge pump. Targeted at mobile backlighting applications, the LDS8842 and the LDS8830 support up to four LEDs and three LEDs, and with maximum current supply of 25mA and 32mA per channel respectively. At the turn of this century, cell phones have evolved from voice-centric devices to true multi-media platforms. This evolution has caused a tremendous paradigm shift in how these communication devices are used. Whereas only five years ago users would use their cell phones for voice communication, today users exchange text messages, read and write emails, share photos, connect to the Internet, shoot videos and activate integrated GPS-Navigation systems from their cell phones. All of these applications center around the cell phone display: users spend more time looking at the display of their cell phone than talking into it. Cell phones’ displays are getting larger, with higher resolution and are much more power hungry. Most of the power consumed by the display is actually drawn by the LEDs that light it up. As LED Drivers chips (like the LDS8830 and LDS8842) control the power drawn by the LEDs, any improvement in efficiency, however small, can bring large benefits to the overall battery life of the cell phone. In addition to the 1x/1.5x/2x charge pump modes traditionally offered, the LDS8842 and LDS8830 integrate an additional charge pump mode that generates an output voltage equal to 1.33 times the input voltage. Leadis’ 1.33x pump mode serves as a higher-efficiency intermediate mode between the 1x and 1.5x modes, resulting in efficiency improvements of up to 10% over traditional offerings. Compatible with input voltages ranging from 2.3V to 5.5V, these devices provide up to 92% efficiency with no added external capacitors as compared to conventional 1.5x charge pumps. Both the LDS8842 and LDS8830 are offered in a 3mm x 3mm package, with the LDS8830 being also available in a tiny 2.5mm x 2.5mm package. "We’re pleased to introduce the second and third members of our new, 1.33x-mode enabled, charge pump LED driver family,” said Donato Montanari, Vice President and General Manager of LED Drivers at Leadis Technology. "The higher efficiencies possible with our 1.33x technology provide customers with an additional means to increase battery life for their mobile offerings, enabling product differentiation and an enhanced consumer satisfaction. These devices are offered in extremely small packages that are suitable for today compact cell phone designs, where real estate is at premium.” About the LDS8842 The LDS8842 is a high-efficiency 1x/1.33x/1.5x/2x fractional charge pump capable of driving up to four LEDs at up to 25mA each. LED dimming control is programmable with a one-wire interface enabling current level adjustment from 0.78mA to 25mA. LED channel matching is supported within +/-1.5%, with current accuracy at +/-2%. Input voltages from 2.5v to 5.5v are supported with efficiency up to 92%. Operation at switching frequencies of 1.3MHz (1.5x mode) and 1MHz (1.33x and 2x modes) enables low noise input ripple and utilization of small external ceramic capacitors. Other product features include soft start and current limiting, thermal shutdown and short circuit protection, and a low current shutdown mode of 1uA max. The LDS8842 is offered in a 16-lead thin QFN 3mm x 3mm package with a maximum height of 0.8mm. About the LDS8830 The LDS8830 is a high-efficiency 1x/1.33x/1.5x/2x fractional charge pump capable of driving up to three LEDs at up to 32mA each. LED dimming control is programmable with a one-wire interface enabling current level adjustment from 1mA to 32mA. LED channel matching is supported within +/-1.5%, with current accuracy at +/-2%. Input voltages from 2.5v to 5.5v are supported with efficiency up to 92%. Operation at switching frequencies of 1.3MHz (1.5x mode) and 1MkHz (1.33x and 2x modes) enables low noise input ripple and utilization of small external ceramic capacitors. Other product features include soft start and current limiting, thermal shutdown and short circuit protection, and a low current shutdown mode of 1uA max. The LDS8830 is offered in a tiny 12-lead XQFN 2.5mm x 2.5mm with max height of 0.4mm or in a 16-lead TQFN or 12-lead TDFN 3mm x 3mm package with a max height of 0.8mm. About Leadis Technology, Inc. Leadis Technology, Inc., headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, designs, develops and markets analog and mixed-signal semiconductors that enable and enhance the features and capabilities of mobile and consumer electronics devices. Leadis' product offerings include color display drivers, which are critical components of displays used in mobile consumer electronic devices; LED drivers, which provide controlled levels of current required to drive light emitting diodes in diverse applications including mobile backlight units; and audio CODEC and FM transmitter ICs, which are integral components in mobile media players and their associated aftermarket accessories. Leadis currently supplies display drivers supporting the major small panel display technologies, including a-Si and LTPS TFT LCD's, color STN LCD's, and color OLED displays, LED drivers supporting mobile backlighting applications, and audio ICs supporting portable media players and aftermarket audio accessories. For more information, visit www.leadis.com. Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to the anticipated features, capabilities, benefits, potential market size, intended uses and performance of Leadis' new LED Driver IC, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, delays in ramping new products into production, lack of market acceptance of our new products, risks associated with the company's efforts to expand its business beyond LCD display drivers, including the new LED drivers, delays in the integration of our ICs into consumer electronic devices, our reliance on third-party manufacturers, general mobile handset and semiconductor industry trends, and other risks detailed and from time to time in Leadis' reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006. Leadis disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. (LDISG)