Chipmaker ST-Ericsson has unveiled a low-cost Android-ready platform that will help device manufacturers produce mass market smartphones with a wholesale price of less than EUR100. The platform is designed to support Linux-based operating systems, such as Android. It is equipped with an HSPA modem capable of delivering downlink speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps. ST-Ericsson anticipates that device vendors will release first commercial products based on the platform in the first half of 2010.

ST-Ericsson, a global leader in mobile platforms and semiconductors, has developed a platform that supports Android, which manufacturers could use to produce smartphones with a wholesale price of less than EUR100, depending on the final device specification. A highly-integrated and very power-efficient platform, the U6715 promises to significantly broaden the smartphone segment, making these advanced and customizable handsets affordable for the mass-market.
ST-Ericsson anticipates manufacturers will launch the first commercial products based on the U6715 platform in the first half of 2010, meeting growing demand for compact and low-cost smartphones. These handsets will be capable of downloading and running a wide range of applications that enable consumers to customize their phones to access the services that fit their lifestyle. 

“There is a huge surge in consumer demand for handsets that can be customized with downloadable apps, but, up to now, smartphones have been too expensive for many potential buyers,” said Marc Cetto, Senior Vice President and head of 3G and Multimedia division at ST-Ericsson. “Our U6715 platform has been designed to enable the smartphone to break out of its current high-end niche and become a true mass-market product in 2010.”

Designed to run Linux-based operating systems, such as Android, the U6715 platform can support all the essentials of the smartphone experience, enabling consumers to enjoy navigation, web browsing, video streaming, email, WiFi, a five megapixel camera, a touch screen and much, much more.

The U6715 also includes an HSPA modem capable of delivering downlink speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps. Equipped with a 1000mA battery, smartphones based on the platform can play music for up to 40 hours and provide a talk time of up to 7 hours on a 3G network on one battery charge, or even remain on standby for up to 25 days.

The U6715 deploys an innovative approach to system and silicon design that enables Android and other Linux-based operating systems to run on structurally-less expensive silicon, without compromising the end user experience. An elegant and powerful multimedia engine integrated into the hardware architecture of the U6715 frees up the majority of the platform’s microprocessor subsystem to run applications.

About ST-Ericsson

ST-Ericsson is a world leader in developing and delivering a complete portfolio of innovative mobile platforms and cutting-edge wireless semiconductor solutions across the broad spectrum of mobile technologies.  The company is a leading supplier to the top handset manufacturers and ST-Ericsson’s products and technologies enable more than half of all phones in use today.  The company generated pro-forma sales of about USD 2.7 billion in 2009.  ST-Ericsson was established as a 50/50 joint venture by STMicroelectronics and Ericsson in February 2009, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.