Mobile World Congress
The annual Mobile World Congress - formerly known as 3GSM - is intended to highlight the latest trends in mobile technology and services. It runs from 15-18 February in Barcelona, this year, and is organised by the GSMA (GSM Association). The congress brings together mobile operators, equipment vendors as well as industry figures.
GSMA Mobile World Congress 2010 - Latest News
Wednesday 17 February
MWC2010: Vodafone and Google Square Up In Barcelona
Should Google pay for using the telephone system for its searches? The boss of Vodafone, Vittorio Colao, said Yes at MWC 2010 in Barcelona, while the boss of Google, Eric Schmidt, said No.
MWC2010: TI samples OMAP4 ARM-based smartphone platform
Texas Instruments has started sampling the OMAP 4 chipset platform for smartphones. It is supporting OMAP4 designs with the Blaze suite of mobile development tools.
Tuesday 16 February
MWC2010: Qualcomm to launch dual core SnapDragon processor
Qualcomm is launching a dual core version of its SnapDragon processor later this year aimed at smartphones, smartbooks and tablet PCs.
MWC2010: It's a long road to 4G mobile rollout
While it took 3G UMTS more than five years of costly deployments before the technology had enough critical mass to demonstrate that it was going to succeed, LTE has had a much easier start.
MWC2010: Broadcom spots ADSL/wireless convergence
Broadcom is anticipating the convergence of Ethernet-based wireless and wireline networks with a DSL chipset that comes with its own production-ready reference design platform and firmware.
MWC2010: Testing times for LTE systems
With revenue opportunities for bandwidth-intensive mobile services continuing to blossom and many new applications on the horizon – such as multiplayer gaming, videoconferencing and streaming high-definition video, all on the move – next-generation cellular technology development has moved quickly, with the result that both Long-term Evolution (LTE) and Wimax are now fully-fledged wireless standards.
MWC2010: IPWireless aims video dongles at the iPhone
IPWireless is planning to add video to mobile phones, including the iPhone, through small, low cost dongles using the recently approved IBM multimedia broadcast specification.
WMC2010: Green Hills hypervisor targets chips with dual ARM Cortex A9
Green Hills Software is entering the mobile phone software market with a hypervisor for chips with dual ARM Cortex A9 processors. The Multivisor is based on Green Hill's Integrity real time operating system.
MWC2010: Testing times for LTE systems
With revenue opportunities for bandwidth-intensive mobile services continuing to blossom and many new applications on the horizon - such as multiplayer gaming, videoconferencing and streaming high-definition video, all on the move - next-generation cellular technology development has moved quickly, with the result that both Long-term Evolution (LTE) and Wimax are now fully-fledged wireless standards.
Monday 15 February
MWC2010: RF Transceiver tackles cost of femtocells
Lime Microsystems has introduced a multi-band multi-standard RF transceiver IC for for small cell basestations and femtocells.
MWC2010: Imagination runs Flash 10.1 on PowerVR
Imagination Technologies has demonstrated the results of its collaboration with Adobe to optimise Flash Player 10.1 for mobile and embedded devices, utilising OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration, on application processors with POWERVR SGX graphics processor at MWC 2010 in Barcelona.
MWC2010: Freescale optimises StarCore DSP for LTE
Freescale Semiconductor has added to its StarCore digital signal processor (DSP) offering for basestation designs with a slimmed down version of its MSC8156.
Friday 12 February
MWC2010: Samsung CMOS imager has on-chip processing
Samsung Electronics has increased the degree of integration in CMOS image sensor design for mobile phones with a system-on-chip sensor with on-chip signal processing.
Previous GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 News
Wednesday 18 February 2009
MWC 09 - Omnia HD i8910 adds PowerVR 3D graphics
The Symbian-based handset uses the Texas Instruments OMAP3 multimedia processor platform supported by Imagination's PowerVR SGX graphics processor.
Tuesday 17 February 2009
MWC 09 - Nokia to buy chips from Qualcomm
In the biggest rapprochement since Nixon went to China, Nokia and Qualcomm today announced that Nokia is going to start buying chips from Qualcomm.
MWC 09 - Nokia extends 3G HSPA plans with chip deals
Nokia has been busy signing a number of important semiconductor supplier contracts this week as it confirms its plans for 3G HSPA handset platforms.
MWC 09 - Common mobile charging socket in prospect
Mobiles will share a common charging socket design by 2012, according to an announcement at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The GSM Association and 17 phone companies are collaborating in the initiative.
MWC 09 - RFMD targets CDMA with RF chips
RF Micro Devices is planning a new assault on the CDMA RF front-end chipset market. This will be the chip supplier's first new products aimed at CDMA handsets in around five years.
MWC 09 - Anite teams for MIMO emulator
Anite and Azimuth Systems, a MIMO channel emulator specialist, have launched a Wimax tester, which combines a channel emulator and a basestation emulator.
MWC 09 - TI unveils OMAP 4 for 1080p HD in Barcelona
Texas Instruments has announced the next generation OMAP 4 mobile applications platform which will support 1080p HD video record and playback and 20 megapixel imaging.
MWC 09 - Design makes femtocells GSM compatible
Cambridge Consultants has developed a GSM/GPRS/EDGE/E-EDGE physical layer (PHY) reference design which it said is targeted at mass-market 2G and 2.75G femtocells.
Monday 16 February 2009
MWC 09 - Freescale enhances Netbook browsing experience
At Mobile World Conference 2009 in Barcelona, Freescale announces a raft of people it is working with to get a netbook platform established.
MWC 09 - Huawei next with Android phone
Huawei Technologies has said it will start selling its first smartphone based on the Android platform later this year.
MWC 09 - Xilinx introduces LTE reference design
Xilinx has combined software defined radio and third party IP in an FPGA-based programmable platform for Long Term Evolution (LTE) baseband and radio subsystems for basestations.
MWC 09 - Lime Micro tunes RF transceiver for small femtocells
Lime Microsystems has introduced a second generation multi-band multi-standard RF transceiver IC which has been tuned for femtocells and small cell basestations.
MWC 09 - ST-Ericsson shows Cortex platform for 3G LTE
ST-Ericsson claims to have the first Symmetric Multi Processing (SMP)-enabled mobile platform running on Symbian OS at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.
MWC 09 - PicoChip targets eight-user femtocalls
PicoChip has announced the PC8219, a baseband platform for higher capacity femtocell networks.
MWC 09 - Is mobile broadband at tipping point?
Mobile devices are close to the tipping point where they will be the established means for accessing broadband web services, according to one femtocell supplier.
MWC 09 - HD video runs on Android mobile platform
ZiiLABS will demonstrate HD video playback for the Android open platform with its ZMS-05 media processor and platforms at the Mobile World Congress, Barcelona.
MWC 09 - Motorola 3GPP M2M module programmed on air
Motorola will introduce in Barcelona next week the G30 GSM/GPRS LGA series of wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) modules.
MWC 09 - Mulit-touch sense on TI OMAP35xx platform
Stantum Technologies, which develops multi-touch sensing technology, is introducing a development kit which enables OEMs to create their own multi-touch applications.
MWC 09 - Qualcomm to offer femtocell chipset in 2010
Qualcomm has announced its first 3G femtocell chipsets, but they will not appear until 2010.
MWC 09 - ARM shows its first 32nm high-K metal gate processor
ARM is to show its first 32nm high-K metal gate processor at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.
MWC 09 - TI shows Android on OMAP 3 mobile development platform
Texas Instruments is showing the latest Android mobile platform running on its OMAP 3 mobile development platform this week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
MWC 09 - Android chipsets, but where are the handsets?
Android, Google's open source mobile operating system is expected to be much talked about this week at Mobile World Congress.
Pre-show
Ericsson demos 42Mbit/s dual-channel HSPA links
Ericsson is planing the first demonstration of the HSPA multi-carrier technology for peak downlink data rates of 42Mbit/s at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.
Elonics markets mobile TV tuner in Taiwan and Korea
Elonics has appointed two representative and distributor agencies to cover Taiwan and Korea.
NXP-Sony joint venture adds security to NFC
Moversa, joint venture between NXP and Sony, has unveiled a device which adds security to near-field communications (NFC) wireless links.
Design holding up as Movidia launches 'Facebook' chip
Design starts in the mobile market are holding up despite concerns about falling confidence in the consumer market, according to the head of Irish chip start-up Movidia.
Previous GSMA Mobile World Congress 2008 News
Wednesday 13 February 2008
Orange backs Mobile Linux move in handsets
Orange joins the LiMo Foundation which is bidding to support and accelerate the rollout of Linux in the mobile phone industry.
ST drives NFC into mobiles with single-chip design
STMicroelectronics has a system-on-chip (SoC) device which adds security features to the emerging NFC (near field communications) market.
Tuesday 12 February 2008
Femtocell firms jockey for position at Mobile World Congress
The battle for the femtocell market is starting in earnest at the world's largest mobile phone show in Barcelona this week
Monday 11 February 2008
TI prototypes an Android handset
Texas Instruments is using the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to showcase a prototype handset based on the Android mobile platform, the Google-backed initiative that is based on Mobile Linux.
Friday 8 February 2008
Motorola, Netgear demo femtocells at Mobile World Congress
Motorola will show its 8000 series Motorola Femtocell Access Point at Mobile World Congress 2008. Netgear is also working with Nokia Siemens Networks to certify its Femtocell Voice Gateway.
Qualcomm sees trials for broadband mobile services
Qualcomm has said that a number of network operators are committed to trialing HSPA+ technology this year.
Ericsson makes open software move for HSPA mobile
Ericsson has introduced a verified one-chip HSPA design platform which it said will support a number of major open operating systems.
About the GSMA
The GSMA was founded in 1987 and is a global trade association representing GSM mobile phone operators. More than 690 such operators are members, covering 214 territories or countries of. This doesn't count the 180 manufacturers and suppliers that officially support GSMA's initiatives as Associate Members.
The stated aims of the GSMA are "to ensure mobile phones and wireless services work globally and are easily accessible, enhancing their value to individual customers and national economies, while creating new business opportunities for operators and their suppliers".
GSM wireless standards
The association describes GSM as an evolving' wireless communications standard that covers voice and data services. The related GSM 'family' of technologies comprises: the 'second generation' GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) and 3G GSM services (3GSM) based on W-CDMA and HSDPA technologies. Together these technologies underpin the GSM platform.
GSMA World Mobile Congress - The Event
You can download a brochure of the event and the programme of the Congress is also online.
The list of speakers ranges from Michael Adams of Nortel and Trevor Adey of Consillent to Neik van Veen of Forrester and Thomas van der Zijden of Polymer Vision. Topics covered by conference seminars range from 'Mobile Money Transfer' and 'HSPA Evolution' to 'Personal IM' and 'Mobile Broadband Solutions'.
The Mobile Asia Congress is a sister event that will run 18-20 November, in Macau.
Related technologies
Check out these Electronics Weekly guides to some related technologies
* Wireless - www.electronicsweekly.com/wireless
* WiMAX - www.electronicsweekly.com/wimax
* Bluetooth - www.electronicsweekly.com/bluetooth
* Digital TV - www.electronicsweekly.com/digitaltv
* Mobile Linux - www.electronicsweekly.com/linux
* Microprocessors (x86) - www.electronicsweekly.com/x86micros
* Microprocessors (non x86 - ARM, MIPS, TI) - www.electronicsweekly.com/nonx86micros