Supplier Spotlight - MediaTek | Symmetry Blog

Symmetry Electronics in Blogs on July 05, 2018

About Symmetry Electronics

Established in 1998, Symmetry Electronics, a Division of Braemac, is a global distributor of electronic components and systems. Combining premier components and comprehensive value-added services with an expert in-house engineering team, Symmetry supports engineers in the design, development, and deployment of a broad range of connected technologies.

Exponential Technology Group Member

Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway company TTI, Inc. in 2017, Symmetry Electronics is a proud Exponential Technology Group (XTG) member. A collection of specialty semiconductor distributors and engineering design firms, XTG stands alongside industry leaders TTI Inc., Mouser Electronics, and Sager Electronics. Together, we provide a united global supply chain solution with the shared mission of simplifying engineering, offering affordable technologies, and assisting engineers in accelerating time to market. For more information about XTG, visit www.xponentialgroup.com.

Each week, we'll be showcasing one of our suppliers from our line card and what distinguishes them from the competition. This week's supplier is MediaTek, a leading provider of wireless communications and digital media solutions.

Who is MediaTek?

MediaTek is the world’s 4th largest global fabless semiconductor company and their products power more than 1.5 billion devices a year. They lead the market in chipset technology for Smart TVs, Voice Assistant Devices (VAD), Android tablets, feature phones, Optical and Blu-ray DVD players, and they’re number two globally in mobile phones.

You may not know it, but their chips and technology are already likely part of your everyday life. You will find them in 20 percent of homes globally and nearly 1 of every 3 mobile phones is powered by MediaTek.

What are MediaTek's core businesses?

MediaTek’s core businesses include Mobile, Home and Automotive. They ensure their chipsets share core technologies across these platforms – so every market segment benefits from a single piece of their intellectual property. MediaTek is known for advances in multimedia, AI and expertise delivering the most power possible – when and where needed. Plus their chipsets are optimized to run cool and super power-efficient to extend battery life. Always a perfect balance of high performance, power-efficiency, and connectivity.

Mobile

From faster processing speeds to extended battery life to more responsive performance and sharper, more colorful photographs and videos, a new category of devices is driving features and consumer expectations forward with advancements in power, performance, AI, and connectivity. Consumers are looking for the New Premium, devices that push against the edges of what a smartphone can be and do.

MediaTek brings the new premium to life, pulling high-end features into mid-tier devices so everyone has access to great technology. MediaTek powers a vast amount of the world’s feature phones and smartphones to give everyone equal access to information to make life better.

Home

The latest in home entertainment and smart homes requires vivid, Ultra-HD HDR images, incredible sound quality, and reliable connectivity. MediaTek makes it possible to get the content you want, in the highest quality formats, quickly and affordably.

They are the global market leader in Home Entertainment products, including Digital and Smart TV, optical and Blu-ray players, routers and the newest Voice Assistant Devices (VAD). MediaTek also excels in the personal IoT space with a series of wearable chipsets, including the latest Biosensor module and technologies like Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT).

Automotive

Automated driving is the next frontier for MediaTek. Autus, their suite of automotive solutions and automated driving products use cutting-edge technologies like mmWave, machine learning, and advanced visual processing solutions (V-ADAS).

Technologies like sensors, near- and long-range connectivity solutions, and multiple, powerful applications processors are quickly becoming as prominent in automobiles as engine and aerodynamics technologies.

MediaTek’s 20-year history of developing powerful, efficient and adaptable Systems-in-Package (SiP) for mobile and other technology markets have them poised to power the future of driving.

What technologies does MediaTek specialize in?

NB-IoT

MediaTek builds on its 20+ year history of highly integrated circuit design, power management, processing performance and connectivity expertise to imbue essential features into its IoT products:

Ultra-low power (deep sleep) standby modes
Low-latency wake up
Reliable and stable data connectivity

MediaTek ‘WorldMode’ Modem

MediaTek’s NB-IoT modem is tri-band ‘WorldMode’, with devices that can be shipped globally to support all carriers with NB-IoT compatible networks.

This essential feature means only a single NB-IoT device needs to be designed to address worldwide markets, reducing cost and development time.

MediaTek ‘3GPP Release 14’ Advantage

NB-IoT specification was set at 3GPP Release 13 (R13), however, it misses some essential requirements that the subsequent Release 14 (R14) addresses. MediaTek NB-IoT products lead the market with R14 specification adherence.

This specification advantage gives early NB-IoT adopters piece of mind to create devices that will be the most current for the longest period, which is crucial when designing products and system for extensive install periods.

Artificial Intelligence

They’re meeting the Edge AI challenge head-on with MediaTek NeuroPilot. Through heterogeneous computing capabilities such as CPUs, GPUs and APUs (AI processing units) they embed into their system-on-chip products, they are providing high performance and power efficiency for AI features and applications. Developers can target these specific processing units within the system-on-chip or, they can let MediaTek NeuroPoint SDK intelligently handle the processing allocation for them.

Mobile APU

MediaTek’s ‘APU’ is its AI Processing Unit, which can consist of single-to-many cores. Specifically, their ‘Mobile APU’ is the first generation, specifically designed for smartphones and mobile devices, providing highly energy-efficient AI operation processing.

Build-Friendly Frameworks

Applications can be built using common frameworks such as TensorFlow, TF Lite, Caffe, Caffe2 Amazon MXNet, Sony NNabla, or other custom 3rd party frameworks. At the API level for Android OS, Google Android Neural Networks API (Android NNAPI) and MediaTek NeuroPilot SDK are supported. The NeuroPilot SDK extends the Android NNAPI allowing developers and device makers to bring their code closer-to-metal for better performance and power-efficiency.

4G LTE

MediaTek has aggressively invested in 4G technologies and successfully launched MediaTek WorldMode chipsets that support 4G LTE-Advanced (FDD-LTE and TDD-LTE), as well as legacy 3G/2G technologies such as WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, CDMA2000/EVDO, EDGE and GSM.

Their focus is to meet user-demands of connection reliability and quality with cutting-edge features like dual SIM 4G VoLTE and ViLTE, envelope tracking, smart antenna control technologies, and inclusion of the latest industry standards like EVS, HPUE, 600MHz Band 71 support and more.

Best Coverage
- LWA (LTE and Wi-Fi) and LTE-U (unlicensed spectrum) technologies offer the best use of unlicensed bands to improve coverage and performance.
- Now active in the North American region, new 600MHz Band 71and the HPUE standard are both available in MediaTek 4G LTE modems.
Clarity and Consistency for Calls
- VoLTE provides the best sound quality, reliability and fastest time-to-connect, so you get the most out of calls. MediaTek 4G LTE modems support a comprehensive advanced IMS (IP multimedia sub-system) that includes: VoLTE, ViLTE, RCS, WFC 2.0, EVS (enhanced voice services) codec and SWB
Longer Battery-Life
- MediaTek’s Envelope Tracking Module (ETM 2.0) monitors the voltage supplied to the RF power amplifier in real-time, and uses continual, fine-grained voltage adjustments to optimize the power amplifier’s efficiency. By ensuring the power amplifier is operating at peak efficiency, particularly during LTE-A and Carrier Aggregated use, it uses less power, extending the phone’s battery life and reducing the heat generated.
Dual SIM, Dual 4G VoLTE Leadership
- Building on their first-to-market leadership in Dual SIM, Dual Standby (DSDS) technologies, MediaTek’s latest dual SIM technology allows both SIM slots to support 4G performance and VoLTE, ViLTE, HD voice and video calling. To learn more visit their dedicated Dual 4G VoLTE
Smart Antenna Technology
- MediaTek’s TAS 2.0 is a smart antenna technology that seamlessly auto-switches between antenna operating states to retain optimal connectivity and high throughput. It avoids unnecessarily high antenna power amplification, reducing heat generated; improving operational efficiency and extending battery life.