Telecom Lead Asia: Marvell
has launched Avastar 88W8897, a low-power 802.11ac combination radio chip.
The new chip is designed to improve the mobile computing and
HD multimedia experience for consumers.
Marvell claims that the Avastar 88W8897 is the industry’s
first 802.11ac 2×2 combination radio chip, pairing NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 with
mobile multiple input multiple output (MIMO), transmit beamforming and support
for WI-FI CERTIFIED Miracast.
Marvell’s latest addition is designed specifically for
ultrabooks, tablets, gaming consoles and smart TVs.
“Wireless connectivity is a critical pillar in
supporting the always-on lifestyle. I am very proud to see the great innovations
of our engineers continue to raise the bar by significantly improving network
throughput, energy efficiency, and ease-of-use all simultaneously in a highly
integrated single chip solution,” said Weili Dai, co-founder of Marvell.
Optimized for the next generation of smart devices in the
home and office, the Avastar 88W8897 enhances the performance of current
consumer electronic devices. It enables new applications and innovative
products in mobile commerce, digital entertainment, healthcare and electronic
security.
Marvell claims that the 88W8897 is the only chip that
increases throughput with 802.11ac technology while simultaneously leveraging
NFC to enable simple tap-and-go wireless capabilities. Additionally, the
88W8897 system-on-a-chip (SoC) offers the highest level of integration
available, which enables a rest of bill of materials (RBOM) footprint reduction
of 40-to-50 percent and cost reduction of 75 percent compared to previous
wireless solutions.
When paired with ultrabooks, the 88W8897 is designed to
enable this constant connectivity, keeping e-mail, social media and digital
content up-to-date even when a device is in standby mode a capability lacking
in legacy notebooks.
By coupling Marvell’s full Wi-Fi offload solution with
Windows 8 features such as Wake On Wireless functionality and connected
standby, 88W8897 is expected to meet the demands of today’s consumer and
deliver the AOAC computing experience.
“Near field communications (NFC) and 802.11ac enable
next-generation wireless capabilities while simultaneously offering increased
speed, coverage and battery life. We project that shipments of NFC chipsets
will exceed 100 million units in 2012 and forecast that 802.11ac will be one of
the most influential new technologies in the mobile market in the coming
years,” said Mark Hung, research director of Gartner.
