Infineon Provides Key Components in Xbox 360 Game Console
2005-08-29 | posted by Chairman Steve | print
Infineon Technologies today announced that it will supply three key components for the Microsoft Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. Infineon will provide a removable solid-state memory unit product, a single-chip application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) wireless game-pad controller that makes cables unnecessary for game play, and an advanced security chip.
Xbox 360 consoles with Infineon-produced chips and components are expected to be on the shelves in the fourth quarter of this year. Financial details of the design collaboration and supply agreement were not disclosed.
"Collaboration with leading suppliers of semiconductors and electronic components is essential to the realization of Microsoft's vision to deliver entirely new capabilities in consumer entertainment," said Marc Whitten, Director, Xbox Peripherals at Microsoft. "Infineon's broad and complementary IP portfolio, system integration skill, manufacturing expertise and proven track record were crucial factors in our decision to work with the company on these components."
Infineon is leveraging its IP in areas such as security, memory control and embedded firmware into ASIC-based system solutions for the Xbox 360. For the memory unit, the company designed an ASIC memory controller, created the embedded software that runs on the chip and designed the system printed circuit board. And the security chip is a custom implementation of Infineon's proven authentication technology.
The chips were developed in Germany, Israel and Italy and will be manufactured in France. Using the flexibility of Infineon fab clusters, Infineon's ASIC components can be manufactured worldwide in multiple locations, allowing customers additional supply-chain flexibility and opportunity to expand. This is a very important value proposition in the consumer electronics industry where security of supply and reliable high-volume manufacturing are paramount.
"Today, customers require a system view to technology development in order to achieve increased performance, lower cost and a higher level of integration. Infineon is taking this system design approach to bring more value to its key customers," stated Peter Bauer, Member of the Management Board, Executive Vice President and Head of Automotive, Industrial and Multimarket business group at Infineon Technologies.SOURCE: Infineon |