SAN JOSE, Calif. & CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CSR plc (LSE: CSR; NASDAQ: CSRE) today announced that Alps Electric Co., Ltd. will be integrating CSR’s aptX® codec in its automotive connectivity modules. The collaboration will enable Alps’ OEM customers to offer CD-like audio quality for Bluetooth® Stereo streaming in automobiles, whether consumers are streaming audio to the head unit, or to rear-seat entertainment applications for watching movies or gaming. Alps is yet another automotive electronics manufacturer to select aptX in recent weeks, demonstrating the increasing demand for high-fidelity wireless audio in cars.
“We are seeing a significant shift in consumer audio habits as CD install rates decline and Bluetooth replaces it as one of the primary transports for stereo audio in today’s in-vehicle systems,” says Hideo Izumi, Senior Manager, Engineering Department at Alps. “Unlike other wireless delivery methods aptX offers high-fidelity audio over a Bluetooth connection, achieving the quality that consumers desire. And because the technology is integrated into hundreds of millions of smartphones on the market today, consumers won’t experience any compatibility issues.”
In order to fit within the Bluetooth ‘pipe’ and transmit wirelessly, audio needs to use a bit rate reduction technique. CSR’s aptX audio technology uses a non-destructive solution to ensure the audio is transmitted over Bluetooth’s available bandwidth. It replicates the entire frequency of the audio, maintaining CD-like audio over the Bluetooth connection and ensuring that users can hear everything as the artist originally intended. By eliminating lip and action-synchronization issues, and offering lower latency than other streaming methods, at 40ms as opposed to ~150ms for A2DP streaming, it also enhances rear-seat entertainment applications, such as watching movies and gaming.
“We are delighted to announce aptX in Alps connectivity modules,” says Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President, Business Group at CSR. “Alps is a long-time partner of CSR’s and a recognized leader in delivering cutting edge connectivity features to the automotive market. CSR and Alps share the vision that aptX will significantly improve the performance of Bluetooth music streaming in the vehicle not only for the head unit but also for the rear seat entertainment system. CSR’s aptX not only addresses quality issues but because it’s also compatible with the majority of smartphones on the market, including flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S4, Blackberry Z10 and HTC One, it ensures automotive manufacturers can future-proof their solutions. The automotive community is now clearly seeing this as an attractive proposition and “driving” aptX into next generation in-vehicle systems.”
CSR is offering aptX support in all of its latest automotive grade connectivity devices including the CSR8350™ and CSRC9300™ to support the growth of the aptX ecosystem within the vehicle. The AEC-Q100 qualified BlueCore5™ Multimedia chip can also support aptX streaming today.
aptX enjoys widespread adoption in the consumer electronics industry and has become the standard mechanism for high fidelity Bluetooth streaming. Visit www.aptX.com for a list of the latest aptX enabled smartphones, tablets, headsets, speakers and other devices from leading audio brands.
About CSR
CSR is a global provider of innovative silicon and software solutions for the location-aware, media-rich, cloud-connected world. Our platforms are optimised for the automotive navigation and infotainment, document imaging, connected home infotainment and wireless audio markets. We provide solutions to complex problems in the audio-visual, connectivity and location technology domains across a broad range of markets, with a technology portfolio that includes GPS/GNSS systems, Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi®, FM, NFC, aptX® and CVC™ audio codecs, JPEG, MPEG, H.264 imaging, PDL printing, microcontrollers, DSPs and broadband receivers. CSR's technology solutions and market platforms enable its customers to deliver a superior user experience and are adopted by leaders in the auto, computer, home and mobile markets. More information can be found at www.csr.com. Keep up to date with CSR on our technical blog or CSR people blog, YouTube, Facebook or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CSR_plc.
About ALPS Electric Co., Ltd.
Since its founding, Alps Electric has supplied around 40,000 types of electronic component to over 2,000 manufacturers of home appliances, mobile devices, automobiles and industrial equipment, allowing us to identify market and technological trends. We deliver optimal product by responding quickly and appropriately to customer and market requirements. A current focus as we look to support the creation of a low-carbon, digital society is the development of power-efficient green device.
CAUTIONARY NOTE ON FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains certain statements (including statements concerning plans and objectives of management for future operations or performance, or assumptions related thereto) that are not historical facts and constitute ‘forward looking statements’ within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 in relation to CSR’s aptX® codec technology and Bluetooth® Smart platforms, and their performance characteristics in automotive and consumer electronics products, and other future events and their potential effects on CSR. These forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as ‘will,’ ‘can deliver,’ ‘offers', 'allows', 'to enhance,’ ‘enables,’ 'designed to' and other similar expressions regarding the performance characteristics of CSR’s aptX® codec technology and Bluetooth® Smart platforms, and their performance characteristics in automotive and consumer electronics products, and their potential effects on CSR. Any future release of CSR’s aptX® codec technology and Bluetooth® Smart platforms or automotive or consumer electronics products containing such technology, related products or modifications to such products’ capability, functionality or features are subject to ongoing evaluation by CSR and its customers, and may or may not be implemented and should not be considered firm commitments by CSR or its customers and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. Such forward-looking statements represent the current expectations and beliefs of management of CSR, and are based upon numerous assumptions regarding CSR’s business strategies and the environment in which CSR will operate and therefore involve a number of known and unknown risks, contingencies, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of CSR, including, but not limited to, those detailed from time to time in CSR’s periodic reports (whether under the caption Risk Factors or Forward Looking Statements or elsewhere), which are available at the SEC’s web site http://www.sec.gov. Each forward looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof. CSR does not undertake to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking statements contained herein, otherwise than required by law.
Bluetooth® and the Bluetooth logos are trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and licensed to CSR.
Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access®, WPA®, WPA2®, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ and Wi-Fi Multimedia™ are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Other products, services and names used in this document may have been trademarked by their respective owners.
