Silicon Labs Surpasses 1 Billion Units Supplied of Innovative Digital Architecture-Based Broadcast Radio ICs
--Industry's First CMOS “Radio-on-Chip” IC Widely Adopted in Consumer Electronics and Automotive Designs--

July 5, 2011 – Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ: SLAB, Country Manager Jong-Chan Lee), a global leader in high-performance analog-intensive mixed-signal ICs, announced that it has surpassed one billion units in the supply of its broadcast radio ICs, marking a significant achievement in the broadcast radio market. Silicon Labs' digital CMOS broadcast radio ICs are widely used in handsets, portable media players (PMPs), personal navigation devices (PNDs), automotive information systems, desktop radios, portable radios, boomboxes, and numerous consumer electronics products.

Silicon Labs launched the industry's first single-chip FM receiver in 2005. Characterized by the industry's smallest size, highest performance, and highest density, the Si4700 FM broadcast radio IC completely revolutionized consumer FM tuner design. At the time, existing broadcast audio solutions were based on high-cost, complex analog architectures requiring more than 30 discrete components; however, the highly integrated Si4700 brought innovation to the field of broadcast radio design by providing exceptional and flexible performance while reducing component count by over 90% and board area by over 60%.

Six years later, Silicon Labs is rapidly expanding its broadcast audio portfolio with over 40 individual products, including FM radio receivers, FM radio transmitters/transceivers, AM/FM receivers, shortwave and weather band receivers, RDS data receivers, and automotive radio receivers. These products are currently being adopted as broadcast radio ICs by numerous leading consumer electronics brands.

"Silicon Labs is the first company in the industry to launch all types of monolithic CMOS FM receivers, providing breakthroughs in cost, size, integration, and performance for handsets, navigation devices, media players, and consumer electronics broadcast receiver applications," said Jag Bolaria, Senior Analyst at Linley Group. "Silicon Labs continues to lead innovation in the CMOS FM transmitter, multi-band AM/FM/SW, and weather receiver markets, and all of these products are being widely adopted in the consumer electronics, portable, and automotive markets."

Silicon Labs' broadcast radio ICs utilize its patented low-IF digital architecture. This architecture provides the highest levels of selectivity and sensitivity for radio, reducing interference and delivering superior reception. Additionally, Silicon Labs broadcast receivers incorporate advanced audio processing technology that delivers superior sound quality compared to competing radio receiver ICs.

Diwakar Vishakhadatta, General Manager of Broadcast Audio Products at Silicon Labs, stated, “Silicon Labs is pioneering new methods to solve system design challenges through mixed-signal technology,” adding, “Silicon Labs’ single-chip FM, AM/FM receiver, and transceiver product families are good examples.” “These products help reduce design costs and complexity while providing customers with a wider range of features and functions that support product differentiation in the market. Silicon Labs continues to invest in and innovate low-IF digital architectures to remain a strategic supplier of broadcast radio technology to the industry,” the company stated.

Silicon Labs holds and has filed approximately 100 patent applications worldwide for audio technology related to its AM and FM products.