Broadcom Contributes Bluetooth Software Stack into Android Open Source Project

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

News Highlights:

• Broadcom's Bluetooth software stack chosen for stability, quality and interoperability  
• Single, common platform simplifies application development and enables innovation in Bluetooth products and services
• Contribution helps proliferate Bluetooth use in Android-powered devices

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today announced the contribution of its Bluetooth software stack to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). The software will also be included in Android 4.2. For more news, visit Broadcom's Newsroom.

Broadcom's offering consolidates features, Bluetooth specification support and APIs, providing developers a single, common platform for building new applications. By incorporating Broadcom's contribution, Android provides OEMs, accessory makers and applications developers a robust Bluetooth solution that will help drive continued Bluetooth use in Android-powered devices and open the doors for the development of new Bluetooth applications – including heart rate monitors, 3D glasses, remote controls and sensors.

The interpretation of a standard like Bluetooth can be understood and implemented differently across different devices.  Over the past ten years, Broadcom has updated and refined its software to account for variations in device behavior.  By regularly participating in the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) UnPlugFests, Broadcom ensures interoperability between devices and across different product segments.  The contributed Broadcom stack is vendor agnostic and has been proven on multiple Bluetooth chips from different vendors. 

Broadcom's leading Bluetooth software stack has shipped in more than one billion devices, enabling seamless communication between smartphones and tablets. As the largest Bluetooth solution supplier on Android, Broadcom will continue to optimize the stack and drive innovation for the Android ecosystem.  

Market Drivers:

• 1.3 million Android devices are activated every day, about 12 devices per second¹
• The Bluetooth market is expected to achieve cumulative shipments of more than 20 billion by 2017²

Quote:

Mark Powell, Executive Director, Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) 

"This announcement marks an important milestone as we continue to see Bluetooth technology proliferate in the market for mobile device operating systems. Close integration of Bluetooth technology at the operating system level provides maximum interoperability and enormous benefits for developers and consumers alike, and will be one of the major factors contributing to the near triple-digit growth projected for Bluetooth technology in the next five years."

Michael Hurlston, Broadcom SVP and GM, Wireless Connectivity Combo

"Demand for Android devices is growing, and new advancements in Bluetooth technology, like Bluetooth Smart Ready, offer exciting new applications and user experiences. But the fragmentation of Bluetooth software stacks has prevented developers from building Bluetooth applications that support all Android smartphones and tablets. Broadcom's proven Bluetooth software stack and open source support removes these barriers, enabling a new generation of exciting Bluetooth products for a range of applications such as health monitoring and home management services."

Resources:

¹ Google, September 2012

² ABI Research, Bluetooth Research Service, August 2012 

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a FORTUNE 500® company, is a global leader and innovator in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products seamlessly deliver voice, video, data and multimedia connectivity in the home, office and mobile environments.  With the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and embedded software solutions, Broadcom is changing the world by connecting everything®.  For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our business and industry, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, references to our ability to drive innovation in the Android ecosystem and the demand for Android devices. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss the important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements used in this release speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or circumstances.

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SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Mobile & Wireless