Featuring Knowles SmartMic (IA610), the world’s first microphone with
an integrated DSP enabling low power always-on voice-wake
ITASCA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Knowles
Corporation (NYSE: KN), a market leader and global provider of
advanced micro-acoustic, audio processing, and precision device
solutions, today announced its solution was selected by global
smartphone leader vivo for its new flagship vivo NEX AI (artificial
intelligence) smartphone. The Knowles SmartMic (IA610) is a technology
breakthrough combining the company’s market leading, high-performance
SiSonicTM MEMS technology with a state-of-the-art audio DSP
into a single, miniature package. The result is a flexible, highly
integrated microphone solution ideal for applications that require
always-on voice-wake as well as low power voice control. This includes
mobile phones, headsets and battery operated consumer products as well
as plugged-in devices requiring energy compliance. The Knowles SmartMic
is the world’s first device to offer audio edge processing and lower
system power in a ultra compact MEMS microphone package.
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Knowles SmartMic (Photo: Business Wire)
With voice rapidly emerging as the primary user interface, the vivo NEX
smartphone incorporates “Jovi AI”, an artificial intelligence assistant.
The Knowles SmartMic plays a key role, enabling voice wake with voice
command that keeps the system asleep for longer periods of time, saving
battery life and enabling a better user experience. It’s the first
microphone to incorporate an audio processor with custom-built machine
learning (ML) support for audio applications and ML-optimized algorithms
to achieve superior performance.
Unlike competing voice-wake solutions that only work with one particular
application processor (AP) or architecture, the Knowles SmartMic enables
smartphone customers to use the same solution across their entire
product portfolio, regardless of the AP or architecture, resulting in
faster time-to-market, lower development costs, and a consistent
user-experience across their devices.
Vivo’s Vice President, Zhou Wei said, “Vivo collaborated with our
strategic partner Knowles to customize a professional voice processor
chip. This enables a solution to realize always-on under low power mode.
In addition, it provides voice identification technology which allows
the vivo NEX phone to recognize the owner’s wake up command more
accurately. We look forward to working with Knowles in the future to
offer world class audio and AI features to help differentiate our
products in the competitive smartphone market.”
“Vivo is a true innovator in the smartphone space. Their approach to
AI/ML in phones is impressive and we value the collaboration we have
with them. From the beginning, vivo understood the value of adding audio
edge-processing to their phones and we are excited about the
partnership, not just for this project using the Knowles SmartMic in the
vivo NEX phone, but for others in the future,” said Jeffrey Niew,
President and CEO of Knowles.
For additional information about Knowles’ Intelligent Audio solutions,
including its smart microphones and discrete multi-core advanced audio
processors, visit www.Knowles.com.
About Knowles Corporation
Knowles Corporation (NYSE: KN) is a market leader and global provider of
advanced micro-acoustic, audio processing, and precision device
solutions, serving the mobile consumer electronics, communications,
medical, military, aerospace, and industrial markets. Knowles uses its
leading position in MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) microphones
and strong capabilities in audio processing technologies to optimize
audio systems and improve the user experience in mobile, ear, and IoT
applications. Knowles is also the leader in acoustic components used in
hearing aids and has a strong position in high-end capacitors. Knowles’
focus on the customer, combined with unique technology, proprietary
manufacturing techniques, rigorous testing and global scale, enables it
to deliver innovative solutions that optimize the user experience.
Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, Knowles has
employees in 11 countries around the world. For more information, visit knowles.com.
The IA610 includes a Low Power Sound Detector (LPSD), an audio
processing algorithm with acoustic activity detection licensed as an IP
block from Sensory, Inc. which device manufacturers can request to be
enabled.
About Vivo
A global smartphone brand focused on introducing perfect
sound quality and ultimate photography with cutting-edge technology,
vivo develops innovative and stylish products for young people. We now
have over two hundred million users and are one of the preferred brands
of young people around the world. As an Official Sponsor of the FIFA
World Cup™, vivo believes in the importance of encouraging young people
to embrace self-expression and an energetic lifestyle. More information
about our innovative smartphones can be found at www.vivo.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “expect,”
“anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “budget,” “continue,” “could,”
“intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “seek,” “should,”
“will,” “would,” “objective,” “forecast,” “goal,” “guidance,” “outlook,”
“effort,” “target,” and similar expressions, among others, generally
identify forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the
statements were made. The statements in this news release are based on
current plans, expectations, forecasts, and assumptions involving risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ
materially from those outcomes or results that are projected,
anticipated, or implied in these statements. These risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to: MEMS microphone demand
from our largest customers, in particular, two large North American OEM
customers, a large Korean OEM customer and Chinese customers; the
success and rate of multi-microphone and smart microphone adoption and
market adoption of our “intelligent audio” solutions; our ability to
stem or overcome price erosion in our segments; fluctuations in our
stock's market price; fluctuations in operating results and cash flows;
our ability to prevent or identify quality issues in our products or to
promptly remedy any such issues that are identified; the timing of OEM
product launches; downward pressure on the average selling prices for
our products; risks associated with increasing our inventories in
advance of anticipated orders by customers; macroeconomic conditions,
both in the U.S. and internationally; foreign currency exchange rate
fluctuations; our ability to achieve continued reductions in our
operating expenses; our ability to qualify our products and facilities
with customers; our ability to obtain, enforce, defend or monetize our
intellectual property rights; increases in the costs of critical raw
materials and components; availability of raw materials and components;
managing new product ramps and introductions for our customers; our
dependence on a limited number of large customers; our ability to
maintain and expand our existing relationships with leading OEMs in
order to maintain and increase our revenue; increasing competition and
new entrants in the market for our products; our ability to develop new
or enhanced products or technologies in a timely manner that achieve
market acceptance; our reliance on third parties to manufacture,
assemble, and test our products and sub-components; changes in tax laws
or our ability to utilize our tax structure and any net operating losses
and other factors that we may not have currently identified or
quantified; and other risks, relevant factors, and uncertainties
identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2017, subsequent Reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and
our other filings we make with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission. Knowles disclaims any intention or obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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Media & Investors
Mike Knapp
Knowles Investor
Relations
630-238-5236
Mike.Knapp@Knowles.com
Source: Knowles Corporation