Mobile digital television chip company Siano Ltd. CEO Alon Ironi looks to win in China, with the company developing processors for the CMMB platform. Everyone believes that the delivery of visual broadcast content to mobile receivers, whether cellular telephones, laptops, or other communications or computer device, to be a fact.
As always, the penetration of a new technology needs a surge in demand and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games may generate that surge. The China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting (CMMB) is a mobile television and multimedia standard created for the Olympic Games, and where it will be officially launched. The standard will operate in 37 cities across the country.
Siano plans to benefit from the CMMB launch. The company recently launched its mobile digital TV (MDTV) receiver chip, the SMS118X, which targets the China's domestic mobile TV market.
Ironi adds that the company has also won several design wins, including from China's Panda Electronics Group Co., which will produce a USB stick that will turn a handset into a TV or MP4 player.
Ironi said, "In mid-2007, we decided to target the Chinese market. This is going to be a very big market, with tens of millions of devices in the coming years, including 500,000 to one million devices this year this year, and five to ten million devices next year. We expect a double-digit penetration rate for mobile devices."
The financial scope of such plans is hard to quantify. However, assuming $10-20 per chip for consumer electronics, Siano could see tens of millions of dollars revenue from the Chinese market in 2009 alone. Siano has raised $34.5 million from Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), Star Ventures, Walden Israel, and Bessemer Venture Partners since the company was founded in 2004.
Siano first ventured into the Chinese market in 2006 when it began collaborating with TechFaith Wireless Co. Ltd., a mobile phone manufacturer.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 5, 2008
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2008