The lightning does strike twice: DSPG found its way again into a Samsung Flagship Device

28 August, 2016

A year after DSPG’s HDClear chip was integrated into Samsung’s Galaxy S7, the company’s voice enhancement processor entered Galaxy Note 7

A year after DSPG’s HDClear chip was integrated into Samsung’s Galaxy S7, the company’s voice enhancement processor entered Galaxy Note 7

Smasung's Note 7
Smasung’s Note 7

By Orna Gadel, Techtime

Israeli DSPG managed to make its DBMDB4 voice enhancement processor part of Samsung’s new flagship smartphone – the Galaxy Note 7. This is the second time that DBMDB4 finds its way into a Samsung flagship smartphone, and the third time Samsung chose it for its high-end device.

It seems that bit by bit, the Israeli based company is enlarges its footprint in the mobile market, while the Samsung connection is beginning to look and feel like a long term partnership.

This is a relatively new alliance: In November 2015, it was revealed by Techtime that Samsung included DSPG’s voice processor in its Gear S2 smartwatch . About six months ago, it came out that the company’s new generation of HDClear processor, dubbed DBMD4, was integrated into Samsung Galaxy S6 released in the beginning of 2016. The S7 was one of Smasung’s highest rated devices.

For DSPG, this is an amazing feat. The device is not only a flagship device of one of the world’s most important producers, but (as Techtime has learned), it was integrated into the main version of the smartphone. Samsung has decided to make two versions: one is based on Qualcomm Snapdragon processor to be distributed in the US, China and Japan, and a second version is based Samsung’s own processor to be distributed in the rest of the world. DSPG’s processor was chosen for the more important Qualcomm’s version.

The Note 7's after being dismantled by iFixit
The Note 7’s after being dismantled by iFixit

Note 7 under the hood

This month, without any warning, press release or celebrations, DSPG processor has found its way into yet another of Samsung flagship devices: the Note 7. This advanced smartphone features a 5.7 AMOLED screen and HDR video support. It is based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, the Adreno 530 GPU graphic processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. The Note 7 also features high security applications such as identification based retina scan and IP68 waterproof standard.

Even the Stylus pen is waterproof: if the need arises, one can write underwater notes. A few days ago, the engineering website iFixit undertook the delicate operation of dismantling Note 7 to reveal its secrets. After a careful work, the team exposed its main PCB double sided motherboard.

The motherboard
The motherboard

The major elements are mounted in its upper side, alongside Snapdragon 820 processor. The processor is hidden beneath a Smasung 4GB memory chip (red square in the picture above). It also includes a 64GB Samsung Flash memory (orange), Avago wireless module (yellow), NXP NFC controller (green), two Qorvo RF modules (light blue). A Murata wireless module (purple) and the Audio corner (blue). The “audio corner” which contains two chips: WCD9335 Qualcomm decoder, and DSPG DBMD4 voice processor.

DBMD4 supports analog and digital microphones, and has a full development suite for android based devices. The processor is based on TrulyHandsfree, Sensory and Google Hotword operating platforms. Most important: it releases the main Application Processor from the need to perform audio and voice tasks.

DSPG-STOCK
DSPG Stock in NASDAQ

The investors comes back

The evolving relationship with Samsung does DSPG good. Analysts and traders see the integration of DSPG’s components in three Samsung high-end devices as a vote of confidence and a sign of things to come. This positive sentiments may very well be the force behind the improving DSPG stocks in NASDAQ.

In February, DSPG’s stock was traded for $8.1. Early in March came the Samsung S7 news, and the company’s stock began to rise and this week it reached $12, giving the company a market value of approximately $267 million. If the stock performance is the result of Samsung-DSPG cooperation, than it is a clear sign that the investors no longer measure DSPG according to its traditional and declining market – the DECT wireless phone market.

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Posted in: Mobile , News , Semiconductors , Technology