Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI), (NASDAQ: UEIC) today announced that
it has partnered with fabless semi-conductor company Ozmo Devices
(Ozmo) to make available the company’s ultra-low power, low-cost Wi-Fi
Direct technologies in UEI’s connected remote control platforms.
In today’s connected homes, Wi-Fi has become the ubiquitous
standard for Internet connectivity and is the de-facto connectivity
solution across mobile, tablet, consumer electronics, and entertainment
delivery platforms.
A new industry standard – Wi-Fi Direct – developed and certified
by the Wi-Fi Alliance is further expanding the usability of Wi-Fi,
especially as it offers backward compatibility with existing 802.11
a/g/n Wi-Fi Certified devices in the market. Wi-Fi Direct is gaining
rapid adoption highlighted by a range of recent announcements such as
native support in operating systems including Google’s Android 4.0 &
Microsoft Windows 8, as well as inclusion of Wi-Fi Direct in DLNA
interoperability guidelines.
According to In-Stat, an NPD Group company, the number of Wi-Fi
Direct-enabled devices shipped in 2011 was estimated to be 173 million
led by desktop computers, connected televisions, mobile phones and
notebooks. Furthermore, In-Stat expects that every PC, CE device, and
mobile phone that ships in 2014 with Wi-Fi silicon will be Wi-Fi
Direct-enabled. Wi-Fi Direct creates a much more powerful Wi-Fi
solution, as it enables the premier wireless networking standard to add
point-to-point capability, with no need for a Wi-Fi access point.
Because Wi-Fi Direct is a software add-on, there is no additional cost
to the platform manufacturers over basic Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi Direct, with high
throughput and compatibility with a wide array of devices, provides a
reliable and future-proof platform for innovative new content control
and distribution applications within the home.
Through this relationship, UEI and Ozmo plan to bring to market
an end-to-end solution that leverages existing integrated Wi-Fi radios
in connected devices bundled with a highly integrated, ultra-low-power,
low-cost Wi-Fi Direct remote control that delivers reliable,
interference-free performance and a long battery life. UEI’s Connected
Remotes, with Wi-Fi Direct, provide seamless connectivity for a variety
of Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the home allowing the remote to act as a
traditional wireless controller using Wi-Fi’s non-line of sight
capability while offering cost and performance benefits over other RF
solutions.
UEI’s Connected Remote also brings a host of benefits to today’s
connected consumers, where an estimated 70% of tablet users use their
tablets while watching television. Through Wi-Fi Direct, UEI’s Connected
Remotes will be able to wirelessly connect to tablets and add them to
the control ecosystem, providing a simpler, more user-friendly TV
viewing experience.
Current “IR bridge” solutions are expensive and hard to set up
with limited appeal to mainstream consumers because the “bridge” has no
consumer benefit when the tablet is absent. UEI’s Connected Remote will
bring added value in leveraging the rich user interface of those touch
screen devices by enabling:
- a lean forward control experience when a tablet is used and a
lean back experience with the connected remote when the tablet is
removed;
- zero set-up and configuration of the UEI touch screen control app so users can be up and running in minutes; and
- Wi-Fi Direct integration that adds minimal component cost to
the traditional remote but delivers a huge value-add in terms of
performance and connectivity.
“With the ability to connect our remotes to many Wi-Fi devices in
the home, we will be able to bring a host of new features and services
that will make the remote control, not only an integral feature, but
also a key component of the connected home”, said Paul Arling, chairman
and chief executive officer of UEI. “The opportunity to partner with
Ozmo, who shares the same innovative spirit as UEI, promises to bring
exciting new product solutions for our customers and end users.”
“Leveraging the ubiquitous Wi-Fi infrastructure and our current
technology roadmap, we believe we have a strong market advantage
compared to existing wireless remote control technologies like RF4CE and
Bluetooth”, said Bill McLean, Ozmo’s chief executive officer. “As the
worldwide leader in wireless AV control, UEI brings a rich history of
innovative product introductions that have shaped the remote control
industry. We are excited to have chosen UEI as our partner in this
market and look forward to jointly driving a new standard in
connectivity for home entertainment peripherals.”