LG Electronics TVs Now Has Integrated Headphones and Cell Phones Bluetooth Technology

Broadcom Corporation, a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that LG Electronics (LGE) has integrated its advanced Bluetooth(R) technology into a new line of digital televisions (DTVs) that are now shipping. Broadcom(R) Bluetooth capabilities featured in these new LGE televisions enable an innovative and personalized user experience by allowing consumers to connect other devices, such as wireless stereo headphones and cell phones, to the TV set.

By enabling the cell phone and headset to interplay with the TV via Broadcom Bluetooth technology, LGE takes advantage of the existing ecosystem of Bluetooth devices to bring advanced audio streaming and digital media sharing features to consumers. Broadcom's technology also positions the cell phone for future applications such as functioning as a TV remote control or a QWERTY keyboard input device for TV-based widgets and electronics commerce applications.

Additionally, Broadcom Bluetooth technology allows the new LGE TVs to act as a wireless docking station for MP3-enabled cell phones and portable media players (PMPs), allowing music and other audio to play over TV speaker systems. It also allows 'picture push' capabilities that enable users to wirelessly move digital photos and other graphic files from Bluetooth-enabled camera phones to the LGE TV for viewing and sharing.

"Consumers are continuing to discover that Bluetooth is much more than just a wireless headset, with the technology rapidly gaining adoption in digital televisions," said Fernanda Summa, TV Product Manager, LG Electronics. "Broadcom Bluetooth technology provides the right combination of features and performance for embedded and consumer electronics applications, delivering advanced multimedia capabilities and low power consumption driven by Broadcom's expertise in mobile handsets."

Wireless Technologies Changing Digital TV Experience
The Bluetooth ecosystem continues to expand, bringing relevance to the technology far beyond the traditional mobile phone/hands-free headset applications for which it is best known. Bluetooth connectivity enables viewers to leverage common DTV features, such as high-end speaker systems and large format display capabilities, to enjoy media content stored on their MP3 players and mobile phones (with digital photo capabilities) while also allowing viewers to privately enjoy high quality sound streamed to headphones without cords or wires. Broadcom estimates that the total available market (TAM) for embedded Bluetooth solutions will be more than 938 million units by 2012.

"The increasing adoption of Broadcom Bluetooth technology into digital televisions and other consumer electronics devices is driving an emerging connectivity ecosystem, allowing existing products with Bluetooth connectivity like cell phones and wireless headsets to play new roles," said Craig Ochikubo, Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom's Wireless Personal Area Networking line of business. "Broadcom is helping to drive this trend and we look forward to our continued collaboration with LGE to transform consumer interaction with these devices."

Broadcom Bluetooth Technology
Having shipped over one billion Bluetooth products, Broadcom offers the broadest family of Bluetooth silicon and software solutions for mobile phones, PCs, wireless headphones and headsets, peripherals, gaming and other applications. Broadcom's Bluetooth solutions are widely recognized in the industry as the most broadly deployed and feature-rich solutions. The world's largest manufacturers of consumer electronics, mobile phones and personal computer products rely on Broadcom Bluetooth technology to provide their customers with a unique, intuitive and rich user experience, increasingly free of wires and cables.

Additionally, Broadcom offers the most complete Bluetooth software in the industry, maintaining end-to-end integration of its protocol stack, application profiles, and audio enhancement and processing algorithms.

With the increasing availability of Internet-based video and other digital content, many CE vendors are also adding Wi-Fi(R) to provide easy access to multimedia content on digital TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray Disc(R) players throughout the home. Broadcom has integrated its wireless hardware and software into several of its industry-leading video platforms to accelerate the development of connected consumer electronics.