Synaptics announces ClearPad 2200 touchscreen controller for smartphones
That's smartphones, guys. Not superphones, and certainly not phablets (sorry, we hate that word too). After showing off its slate-friendly ClearPad 7300 multitouch display at CES, Synaptics is back with a smaller 2200 series controller designed for phones. Specifically, modest little handsets with screens measuring four inches or less. And, it'll be among the company's first capacitive panels to make use of the outfit's SignalClarity technology, which promises to boost the signal-to-noise ratio for improved accuracy and finger separation. No word on which manufacturers will be taking a chance on the new tech -- not that we expect to see that spec emblazoned across their marketing materials anyway. Still, perhaps Synaptics will be so kind as to let us test that precision claim when we swing by Barcelona next week.
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Next-Generation Synaptics ClearPad Caters to Entry-Level Smartphone Market
Synaptics ClearPad™ 2200 Introduces Multi-Touch Technology for Smaller Screen Devices
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Feb. 22, 2012 – Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA), a leading developer of human interface solutions for mobile computing, communications and entertainment devices, today announced its next-generation ClearPad™ 2200 touchscreen controller, which is optimized for display screens typically up to four inches. With capacitive touch sensing technology in more than one billion devices, Synaptics has the system level engineering expertise to address the proliferation of entry-level smartphones by enabling the best possible user experience. In addition to efficient system channel design, the high report rates and low latency makes ClearPad 2200 the most responsive capacitive touchscreen in the industry for this segment of the smartphone market.
"Smartphones will see explosive growth over the next five years as the potential market reaches 1 billion units, with greater than 50% of mobile phones expected to feature capacitive touchscreens by 2014. Our research shows that smartphones with a smaller display touchscreen, typically lower-end models, are the path to large scale adoption of capacitive touch solutions. Suppliers with a product portfolio that addresses the full spectrum of handset models will be well positioned for success," said Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies. The Synaptics ClearPad portfolio makes capacitive touchscreen sensing possible for OEMs' complete line of products from entry-level to high-end smartphones to large form-factor tablets, and other electronic devices.
The ClearPad 2200 uses advanced filtering and noise mitigation algorithms that interface with a wider range of noisy components, such as chargers and displays, while being flexible enough to support various sensor and sensor-on-lens stack-ups. ClearPad 2200's advanced touch controller improves tracking accuracy and finger separation, and provides robust environmental and electrical noise immunity for an unmatched user experience. ClearPad 2200 leverages Synaptics Design Studio™4 (DS4), the ClearPad development solution embedded with patented SignalClarity™ Technology. Synaptics DS4 offers the most advanced and comprehensive touch system tools in the market and accelerates the ClearPad development cycle. It empowers customers to design, evaluate and optimize the touch experience and performance, while streamlining the implementation of their custom ClearPad sensor solution.
"The ClearPad 2200 complements the existing 3200 family and its sophisticated analog front end by offering improved touchscreen sensitivity even with noise from power supplies or displays," said Kevin Barber, SVP and GM of Synaptics Handheld Business. "By optimizing the performance of true multi-touch image sensing for smaller displays, ClearPad 2200 successfully addresses the needs of our customers in the growing entry-level smartphone market."
Synaptics will exhibit its latest solutions at the 2012 Mobile World Congress (MWC) show in Barcelona, Spain, from February 27 through March 1. Meetings in Hospitality Suite 4.7HS39 are by appointment. Customers and ecosystem partners are encouraged to contact their Synaptics representative to schedule a product demonstration.
