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New Flash Microcontroller Range from Motorola
Motorola's New Flash Microcontrollers to Enable New Applications in Thousands of Products
Motorola, Inc. releases a new microcontroller product line designed to give
manufacturers increased flexibility, and a broad range of products enhanced
functionality. Equipped with flash technology at a low price point, the
Motorola Nitron HC08 family of 8-bit microcontrollers will impact consumer,
automotive and industrial products ranging from light dimmer switches to washing
machines.
"Motorola has put a stake in the
ground with the Nitron family, offering Flash technology at a price point half
the current market," said Tony Massimini, chief of technology, Semico Research
Corporation. "The Nitron family will mean significant evolution of product
capabilities that will improve the functionality of an untold number of products
- and allow manufacturers to adjust to changing market demands quickly and
cost-effectively."
At a suggested resale price
of $0.70* (USD), the Nitron family competes with the less flexible
microcontrollers, including one-time programmable (OTP) memory. Its flash
technology allows manufacturers to re-program microcontrollers several times in
the development cycle, adding flexibility to adjust to fast-changing market
demands or correcting problems remotely in the field.
"The Nitron family's Flash technology and low
cost offer manufacturers the agility to quickly change their product lines by
reprogramming their microcontrollers much later in the manufacturing process,"
said Fred Shlapak, executive vice president, Motorola, Inc., and president of
Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector. "Developers will be able to bring new
functionality to a host of cost-sensitive products through new applications and
consumers will see the difference as home appliances, for instance, will have
high-end features - without seeing a significant impact on
price."
For example, a lighting manufacturer
that currently offers a basic dimmer switch can use a Nitron 68HC908 Flash
microcontroller to add features, such as programmable settings, time delays and
safety shut-off, with minimal effect on the price. A power tool, such as a
drill will be able to adjust its own applied torque, dependant on the
application need. This technology is able to help lower product costs and
thereby drive higher volume from the manufacturing plant to the
shelves.
Redefining the 8-Bit
Microcontroller Market According to Semico
Research, the 8-bit microcontroller market is valued at $4.5 (USD) billion in
2002, and predicts that it will grow to $5.6 (USD) billion by 2006. Semico
estimates that Motorola is currently the market leader with more than 24% of the
marketplace. Semico estimates the 8-bit microcontroller marketplace to be 43%
of the total microcontroller market, even while the actual selling price for
8-bit microcontrollers will be declining. This projects the Motorola Nitron
initiative in the 8-bit market as representative of a much larger market share
going forward.
Internationally, the Nitron
family is projected to have exceptional growth, especially in China and Korea.
Semico's Massimini notes, "Korea should be a region of high-growth for
microcontrollers, while China's "New Golden Economy" will also generate high
demand for microcontrollers, according to the SEMICO Forecast Workshop,
September 5, 2002."
ELMARC s.r.l, Company, of
Antonio Merloni Spa, is a leader in Europe for the production of domestic
appliances, producing 3 million appliances per year. An early embedded system
developer using Nitron microcontrollers, ELMARC reports that upgrading time has
been reduced from months to hours, when compared to previous microcontroller
designs.
"Motorola's 68HC908 devices
incorporate on-chip Flash memory that not only enables us to re-program our
systems many times during the development cycle, but also to program late in the
manufacturing cycle and make upgrades remotely in the field," said Marco
Borgiani, president of ELMARC. "This means we can offer our customers new
features, better performance, safety features and security, with a minimal
increase in costs. The Nitron family will enable us to introduce a
microcontroller into a very cost-critical application -- the thermostat of a
refrigerator."
The company's Web site address is http://www.motorola.com/.
[Reprinted with kind permission from Motorola]
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