MediaTek Incorporated is a global fabless semiconductor company that enables nearly 2 billion connected devices a year. MediaTek is a market leader in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile devices, home entertainment, connectivity, and IoT products. MediaTek today is a driving market force in several key technology areas, including highly power-efficient mobile technologies, automotive solutions, and a broad range of advanced multimedia products such as smartphones, tablets, digital televisions, 5G, Voice Assistant Devices (VAD), and wearables. MediaTek empowers and inspires people to expand their horizons and achieve their goals through smart technology, more easily and efficiently than ever before. Mr Kuldeep Malik, Director – Corporate Sales, MediaTek India, in an interaction with Mobility Magazine shares MediaTek’s outlook, plans and mission.
Q. How do you position MediaTek in India as a leading chipsets manufacturer?
MediaTek-powered 5G smartphones have already hit the market, with more devices ready to join the league from leading brands in the coming months. At the core of these devices are the exclusive high-performance 5G technologies developed by MediaTek. With the anticipated launch of 5G, we foresee record growth in the coming years.
Built for 5G, the new-generation Dimensity series of SoCs from MediaTek is designed to cater to the evolving market demands thanks to their enhancements like multi-core architecture, SOC (system on Chip) 5G modem providing efficient power capabilities, enhanced AI processing unit (API), and more. MediaTek SoCs are suitably designed for entry-level, mid-range and flagship-level smartphones, so we expect positive growth in the shipment of 5G smartphones powered by MediaTek in 2021.
Increasing broadband penetration in India will also escalate the demand for smart-devices for IoT, smart city, infotainment, smart home, gaming and more. MediaTek has identified this market opportunity and is spearheading the growth of the smart-device ecosystem in India by supplying chips for devices like smart TVs, game consoles, Wi-Fi routers, voice-assisted devices, smart-home appliances and health & fitness equipment.
Q. What are the key focus segments for your chipsets? Please throw some light on MediaTek’s product portfolio.
MediaTek focuses on key segments like smartphones, laptops &tablets, smart TVs, blu-ray, DVD, STBs, voice assistant devices, smart speakers, Wi-Fi routers, enterprise-grade Ethernet PHY, automotive products, smart home, and IoT devices.
MediaTek has been consistently leading the SOC market with their 2G/3G/4G chipsets and now continues to lead the 5G SOC segment by offering high-performance platform Dimensity series at a global scale with their flagship 1200 platform. The chipsets are designed under different price ranges, making them accessible to the cross-section of society thus contributing to the digital empowerment of the community.
MediaTek has a strong focus on the gaming & entertainment segment in India. The pandemic-driven new life/work culture has brought significant demand for gaming smartphones in India. With our exclusive gaming technology, MediaTek HyperEngine built into these devices, we are revolutionizing the mobile gaming sector in India.
In response to the government’s call to Make in India, we are also working with local manufacturers to design ‘desi’ products that will make the Indian brand prominent worldwide in the coming months.
Q. How has the pandemic affected MediaTek’s business? What is your post-pandemic strategy?
Overall, the pandemic has had a very short-term impact on MediaTek’s business. As you know, since the complete lockdown announced in March, almost the entire businesses in India had to pull their shutters down for a couple of months. Smartphone sales hit a new low, and so was the case for other devices. However, things got on track soon thanks to the pro-active measures adopted by the Government of India to combat the pandemic. For MediaTek, business was not largely affected because we deal with OEMs directly, not end-users. All the product launches, which were planned during this period, went as scheduled. However, due to the impact of the lockdown on the devices business, especially smartphones, our OEMs had to postpone their launches, but gradually the demand will progress in sync with the next level of the market requirements.
As things improved, there is an opportunity in the post-COVID market conditions. The new digital normal practiced by the people during the COVID period is likely to continue, especially to meet day-to-day functions like education, work, shopping, banking, and entertainment. This coincides with the launch of 5G, which is likely to happen this year in India. With 5G, the device ecosystem is awaiting explosive growth spurred by innovations in IoT, smart home, gaming, automotive, entertainment, and more. Thus, we have lined up our products strategically to serve the post-pandemic device market, which would also get a boost with 5G.
Q. What can the market expect from MediaTek’s chipset for 5G-enabled smartphones in India?
MediaTek has come up with a series of innovations to empower the 5G smartphone ecosystem in India. MediaTek Dimensity 5G SoC brings the flagship performance to the mass market, making technology democratization a reality in India. Realme X7 Pro 5G and Oppo Reno 5 Pro 5G are among the two 5G smartphones featuring Dimensity 1000+ 5G SoC that already hit the market.
What’s significant about MediaTek’s latest processors is that they support all previous-generation technologies from 2G to 5G, including the support for the latest 5G SA (Standalone), so users benefit from the ultra-fast connectivity offered by 5G technologies wherever available, while they can also enjoy the benefits of 4G as they want. The country currently has over 500 million smartphone users, which is estimated to reach over 760 million in 2021. With the ongoing shift to online apps and digital technologies to improve the quality of living, new buyers will prefer gadgets that can empower them with more functionality. Thus, to serve the pan-India demands, we need to focus on products that will serve the entire demographic, from entry-level to premium segment. Thus we will also focus on sub-15K products to cater to the large section of prospective users who will turn to 5G networks in the coming years.
Q. What is special about MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200 Premium 5G SoC?
In January 2021, MediaTek launched the flagship Dimensity 1200 5G SoC that offers highly integrated solutions for a wide range of devices from the high-end to the mid-tier segments. With an octa-core CPU built on a 6nm node, Dimensity 1200 also features an integrated 5G modem, dual 5G SIM, sub-6 GHz support, 2CC carrier aggregation and dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS). Smartphones powered by Dimensity 1200 are set to beat the competition with a bouquet of performance enhancements like UltraSave power saver technology; MediaTek HyperEngine 3.0 gaming technology; AI enhancements like AI Multi-Person Bokeh, AI-Panorama Night Shot, and AI noise reduction; and display with ultrafast 168 Hz refresh rates.
Dimensity 1200 has already received TÜV Rheinland certification for its 5G performance, with tests covering 72 real-world scenarios. The certification validates that the chip delivers reliable, high-performance 5G connectivity and offers users high-quality 5G experiences across a wide variety of scenarios. Smartphones powered by Dimensity 1200 are expected to arrive soon. Apart from smartphone manufacturers, smart device makers from across a wide range of industries have expressed their interest to launch products using Dimensity 1200.
Q. What are MediaTek’s plans for the next 2 years?
India’s device ecosystem continues its trend towards faster technology adoption. Apart from the new digital trends induced by the pandemic and the expectations around the efficiencies of 5G, there is a growing optimism especially with the government’s focus on attaining sustainable growth through domestic manufacturing. The recently announced PLI schemes and economy stimulus packages are likely to add further impetus to the already attained momentum. Going forward, MediaTek will continue to work with the leading Smartphone OEM partners operating in India and deliver the best products to meet the demands of a variety of users, thereby helping the country attain digital inclusion. We have already collaborated with VVDN and are in the process of designing several Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) solutions for home and office use. Meanwhile, we will also work with foreign manufacturers to deliver innovative device solutions for India.