STMICROELECTRONICS: several of its products are present in Nintendo switch system

(AOF) – Stmicroelectronics annoncé That icts advanced semiconductors, Including icts motion sensors, touch screen controller, STM32 microcontrollers and Its NFC controller, Were Chosen for the Nintendo system Switch, the latest Nintendo console’s cutting edge game of innovation.(STM -14.44 € 1.01% )

ST’s 6-axis inertial sensors are integrated into the main console and Nintendo Switch controllers, responding to player movements to drive games. The inertial sensor consists of 6 axes of very small dimensions (2.5 mm x 3 mm x 0.6 mm). The sensitivity of the two-dimensional spectrum to the low-frequency spectrum of the signal to be measured.

A capacitive touch screen controller from ST is integrated into the main console and provides high sensitivity. Combining an analog interface and a digital signal processor with a microcontroller core, this controller allows multi-touch operation with high reactivity. The touch screen controller supports many types of structures and capacitive materials, and can be configured according to the particular tactile sensitivity required by consumers.

Finally, the Nintendo Switch uses three 32-bit STM32 ST microcontrollers to ensure an ideal balance between processing capacity, low power consumption, onboard memory and enclosure dimensions. A high performance STM32 microcontroller in a compact housing is integrated into the Joy-Con (R) control to manage the Motion Sensor Infrared (IR) camera and the NFC function. In addition, a low-power STM32 microcontroller is integrated into the Joy-Con charging grip, on which the joysticks meet the lifetime constraints of the battery while performing signal processing functions. Another STM32 microcontroller is integrated into the docking station of the main console for power management functions.

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The strengths of the value

– Ninth in the world and Europe’s leading semiconductor manufacturer for telecom, electronic consumer products and robotization;
– World leader in electromechanical microsystems (Mems) and in motion sensors for tablets and mobiles, a market it controls at 48%, far ahead of its competitors;
– One of the most innovative companies in its sector, notably in microcontrollers and power electronics;
– Strategy focused on automotive, AMS (analog products, Memories, sensors) and MMS (microcontrollers, memory and security), which will account for 2/3 of turnover in 2015 and 80% of operating profit;
– Sound financial situation.

The weak points of the value

– Strong competitive pressure in mobile integrated circuits;
– Unbalance between the Sense Power and Automotive Division, the beneficiary, and the Embedded Processing Solutions (EPS) division;
– Markets broken: smartphone saturation, decline of PCs, not compensated by the rise of connected objects, for the automobile in particular;
– Profitability lower than that of other heavy goods vehicles in the sector due to a high fixed cost structure, particularly in Europe;
– Uncertainties about governance;
– Sluggish outlook until the end of 2016.

How to track value

– Very cyclical sector, highly dependent on the automotive, IT, industrial and consumer sectors;
– Market volatility based on global semiconductor stock levels, Intel and AMD comments, industry mergers and Euro-dollar exchange rates;
– Impact of the reorganization of the group into two divisions, SP & A and EPS;
– Implementation of the exit plan for the semiconductor business for decoders, with the suppression of 1,400 jobs;
– Chinese competition, the country targeting a five-fold increase in its semiconductor sales by 2020;
– Non-operable value, controlled at 27.5% by ST Holding, a company held equally by the Italian and French states.

Electronic

The market for connected objects is becoming increasingly competitive and is expected to cause casualties among manufacturers. Certain categories of products, such as connected cameras, Garmin (check Garmin golf simulators too) and TomTom, are both well known.  Nevertheless, it is important to understand the importance of the market. The disappointments of Parrot underline the difficulties that appear for the manufacturers. (PARRO-8,17 € -3,20% )The DJI, the American company, had a very good reputation for its products. Parrot has also revised its positioning and targets the most promising niches of photography and virtual reality and it relies on innovation to differentiate itself. It also relies on commercial services and applications to the professional market. Even on connected watches, which is a carrier segment, some manufacturers, such as LF, throw in the towel in the face of exacerbated price competition.

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