作为改善财务状况的战略计划的组成部分，欧洲芯片厂商意法半导体(STMicroelectronics)宣布计划退出移动数字合资公司ST-Ericsson。意法半导体周一(12月10日)在电话会议上宣布，计划在2013年第三季度结束前退出该合资企业，并已经就各种选项展开磋商。
消息公布后，意法●爱立信表示会坚持其在今年四月份公布的战略方向，继续其下一代技术研发的交付工作。并将延续与意法半导体和爱立信的产业及技术合作关系，保证其客户承诺和产品供应。
与此同时，意法半导体首席执行官Carlo Bozotti对分析师表示，ST将专注于五个关键产品领域。在这些领域中，ST已经处于领先地位或者能够很快成为领先厂商。这五个产品领域是MEMS与传感器、智能电源、汽车电子、面向数字消费者的微控制器与应用处理器。
在应用处理器领域，ST将放弃移动数字领域，但将继续生产机顶盒芯片、有线modem、DisplayPort连接芯片、网络处理器、汽车信息娱乐器件与游戏ASIC。
Bozotti表示，作为重组的一部分，ST将分成两个产品集团：传感器，智能电源与汽车及嵌入处理器。这两个领域预计将实现盈利并创造现金。
ST表示，不计重组费用，这些变化将把公司的季度净营业费用降低大约9亿美元，到2014年初降至6-6.5亿美元。该公司的营业利润率目标是10%或更高。
HIDesmc
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
第二页：ST退出无线市场红海竞争是主因
第三页：退出了，还可以做合作伙伴
相关阅读：
• ST-Ericsson向ST转移处理器业务，裁员1700人
• 意法爱立信重组完毕，强化ModAP业务盈利至上
• 意法半导体否认将拆分出售手机芯片业务HIDesmc
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爱立信(Ericsson)在单独发表的声明中表示，将与ST共同确定合适的战略解决方案，但未宣布打算出售其在合资企业中的股份。“爱立信继续相信，modem技术对于无线产业来说具有战略价值。Modem技术最初促成了该合资企业，”爱立信在简短声明中表示，“对于爱立信来说，建立该合资企业的首要目标是成功地向市场推出新型LTE modem，这些产品将在市场上非常有竞争力并有强烈需求。”
意法●爱立信也表示将继续与爱立信在先进的无线通信领域的合作，把创新的具有竞争力的modem解决方案带给市场。
意法●爱立信已经开始同客户和运营商，对其创新的LTE modem进行测试，该平台是其下一代NovaThor和Thor平台的核心。意法·爱立信LTE modem已经在爱立信先进的网络环境下以及其他一些网络设备厂商的网络环境下进行了密集的IOT测试。
采用意法半导体先进工艺制程技术的NovaThor单芯片modem和应用处理器平台已经出样，并且确认了其在性能提升和超低功耗运行方面所取得的突破性进展。下月即将于拉斯维加斯举办的美国国际消费电子展（CES）上，该项技术合作的成果，将会在意法·爱立信下一代NovaThorModAp平台上进行演示。
在ST方面，Bozotti则在电话会议上对分析师表示：“移动宽带是非常重要的市场，但对于ST来说并不重要。”
过去三年无线市场发生的重大变化促使ST做出退出决定。来源：ST的战略规划介绍。
HIDesmc
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
第三页：退出了，还可以做合作伙伴
相关阅读：
• ST-Ericsson向ST转移处理器业务，裁员1700人
• 意法爱立信重组完毕，强化ModAP业务盈利至上
• 意法半导体否认将拆分出售手机芯片业务HIDesmc
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ST表示，在退出过程中，将继续利用应用处理器、IP与制造工艺技术来支持ST-Ericsson。其中将包括FD-SOI工艺，ST率先在28纳米节点采用这种工艺，并计划向20纳米推进。
同时不会彻底放弃移动数字市场。ST仍将为该市场生产动作、环境、图像与触摸传感器；以及音频放大器、麦克风、安全微控制器、AMOLED显示驱动器。
同样，意法●爱立信也表示将继续与意法半导体的合作，作为其供应链、先进处理技术的合作伙伴以及应用处理器IP的供应商。
意法●爱立信总裁及CEO Didier Lamouche表示：“意法·爱立信在今年4月份确立了新的战略方向：通过自身直接开发或者合作的方式，开发具有竞争力的系统解决方案。我们正在稳健积极的执行我们的战略调整，并且已经履行我们的承诺。正如我们今年早些时候所承诺的一样，我们已经开始向领先的客户提供高集成度的ModAp平台，并对我们最尖端的LTE modem展开内场测试，同时正在向移动市场引入一项具有颠覆性意义的技术。”
但是，Bozotti与ST拒绝评论ST-Ericsson合资企业的当前价值，以及如果不能把该企业卖掉，处置ST-Ericsson会带来何种成本。
ST-Ericsson自从2009年2月设立以来，每个季度都要亏损几亿美元，并欠下了母公司的巨额债务。Bozotti表示，ST-Ericsson对于大约两年前移动数字设备市场发生的急剧变化措手不及，当时操作系统发生变化而且主要厂商趋向垂直整合。Bozotti表示，ST-Ericsson也因为ST原来的一个大客户发生变化而受到冲击。
编译：Luffy Liu
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
参考英文原文：ST to exit ST-Ericsson in 2013
相关阅读：
• ST-Ericsson向ST转移处理器业务，裁员1700人
• 意法爱立信重组完毕，强化ModAP业务盈利至上
• 意法半导体否认将拆分出售手机芯片业务HIDesmc
{pagination}
ST to exit ST-Ericsson in 2013
As part of a strategic plan to improve its financial situation European chip company STMicroelectronics has announced its intention to exit from its mobile digital joint venture ST-Ericsson. ST announced in a conference call Monday (Dec. 10) that it intends to have left the joint-venture by the end of the third quarter of 2013 and that it is already in negotiations on the options.
At the same time CEO Carlo Bozotti told analysts that ST would focus on five key product areas where it already leads in the global market or where it can soon be the leader. These five product areas are MEMS and sensors, smart power, automotive electronics, microcontrollers and application processors for digital consumer.
In the area of application processors ST will abandon the mobile digital sector but continue to make set-top-box chips, cable modems, DisplayPort connection chips, network processors, car infotainment and ASICs for gaming.
As part of the re-organization ST will be divided into two product segment groups: sensors, smart power and automotive and embedded processing, Bozotti said. Both segments are expected to be profitable and cash generating.
ST said the changes will reduce the company's quarterly net operating expenses from about $900 million to between $600 million and $650 million by the beginning of 2014 excluding restructuring charges. The business would target 10 percent or more operating margin.
In separate announcement Ericsson said it would work with ST to find a suitable strategic solution but did not announce an intention to sell its stake in the joint venture. "Ericsson continues to believe that the modem technology, which it originally contributed to the joint venture, has a strategic value for the wireless industry," the company said in a brief statement. "For Ericsson, a key priority in this process is a successful market introduction of the new LTE modems that it is certain will be very competitive and needed in the market," it added.
"Mobile broadband is a very important market but not for ST," Bozotti told analysts during the conference call.
Major changes in the wireless market over the last three years have driven ST's decision. Source: ST's strategic plan presentation.
ST said it will continue to support ST-Ericsson with application processors, IP and manufacturing process technology during the disengagement. This will include the fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) process which ST has pioneered at 28-nm and with a road-map to 20-nm.
Meanwhile will not abandon the mobile digital market altogether. It will still manufacture motion, environmental, image and touch sensors for that market; as well as audio amplifiers, microphones, secure microcontrollers, AMOLED display drivers.
However, Bozotti and ST declined to comment on the current value of the ST-Ericsson joint venture or what sort of costs disposal of ST-Ericsson would incur if it could not achieve a sale of the business.
ST-Ericsson has been losing several hundred millions of dollars per quarter since its formation in February 2009 and has built up large debts with its parent companies. Bozotti said that ST-Ericsson had been caught out by a dramatic change in the mobile digital equipment market that started about two years ago with changes in operating system and a trend towards vertical integration amongst certain market leading companies. ST-Ericsson had also suffered because of change at a former major customer of ST's, Bozotti said.
责编：Quentin
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