IDEX ASA has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with FocalTech Systems Ltd to supply swipe fingerprint sensors. The cooperation and non exclusive supply agreement will enable the two companies to jointly target the large and rapidly growing fingerprint sensor market with a strong focus on the China region for cost sensitive mobile devices, including smart phones.
IDEX sensors deliver superior biometric performance and user experience based on IDEX’s patented swipe technology which enables large image capture with an unsurpassed range of swipe angles and speeds. This solution is aimed at significantly expanding the market for fingerprint sensors on lower and mid end smartphones to meet the growing demand for convenient ID and secure mobile payment transactions. The new SmartFinger swipe sensor solution will be broadly marketed during fourth quarter 2014 to secure product insertion and volume deployment in 2015. The serviceable market for smartphones in China is expected to reach 550 million units this year and is forecast to grow to 700 million in 2015.
FocalTech is listed in Taipei, Taiwan and is the largest touch controller IC provider in Asia with a dominant market share of 50% in Chinese manufactured smartphones. In April 2014 FocalTech also announced that they will merge with the third largest driver IC company in the world, Orise Technology effective January 2015, thus creating a strong position to offer integrated and bundled solutions to mobile device manufacturers.
The collaboration will leverage FocalTech’s technical capability, supply chain partnerships, volume buying power and mobile product integration expertise together to supply IDEX’s two part fingerprint sensor to offer the best cost-effective solution in the market. FocalTech has a complete line of capacitive touch controller products ranging from small handheld devices up to notebook PC, and IDEX’s swipe sensor will be complementary with the existing product line-up and customer base. FocalTech has strong customer relationships with all the major mobile device suppliers in the region backed by extensive field technical support which has propelled growth to its dominant market position.
“FocalTech is very pleased to enter into a strategic cooperation agreement with IDEX to bring their patented, high-performance fingerprint technology to our strong Asian customer base. FocalTech has a dominant market position in the Chinese smartphone market, which we will leverage to promote the fingerprint sensor technology,” said Genda Hu, Chairman of FocalTech. “This partnership will enable us to accelerate the adoption of fingerprint sensors in the Chinese and Asian high growth markets.”
“The agreement with FocalTech is a further major milestone for IDEX and continues execution of our partnership strategy. FocalTech sold more than 200 million touch controllers for touch and tablets in 2013, and is the fastest growing IC company in Asia. After the recent announcements of mobile payment secured by fingerprint sensing through AliBaba AliPay and Apple Pay, we are seeing demand for low-cost swipe sensors to support mobile payment transactions on the low-end and middle mobile devices. The agreement will enable IDEX to capture a solid position in the fast growing Chinese smart phone and tablet market,” said Dr. Hemant Mardia, CEO of IDEX. “The partnership is a major commercial opportunity and also validates the strength of IDEX’s patented fingerprint technology and the breadth of IDEX fingerprint sensor solutions.”
24 September 2014
IDEX ASA
