【February 9, 2004 Beijing】The Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) Alliance, the industry initiative founded by ARM, Nokia, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments to define and promote open standards for interfaces to mobile application processors, recently announced the entry of Vimicro as one of its 39 members. New members also include National Semiconductor, Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Siemens AG, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba.

Its members already include world-class semiconductor manufacturers such as Intel, Motorola and Phillips, as well as top mobile OEM manufacturers, peripheral equipment manufacturers, application CPU suppliers, storage suppliers, software developers and intellectual property firms. Following its expansion, the MIPI Alliance now includes members coming from every layer of the whole mobile device value chain.

Among the 39 members, Vimicro, a leading manufacturer of digital multimedia chips, stands out as the only Chinese member on the list. This not only proves the world recognition Vimicro has received, but also demonstrates Vimicro's leadership in innovation and optimized industry chains, as well as its perseverance in its globalization strategy.

As a pioneer in the mobile multimedia field, Vimicro has been tirelessly promoting the development and implementation of 3G. With the support from the Ministry of Information Industry (MII), Vimicro has played an important role in the development and industrialization of multimedia CPU chips. By entering MIPI to promote the establishment of mainstream industry standards for 3G mobile devices, the development of Vimicro's mobile products will be sped up considerably. It signifies that Chinese enterprises have attained world-class status in the global mobile arena and are playing an active role in the establishment of global 3G multimedia platform standards.

According to statistics, multimedia chips make up a greater part of the cost for mobile phone chips. By joining the MIPI alliance, Vimicro is demonstrating the importance it attaches to multimedia chips. With core technologies developed independently, Vimicro's products and solutions have been well received by domestic and international mobile manufacturers from the inception. Vimicro's joining the MIPI Alliance will not only promote the establishment of platform standards for mobile application CUP interfaces, but also strengthen its competitiveness. For domestic and international manufacturers and Chinese operators which adopt Vimicro chips, it will undoubtedly raise their competitiveness in the 3G market.

Vimicro's "Starlight Series" image processor chips are an important breakthrough for the Chinese information industry. "Starlight series" digital multimedia chips have led to the integration of mobile phones, mobile memory and digital cameras and have been adopted by world-class companies, including Samsung, Philips, HP, Fujitsu, and Lenovo.

Vimicro's entry into the MIPI alliance once again demonstrates the global position of Vimicro's multimedia chip technology. The resources of numerous mobile handset manufacturers, chip developers and design suppliers in the alliance will strengthen its international cooperation.

As a world leader in digital multimedia chips and a pioneer in China's integrated circuit industry, Vimicro's entry into the MIPI alliance not only sets a milestone for the company itself, but also will exert a positive impact on the development of China's IC industry as a whole.

About The MIPI Alliance
The Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) Alliance is a collaboration of mobile industry leaders with the objective to define and promote open standards for interfaces to mobile application processors. Through these open standards, the MIPI Alliance intends to speed deployment of new services to mobile users by establishing specifications for standard hardware and software interfaces to mobile application processors and encouraging the adoption of those standards throughout the industry value chain. The MIPI Alliance is intended to complement existing standards bodies with a focus on microprocessors, peripherals and software interfaces.