Samsung Adopts ARM Technology for World's First Commercially Available Blu-Ray Disc Player


CAMBRIDGE, England, September 6--ARM Jazelle Technology Brings Interactive Multimedia Acceleration to Samsung Blu-Ray Players

ARM [(LSE:ARM); (Nasdaq: ARMHY)] today announced that Samsung Electronics has licensed ARM® Jazelle® software technology for deployment in the Samsung BD-P1000 device - the first commercially available Blu-ray disc player on the market. The Samsung Blu-ray player enables consumers to watch High-Definition (HD) discs on their HDTVs and uses ARM Jazelle Java acceleration technology to deliver advanced interactive features for an exceptional multimedia experience. Blu-ray technology is a next-generation DVD format supported by more than 170 of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers, offering nearly five times the resolution of conventional DVDs and making extensive use of Java to manage interactive content.

The ARM Jazelle Java Technology Enabling Kit (JTEK(TM)) software licensed by Samsung is a high-performance technology originally developed for the mobile handset market. With the release of the Samsung Blu-ray player, ARM is bringing the proven success of JTEK software running on an ARM processor to the newest generation of consumer devices in the home. Using ARM Jazelle technology, Samsung Blu-ray players will unleash the power of BluRay discs that support the Java BD standard, utilizing advanced features not available on conventional DVD players, such as interactive, easy-to-use menus that can run quickly and seamlessly - without repeatedly accessing the disc. With the growing availability of Blu-ray content - to date, seven of the eight major movie studios have announced titles for Blu-ray technology - the home entertainment market is undergoing a significant shift, offering consumers higher quality pictures and sound, smoother performance, and a richer interactive multimedia experience than ever before.

ARM Jazelle JTEK software technology enables execution of Java byte code in hardware, offering the capability to run these new and demanding applications much faster, without compromising efficiency or cost. Unlike software-only techniques, acceleration of Java technology as part of the core architecture is highly memory efficient and gives fast start-time and smooth application performance. This means consumers can run the highest quality Java applications on a broad range of devices and enjoy an enhanced user experience.

"With the Samsung Blu-ray disc player, ARM is working to take the same efficient, high-performance Jazelle technology used in so many of the Samsung mobile handsets into ARM Powered® home devices," said Mike Inglis, executive vice president, ARM. "HDTV owners and home theater enthusiasts can now enjoy high-quality interactive multimedia content through the use of ARM Jazelle technology."

About ARM
ARM designs the technology that lies at the heart of advanced digital products, from mobile, home and enterprise solutions to embedded and emerging applications. ARM's comprehensive product offering includes 16/32-bit RISC microprocessors, data engines, 3D processors, digital libraries, embedded memories, peripherals, software and development tools, as well as analog functions and high-speed connectivity products. Combined with the company's broad Partner community, they provide a total system solution that offers a fast, reliable path to market for leading electronics companies. More information on ARM is available at www.arm.com.

Source: ARM Ltd
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