Knowles acquires MEMS microphone design assets from ams AG
The transaction, says the company, includes intellectual property, rights to source ASIC wafers from multiple foundry partners, and the transfer of the ASIC design team, which will continue to be based in Switzerland.
“As voice has become a primary interface for mobile, ear, and IoT applications, we expect this acquisition to result in an immediate financial benefit from vertical integration and further enhance our leading position in the MEMS microphone market,” says Jeffrey Niew, president and chief executive officer of Knowles. “In addition to bringing in world-class mixed signal circuit design talent and IP, this transaction will provide significant cost synergies. We plan to leverage this ASIC design team and IP to develop innovative new products, further broadening our industry-leading portfolio of MEMS microphones.”
Earlier this year the company announced the latest product in its AISonic family of audio edge processors, the IA8201, which offers voice activation and multi-microphone audio processing optimized for power-sensitive applications. The company also announced a hands-free reference solution to enable OEMs and ODMs to build headphones, headsets, and wireless earbuds that allow users to talk directly to Alexa.
The company says it paid $58 million from cash on hand for the acquisition.
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