Manufacturer Introduction: CSR - Cambridge Silicon Radio (Qualcomm) Manufacturer

Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) is a leading developer of silicon and software products that are used in the consumer electronics market. The company specializes in products that are used in voice, video, document imaging, automotive, infotainment, and other related industries.

 CSR operated as a fabless semiconductor company with its headquarters in Cambridge, United Kingdom, hence the name. It operated successfully for many years to the extent that it was listed on the London Stock Exchange.

 For some periods, CSR plc operated as a subsidiary of the FTSE 250 Index. In 2015, the company was acquired by Qualcomm and was officially renamed Qualcomm Technologies International Ltd.

 History of Cambridge Silicon Radio

 CSR has quite a rich history which dates back to 1988 when it was founded. It split from Cambridge Consultants and took the name Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) in 1999. All the founding directors of CSR were also the founders of Cambridge Consultants.

Since it was founded,  CSR recorded impressive steady growth and stability. In 2004, the company was listed on the London Stock Exchange. This was quite a significant milestone as it marked a new era of growth. At this point, CSR was ready to take over new markets.

CSR kicked off major expansion moves in 2005. It started by acquiring Clarity Technologies, a leading clear voice capture business. In the same year, the company acquired UbiNetics, a 3G wireless technology company.

 In 2007, CSR acquired Nordnav, a  GPS company in Sweden. It also acquired CPS, which was also a GPS software company that was based in Cambridge. CPS was working with Motorola to produce Enhanced GPS chips. In 2009, CSR  merged with SiRF,  the world’s leading supplier of GPS chips. This was a major investment deal that was targeted to enhance the brand visibility of the company.

 In 2010, CSR acquired APT Licensing Ltd,  a deal that included its aptX audio technology. One year later, it merged with Zoran, a company that specialized in video and imaging technology.

 In 2012, CSR acquired Direct Digital Feedback Amplifier (DDFA) technology, a company that was known for its highly scalable Class-D audio amplifiers. In the same year, the company acquired the MAPX product line from Trident Microsystems.

 In July of 2012, Samsung Electronics agreed to acquire mobile connectivity technologies (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) and location technologies (GPS and GNSS) businesses from CSR. The deal entailed Samsung acquiring up to 4.9% of its stake in CSR.  Eventually, in 2014, CSR was acquired by Qualcomm, in a mega deal that was completed in 2015.

 From this history, it is clear that CSR has been experiencing gradual growth over the years. Many factors are attributed to its growth and one of them is merging, acquisitions, and collaborations with other companies. Competent and effective management are also key factors that have largely contributed to the steady growth of Cambridge Silicon Radio.

CSR Products

 Being a semiconductor company, CSR designs and manufactures chips that are used in audio, imaging, and location technologies. These chips are used for different functions when embedded in electronic devices.

Notable products from CSR include:

·Bluetooth 

·GPS

·FM technology

·Wi-Fi

·ARM processors

·Audio

·Imaging

 These products are used in different application areas such as computing, communication, automotive, aerospace, networking systems, consumer electronics, manufacturing, medical, and education, among others. 

CSR location

Cambridge Silicon Radio is headquartered in Cambridge, UK. However, the steady growth of the brand pushed it to open subsidiary offices in different locations around the world.

By the time of acquisition, CSR had a total of 27 offices in more than 13 countries around the world.  Most of these offices were in the UK and the US. China, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Sweden, and Israel were other countries in which the company had established its main operational bases.

An extensive geographical reach helped the company to expand its market. It also had a production advantage, especially when the location was near the source of raw materials.

Built on quality and reliability

Cambridge Silicon Radio was an established company that was fully committed to producing quality and highly reliable products. This is one of the reasons behind their steady growth and rapid expansion in the semiconductor industry.

Ever since it was founded, the brand had a strong reputation for designing and manufacturing high-quality semiconductor chips for audio,  and imaging applications. This is something that it managed to maintain even after acquiring other companies and their products.

Major brands around the world trust products from CSR and this is because of quality and reliability. Furthermore, the company had an excellent customer support system. With many distribution centers around the world, CSR was well invested in ensuring that its customers get the best services for the products that they purchase.

Qualcomm acquires CSR

In 2014, Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) agreed to acquire CSR plc in a cash deal. This acquisition was in line with Qualcomm’s strategic goals which were to expand its products and also increase customer growth in different growing fields such as Internet of Everything (IoE), automotive, and infotainment. The fact that CSR had already established its roots in these fields meant that Qualcomm would have an easy time after the acquisition.

 At the time of acquisition, CSR was the leader of Bluetooth and smart audio processing technologies. Excellent performance in these areas would strengthen Qualcomm’s position in the Internet of Everything industry.

ICRFQ: reliable distributor of CSR products

A key factor that has largely spurred the steady growth of CSR  is its expansive distribution network. Even though it has a worldwide presence, it has collaborated with independent distributors around the world who ensure that customers can get the products when they need them, regardless of their locations.

ICRFQ is one of the independent distributors that have been authorized to distribute CSSR products.  We source the products directly from CSR and distribute them to clients in different industries. We streamline the process of finding quality products from Cambridge Silicon   Radio. By choosing us, you are assured of getting high-quality and original products from CSR. All you need is to contact us and we will facilitate the delivery of these products directly to your location.