Smartphone SoC specialist MediaTek plans to pour in additional investments to its advanced technology R&D as the company expects to speed up deployments in emerging sectors such as 5G and AI, according to company chairman MK Tsai.

Two years ago, MediaTek disclosed plans to invest a total of NT$200 billion (US$6.64 billion) in the R&D of chip technology for 5G, AI and other emerging applications in the next five years. The company will "invest more" to step up its efforts in the advanced technology R&D, Tsai indicated.

MediaTek has in recent years expanded its non-mobile SoC product segments particularly solutions for IoT, power management IC, ASIC and automotive electronics applications. Sales of its core mobile SoC business have reduced as a proportion of company revenues to about 40%.

MediaTek will also be strengthening its mobile SoC competitiveness, according to Tsai. The company expects to start regaining its market share and profitability as early as end-2019, said Tsai.

In addition, MediaTek will enhance its R&D capability by beefing up its R&D operations in the US, Northern Europe, India and China, Tsai noted. Major R&D activities will still take place in Taiwan, Tsai said.

Tsai made the remarks at MediaTek's shareholders meeting on June 15. MediaTek's shareholders approved the distribution of a NT$10 cash dividend per share for 2017, when the company posted earnings per share of NT$15.56.

By: DocMemory
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