More battery life on the way for cell phones

With increased speakerphone use as a result of PTT, as well as the higher power draw from multimedia playback and downloads, extending the battery life of mobile phones is a very timely issue. STMicroelectronics has developed a compact Class D power amplifier chip designed for high audio power output, and at the same time, optimizing battery life.

The TS4962 will keep your speakerphone nice and loud with a 3W output into a 4-ohm loudspeaker. The reported 88% efficiency far surpasses the standard Class AB amplifiers found in many currently available cell phones.

The chip is physically tiny; it shouldn’t be a problem implementing it into the slimmest of the super slim phones or the smallest of the micro handsets. Also look for its integration into other portable electronic devices, like PDAs and notebook computers. The lead-free, 1.6mm square, 9-bump flip-chip package results in longer talk-times and more efficient battery use. For all you phone makers out there, the TS4962 is 55 cents a piece when you pick up a pack of 5000 units. What a bargain!