u-blox

{{Short description|Swiss semiconductor company}}

{{Infobox company

| name = u-blox Holding AG

| logo = U-blox logo.png

| type = Public company

| traded_as = {{SWX|UBXN}}

| foundation = 1997

| location_city = Thalwil, canton of Zürich, Switzerland

| key_people = {{ubl|Stephan Zizala (CEO) | André Müller (Chairman)}}

| industry = Semiconductors, Internet of Things (IoT)

| revenue = {{nowrap|{{Increase}} {{CHF|624 million|link=yes}} (2021)}}{{Cite web |title=u-blox Annual Report 2022 |url=https://report2022.u-blox.com/}}

| operating_income = {{nowrap|{{Increase}} {{CHF|121.8 million}} (2021)}}

| net_income = {{nowrap|{{Increase}} {{CHF|101.8 million}} (2021)}}

| num_employees = 1,300 (2023){{Cite web |title=Key figures |url=https://www.u-blox.com/en/investor-relations}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.u-blox.com}}

}}

u-blox is a Swiss company that creates wireless semiconductors and modules for consumer, automotive and industrial markets. They operate as a fabless IC and design house. The company is listed at the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX:UBXN) and has offices in the US, Singapore, China, Taiwan (China), Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, Australia, Ireland, the UK, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Italy and Greece.

History

{{Expand section|date=December 2023}}

u-blox is a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH){{Cite web |last=Jain |first=Sakshi |date=2023-06-13 |title=The core idea behind u-blox has always been to explore new business opportunities using module-based solutions with third-party chips- Andreas Thiel |url=https://www.eletimes.com/the-core-idea-behind-u-blox-has-always-been-to-explore-new-business-opportunities-using-module-based-solutions-with-third-party-chips-andreas-thiel |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=ELE Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Well positioned with GPS technology |url=https://www.ethlife.ethz.ch/archive_articles/071221-ublox/index_EN.html |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=www.ethlife.ethz.ch}} and was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Thalwil, Switzerland. Thomas Seiler served as chief executive officer of u-blox AG from 2002 until his retirement on Dec 31, 2022. Stephan Zizala, who joined the company in 2022, succeeded Seiler.{{Cite web |date=24 May 2022 |title=u-blox announces CEO transition effective 1 January 2023 |url=https://www.u-blox.com/en/u-blox-announces-ceo-transition-effective-1-january-2023 |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=u-blox}}

In 2016, u-blox opened a new office in Taipei, Taiwan.{{Cite web |date=2016-05-18 |title=u-blox Taiwan expands into new Taipei offices |url=https://www.iot-now.com/2016/05/18/47471-u-blox-taiwan-expands-into-new-taipei-offices/ |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=iot-now.com}}

Products and technology

u-blox provides starter kits which allow quick prototyping of variety of applications for the Internet of Things.{{Cite web |title=u-blox C027 {{!}} Mbed |url=https://os.mbed.com/platforms/u-blox-C027/ |access-date=2021-04-09 |website=os.mbed.com}} It develops and sells chips and modules that support global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), including receivers for GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS.{{cite web|access-date=2023-12-14 |date=2021-01-14 |title=Chinese car maker chose u-blox GNSS receiver |publisher= electronicsweekly.com |url=https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/business/chinese-car-maker-chooses-u-blox-gnss-receiver-2021-01/}} The wireless range consists of GSM-, UMTS- and CDMA2000 and LTE modules, as well as Bluetooth- and WiFi-modules. All these products enable the delivery of complete systems for location-based services and M2M applications (machine-to-machine communication) in the Internet of Things, that rely on the convergence of 2G/3G/4G, Bluetooth-, Wi-Fi technology and satellite navigation.{{cite web|access-date=2023-12-14 |date=2015-12-09 |title=U-blox Sharpens Focus on Connected Car Market |publisher=insideunmannedsystems.com |url=https://insideunmannedsystems.com/u-blox-sharpens-focus-on-connected-car-market/}} A collaboration to create GNSS receiver that work globally was started between u-blox, SoftBank and ALES in 2021.{{cite web|access-date=2023-12-14 |date=2021-11-19 |title=SoftBank Corp. and u-blox to Collaborate on Global GNSS Augmentation Services |publisher=insidegnss.com |url=https://insidegnss.com/softbank-corp-and-u%E2%80%91blox-to-collaborate-on-global-gnss-augmentation-services/}} One year later, in 2022, u-blox released the at the time smallest LTE Cat 4 Module LARA-L6.{{cite web|access-date=2023-12-14 |date=2022-05-24 |title=Smallest LTE Cat 4 Module with Global Coverage and 2G/3G Fallback |publisher=nasdaq.com |url=https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/u-blox-ag:-u-blox-launches-worlds-smallest-lte-cat-4-module-with-global-coverage-and}} The company launched a dual-band GNSS module in 2023 that uses the L1 as well as the L5 GPS frequency bands.{{cite web|access-date=2024-08-14 |date=2024-03-20 |title=u-blox Introduces F10 Dual-Band GNSS Platform for Superior Urban Positioning Accuracy |publisher=insidegnss.com |url=https://insidegnss.com/u-blox-introduces-f10-dual-band-gnss-platform-for-superior-urban-positioning-accuracy/}} In 2024 u-blox released the LEXI-R10, which was, according to the company, the smallest LTE Cat 1bis module at time of launch.{{cite web|access-date=2024-08-14 |date=2024-06-23 |title=Universally Applicable 4G Cellular Modules in Compact Form Factor Target IoT Usage |publisher=epdtonthenet.net |url=https://www.epdtonthenet.net/article/206103/Universally-Applicable-4G-Cellular-Modules-in-Compact-Form-Factor-Target-IoT-Usage.aspx}}{{cite web|access-date=2024-08-14 |date=2024-06-18 |title=u-blox launches new LTE Cat 1bis cellular modules |publisher=electronicspecifier.com |url=https://www.electronicspecifier.com/products/iot/u-blox-launches-new-lte-cat-1bis-cellular-modules}}

Acquisitions

They acquired a dozen companies after their IPO in 2007, after acquiring connectblue{{Cite web|title=u-blox acquires connectBlue; adds Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity|url=http://www.connectblue.com/fileadmin/Connectblue/Web2006/Documents/Press_releases/PRESS_RELEASE_connectBlue_u-blox.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605042816/http://www.connectblue.com/fileadmin/Connectblue/Web2006/Documents/Press_releases/PRESS_RELEASE_connectBlue_u-blox.pdf|archive-date=5 June 2016|access-date=2021-04-09|website=www.connectblue.com}} in 2014 and Lesswire in 2015 {{Cite web|date=2014-12-02|title=u-blox acquires automotive short range modules business from Lesswire|url=https://www.u-blox.com/en/investor-press-releases/u-blox-acquires-automotive-short-range-modules-business-lesswire|access-date=2021-04-09|website=u-blox|language=en-US}} they acquired Rigado's module business in 2019.[https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2019-07-31/u-blox-ag-u-blox-acquired-rigado-s-bluetooth-modules-business-and-extends-bluetooth-low-energy-offerings-for-customer u-blox acquired Rigado's Bluetooth Modules Business] In 2020, u-blox acquired Thingstream.{{Cite web|title=Thingstream acquired by u-blox|url=https://www.u-blox.com/en/investor-press-releases/u-blox-acquires-iot-communication-service-provider-thingstream|website=u-blox|date=April 2020 }} In 2021, u-blox AG acquired Sapcorda Services GmbH, a provider of high precision GNSS (global navigation satellite system) services.{{Cite web|title=u-blox acquires full ownership in Sapcorda Joint Venture|url=https://www.u-blox.com/en/investor-press-releases/u-blox-acquires-full-ownership-in-sapcorda-joint-venture|website=u-blox|date=18 March 2021 }} and Naventik GmbH, a German company specializing in the development of safe positioning solutions for autonomous driving.{{Cite web|title=u-blox and Naventik|url=https://www.itsax.de/partner_profil/naventik/naventik-gmbh-acquired-by-u-blox-in-chemnitz|website=itsax}}

References

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