OFweek Smart Home Network News reports that Conexant, a name unfamiliar to most domestic consumers, has quietly established itself as a key player in the tech industry. Known primarily to those in the know, Conexant's clients include tech giants such as Amazon, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, SK Telecom, KT, and Harman. Additionally, Chinese partners like LeEco, Midea, Gree, HKUST, Yunsizheng, and Roobo have also aligned themselves with Conexant. Recently, Conexant was invited as a partner to attend Baidu’s AI Developer Conference held on July 5th. The day before, Saleel Awsare, the president of Conexant, granted an exclusive interview.
For Apple and Google
While Conexant’s roster includes Amazon and major Chinese players like BAT, two tech giants—Apple and Google—are notably absent from their list of collaborators. In response, Awsare confirmed that Conexant is actively negotiating with Google, stating, “We cannot share any specific details regarding Google at this moment. However, we are confident about our future collaboration with them.â€
An Interview with Saleel Awsare, President of Conexant
When it comes to Apple, Awsare was more cautious. He avoided making any announcements about Apple’s involvement with Conexant’s solutions, even though sources close to Apple suggest that the HomePod employs Conexant’s AudioSmart development kit. Conexant offers both hardware and software solutions:
Hardware Solutions: Chip solutions for various voice-enabled applications including smart speakers, IoT devices, and set-top boxes.
Software Solutions: Utilizing advanced machine learning algorithms, Conexant provides active noise control (ANC), speech interruption, echo cancellation, and far-field processing solutions. Their AudioSmart voice solution includes dual-microphone and four-microphone array solutions. Awsare noted that their dual microphones can match the performance of 5-8 microphone solutions, meeting market demands for most products.
Conexant Aims to Be the Qualcomm of the AI Age, but Doubts Smart Speakers
Awsare shared that Conexant aspires to become the Qualcomm of the AI era. “Most companies making voice-interactive products rely on our solutions. Through our technology, we aim to expand into the broader IoT market, much like how Qualcomm has dominated the mobile phone sector. This is our strategic vision.â€
Interestingly, when asked about which vertical AI fields hold more promise, Awsare expressed skepticism about smart speakers. “To be honest, China is currently heavily focused on smart speakers, whereas markets outside China have moved past this phase,†Awsare explained. “In the short term, smart speakers will remain significant, but over the medium and long term, we expect different products with AI capabilities to emerge. It's uncertain whether smart speakers will ever reach the same level of prominence as smartphones.â€
Amazon Echo remains one of the most recognizable products in Conexant's collaboration list. In 2016, Conexant became Amazon’s partner for voice interaction and subsequently launched an AudioSmart development kit tailored for Alexa Voice Service (AVS) in December of the same year. Conexant disclosed that its AudioSmart voice technology has shipped over 30 million units so far, covering smart speakers, smart homes, smart TVs, mobile phones, PCs, cars, and robots.
The 6.5 million units of Amazon Echo sold last year sparked a smart speaker craze, prompting Google Home, Apple HomePod, Tmall Genie X1, JD, and Rokid to follow suit.
Chinese Opportunities
Despite being adopted by numerous brands, Conexant remains relatively unknown in China compared to Intel or Qualcomm. Eager to tap into the Chinese market, Conexant sent Awsare on a mission to engage directly with Chinese firms. His itinerary included multiple media interviews and client meetings, aiming to secure more orders from China.
Conexant’s first partner in China was a startup, Yunsizheng, but this hasn’t yet helped them become the Qualcomm of smart speakers. Last year’s partnership with Amazon likely played a significant role in gaining recognition. Since 2017, Conexant has secured collaborations with all three BAT companies.
Conexant’s primary task involves providing noise reduction and echo cancellation solutions, customizing adjustments for each speech engine. For instance, Baidu’s DuerOS, an AI open platform akin to Android in AI, relies on Conexant to integrate its voice solutions into Baidu’s DuerOS Developer Suite, enabling immediate developer usage.
On July 5th, apart from attending the Baidu AI Developer Conference, the Tmall Genie X1 smart speaker event appeared even more tangible. Powered by Conexant’s AudioSmart technology, Alibaba aims to leverage these “devices†to capture the AI entrance. Beyond basic functionalities like dialogues, alarms, and weather inquiries, it also features Amazon Echo’s e-commerce capabilities.
Reports indicate that Tencent’s unnamed “ears†smart speaker will launch in August, potentially featuring the same Conexant AudioSmart voice solutions. At the Tencent Cloud Summit on June 22nd, Tencent unveiled a new intelligent voice product called Tencent Cloud Micro.
Awsare’s visit to China was centered around discussions with BAT, as these ecosystems represent significant opportunities. For Conexant, Xiaomi is just one manufacturer among many. While Xiaomi wasn't part of Awsare’s itinerary, he emphasized the importance of making Conexant’s platform popular across all ecosystems in China.
Comparing cooperation experiences with U.S., South Korean, and Chinese firms, Awsare noted:
1) U.S. companies lead due to products like Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomePod, with Amazon building the most comprehensive smart speaker ecosystem;
2) South Korean firms are quick adopters of new technologies, eager to take the lead in industries, though limited by their population size;
3) Chinese firms started later but hold immense potential due to their large population and product demand.
Awsare believes, “The main difference lies in the pace. China is rapidly catching up.â€
Despite China’s vast market potential, Awsare expressed doubts about whether Chinese companies could surpass Amazon. “Everyone is racing ahead, but Amazon isn’t standing still. While the Chinese market holds great potential, it will be challenging to claim an edge over Amazon.â€
For Conexant itself, its future remains uncertain. Originally Rockwell International’s Semiconductor Division, it was spun off and listed on Nasdaq in 1999 as the world’s largest independent communications chip provider. Despite restructuring in 2012, focusing on voice interaction, USB audio, and graphics, it couldn’t escape being acquired.
In June 2017, Conexant was acquired by Synaptics for $350 million. Business integration is ongoing, with no definitive outcome regarding retaining its brand post-integration.
After the acquisition, Conexant aimed to become the Qualcomm of the AI age, but this dream seems increasingly distant.
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