Wireless is set to be the leading growth segment for semiconductor spending among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in 2013, with expenditures rising by a double-digit margin to support the burgeoning markets for smartphones, tablets and mobile infrastructure gear, according to IHS iSuppli.

Just three short years after the technology's original deployment, worldwide subscribers to the 4G wireless standard known as Long Term Evolution (LTE) are projected to surpass the 100-million mark this year.

Nokia Siemens Networks, the wireless network joint venture of Nokia and Siemens, Thursday confirmed it will be closing a plant in Germany as part of a broader program to cut costs and jobs.

ARM has announced availability of a rapid prototyping developer kit for the Internet of Things (IoT) market that integrates the Sprint Mobile Broadband USB 598U Modem by Sierra Wireless with the mbed microcontroller development platform, which is based on the ARM Cortex-M3 processor.

The maker of wireless chips posts quarterly results much better than it anticipated, and the numbers stand in stark contrast to those of other companies, such as Intel.

MediaTek's MT7620 Wi-Fi SoC has been selected for the new ASUS RT-N14U N300 wireless router, debuting globally this quarter.

"Solid demand for wireless communications in both packaging and test was the key driver of our business in the third quarter," said Ken Joyce, Amkor's president and CEO. "Lower-than-anticipated supply of 28nm wafers in the early part of the quarter and the overall weakness in the semiconductor market and general economy constrained our growth."

Texas Instruments said it will shift its wireless investment focus from products like smartphones to a broader market including industrial clients like carmakers where it is hoping for a more profitable and stable business.

Rayfield worked for the past seven years as the vice president and general manager of Nvidia's Mobile Business Unit where his team created advanced computer on a chip technology and won key mobile industry reference designs.

DesignArt, based in Israel, focuses on small-cell modem and system design for cellular base stations and high-speed wireless infrastructure.

Wieberneit has spent more than twenty years in the consumer and communication semiconductor space, serving in different R&D, CTO and GM positions at Trident Microsystems, Micronas and Infineon Technologies.

Texas Instruments (TI) announced it has shipped nearly 6.5 billion units of copper wire bonding technology in its analog, embedded processing and wireless products. This milestone underscores TI's confidence in copper as a viable replacement to gold in its semiconductor product roadmaps.

The California trial between Samsung and Apple is now headed for a scheduled start in late June, after the companies could find "no clear agreement," a Samsung official told The Korea Times. Both companies reportedly held firm in their respective beliefs, as Samsung believes Apple should pay royalties for using wireless transmission technology, while Apple believes Samsung copied the design of its iPhone and iPad.

Revenues for core semiconductor components used in mobile handsets, including platform ICs and wireless connectivity ICs, are expected to reach almost US$37 billion per annum in 2012.

Lantiq has appointed Board of Directors member Dan Artusi as Chief Executive Officer of Lantiq.

The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP), unveiled today in conjunction with the CTIA wireless trade show in New Orleans, is looking to join forces with other manufacturers to form a "worldwide wireless power technology ecosystem." The group wants to develop new power transfer technologies that will allow for simultaneous charging of multiple devices in cars, on tabletops, and elsewhere.

RF chip maker TriQuint Semiconductor cut about 70 jobs in Florida last week after issuing a disappointing quarterly report and sales forecast, according to a report by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The weak demand for TI's wireless products such as smartphones and tablets is mainly in its OMAP applications processors and connectivity products, said TI vice president Ron Slaymaker.

Imagination is investing in Toumaz Microsystems, a newly-formed subsidiary of Toumaz, an Aim-traded company which has created a "digital plaster", a credit-card sized device with a wireless chip and electrocardiogram pads that remotely monitors patients' heart rate, body temperature and respiration.

Wireless chipmaker Broadcom provided a more upbeat view for the fourth quarter, contrasting with fellow semiconductor companies that have recently tempered their expectations.

Broadcom was down more than 4% at last check as Chief Executive Scott McMcGregor said in a statement that the company's outlook "reflects potential industry softness."

Taiwan and mainland China will focus on LED lighting, TFT-LCD, wireless cities, low-temperature logistics, and electric cars initially for cross-Taiwan Strait industrial cooperation.

GCT Semiconductor, a maker of mobile chips used in smartphones, wireless routers and other devices, plans to raise up to US$100 million in an initial public offering, according to documents filed on September 15.

The majority of the reduction is from the company's wireless products, which have experienced an unexpected decline in demand and pricing.

Looking to push the exposure of its Kindle electronic book reader even further, online retailer Amazon is reportedly preparing to launch an eBook rental service for its wireless E Ink device.

MediaTek is looking at acquisition targets globally in a move to grow and acquire new technologies, its chief financial officer said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires.

Avago's main smartphone customers are Samsung and HTC, but speculation is rife among analysts that some upcoming wireless devices from Apple, including new iPhones and the iPad 3, could use some Avago chips.

Prior to HTC, Mackenzie held a progression of sales and marketing positions with DENSO Wireless and Siemens Communications, concluding as Vice President for Siemens Communications.

Toshiba has developed noise reduction technology that reduces jitter in radio-frequency signals, cutting phase noise by up to 90%. This breakthrough opens the way for a further migration to high-speed wireless communication chips for wireless LAN and WiMAX.

The blog Patently-O claims that Apple received an "assignment of assignors interest" to the patents, which would protect the company against others who might later claim rights to the patent under color of title. The blog did not confirm whether or not Apple would actually hold title rights to the patents themselves, however.

The Atheros team will operate as Qualcomm Atheros, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm. The Qualcomm connectivity team will shift over to Qualcomm Atheros to combine resources and roadmaps.

"In the near term, both companies should benefit by cross-selling their products to largely non-overlapping customer bases," writes Linley Gwennap with The Linley Group. "For the longer term, the acquisition gives Nvidia an opportunity to expand the market for "Tegra" by developing single-chip products that combine the application and baseband processors."