Samsung Leads Industry In Smart Card Chip Technology

April 13, 2002 — Samsung’s 8KB EEPROM device has already received chip technology approval from Visa International. The company’s 2KB and 4KB devices are currently undergoing Visa International EMV Certification. Rigorous testing, due to be completed in May, will evaluate basic operation, architecture and protection against hacking. Certification of these devices will enable Samsung to greatly expand its Smart Card sales into the fast growing market for security chips used in finance-related products.

Samsung’s new Smart Card devices include an 8bit CPU, a 32KB ROM and a 784Byte RAM with choice of an EEPROM in densities of 2KB and 4KB. These EEPROM options are offered to comply with specifications for lower-capacity, cost-effective requirements for EMV applications. Samsung also has available 8KB and higher-capacity EEPROM devices for subscriber identity module (SIM) cards for use in GSM wireless communications applications.

Samsung has been an industry leader in Smart Card devices since 1993 when the company introduced the 8KB EEPROM Smart Card device. Since 1999, Samsung’s Smart Card revenues have steadily increased approximately 50 percent per year. Despite the recent downturn in the overall semiconductor memory market, Samsung’s sales of Smart Card devices have remained robust, with 70 percent growth for 2001.

Market watcher, DataQuest, estimates the Smart Card chip market to be worth US$1.3 billion in 2002 and to grow an average of 30 percent per year to US$3.2 billion by 2004. Samsung targets leading supplier status of the global Smart Card memory market by 2005.

Samsung has a history of leadership in Smart Card technology. In 1999, the company developed the industry’s first 32-bit ARM CPU Smart Card device. In 2000, Samsung emerged as the largest volume supplier of JAVA-based 32-bit SIM cards for telecommunication applications.

Samsung will continue its leadership in Smart Card technology by developing next-generation devices with greater memory capacity and more advanced security capability. The company is currently developing open platform Smart Card devices with diverse functions to accommodate changing market needs.

Samsung’s EMV Smart Card devices are available now. Part numbers are S3C8982 for the 2KB EEPROM device, S3C8984 for the 4KB EEPROM device, and SC38988 for the 8KB EEPROM device.

About EMV Technology Certification

Europay, Master Card and Visa have agreed on a single standard (EMV) for financial transactions and Smart Card-based credit cards. The goal is to assure global compliance and technical compatibility among Smart Cards used in the financial industry.

About Samsung Electronics 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a South Korean multinational electronics corporation headquartered in the Yeongtong District of Suwon. Samsung is a major manufacturer of electronic components such as lithium-ion batteries, semiconductors, image sensors, camera modules and displays for clients such as Apple, Sony, HTC and Nokia. It is the world’s largest manufacturer of mobile phones and smartphones, started with the original Samsung Solstice and later, the popularity of its Samsung Galaxy line of devices. The company is also a major vendor of tablet computers, particularly its Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab collection, and regarded for developing the phablet market with the Samsung Galaxy Note family of devices.