NXP Looks to Revolutionize Mobile Audio Performance with TFA9887 IC Audio System

By looking at the graphic, isn't this simply a hardware-based compressor, expander, limiter? Nothing revolutionary here. Current generation mobile processors have the ability to do this processing in software with no sweat. Further, I'm sure that this generation of mobile processors or the next will allow these simple audio processing tasks to be passed on to the graphics processing core in a GPGPU way thus mooting the need for an extra NXP audio processor. Had they introduced this several years ago, it would've been "revolutionary". Now, it is simply marketing hype.

Hmm.... Perhaps if this is more than simply an audio shaper IC and there are other hardware components supplied and required by the package to handle the realtime monitoring aspects that are mentioned, then I can see this being of value. If indeed that is the case, they would do better to license the technology to manufacturers such they can implement it more efficiently themselves. In this age of smaller/thinner, the last thing designers want is to squeeze another chip onboard.

Ok... from information on their page about the product...

http://www.nxp.com/news/press-releases/2012/07/revolutionary-mobile-audio-solution-delivers-over-5-times-the-power-to-micro-speakers.html

"...the TFA9887 monitors speakers through a current-sensing amplifier and enables safe operation while working at near peak output at all times."

...it is the on-chip current-sensing amplifier that is the unique component. Mobile CPU/GPUs will not have this. Still, I think it would be better for them to license the technology to mobile CPU manufactures so that they can more efficiently implement this solution. This technique could also benefit PC audio.