Kopin and Motorola Sign Alliance to Develop Portable Display Products.TAUNTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 4, 1997-- Will be Based on "World's Smallest Information Display" Kopin Corporation (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :KOPN) and Motorola (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :MOT) today announced a multi-year, multi-million dollar business alliance agreement under which the companies will develop, manufacture and market low-cost, low power portable communications flat panel display A thin display screen for computer and TV usage. The first flat panels appeared on laptop computers in the mid-1980s, and the LCD technology became the standard. Stand-alone LCD screens became available for desktop computers in the mid-1990s and exceeded sales of CRTs for the first time products based on Kopin's CyberDisplay(TM) active matrix LCD technology. Kopin's CyberDisplay is the world's smallest high-performance, high-resolution, full function information display. Based on Kopin's patented SMART SLIDE(TM) technology, the CyberDisplay is a 0.24 inch diagonal transmissive active matrix liquid crystal display liquid crystal display (LCD) Optoelectronic device used in displays for watches, calculators, notebook computers, and other electronic devices. Current passed through specific portions of the liquid crystal solution causes the crystals to align, blocking the passage of light. (AMLCD (Active Matrix LCD) See active matrix. ) imaging device which displays information at 320 by 240 pixel resolution pixel resolution Telemedicine The sharpness of a computerized image, based on pixel concentration, which determines display resolution . It enables portable communication devices and personal information products, including cellular phones and pagers, to display text, e-mail, graphics and video from Internet, intranet and other data or video sources. Dr. John Dr. John (also Dr. John Creaux) is the stage name of Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (born November 21, 1940), a colorful pianist, singer, and songwriter, whose music spans, and often combines, blues, boogie woogie, and rock and roll. C.C. Fan, Kopin's president and chief executive officer, said, "This major initiative with Motorola is another significant step towards establishing Kopin's CyberDisplay as an industry standard for small form factor flat panel displays. The Motorola alliance is a very significant business opportunity for Kopin because Motorola uses a huge volume of displays each year. In addition, Motorola is an excellent marketing partner for Kopin since they will be devoting their efforts for our CyberDisplay." "Motorola has chosen Kopin's CyberDisplay because it offers the highest performance and lowest price in a display size that will create new categories of products such as portable communication devices and digital cameras," said S.W. Cheung, vice president and general manager, Displays Division for Motorola's Consumer Systems Group. "This strategic relationship with Kopin is very important to Motorola. We will work closely with Kopin to develop and manufacture portable display products. The alliance is in line with our efforts to provide higher resolution, low power, color displays for our customers particularly in portable consumer and communication markets." "In a recent IDC worldwide forecast, the compound annual growth rate for smart phones is predicted to grow at a rate of 97.6 percent through 2001. The emergence of virtual displays should help fuel the acceptance of smart phones and other personal communication devices by making it easier for end users to view their data," said Diana Hwang, senior industry analyst, International Data Corporation. Kopin's CyberDisplay products are developed and manufactured by Kopin in its Display Manufacturing Center in Westboro, Massachusetts. In addition, these displays are also manufactured in Taiwan for Kopin by United Microelectronics Corporation UMC (United Microelectronics Corporation) was founded as Taiwan's first semiconductor company in 1980 as a spin-off of the government-sponsored institute ITRI. Today, UMC is best known for its merchant foundry business, manufacturing integrated circuits wafers for fabless (UMC UMC United Methodist Church UMC United Microelectronics Corporation UMC University Medical Center UMC United Microelectronics Corp (Republic of China) UMC University of Missouri-Columbia ) and its affiliate, Unipac Optoelectronics (Unipac). UMC is one of the largest integrated circuit integrated circuit (IC), electronic circuit built on a semiconductor substrate, usually one of single-crystal silicon. The circuit, often called a chip, is packaged in a hermetically sealed case or a nonhermetic plastic capsule, with leads extending from it for foundries in the world and Unipac is the largest AMLCD manufacturer in Taiwan. Motorola's strengths in wireless communications wireless communications System using radio-frequency, infrared, microwave, or other types of electromagnetic or acoustic waves in place of wires, cables, or fibre optics to transmit signals or data. and semiconductors, along with its global reach, will help make Kopin's CyberDisplay available to worldwide markets. Kopin is a leading developer and manufacturer of high resolution, flat panel display products and Wafer-Engineered electronic materials for telecommunications applications. Kopin's manufacturing alliance with UMC/Unipac complements Motorola's marketing and distribution strengths to position this team as the first global alliance to offer high volume, low cost microdisplay systems. Robert Tsao, the Chairman of UMC and Unipac Optoelectronics, stated, "As Kopin's manufacturing partners, as well as an investor in Kopin, we are very pleased with the Motorola relationship. We are currently moving toward volume production of CyberDisplays and getting the yields needed for providing these displays to a growing worldwide market." About Kopin Founded in 1984 with initial technology developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology, at Cambridge; coeducational; chartered 1861, opened 1865 in Boston, moved 1916. It has long been recognized as an outstanding technological institute and its Sloan School of Management has notable programs in business, , Kopin holds over 125 patents and patent applications for technological breakthroughs in Wafer-Engineered materials and flat panel display technology. These technologies have enabled Kopin to market display products and Wafer-Engineered materials that enhance the delivery and presentation of video, voice and data. The Company has combined advanced AMLCD and integrated circuit technology to produce its CyberDisplay products, a family of ultra-small, high-density imaging devices. Wireless telecommunication providers are using Kopin's Wafer-Engineered electronic materials for high performance integrated circuits Integrated circuits Miniature electronic circuits produced within and upon a single semiconductor crystal, usually silicon. Integrated circuits range in complexity from simple logic circuits and amplifiers, about 1/20 in. (1. used in advanced pagers, cellular phones and other portable communications devices. For more information, please visit Kopin's web site at www.kopin.com . About Motorola With 1996 worldwide sales of $7.9 billion, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector is committed to enabling its customers' success by providing systems solutions, processes and services to anticipate and respond to changing technologies and market dynamics. As the largest U.S.-based, broad-line semiconductor supplier, the Sector delivers global resources, product design and development expertise and the highest-quality technology solutions to its customers. Motorola semiconductors power automobiles, communications and computing systems, and millions of other consumer products. In the global marketplace, Motorola also is one of the leading providers of wireless communications, advanced electronic systems, components, and services. Major equipment businesses include cellular telephone, two-way radio, paging and data communications, personal communications, automotive, defense and space electronics and computers. Corporate sales in 1996 were $28 billion. -0- Wafer-Engineered, CyberDisplay and SMART SLIDE are trademarks of Kopin Corporation. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made under "safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. " provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could materially affect future results. Among these risk factors are general economic and business conditions and growth in the flat panel display and GaAs integrated circuit and materials industries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, availability of third-party components, availability of integrated circuit fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. facilities, cost and yields associated with production of the Company's SMART SLIDE imaging devices and Wafer-Engineered materials, loss of significant customers, acceptance of the company's products, continuation of collaborative agreements and the other risk factors and cautionary statements listed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K Form 10-K A report required by the SEC from exchange-listed companies that provides for annual disclosure of certain financial information. Form 10-K See 10-K. for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996. CONTACT: Kopin Corporation Paul Mitchell 508-824-6696 or Motorola Angela Hatfield 602-952-3856 rvnc10@email.sps.mot.com or Copithorne & Bellows Bill Brikiatis 617-450-4300 bill.brikiatis@cbpr.com |
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