The BCM4329, released by Broadcom on Monday, is the latest of its so-called combo wireless chips, designed to bring high-end wireless features to handsets and portable media devices by reducing chip count and overall integration costs. This combo wireless chip promises to pave the way for the creation of new mobile phones that will support additional media and data applications without the need for larger chip size or expanded battery life.

The single-stream 802.11n product - which integrates Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and FM technologies in a single silicon die - would let users download a movie to their mobile phone and easily transfer it to their Wi-Fi enabled PC or TV, or even send pictures taken on their phones directly to a printer. In fact, the integration of Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and
802.11n is a definite plus, as both technologies can be used quite heavily at the same time: streaming high-quality audio to wireless Bluetooth headphones while transferring a lot of data.

The BCM4329 gives developers a new tool as they continue their unrelenting march toward creating ever-smaller handheld devices with ever-broader capabilities. Along with delivering 50 Mbps of actual wireless throughput for large file transfers, the device also features FM transmit and receive capability.

In an e-mail, Chris Bergey, director of Broadcom's Embedded WLAN unit, said: "We see the BCM4329 as a gateway for tying mobile devices - phones, media players, handheld games, and even personal navigation devices - into the digital home."

Bergey also added that WiFi has moved from a smartphone requirement "into the high-end feature phone market," which led to the necessity for combination chips like the BCM4329.