Airoha Expands Beyond Audio with New Bluetooth Chips for Smart Retail Applications
Company enters the ePaper and data transmission market with next-generation ESL solutions.
Airoha Technology announced its inaugural exhibition at the ePaper Pavilion during Computex 2026. Leveraging 20 years of deep technological expertise in wireless transmission, Airoha's Bluetooth® audio chips have earned widespread adoption and validation from global Tier-1 acoustic brands.
Building on this robust foundation, Airoha is expanding its footprint in the "Short-range Wireless" IC market in 2026, officially extending its reach from audio into Bluetooth® data transmission. Markedly, Airoha is the world's first IC designer to realise the 4.2-inch Ripple™ ESL (Electronic Shelf Label) chip, demonstrating its exceptional wireless technology prowess in anti-interference and transmission reliability.
Unlocking Diverse Commercial Scenarios: Global Debut of the 4.2-Inch Ripple™ ESL
E Ink, the global leader in ePaper display technology, continues to pioneer new form factors for ESL products. Leveraging E Ink's innovative waveform and algorithm architecture, the two companies are jointly showcasing the Ripple ESL, a solution engineered to mitigate flashing. This technology utilises a wave-like "Ripple" animation effect for screen transitions, significantly reducing the flashing sensation typical of traditional ePaper page turns. This delivers smoother visual updates—crucial elements for dynamic Retail Media Networks (RMN) and point-of-purchase advertising.
"E Ink continuously refines ePaper technology to enhance colour performance, further driving the penetration of ePaper applications in the advertising sector," said JM Hung, General Manager of E Ink. "For our first small-format ESL product, we partnered with Airoha Technology, an IC design powerhouse renowned for its robust Bluetooth® wireless stability and exceptional anti-interference capabilities. Together, we are establishing a new technological milestone for diverse commercial applications across retail, logistics, and beyond."
The World's First Ripple ESL Chip: Airoha's New AB161x Bluetooth Series
Airoha Technology's newly launched AB161x series chips support all types of ESLs adopting the Bluetooth® SIG 5.4 standard. The exclusive new-generation 4.2-inch small-format Ripple™ ESL not only diversifies application environments but also specifically fulfils the emerging retail media demand for shelf labels that double as high-impact visual advertising mediums.
"Over the past two decades, Airoha Technology has accumulated rich wireless communication technology and customer service experience in the Bluetooth® audio sector," stated YuChuan Yang, Senior Vice President at Airoha Technology. "Our Bluetooth® transmission chips demonstrate strong commercialisation capabilities across diverse wireless communication scenarios. Not only have we expanded into the ESL ePaper application market, but we have also achieved mass production in our gaming HID (Human Interface Device) product lines. Centred on our deep foundational Bluetooth® wireless technology, we will continue to collaborate with global partners to pioneer broader commercial application markets."
