Airoha is broadening its presence in the short-range wireless IC market with products designed for Bluetooth data transmission.
Airoha Technology made its debut at the ePaper Pavilion during COMPUTEX 2026, highlighting its expansion beyond Bluetooth audio into Bluetooth data transmission applications through a new generation of electronic shelf label (ESL) solutions.
The company said its Bluetooth audio chips have been widely adopted by global Tier-1 acoustic brands, supported by 20 years of wireless communication expertise. Building on that foundation, Airoha is broadening its presence in the short-range wireless IC market with products designed for Bluetooth data transmission.
A key highlight of the exhibition was the joint demonstration with E Ink of a 4.2-inch Ripple ESL solution. According to the companies, the product combines E Ink’s waveform and algorithm technologies with Airoha’s wireless connectivity expertise to reduce the flashing effect commonly associated with ePaper screen updates.
The Ripple ESL uses a wave-like animation effect during screen transitions, enabling smoother visual updates that are particularly suited for retail media networks and point-of-purchase advertising applications.
“E Ink continuously refines ePaper technology to enhance color performance, further driving the penetration of ePaper applications in the advertising sector,” said J.M. 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 demonstration is powered by Airoha’s newly introduced AB161x Bluetooth chip series, which supports ESL products based on the Bluetooth SIG 5.4 standard. The company said the chips enable the 4.2-inch Ripple ESL format while supporting emerging retail requirements where shelf labels can also function as advertising displays.
Airoha noted that the AB161x series represents an expansion of its wireless portfolio into ESL ePaper applications, complementing its existing Bluetooth businesses.
“Over the past two decades, Airoha Technology has accumulated rich wireless communication technology and customer service experience in the Bluetooth audio sector,” said YuChuan Yang, Senior Vice President at Airoha Technology. “Our Bluetooth transmission chips demonstrate strong commercialization 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. Centered on our deep foundational Bluetooth wireless technology, we will continue to collaborate with global partners to pioneer broader commercial application markets.”
The company said the launch underscores its strategy to leverage its Bluetooth expertise across a wider range of commercial applications, including retail, logistics, and other wireless-connected environments.