New TCL 20 Pro 5G Powered by AI-based Pixelworks Processor Disrupts Premium Smartphone Market with Affordable Flagship

Enhanced by Pixelworks AI visual processing technology, the TCL 20 Pro 5G ranks among the highest-ever DXOMARK display scores

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pixelworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: PXLW), a leading provider of innovative visual processing solutions, today announced that the recently launched TCL 20 Pro 5G, incorporates the Pixelworks i6 processor featuring the industry's first Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine in a dedicated visual processor. In a recent report by DXOMARK, the TCL 20 Pro 5G – the series 5G flagship featuring a 6.67-inch AMOLED display – earned an overall display score of 89, placing it among the industry's top performing phones.

With Pixelworks' AI adaptive picture quality (AI PQ), industry-leading HDR tone mapping and real-time SDR-to-HDR conversion, the TCL 20 Pro 5G smartphone provides consumers an always-immersive visual experience, supported by HDR certification from top video streaming sites, including Netflix. In addition, the new TCL flagship phone uses the Pixelworks patented, industry-leading color calibration and management with advanced flesh tone accuracy to enable perfect color reproduction for all displayed content.

The dedicated visual processor, in concert with the new TCL NXTVISION 2.0 display, utilizes power-efficient AI inferencing that augments the extensive knowledge base of Pixelworks with numerous real-time inputs from the phone, including content characteristics, sensors, display and user preferences, to intelligently enhance on-screen visuals. The result is a superior user experience with improved color depth, contrast and sharpness, while adaptively preserving viewing clarity in a wide range of lighting conditions.

The new TCL 20 Pro 5G includes the following Pixelworks i6 processor features:

• AI Picture Quality – Adaptively optimizes overall picture quality—sharpness, contrast and clarity—for videos and photos using low-power inferencing, real-time inputs and an extensive Pixelworks display knowledge base that is updated through an ongoing deep learning process.
• AI SDR to HDR Conversion – Intelligent Scene Detection enhances real-time SDR-to-HDR conversion for videos and photos, resulting in even better color depth and contrast than previous generations.
• AI Adaptive Display – Analyzes the display and other key parameters to intelligently adjust display brightness, tone and contrast to reduce blue light and preserve visual quality, even in bright daylight viewing.
• Color Calibration 3.0 – Every TCL 20 Pro 5G phone is individually factory-tuned with patented display calibration technology by Pixelworks, resulting in an average Delta E—an indicator for measuring color accuracy—of less than 1 (lower is better), meaning no deviations from perfect color reproduction can be detected by the human eye.
• Calibrated Skin Tone Management – Pixelworks' new calibrated skin tone management dynamically detects and corrects/protects skin tones with greater precision than previous generations for the most natural, realistic look across different color gamuts and custom viewing modes.

"As a technical authority on smartphone display performance, DXOMARK congratulates TCL and Pixelworks on an achievement that places the TCL 20 Pro 5G smartphone display among the industry's best to-date, based on nearly every objective and subjective measure of quality," said Frederic Guichard, CEO, DXOMARK. "As we have seen with camera R&D over the past 10-plus years, investments in advanced smartphone display technology are delivering measurable benefits in real-world use cases."

"As part of our ongoing strategic collaboration with Pixelworks, we are excited to continue elevating TCL smartphone display quality to greater heights," said Stefan Streit, General Manager of Global Marketing, TCL Communication. "The intelligence of the Pixelworks i6 co-processor, combined with our NXTVISION 2.0 technology, embodies the essence of our AI x IoT strategy, which delivers unforgettable visual experiences for consumers across a wide range of affordable price points."

"The determination of TCL to disrupt the industry's smartphone establishment is the kind of mission that Pixelworks' mobile technology was created for," said Todd DeBonis, President and CEO, Pixelworks. "Our shared passion for all things visual is backed by respective world class expertise and industry-leading Pixelworks AI display technology that is helping redefine the price point at which a consumer can enjoy a true flagship smartphone experience. We look forward to continuing on this exciting journey with TCL."

Availability
TCL announced and officially launched the TCL 20 Pro 5G on April 14, 2021. Please visit the TCL web site for more information on availability of each model.

About TCL Electronics

TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is one of the world's fastest-growing consumer electronics companies and one of the world's leading television and mobile device manufacturers. For nearly 40 years TCL has operated its own manufacturing and R&D centers worldwide, with products sold in more than 160 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. TCL specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics ranging from TVs, mobile phones, audio devices and smart home products as part of the company's "AI x IoT" strategy. For more information on TCL mobile devices, please visit: http://www.tcl.com/global/en.html.

About Pixelworks

Pixelworks provides industry-leading content creation, video delivery and display processing solutions and technology that enable highly authentic viewing experiences with superior visual quality, across all screens – from cinema to smartphone and beyond. The Company has more than 20 years of history delivering image processing innovation to leading providers of consumer electronics, professional displays and video streaming services. Pixelworks is headquartered in San Jose, CA. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.pixelworks.com.

Note: Pixelworks and the Pixelworks logo are registered trademarks of Pixelworks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.