PowerVR is a highly successful division of Imagination Technology, a leading provider of innovative solutions that provide for 2D/3D rendering, video encoding and decoding and image processing. In the late 1990s, Imagination Technology was in heavy competition with 3dfx in the graphics card accelerator market for PCs and game consoles. Both companies were eventually overcome by the emergence of ATI and NVIDIA products, graphics cards that proved to perform better in those markets. Today, PowerVR technology is mainly designed for the low-powered market, now frequently incorporated into cell phones and many other mobile devices. Its chips can be found in devices manufactured by Apple, Motorola, Panasonic, Sharp, Sony, and several other companies.
Imagination truly established itself in the graphics card market with the second generation Power VR2 chip. This chip was very successful, as it powered the Sega Dreamcast console from 1998 and 2001. Its third generation, the Power VR3, was adopted in 2001 by STMicroelectronics for its STG4000 KYRO and STG4500 KYRO II chips. The latter was introduced as a low-end product set to rival the more expensive ATI Radeon and NVIDIA GeForce 2, which were dominating the market at the time. However, much like its successor, the Power VR4, this chip quickly lost its luster on the market and never achieved the commercial success the company hoped.
Although its market focus has shifted, Imagination Technology and its powerful line of graphics solutions are still are a formidable presence. The PowerVR line is backed by state of the art R&D facilities and a highly skilled team of more than 500 employees. Imagination maintains close relationships with global partners and customers, with sales office in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The company continues to maintain a reputable status through lucrative partnership programs and high quality products.