United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) and ARM reached an agreement to offer ARM Cortex-A7 processor Artisan physical IP platform together with POP (Processor Optimization Pack) IP for UMC's 28HLP (28-nm high-performance low-power) process technology, as reported by Taiwan's Commercial Times on January 15. Under the agreement, UMC will be able to develop cost-effective mobile applications for consumer products that require low power consumption and high performance, such as smartphones, tablets, wireless LAN, and digital home. UMC's 28HLP is currently in pilot production for customer design-in, with volume production scheduled in early 2014.