CAMBRIDGE, UK and SUNNYVALE, Calif.-May 24, 2005 - ARM [(LSE: ARM); (Nasdaq: ARMHY)] and UMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) today announced the two companies have signed an agreement for ARM to provide its Artisan?Metro?low-power IP platform for UMC's advanced 130-nanometer (nm) process technology. The ARM Artisan physical IP, developed specifically for performance-oriented, portable electronic devices, significantly reduces power while enhancing density and yield: resulting in up to an 80 percent reduction in power, up to a 20 percent reduction in area and improved production yield. The ARM physical IP, optimized for UMC's 130nm process, provides foundry customers with an ideal low-power solution for portable IC design.

The licensed ARM physical IP products include the Artisan Metro low-power standard cells, I/Os and memories designed for low dynamic and leakage power. All products are characterized for timing and power over an extended range of voltages, enabling customers to do accurate pre-tapeout simulation of multi-voltage designs. The IP conforms to the Artisan design standard supporting recent releases of leading EDA tools that simplify power-optimized design and increase design productivity. The suite of products enables advanced power management methodologies by providing library components such as voltage level shifters and power gating cells for use with both memories and standard cell blocks. Additionally the agreement provides for ARM to distribute its UMC-based IP under its Artisan Access Library Program on a worldwide basis at no charge to licensed design teams.

"UMC is committed to providing customers with the latest technologies that address power-management issues for nanometer design," said Ken Liou, director of the IP and Design Support division at UMC. "This agreement with ARM adds silicon-proven Artisan Metro analog, digital and mixed signal low-power IP to our low power IP portfolio, and broadens UMC's commitment to providing customers with tools to help with the successful delivery of power-efficient SoCs."

UMC's agreement with ARM comes after the two companies collaborated with several leading companies on a comprehensive low-power, energy-efficient system-on-chip (SoC) technology demonstrator for the ARM926EJ-STM processor (See https://www2.umc.com/en/News/press_release/Content/corporation/20041108).

"Optimizing nanometer designs for dynamic and leakage power is a challenging task for IC designers," said Neal Carney, vice president of Marketing, Physical IP, ARM. "ARM has worked closely with UMC to implement our Artisan low-power platform products in UMC's 130nm process to solve these challenges. Including these products in the Artisan Access Library program at no charge to IC designers enables sophisticated lower power design techniques to move into the mainstream of IC design for foundry customers."

Front-end views of the ARM Artisan Metro low-power IP for UMC's 130nm process will be available in third quarter 2005 and complete views will be available fourth quarter 2005. Licensed design teams can download at no charge on the ARM website at www.arm.com.

UMC (NYSE: UMC, TSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry that manufactures advanced process ICs for applications spanning every major sector of the semiconductor industry. UMC delivers cutting-edge foundry technologies that enable sophisticated system-on-chip (SOC) designs, including 90nm copper, 0.13um copper, and mixed signal/RFCMOS. UMC is also a leader in 300mm manufacturing; Fab 12A in Taiwan and Singapore-based UMCi are both in volume production for a variety of customer products. UMC employs over 10,500 people worldwide and has offices in Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Europe, and the United States. UMC can be found on the web at http://www.umc.com.

ARM designs the technology that lies at the heart of advanced digital products, from wireless, networking and consumer entertainment solutions to imaging, automotive, security and storage devices. ARM's comprehensive product offering includes 16/32-bit RISC microprocessors, data engines, 3D processors, digital libraries, embedded memories, peripherals, software and development tools, as well as analog functions and high-speed connectivity products. Combined with the company's broad Partner community, they provide a total system solution that offers a fast, reliable path to market for leading electronics companies. More information on ARM is available at http://www.arm.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, features and performance of the ARM Artisan products for UMC's 130-nanometer process and statements regarding the impact or benefit of such products. These statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, technical or other difficulties that affect the performance of such products and market acceptance of such 130-nanometer library products. More information about potential factors that could affect ARM's business and financial results is included in ARM's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 including (without limitation) under the captions, "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

ARM is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. AM926EJ-S and Metro are trademarks of ARM Limited. Artisan and Artisan Components are trademarks of ARM Physical IP, Inc. All other brands or product names are the property of their respective holders. "ARM"' is used to represent ARM Holdings plc; its operating company ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM INC.; ARM KK; ARM Korea Ltd.; ARM Taiwan; ARM France SAS; ARM Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.; ARM Belgium N.V.; AXYS Design Automation Inc.; AXYS GmbH; ARM Embedded Technologies Pvt. Ltd.; and ARM Physical IP, Inc.