As I wait for my plane to Taiwan I’m wondering what the New Year has in store for the fabless semiconductor ecosystem. Good things I hope but to make sure let’s take another look at one of my trusted economic bellwethers (TSMC) which I’m guessing will break the $25B revenue mark this year. That is more than a 25% growth rate year… Read More
Author: Daniel Nenni
Intel is NOT Quitting Mobile!
Judging from the presentation Hermann Eul did at NASDAQ this week Intel is still in mobile. This presentation was probably inked before Intel Mobile was folded into the PC Group however. The first clue is Hermann’s title was listed as “General Manager and Vice President, Mobile Communications Group” which he is no longer. Even … Read More
No IoT No Justice!
It looks like even President Obama is on the IoT bandwagon now with his $263M in matching funds for state and local police body cameras and training. It is a shame that it took a tragic event to spur this type of Government investment in semiconductor technology but I appreciate it just the same.
As I have mentioned before, when I read… Read More
More Apple A9 Ridiculousness!
File this one under funny things journalists are paid to say. Last week the Korea Times reported that Apple had “designated” Samsung as the primary supplier of the next Apple SoC. In response, the Chinese Commercial Times reported that TSMC is to supply the Apple A9 chip despite competition from Samsung. Since SemiWiki readers … Read More
Make Semiconductor IP Reuse Successful?
As I have mentioned before, Apple has changed the way we live on many different levels (iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, etc…) and the Apple Ax SoC series is no different. You have to ask yourself how is Apple able to churn out a new industry leading SoC EVERY year? I can assure you design reuse is a big part of that answer.
One of the companies… Read More
Semiconductor IP Make the World Go Round!
Semiconductor IP really does make the life of a semiconductor professional much easier which is why Google brings us so much IP traffic. If you look at the SemiWiki analytics, IP has always been a top draw. In comparison to standard EDA traffic, IP gets about 25% more views per blog on average. Synopsys is not only the leading EDA company… Read More
Semiconductor IP Information Flow!
One of the biggest challenges in the IP business, or any other business for that matter, is managing the information flow. Semiconductor IP is a critical piece of the fabless semiconductor ecosystem so anybody and everybody can write about it. Unfortunately, anybody and everybody ARE writing about it. From day one IP has been a … Read More
Who is REALLY Using TSMC 16FF+?
As I wrote last week there is a whole list of companies on LinkedIn with people working on TSMC 16nm. Today TSMC released a list of customers that have risk production 16FF+ silicon. Most of us knew this already but now we can talk about it in more detail. This is a really big deal for the FinFET doubters out there. Just because Intel had… Read More
What is up with CEVA?!?!?!
Semiconductor IP is definitely driving the rapid mobile expansion we are experiencing today and CEVA is a glaring example of that. Mobile design cycles are a fraction of what they used to be so who has time to create, integrate, AND validate your own IP blocks, especially at multiple foundries?
Just a little background, CEVA is really… Read More
Who is Using Samsung 14nm?
As I have mentioned before, there are very few secrets in Silicon Valley. Just last week I was minding my own business at a Starbucks when I overheard two engineers complaining about Samsung 14nm shuttles being delayed. They had badges on but I won’t out them because it could have easily been any of the fabless companies in Silicon … Read More









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