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Samsung and Apple: What is Really Going On?

Samsung and Apple: What is Really Going On?
by Paul McLellan on 02-01-2015 at 9:00 am

Apple reported that it sold $74.6B in products last quarter, and earned an all-time record (for any company) $18.06B in profits. Sammy reported its lowest quarterly profit since 2011 at $21.3Bk, down almost a third.

In 2013 mobile had been 70% of Sammy’s profits so any drop in revenue or profitability would have an amplified… Read More


CEVA and LTE: Happy Together

CEVA and LTE: Happy Together
by Majeed Ahmad on 01-31-2015 at 11:00 pm

Long Term Evolution (LTE)-based 4G technology is reshaping the wireless infrastructure landscape, and that brings a new set of opportunities for IP core licensor CEVA Inc. and its DSP offerings for multi-mode LTE base stations.

LTE devices—both handsets and radio base stations—are haunted by power constraints, mainly due … Read More


Intel to Launch 10nm Chips in Early 2017?

Intel to Launch 10nm Chips in Early 2017?
by Daniel Nenni on 01-31-2015 at 7:00 am

As I have mentioned before, Intel and the foundries approach process development from different starting points. Intel is committed to Moore’s law in reducing the transistor cost by increasing the process density in a near linear fashion. The foundries on the other hand work closely with partners and customers to determine the… Read More


What’s New with Static Timing Analysis

What’s New with Static Timing Analysis
by Daniel Payne on 01-30-2015 at 7:00 am

When I hear the phrase Static Timing Analysis (STA) the first EDA tool that comes to mind is PrimeTimefrom Synopsys, and this type of tool is essential to reaching timing closure for digital designs by identifying paths that are limiting chip performance. Sunil Walia, PrimeTime ADV marketing lead spoke with me by phone on Thursday… Read More


STMicroelectronics and SoCs

STMicroelectronics and SoCs
by Majeed Ahmad on 01-29-2015 at 7:00 pm

What does system on chip (SoC) actually mean? How this tech moniker came into being? There is quite a bit of enigma about SoC in the technology press and what this term really stands for. Roger Shepherd, consultant at Parallel Computer Systems, shares on Quora his version of the SoC story. He says that he first heard about SoCs when … Read More


NVM IP now Available for On-Chip MCU Code

NVM IP now Available for On-Chip MCU Code
by Eric Esteve on 01-29-2015 at 11:14 am

As of today NVM IP has been mostly used in SoC or IC to support very specific needs like analog trimming and calibration or encryption key integration for Digital Right Management (DRM) purpose. In other words small size (less than 1K-bit) few times programmable (FTP) NVM IP was enough to support these needs, thus most of the NVM IP… Read More


Apple’s Implications for Semiconductor

Apple’s Implications for Semiconductor
by Robert Maire on 01-29-2015 at 11:00 am

Apple’s iPhone 6 alone represents at least 50K wafer starts/month plus the iPad (A8X). What could the Iphone 6S/7 & A9 mean? What about the iWatch? Apple is the technology and volume driver of the semiconductor industry so lets take a look at the broader implications.

If we do the math the A8 is 89mm2 and 8.47 X 10.5mm. Using… Read More


NoC 102: Using SonicsGN to Address Low Power Requirements From IoT to Servers

NoC 102: Using SonicsGN to Address Low Power Requirements From IoT to Servers
by Paul McLellan on 01-29-2015 at 7:00 am

At the end of last year, I moderated a Sonics webinar to introduce the concept of a network-on-chip or NoC. It was called NoC 101 and the replay is still available here.

Well it is a new year and time for chapter 2. I will be moderating a webinar next Wednesday February 4th at 10am pacific time. Once again the webinar itself will be delivered… Read More


Translating Intel

Translating Intel
by Scotten Jones on 01-28-2015 at 10:00 pm

Some of Intel’s technology posts make some pretty specific statements and I have seen a number of posts where people seem to have misinterpreted what Intel was actually saying.

Multi Patterning
I have seen a lot of confusion on this one with some people saying Intel didn’t use multi patterning at 22nm and others saying Intel used … Read More


Qualcomm Earnings Call

Qualcomm Earnings Call
by Paul McLellan on 01-28-2015 at 9:35 pm

Qualcomm had their earnings call today. There has been a lot of discussion about their business going forward and they lowered guidance. They didn’t say explicitly why but in the usual Kabuik theater of these things this is what they did say:While our outlook for the first half of the fiscal year is ahead of our prior expectations,Read More