The year 2021 was strange, you can read more of it from A 2021 technology retrospective: Strange days indeed. But how strange will 2022 be? Here are some predictions for year 2022:
2022 preview: Will the global computer chip shortage ever end?
The growing demand for computer chips, used in everything from cars to fridges, has collided with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, leading to a global shortage that is likely to continue through 2022
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2022-2022-preview-will-the-global-computer-chip-shortage-ever-end/#ixzz7GqrP1H9A
Industry Transforming In Ways Previously Unimaginable
https://semiengineering.com/industry-transforming-in-ways-previously-unimaginable/?cmid=3dedf05d-0284-497a-b015-daf7747872e6
As we look back over 2021, there have certainly been some surprises, but the industry continues to take everything in its stride.
2022 tech themes: A look ahead
https://www.edn.com/2022-tech-themes-a-look-ahead/
The continued COVID-19 question mark: The world quickly and dramatically changed. It hasn’t yet reverted to pre-pandemic characteristics, and it very likely never will. Sad but true, the pandemic isn’t even close to being over yet.
Deep learning’s Cambrian moment: Look at today’s participant-rich deep learning silicon and software market, spanning both training and inference.
The ongoing importance of architecture: As the number of transistors that it’s possible to cost-effectively squeeze onto a sliver of silicon continues to slow, what you build out of those transistors becomes increasingly critical.
Open source processors’ time in the sun: There is a burgeoning RISC-V movement. It’s likely a little-known fact to some of you, that a public domain instruction set for v2 and earlier versions of the Arm ISA exists. And both Sun (with OpenSPARC) and IBM (OpenPOWER) have also joined the open-source silicon movement.
The normalization of remote work (and the “Great Resignation’s” aftershocks): I suspect that, to at least a notable degree, we won’t ever completely return to the “way it was before.” In fact, I’d wager that having a taste of a work-from-home or “hybrid” employment lifestyle is one of the key factors behind the so-called “Great Resignation” that tech and broader media alike inform me is well underway.
The metaverse starts to stir: Perhaps we’ll look back at 2022 as the year when the crossing of the chasm started in earnest.
Autonomy slowly accelerates: 2021 was another year filled with fully autonomous car tests and premature “coming soon” pronouncements; 2022 will likely be the same.
Batteries get ever denser, ever more plentiful, and ever cheaper
Space travel becomes commonplace
Global semiconductor industry forecasts for 2022
https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20211229VL205.html
“2021 is the year that everyone remembered that chip mattered,” said Wired Magazine. So far 2022 seems likely to be another fruitful year for the semiconductor industry.
World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) also has predicted that the global semiconductor market is projected to grow by 8.8 percent in 2022, to US$ 601 billion, driven by double-digit growth of the sensors and logic category. All regions and all product categories are expected to continue positive growth. Wafer foundry manufacturers sales likely to remain strong due to tight supply. 5G smartphone silicon content increase to drive demand for foundry service higher. Demand for digital transformation is here to stay, no sign of weakening for foundry service sales.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation over the past two years. Work from home, virtual conference, and remote learning have driven up the demand for cloud computing, laptops, and servers, and hence the sales growth of related semiconductor products. Demands for CPU, GPU, AI accelerator (including FPGA) foundry services will remain strong in 2022 because trends such as virtual conferences, live streaming, and large capex of data centers are likely to stay. Long-term demands for customized chips in IoT, 5G infrastructure, HPC, and EV applications, like ADAS, autonomous driving, V2X, in-Vehicle Infotainment, will provide robust growth momentum for chip foundry services.
Chip crunch is not ending in 2022, as the lead time of some electronic components is stretching into 2023. Meanwhile, the increasing adoption of RISC-V open standard instruction set architecture is an important trend that can not be ignored. RISC-V market will double its size in 2022, compared to 2021, as it is attracting small and medium-size chip designers and manufacturers, especially those in China. RISC-V designs are now being used by Qualcomm, Samsung, Google, Microchip, Nvidia, and more.
Taiwan’s chip industry emerges as a battlefront in US-China showdown
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2022/01/01/2003770517
The country dominates production of chips used in almost all civilian and military technologies. That leaves the US and Chinese economies reliant on plants that would be in the line of fire in an attack on Taiwan. The vulnerability is stoking alarm in Washington
40 prosenttia pienempiä latureita
https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12981&via=n&datum=2021-12-20_14:53:12&mottagare=30929
The size of a standard mobile phone charger can be reduced by up to 40 percent when using GaN components or it can be designed to produce more power in the same size. GaN chargers are becoming the most popular charger technology for billions of devices, so it’s no wonder that European semiconductor giant STMicroelectronics is also excited about them.
1,322 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/11/25/are-slabtops-the-future-of-computing/
The most popular computer ever was the Commodore 64 with its computer-in-a-keyboard form factor. If you have a longing for a keyboard computer with more modern internals, one of the easiest solutions today is to pull the screen off a laptop.
https://www.theverge.com/22965732/macbook-decapitation-slabtop-mod-mac-studio-event-rumor-keyboard-computer-diy
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD valtasi superkoneet
https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14297&via=n&datum=2022-11-24_15:50:23&mottagare=31202
AMD:n edistysaskeleet prosessoritekniikassa näkyvät myös supertietokoneiden listalla. Uusimmalla listalla AMD:n EPYC-sarjan prosessorit vauhdittavat sataayhtä konetta top500-listalla. Valtaosa listalle tulleista uusista koneista perustuu AMD:n prosessoreihin.
Maailman nopein superkone on nimeltään Frontier. Se on HPE:n Cray Ex -järjestelmä, joka ensimmäisenä koneena maailmassa rikkoi eksaflopsin suorituskyvyn. USA:n energiaministeriön tutkimuskäyttöön tulevan koneen prosessoriryväs perustuu AMD:n kolmannen sukupolven EPYC-suorittimiin, joissa on yhteensä 8730112 suoritinydintä.
Japanilainen Fugaku yltää 7630848 suoritinytimellään 442 petaflopsin suorituskykyyn. Se kuluttaa tehoa lähes 30 000 kilowattia eli kolmanneksen enemmän kun ykkössijan Frontier.
Listan kolmantena on suomalainen LUMI. Siinä käytetään samoja AMD:n EPYC_prosessoreita kuin Frontierissa, mutta reilulla 2,2 miljoonalla ytimellä suorituskyky jää kolmannekseen eli 309 petaflopsiin. Kuuden tuhannan kilowatin tehonkulutus tarkoittaa tosin, että LUMI on erittäin energiatehokas, jos tätä termiä ylipäätään voidaan superkoneissa käyttää.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Puolijohdemyynti sakkasi, Intel palasi piikkipaikalle
https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14301&via=n&datum=2022-11-25_15:59:48&mottagare=31202
Vuoden 2020 alkupuolelta puolijohdeteollisuus on seilannut vahvassa myötätuulessa ja nauttinut kahdeksasta peräkkäisestä kasvuneljänneksestä. Heinä-syyskuussa lento pysähtyi kuin seinään. Samalla Intel palasi maailman suurimmaksi puolijohdeyhtiöksi.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Uusia ohjelmointikieliä ei enää tule
https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14300&via=n&datum=2022-11-25_15:59:48&mottagare=31202
Heinäkuussa Google esitteli uuden ohjelmointikielen, jolle oli annettu nimeksi Carbon. Kyse on kokeellisesta C++:n seuraajasta, jonka ensimmäistä virallista versiota odotetaan joko vuonna 2024 tai 2025.
Carbon on paitsi harvinaisuus, myös kuvaava uusi kieli. Todellisuudessa uusia ohjelmointikieliä ei enää tuoda markkinoille. Suurin osa ”uusista” on jonkinlaisia aiempien kielten evoluutioita. Erilaiset C-uusviritykset ovat varsin tyypillisiä.
Jos katsoo ohjelmointikielten Wikipedia-sivustoa, 2020-luvulla on Googlen Carbonin lisäksi esitelty vain C++20 ja Microsoftin Power FX, joka on Microsoftin alustoille suunnattu vähäkoodinen loogisten operaatioiden kuvauskieli. Power FX:ää voidaan pitää tämän vuosikymmenen ainoana oikeasti uutena kielenä.
uusien ohjelmointikielien ilmaantuminen koodaajien käyttöön väheni radikaalisti vuoden 2014 aikoihin. Hänen mukaansa viimeisen viiden vuoden aikana uusia kieliä on tullut lähinnä kvanttikoneiden ohjaamiseen. Ja niitäkin vain muutamia.
Mielenkiintoista on tietysti pohtia ilmiön syitä. Joku voisi päätellä, että koodaaminen ja sen työkalujen kehitys on yltänyt kypsempään vaiheeseen. Filip Van Laenen miettii koronapandemian vaikutusta uusien kielten syntyyn: Teams-kokoukset eivät ehkä ole omiaan ruokkimaan uusia, innovatiivisia ideoita.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Papertronics: Biodegradable R-C-FET Amplifier Fabbed on Paper Substrate
Nov. 22, 2022
Using a paper substrate and wax resist, plus conductive and non-conductive inks, researchers have developed a functional, biodegradable circuit and its carrier.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/analog/article/21255234/electronic-design-papertronics-biodegradable-rcfet-amplifier-fabbed-on-paper-substrate?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221115160&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Electronics and Electrical Engineering Jobs on the Decline—Can They Be Saved?
Nov. 18, 2022
Electronics and electrical engineering job outlooks are on the decline due to interests and global materials shortages, but that could change based on several dynamics.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/embedded-revolution/article/21255051/electronic-design-electronics-and-electrical-engineering-jobs-on-the-declinecan-they-be-saved?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221121115&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
What you’ll learn:
The state of the engineering job market.
What current engineers are doing instead of working.
What may be next for the industry.
The pandemic has done its best to hinder chip production on a global scale. But while the shortage shows signs of subsiding, semiconductor companies are encountering another problem that could set them back: a lack of qualified electronics and electrical engineers.
CS vs. EE
The concern was highlighted by a graph (Fig. 1) outlining how computer science (CS) majors’ college enrollment has overshadowed those majoring in electrical engineering over the last 50 years. That translates to a 90% uptick in the CS field and a 90% drop for those pursuing an EE degree. The situation is worse for electronics engineers, the workforce responsible for building those electronic devices, which is astounding, given the amount of technology the average person has in their homes.
The lack of desire among young people in the U.S. to become electronic engineers can be explained by many factors, including the lack of popularity and a stronger emphasis on programming. Why bother with circuit design when there’s so much more money to be had in programming?
Higher salaries in programming also serve as a stronger argument than learning the basics of chip design. Companies such as Microsoft, Apple and Google offer incentives to students and others who pursue a degree in programming, including internships and grants, which puts the dollar sign icing on the software engineering cake.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Woojin Son / Counterpoint Research:
Global smartwatch shipments increased 30% YoY in Q3 2022, led by India, up 171%; Apple grew 48% YoY, Samsung dropped 2.7% YoY, and Noise grew 218% YoY — – Driven by the basic smartwatch segment, the global smartwatch market grew 30% YoY. — India grew 171% YoY, taking the top spot …
India Becomes Biggest Smartwatch Market in Q3 2022
https://www.counterpointresearch.com/india-becomes-biggest-smartwatch-market-q3-2022/
Driven by the basic smartwatch segment, the global smartwatch market grew 30% YoY.
India grew 171% YoY, taking the top spot for the first time thanks to the growth of local brands.
Apple grew 48% YoY thanks to strong sales of its newly released Apple Watch 8 series.
Noise grew 218% YoY to regain the top spot in the Indian market.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Smart Systems, the Cloud, and Big Data are Changing the Face of Design and Manufacturing
Nov. 2, 2022
Among the pivotal technologies reshaping the future of the electronics space, intelligent systems in the cloud will forever change the way we think about test & measurement.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/test-measurement/article/21253964/electronic-design-how-smart-systems-the-cloud-and-big-data-are-changing-the-face-of-design-and-manufacturing?utm_source=EG+ED+Connected+Solutions&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221121125&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
The disruptive aspects of our current electronic market environment.
How disruptive technologies like machine learning and edge computing will impact test and measurement.
ntelligence Everywhere
The argument can be made that we have finally reached the complete integration of hardware and software at the device level, the vanguard of an expanding wave of convergence that will wash over every powered device and make it a part of the “living” cloud. Eventually, every element of the infrastructure will be completely intelligent and integrated as well.
One day every product that draws power will have a level of IoT functionality, if only for efficiency and safety monitoring. The impact of intelligent management on the day-to-day power consumption of next-generation products can’t be understated.
Fortune Business Insights predicts that the global machine-learning market will expand from $21.17 billion in 2022 to $209.91 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 38.8%. And according to Statista.com, the global big-data and business-analytics market was valued at 169 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 and is expected to grow to 274 billion U.S. dollars in 2022 (see figure).
Although there’s some overlap, not much exists between these two spaces at this time. However, both will continue to overlap until they’re significantly linked in the future.
Total Product Awareness
Testing and measuring are fundamental aspects of science and engineering. If it can’t be measured and repeated, it isn’t a process—it’s a random series of events. Precision in anything can only be accomplished by careful and accurate use of measuring tools, be it a wooden chair or an orbital electronics package. You can’t draw a straight line without a ruler, and you can’t understand the operation of a circuit until you’re able to evaluate it properly with precise tools.
The fundamental change in this process is that T&M activity now can happen in real-time, in a control loop that’s precisely managed in direct communication with the device itself. This real-time monitoring doesn’t eliminate the need for testing, but it does integrate and streamline the entire design and development process. Coupled with design simulation software, many process steps in the design and development process are now integrated and no longer directly rely on benchtop tools.
AI, the Cloud, and Big Data
The migration to “Industry 5.0” is already happening with several industry-leading companies, and they’re revolutionizing their respective industries. Companies that can rapidly address both challenges and opportunities will tend to be more successful than those relying on legacy technologies and processes. This competitive pressure will eventually force all manufacturers to adopt the latest smart design, development, and manufacturing solutions.
The convergence of machine learning/AI, advanced hardware platforms, and the ability to integrate big data will advance manufacturing in multiple ways. AI requires a tremendous amount of data to teach it anything useful, and a modern manufacturer can get all of the user information they need about product functionality by interrogating the devices themselves. This web of information in the cloud will be a dynamic real-time connection between almost every powered device.
Looking Forward
The convergence of big data, AI, edge computing, and the cloud will result in a data-rich environment of networked devices and systems, revolutionizing how we design, make, and use electronic products. The role of test & measurement in design has expanded and integrated itself into every aspect of the process, empowering and accelerating our ability to create, develop, and manufacture solutions for our societal applications in an optimum manner.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Next Step in Manufacturing
Nov. 17, 2022
What are the innovations leading the Industry 4.0 movement? Data accumulated from advanced networking driven by sensors is one major force that’s transforming the factory floor.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/article/21254042/analog-devices-the-next-step-in-manufacturing?utm_source=EG+ED+Connected+Solutions&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221121125&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Today, the most precious resource in the manufacturing industry isn’t steel, coal, or electricity—it’s data. Companies are beginning their journey of Industry 4.0 manufacturing, the latest industrial revolution driven by artificial intelligence and massive connectivity.
In this new age, data generated by sensors and digital systems enable businesses to monitor processes taking place in the physical world, laying the foundation for more flexible modes of production. It’s an approach that’s increasingly required due to changing consumer demands.
But consumer demand is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the current emphasis on Industry 4.0. With economic, geopolitical, environmental, and population issues and crises rippling across the globe, industrial labor supply and supply chains are being impacted like never before. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, has put a spotlight on this need for advanced technology, real-time data, and flexible manufacturing and supply chains.
With increased automation and robots taking on repetitive, dangerous work, manufacturers can augment human labor and ensure continuity of production. This frees up workers to leverage their cognitive brain power and enables re-shoring of previously off-shored automated and repetitive work.
“There are more and more capabilities people are discussing, like the use of IoT, robots, and augmented reality in manufacturing settings,” said Kaibo Liu, associate director of the IoT Systems Research Center and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “You’ll start to see higher and higher resolution data gathered from the manufacturing process, making more aspects of decision-making possible in real-time.”
More localized supply chains also can add new flexibility to manufacturing, with the added benefit of reduced environmental impact from lower transportation complexity. Finally, with reliable and real-time data and easily reconfigurable systems, manufacturers can make decisions quickly, such as schedule maintenance, adjust a machine setting, or pivot from making shirts to face masks.
The 4th Revolution
The third industrial revolution brought us electronics, computing, telecommunications, and digital technologies. This allowed manufacturers to design plants to mass-produce a small number of products, or even a single product, at high volume. Today, a greater level of flexibility is required as consumers expect more options and levels of customization than what was available in the 1920s—or the early 2000s, for that matter.
“If you want to buy a car, there are many options you can choose from,” says Kevin Carlin, vice president of condition-based monitoring Otosense AI at Analog Devices. “Manufacturers need to be able to cater to hundreds of thousands, even millions, of different configurations. Then they need to manage the entire plant and supply chain to be able to respond to that in real-time and configure their factories to move from one model to another.”
By setting up a wireless, sensor-driven communication network at the production level, partners like Analog Devices could help manufacturers realize the promise of emerging technologies such as condition-based monitoring. Here, the health of a specific machine or part can be monitored by sensors, allowing plants to identify, diagnose, and solve abnormalities before they become an issue or possibly even fail outright.
Such real-time monitoring could extend equipment lifespans and increase throughput. Given that unscheduled downtime may amount to nearly a quarter of total manufacturing costs, predictive maintenance has the potential to unlock significant savings and productivity.
The Cost of Downtime
Unplanned downtime has a steep cost for manufacturers—and preventing it is a major goal of the technologies that will define industry 4.0 manufacturing.
Bringing IT to the Factory Floor
As Industry 4.0 approaches, manufacturers are making the jump from legacy computer infrastructure to new network solutions driving faster speeds, better data management, and increased energy efficiency.
At the heart of Industry 4.0 manufacturing is a concept known as interoperability, or the ability to communicate real-time data across numerous industrial IoT (IIoT) devices. Manufacturing floors use equipment, software protocols, and proprietary networks from a number of equipment manufacturers. To date, there hasn’t been a way for these individual protocols and networks to talk to each other. The emergence of time-sensitive networking (TSN) will enable this for the first time.
Given the high volume of data produced by today’s smart factories, a robust on-site network is a prerequisite for interoperability. One technology helping to enable it is real-time deterministic Ethernet, which can better manage the high volume of data in a connected factory. Companies such as Analog Devices are pioneering the hardware (e.g., real-time deterministic Ethernet switches), forming what amounts to a factory’s central nervous system.
“Our role in translating the physical to the digital means that the insight we generate at the edge now must talk to everything else that’s in a particular plant,” said Martin Cotter, senior vice president of worldwide sales and digital marketing at Analog Devices. “Having a real-time, high-bandwidth connection across each system enables greater control of various production processes. That’s driving efficiency, it’s driving more certainty of output, and it’s driving a next-generation industrial process.”
Different sensing modalities, like vision and time of flight, can be combined with connectivity technology such as deterministic Ethernet to transfer data in real-time and have more precise control of robots and cobots. According to one report, the use of these tools could help drive an estimated net savings of $40.4 billion per year for U.S. manufacturers.
For manufacturers, taking that next step into the future depends on further investment in the technology underpinning advances in factory automation and flexibility. It’s here, at the sensor-driven level where the physical world meets the digital one, that the gains promised by Industry 4.0 are truly being realized.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14319-aws-kiihdyttaeae-teholaskentaa-pilvessae
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bloomberg:
Sources: TSMC will make advanced 4nm chips when its ~$12B Arizona plant opens in 2024, an upgrade to prior 5nm claims, at the urging of Apple, AMD, and others
TSMC Plans to Make More Advanced Chips in US at Urging of Apple
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-01/tsmc-plans-to-make-more-advanced-chips-in-us-at-urging-of-apple
Arizona plant slated for 2024 will use 4-nanometer technology
Change is a win for Biden efforts to bolster US manufacturing
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pentagon Office to Support Tech Investment Critical for National Security
Concern over China is prompting the government to reconsider industrial policy
https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-office-to-support-tech-investment-critical-for-national-security-11669918443?mod=e2fb
The Pentagon has established a new unit to lure private funding for technology deemed critical to national security, citing concern over China’s military advances.
On Thursday, the Defense Department announced the creation of the Office of Strategic Capital, which will seek to employ loans, guarantees and other financial tools not typically used by the U.S. military, which relies mainly on contracts and grants.
“The mission of the office is to align and scale private capital and support national-security interests,” said Jason Rathje, the office’s inaugural director.
The U.S. and its allies have long pressed China to stop helping favored industries with subsidies, government preferences and other interventions.
Now they are beginning to copy that approach. In August, President Biden signed a bill to provide direct industry subsidies as part of a $52 billion assistance package for new semiconductor fabrication plants, called “fabs.”
China, like the U.S., is focusing on technologies that it believes are critical to national security, according to Mr. Rathje. In China, “We’ve seen nearly $900 billion of available capital going to companies that are in these critical technology areas,” he said. “And the U.S. has nothing like this.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14331-mullistava-jaeaehdytys-korvaa-tuulettimet-laeppaereissae
Tomi Engdahl says:
Affordable Real-Time Control Boosts Energy Efficiency
Dec. 1, 2022
Sponsored by Texas Instruments: A low-cost MCU brings high-performance real-time control to applications ranging from home appliances to grid-connected distributed-power systems.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/tools/learning-resources/whitepaper/21254705/texas-instruments-affordable-realtime-control-boosts-energy-efficiency?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221121121&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
What it’s like to kill a game
By Luke Winkie published February 13, 2018
How developers and community managers deal with the process and pain of shutting down online communities.
https://www.pcgamer.com/what-its-like-to-kill-a-game/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://pentestmag.com/appsec-tales-ii-sign-in/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The era of constant innovation at Amazon could be over
https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/02/the-era-of-constant-innovation-at-amazon-could-be-over/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kif Leswing / CNBC:
Apple, AMD, and Nvidia have all indicated plans to buy chips from TSMC’s planned Arizona fabs
Tim Cook says Apple will use chips built in the U.S. at Arizona factory
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/06/tim-cook-says-apple-will-use-chips-built-in-the-us-at-arizona-factory.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Financial Times:
TSMC plans to more than triple its Arizona investment to $40B, building a fab for 3nm chips, set to open in 2026, and making 4nm chips in its fab for 5nm chips — President Biden to hail Taiwanese chipmaker’s second plant as boost for US manufacturing — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company …
TSMC triples Arizona chip investment to $40bn
President Biden to hail Taiwanese chipmaker’s second plant as boost for US manufacturing
https://www.ft.com/content/f098bf3f-1ec6-4433-b4e2-fc1acde05628
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company will more than triple its investment in the US state of Arizona to $40bn, as geopolitical tensions put pressure on the world’s largest contract chipmaker to step up diversification of its production facilities.
TSMC is currently putting $12bn into construction of a fabrication plant or “fab” in Arizona that was originally designed to make chips with notionally 5 nanometre circuit widths — an N5 generation that will be behind the most advanced one by the time the fab opens in 2024.
However, at an event on Tuesday marking the installation of the first chip tools at the Phoenix plant, the company will announce plans for a second fab which will manufacture more advanced 3nm, or N3 chips, from 2026, according to White House officials and people close to TSMC.
TSMC will also say that it intends making N4 chips, a slightly more advanced level, in the fab originally intended for N5.
But industry experts said the larger TSMC presence would still be unable to accommodate cutting-edge products such as new iPhone models when the fabs finally open.
US plants producing one technology generation behind the most advanced
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sopimusvalmistus esillä Tallinnassa – komponenttipula on myytti
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14334-sopimusvalmistus-esillae-tallinnassa-komponenttipula-on-myytti
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14338-seagaten-uusi-mekaaninen-levy-on-yhtae-nopea-kuin-ssd
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qt-käyttöliittymä toimii pienemmässä muistissa mikro-ohjaimilla
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14339-qt-kaeyttoeliittymae-toimii-pienemmaessae-muistissa-mikro-ohjaimilla
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14341-prosessori-osaksi-sormenjaelkianturia
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/12/05/ald-ohutkalvoilla-tulevaisuuden-aurinkopolttoainetta/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/12/05/kahden-anturin-hiilidioksidimittaus/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/12/07/kahden-kameran-drone-kopteri-myos-multispekrikuvauksiin/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Chip Boom? It’s Over. The Chip Shortage? Not Yet.
Dec. 1, 2022
The worst of the global chip shortage has likely passed. But the recovery is trudging along slowly and unevenly.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/resources/industry-insights/article/21255687/electronic-design-the-chip-boom-its-over-the-chip-shortage-not-yet?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221201039&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
What you’ll learn:
The turnaround from chip shortages to bloated inventories in multiple industry sectors.
What are the main factors behind the turnaround?
What industries are still struggling with shortages?
At the start of the year, the situation with the global chip shortage had become so dire that large industrial conglomerates were ripping scarce chips out of washing machines to plug them into industrial modules.
In a turn of events, there are now signs that the worst of the semiconductor drought is subsiding, according to multiple analysts. But rather than having solved the problem, chipmakers are facing a slump in demand due to the worsening state of the global economy. Economic fears and global inflation are taking a toll on consumer spending, leading to an inventory pile-up of processors and memory chips used in PCs. Lockdowns in China and fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also are denting the global economy.
As a result, shortages are alleviating across the board, and supply constraints caused by record demand for chips during the pandemic are less widespread, spelling relief for buyers that have withstood a protracted period of long lead times and inflated pricing.
Market watchers have said that while demand for chips is receding, it’s not yet enough to translate into the end of the broader chip shortages. Supply woes will continue for large swathes of the electronics industry into 2023, largely due to a dearth of less-advanced analog, power, and logic chips that are pinching the industrial, automotive, and other sectors.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Alex Heath / The Verge:
An interview with Epic CEO Tim Sweeney on his crusade to break Apple’s App Store power, which he says is increasingly a problem for speech and not just business — Sweeney says he’s willing to go to the Supreme Court to fight Apple’s control of the App Store. But first, he’s hoping Congress will act before it’s too late.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney thinks ‘every politician should fear’ Apple’s power
https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/8/23500363/tim-sweeney-epic-games-ceo-interview-apple-app-store-google-legislaton
Sweeney says he’s willing to go to the Supreme Court to fight Apple’s control of the App Store. But first, he’s hoping Congress will act before it’s too late.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eri Sugiura / Financial Times:
Sony AI CEO Hiroaki Kitano and NEC CEO Takayuki Morita say US sanctions may impact China’s ability to procure chips but question their long-term effectiveness
https://www.ft.com/content/fd5c19b7-6b55-4788-92b6-55e04a11d717
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jason Del Rey / Vox:
Layoffs and rescinded job offers are threatening Amazon’s reputation in the tech job market, where it was already facing challenges, per a leaked June 2022 memo
Layoffs, buyouts, and rescinded offers: Amazon’s status as a top tech employer is taking a hit
https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/12/8/23498824/amazon-layoffs-voluntary-buyouts-rescinded-offers-reputation
A leaked memo shows Amazon was concerned with attracting and retaining top engineers earlier this year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Melkoinen yllätys: maailman edistynein flash-piiri tulee Kiinasta
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14364-melkoinen-yllaetys-maailman-edistynein-flash-piiri-tulee-kiinasta
NAND-piireissä lisäkapasiteettia on haettu rakentamalla siruista korkeampia. Tämä tapahtuu lisäämällä piiriin metallointikerroksia. Kehityksen kärjessä ovat olleet Samsung SK Hynix ja Micron. Nyt kuitenkin kiinalainen YMTC on kehittänyt 232 metallointikerroksen sirun. Se on markkinoiden tähän asti edistynein.
Asiasta raportoi TechInsights, joka on analysoinut YMTC:n uusia siruja. Niitä on jo löytynyt esimerkiksi HikSemin kahden teratavun SSD-levyltä. Analyysi on yllättävä, sillä YMTC on onnistunut kasvattamaan 3D-flashinsa metallointien määrän 128:sta 232:een vain reilussa vuodessa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
U.S. Chip Industry Urges Federal Aid for Chip Design, Too
Dec. 9, 2022
The U.S. risks losing its leadership in chip design unless the country commits to more federal aid, a top industry group warned.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/embedded-revolution/article/21256122/electronic-design-us-chip-industry-urges-federal-aid-for-chip-design-too?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221209011&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
The U.S. risks losing its leadership in the realm of semiconductor design unless it commits tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to the cause, according to a new report by a U.S. chip industry trade group.
In a report released with the Boston Consulting Group last month, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) urged the U.S. to invest roughly $20 billion to $30 billion in chip design and research and development (R&D) by 2030.
That would be on top of the approximately $52 billion in subsidies passed by Congress earlier this year as part of the CHIPS and Science Act to help rebuild fabs on U.S. soil and boost U.S. competitiveness with China.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Julie Zhu / Reuters:
Sources: China is working on a $143B+ five-year support package for its chip industry, mainly including subsidies and tax credits, starting as soon as Q1 2023 — China is working on a more than 1 trillion yuan ($143 billion) support package for its semiconductor industry, three sources said …
Exclusive: China readying $143 billion package for its chip firms in face of U.S. curbs
https://www.reuters.com/technology/china-plans-over-143-bln-push-boost-domestic-chips-compete-with-us-sources-2022-12-13/
HONG KONG, Dec 13 (Reuters) – China is working on a more than 1 trillion yuan ($143 billion) support package for its semiconductor industry, three sources said, in a major step towards self sufficiency in chips and to counter U.S. moves aimed at slowing its technological advances.
Beijing plans to roll out what will be one of its biggest fiscal incentive packages over five years, mainly as subsidies and tax credits to bolster semiconductor production and research activities at home, said the sources.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reuters:
China files a trade dispute at the WTO against the US over its chip export controls, arguing the curbs threaten the stability of global industrial supply chains — China has launched a trade dispute at the World Trade Organization against the United States over its chip export control measures, China’s commerce ministry said.
China starts WTO dispute against U.S. chip export curbs
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-launches-suit-wto-against-us-chip-export-curbs-global-times-2022-12-12/
Dec 13 (Reuters) – China has launched a trade dispute at the World Trade Organization against the United States over its chip export control measures, China’s commerce ministry said.
The United States passed a sweeping set of regulations in October aimed at kneecapping China’s semiconductor industry, prompting a complaint from a top China trade group.
“China takes legal actions within the WTO framework as a necessary way to address our concerns and to defend our legitimate interests,” said a statement by China’s commerce ministry, its diplomatic mission in Geneva relayed.
It added that the U.S. curbs “threatened the stability of the global industrial supply chains”.
The so-called request for consultations is the first step in a long procedure at the global trade body. The United States has blocked appointments to the WTO’s top ruling body on trade disputes, meaning some rows never get settled.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Andrew Cunningham / Ars Technica:
Review of the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and XT: the XTX beats the Nvidia RTX 4080 for $200 less, except in power efficiency and ray tracing, and the XT comes close
Radeon 7900 XTX and XT review: Faster, hotter, and cheaper than the RTX 4080
New $899 and $999 GPUs maintain the status quo in the Nvidia-AMD rivalry.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/review-amds-radeon-rx-7900-gpus-are-great-4k-gaming-gpus-with-caveats/
Nvidia’s RTX 4080 and 4090 GPUs are amazing performers. They are also amazingly expensive, starting at $1,200 and $1,500 and going way up for cards from partners like MSI, Gigabyte, and Asus. The 4080 is nearly twice as expensive as the original $699 MSRP for the RTX 3080.
At $899 and $999, the RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX are still objectively expensive—but because they’re not a further escalation over the starting price of the RX 6900 XT, both cards are what pass for a bargain in today’s GPU market. If you’re looking for cards that can consistently handle 4K gaming at 60 fps and higher, these GPUs do it for less than Nvidia’s latest, and they’re good enough and fast enough that they’ll hopefully start driving Nvidia’s prices down a bit, too.
Tomi Engdahl says:
EU torppaa 8K-televisioiden myynnin
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14369-eu-torppaa-8k-televisioiden-myynnin
Elektroniikkamyymälöissä monen katse kiinnittyy uusiin 8K-resoluutiota tarjoaviin televisioihin. Laitteet ovat vielä kalliita, mutta vievät toki viihteen ja urheilun aivan uudelle tasolle. EU:n lainsäädäntö näyttää kuitenkin kieltävän 8K-televisioiden myynnin ensi vuonna.
EU:n komissio ilmoittaa, että uuteen energiatehokkuuslakiin (EEI, energy efficiency index) ei tule korjauksia. Näin alkuperäinen tiukempi direktiivi tulee voimaan maaliskuussa. Tällä hetkellä kaikkien markkinoilla myytävien 8K-televisioiden energiankulutus on liian suuri.
Tällä hetkellä OLED-televisiot voivat kuluttaa hieman enemmän virtaa kuin LCD-televisiot. Poikkeuksia ei kuitenkaan sallita maaliskuun alusta lähtien. Tällöin esimerkiksi 55 tuuman television tehonkulutus saa olla enimmillään 84 wattia, 65-tuumaisen 112 wattia ja 75-tuumaisen 141 wattia.
Edistyneimmillä 4K-televisioilla, joissa käytetään esimerkiksi kuvan osapintojen himmennystä, on vaikeuksia täyttää uudet vaatimukset. 8K-televisioissa kaikki nykyiset mallit kuluttavat uusia vaatimuksia enemmän virtaa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Piirien tuotantolaitteita myydään nyt ennätysvauhtia
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14373-piirien-tuotantolaitteita-myydaeaen-nyt-ennaetysvauhtia
Monilla komponenteilla on edelleen saatavuusongelmia ja valmistajat pyrkivät lisäämään tuotantoaan vastatakseen kysyntään. Tämä näkyy puolijohteiden tuotantolaitteiden kaupassa, joka on kiihtymässä uuteen ennätykseen pian päättyvän vuoden aikana.
SEMI-järjestön ennusteen mukaan sirujen tuotantolaitteita myydään tänä vuonna 108,5 miljardilla dollarilla. Luku on 5,9 prosenttia suurempi kuin viime vuoden 102,5 miljardia dollaria, joka sekin oi uusi ennätys.
Ensi vuonna laitemyynti kuitenkin pienenee 91,2 miljardiin dollariin ennen kuin kehitys lähtee taas kasvuun vuonna 2024, SEMI arvioi.
Piirien tuotantolaitteita myydään nyt ennätysvauhtia
Julkaistu: 13.12.2022
Business
Monilla komponenteilla on edelleen saatavuusongelmia ja valmistajat pyrkivät lisäämään tuotantoaan vastatakseen kysyntään. Tämä näkyy puolijohteiden tuotantolaitteiden kaupassa, joka on kiihtymässä uuteen ennätykseen pian päättyvän vuoden aikana.
SEMI-järjestön ennusteen mukaan sirujen tuotantolaitteita myydään tänä vuonna 108,5 miljardilla dollarilla. Luku on 5,9 prosenttia suurempi kuin viime vuoden 102,5 miljardia dollaria, joka sekin oi uusi ennätys.
Ensi vuonna laitemyynti kuitenkin pienenee 91,2 miljardiin dollariin ennen kuin kehitys lähtee taas kasvuun vuonna 2024, SEMI arvioi.
Tänä vuonna piikiekkojen prosessoinnin työkaluja myydään 94,8 miljardilla dollarilla eli 8,3 prosenttia enemmän kuin viime vuonna.
Tuotantolaitteista yhä suurempi osa myydään sopimusvalmistajille eli ns. foundry-yrityksille. Tänä vuonna niiden laiteostot kasvavat 53,0 miljardiin dollariin eli 16 prosenttia viimevuotista suuremmaksi.
Tomi Engdahl says:
inancial Times:
Sources: Alibaba won’t be able to buy Arm’s Neoverse V chips after Arm concludes that the US and UK won’t approve export of the high performance tech to China — Alibaba among groups unable to purchase top designs — Alibaba, the Chinese tech giant, cannot buy some of the most advanced chip designs …
Export controls hit China’s access to Arm’s leading-edge chip designs
https://www.ft.com/content/257b39c4-f146-41ae-af75-dfea955ff462
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/12/14/digitaalinen-kaksonen-urheilijan-ja-valmentajan-avuksi/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Financial Times:
A look at the EU’s plans for local chips, aided by ASML and more; SEMI estimates 10 new facilities in Europe by 2025, compared to 14 in the US and 21 in Taiwan
https://www.ft.com/content/b31e27fd-0781-4ffd-bb69-9af985abff41
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite prompts rescue after car goes off a cliff north of LA
https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/14/apples-emergency-sos-via-satellite-prompts-rescue-after-car-goes-off-a-cliff-north-of-la/?tpcc=tcplusfacebook&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9sbS5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMREiE_zZRZoEnDQTiuwXcuyGDeyEregNpZVMC9wwYp6hXcVLb0lcabxfOter6CThr4IeGzXM85hoOZFaQpp-BXlvIoDeSjLASVSBkXS-InyDkBh33R21RN133CFyC_WO-kzeOAiHdLBPle_jsBvy4-Z8ZdGweAYu-qEHOOvHr0u
Apple’s new “Emergency SOS” service that lets off-grid iPhone users call for help via satellite has led to what may very well be its first successful rescue operation, certainly the first to be documented live.
With no cell coverage (they were about 19 miles into the forest) and possibly injured, the pair made the decision to try out the new satellite communication service introduced in September for the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro.
The service requires users to point their phone at a passing partner satellite, and when a connection is established their location is sent along with any circumstances, like whether someone is hurt.
“The call center gave us an accurate latitude and longitude for the victims,” wrote the rescue team. “[Helicopter] Rescue 5 was able to locate the victims and insert a paramedic. The paramedic learned the patients, a male and female in their 20s, had mild to moderate injuries. The helicopter was able to hoist the victims out of the canyon and transport them to a local area hospital.”
Apple’s service is just one of several ways people may soon be able to use satellites directly from their phones. Lynk promises a regular exchange of data for SMS and emergency alert purposes, and T-Mobile is partnering with Starlink to enable something like that for subscribers as well.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Taipuisien puhelimien myynti laskee – Samsungilla ongelmia jenkkimarkkinoilla
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14381-taipuisien-puhelimien-myynti-laskee-samsungilla-ongelmia-jenkkimarkkinoilla
Taipuisista puhelimista on tänä vuonna tullut lähes oikeaa liiketoimintaa, kun kolmannella neljänneksellä niitä myytiin jo kuusi miljoonaa kappaletta. Viimeisellä neljänneksellä markkina kuitenkin kutistuu ensimmäistä kertaa laitekategorian historiassa. Mitä markkinoilla tapahtuu?
Tutkimuslaitos DSCC on yrittänyt hakea syitä erikoiselle taantumalle. Vaikka Samsung täytti odotukset vuoden kolmannella neljänneksellä prosentin tarkkuudella myyden 5,2 miljoonaa Galaxy Z Fold- ja Z Flip-puhelinta, ja saavuttaen 85 prosentin markkinaosuuden, sen myynti sakkasi viimeisellä neljänneksellä, DSCC arvioi.
Tutkimuslaitoksen mukaan Yhdysvaltain markkinat ovat Samsungin ongelma kuluvalla vuosineljänneksellä. Myyntilukujen hidastuminen tapahtui heti Applen iPhone 14 -sarjan julkaisun jälkeen. Yhdysvaltojen osuus Samsungin taitettavista älypuhelimista vuonna 2021 oli 29 prosenttia ja vuoden 2222 kolmannella neljänneksellä 29 prosenttia, mutta vuoden 2222 viimeisellä neljänneksellä se putosi 7 prosenttiin.
Loka-joulukuussa Samsung toimitti kaikista valmistamistaan Flip-puhelimista enää viisi prosenttia jenkkimarkkinoille
Jenkkimarkkinoiden takia DSCC arvioi, että Samsungin viimeisen neljänneksen toimitukset jäävät 45 prosenttia edellistä ennustetta pienemmäksi. Koko vuonna Samsung myy 10,1 miljoonaa tavuteltavaa puhelinta, mikä on 46 prosenttia enemmän kuin vuotta aikaisemmin. Aiempi ennuste arvioi kasvuksi 77 prosenttia ja myyntimääräksi 12,3 miljoonaa.
Kun suurimman valmistajan luvut pettävät, se heijastuu koko markkinan kasvuun. Nyt taivuteltavia älypuhelimia myydään kuluvana vuonna 13 miljoonaa kappaletta. Kasvu jää 64 prosenttiin, kun aiemmin markkinoiden uskottiin lähes kaksinkertaistuvan noin 15 miljoonaan laitteeseen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14384-nyt-voi-testata-kaennykoeiden-wi-fi-7-piirisarjoja
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lisää huolia Venäjälle – Kiina rajoittaa sirujen vientiä https://www.is.fi/digitoday/art-2000009271047.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
TSMC founder says ‘globalization is almost dead’ as Asian foundry giant expands in US
A sober reflection on the industry as supply chains bifurcate in the East and West
https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/08/tsmc_founder_globalization/
Caught in the middle of an escalating trade war between the US and China, the founder of Taiwanese contract chip-making giant TSMC has stated that globalization and free trade are “almost dead” as his company expands in the US for the first time in over 20 years.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/06/3-ways-saas-businesses-can-boost-revenue-in-a-recession/
Tomi Engdahl says:
An E-Tattoo on the Hand Is Worth Two on the Back
These graphene e-tattoos are so thin you won’t even know they’re there, but they will know when you get stressed out.
https://www.hackster.io/news/an-e-tattoo-on-the-hand-is-worth-two-on-the-back-e4d3fa96ea0d
Tomi Engdahl says:
US Puts 3 Dozen More Chinese Companies on Trade Blacklist
https://www.securityweek.com/us-puts-3-dozen-more-chinese-companies-trade-blacklist
The U.S. Department of Commerce is adding 36 Chinese high-tech companies, including makers of aviation equipment, chemicals and computer chips, to an export controls blacklist, citing concerns over national security, U.S. interests and human rights.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Xiaomin uusin sisältää tekniikkaa, jota ei ole vielä edes standardoitu
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14391-xiaomin-uusin-sisaeltaeae-tekniikkaa-jota-ei-ole-vielae-edes-standardoitu
Uutuuksien prosessori on Qualcommin uusin Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 -piirisarja. 3200 x 1440 pikselin AMOLED-näyttö kuluttaa 10 prosenttia vähemmän tehoa kuin edeltäjänsä, vaikka virkistyy edelleen 120 kertaa sekunnissa. Maksimikirkkaus on nostettu lukemaan 1900 nitiä.
Laitteiden kameramoduulista löytyy Leican logo ja kolmen 50 megapikselin kennon kokonaisuus onkin kehitetty yhdessä Leican kanssa. Xiaomin mukaan linssit ovat Leicn käsialaa ja ikonisen kameravalmistajalta on saatu kaksi kuvausmoodia.
Wi-Fi 7 -tuki on toki mielenkiintoinen, kun IEEE:n standardi on näillä näkymin valmistumassa vasta vuoden 2024 puolella. Ensi vuonna markkinoille tuodaan kuitenkin joukolla Wi-Fi 7 -yhteensopivia älypuhelimia. Xiaomin 13 Pro lienee niistä ensimmäinen. Sen Suomeen tulo ja hinnat selviävät myöhemmin.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Uusi näyttöliitäntästandardi sulautettuihin laitteisiin
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14390-uusi-naeyttoeliitaentaestandardi-sulautettuihin-laitteisiin
DISCON on nimeltään Mikroen kehittämä uusi avoin sulautettujen laitteiden näyttöliitännän standardi. Neljä vuotta työn alla ollut standardi määrittää liitännät sekä näyttökortin kannalle (socket) että liittimelle. Liitäntään voidaan liittää TFT-, OLED-, eInk- tai mikä tahansa näyttö.
DISCON on fyysisesti 2 x 20 -nastainen liitin, jossa on kaksi I2C-linjaa, 8 nastaa GPIO-linjoille, datanastoja aina 24-bittistä liitäntää varten sekä kaksi nastaa tehon syöttämiselle näyttökortille (Display Card). Nastat ovat normaalit jännite ja maa.
https://cdn.mikroe.com/cms/discon/discon-standard-guidelines-2022-final.pdf