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.
1,321 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ryan Smith / AnandTech:
AMD says it has received all necessary regulatory approvals to close its Xilinx acquisition, set for around February 14; the deal was announced in October 2020
AMD’s Acquisition of Xilinx Receives Regulatory Go, Expected To Close Feb. 14th
by Ryan Smith on February 10, 2022 6:00 PM EST
https://www.anandtech.com/show/17251/amds-acquisition-of-xilinx-receives-regulatory-go-expected-to-close-feb-14th
Tomi Engdahl says:
Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch:
Google releases the first Android 13 developer preview, emphasizing security and privacy, dynamic colors, and more, available exclusively on Pixels — Right on schedule, Google today announced the first developer release of Android 13. These very early releases, which are only meant …
The first developer preview of Android 13 has arrived
https://techcrunch.com/2022/02/10/the-first-developer-preview-of-android-13-has-arrived/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Paul Alcorn / Tom’s Hardware:
Kioxia and WD report contamination at two NAND production factories, impacting up to 6.5EB of storage; TrendForce says NAND prices could rise 5%-10% in Q2
Western Digital, Kioxia Lose ‘At Least’ 6.5 Exabytes of 3D NAND Due to Contamination (Updated)
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/western-digital-and-kioxia-report-3d-nand-contamination-impacts-at-least-65-exabytes
Tomi Engdahl says:
5nm chips without EUV lihography machine How that works｜EUV lithography machine｜ASML｜chips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kl2dLJcLA
Today we will talk about the topic of 5nm chips without EUV lihography machine? How that works? EUV lithography machine is essential to producing high-end chips like 7nm and 5nm. It is normally so, but have you ever thought that you can make a 5nm chip without EUV lithography? Innovation is something mostly sought in technology, and just as Hu Weiwu, chief designer of Loongson, puts it, he believes that 14nm is enough without too high-end process. So how does this work? Let’s find out!
The companies form Japan have designed new processes that may make producing 5nm chips without a EUV lithography machine come true. If the new process is brought into reality, it will certainly be a big breakthrough. what it would mean to the world? As we all know, ASML is the world’s top lithography machine manufacturer, it is especially outstanding when it comes to the EUV lithography machine that is nearly monopolized by ASML. What’s more, EUV lithography machine must be used when producing chips below 10nm. Therefore, EUV lithography machine alone is what makes ASML really invincible. All chip companies must seek it, because as long as they can’t buy their EUV lithography machine, chips below 10nm becomes out of the question.
Without the EUV lithography machine, high-end chips cannot be produced. However, while others are developing high-end chip industry chain with vigour and vitality, Chinese experts bring different voice.
Hu Weiwu, chief designer of Loongson, believes that 14nm is enough without too high-end process. Hu Weiwu this sentence caused no small waves in the industry, but also by many people refuted. Think everyone else is doing 7nm, 5nm, why do we use 14nm. Was it not trying or was it not trying? So what happened? What does Hu Weiwu mean by that? In fact, combined with the current semiconductor environment in China, Hu Weiwu’s words are not unreasonable. First of all, the 14nm process does cover most of the use of life, only a few consumer electronics products use 7nm, 5nm. For example, in the field of smart cars, 28nm and 14nm are already very high-end. Because such products do not require too elaborate chips, they can be made into larger wafers, which can hold more transistors.
Every square centimeter of the panel of smart phones is very precious, so the chip will be made as big as the size of your fingernail, in the limited space to pursue more powerful performance, naturally have higher requirements for the manufacturing process. But the consumer electronics market is not all, 83% of the industry demand is concentrated in the 10nm above. At this point, 14nm is enough to meet most of the industry’s needs. Secondly, Hu Weiwu hopes that domestic semiconductor can develop in a way that enhances its strengths and circumvents its weaknesses. Others do 7nm and 5nm, and we should consider whether we can do it before doing it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Russia could hit U.S. chip industry, White House warns
https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Ftechnology%2Fwhite-house-tells-chip-industry-brace-russian-supply-disruptions-2022-02-11%2F&h=AT2DX2acStQYFOEe5oCT4plLWojhCP6jLmRPoP0f4J91KiLwzrfPm5XmlbqAOLnL7n9buI6Y6ASbfAYB1UuIgxT2s7VEjRoF1uNiyiMAGAsQwKjEIEkBHoyULRvEilGY2QMwSr8D4fkvIuu-zg
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s Pay-As-You-Go CPU Feature Gets Launch Window
By Anton Shilov published 2 days ago
Intel’s software-upgradeable CPUs to be supported by Linux 5.18 this Spring.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-software-defined-cpu-support-coming-to-linux-518
Intel’s mysterious Software Defined Silicon (SDSi) mechanism for adding features to Xeon CPUs will be officially supported in Linux 5.18, the next major release of the operating system. SDSi allows users to add features to their CPU after they’ve already purchased it. Formal SDSi support means that the technology is coming to Intel’s Xeon processors that will be released rather shortly, implying Sapphire Rapids will be the first CPUs with SDSi.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The debate is getting hotter and hotter: ARM or RISC-V? ARM and RISC-V? Are ARM and RISC-V competitors or synergic?
https://www.e4company.com/en/2021/09/the-debate-is-getting-hotter-and-hotter-arm-or-risc-v-arm-and-risc-v-are-arm-and-risc-v-competitors-or-synergic/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Western Digital Comments on Production Status of its Joint Venture Flash Memory Manufacturing Facilities
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220209006166/en/Western-Digital-Comments-on-Production-Status-of-its-Joint-Venture-Flash-Memory-Manufacturing-Facilities
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-software-defined-cpu-support-coming-to-linux-518
Tomi Engdahl says:
Russia-Ukraine Conflict Could See Chip Material Prices Spike 600%
By Mark Tyson published 1 day ago
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/russia-ukraine-chip-prices
US government warns the domestic chip industry of the potential for supply disruptions.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Russia could hit U.S. chip industry, White House warns
https://www.reuters.com/technology/white-house-tells-chip-industry-brace-russian-supply-disruptions-2022-02-11/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Komponenttipula:
rajallinen, jopa joissain rektoreissa laskenut, valmistuskapasiteetti yhdistettynä kasvaneeseen kysyntään, logistiikkahaasteisiin ja kauppapolitiikkaan. Puutteen alkusuoralla ne joilla oli kriittiset tarpeet ja rahaa kassassa siirtyi JIT toiminnasta siihen että rupeavat taas itse pitämään isompia komponenttivarastoja.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arm’s IPO Potentially in Jeopardy Due to Rogue China Unit
By Francisco Pires published 2 days ago
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/arm-china-ipo-rogue-division
The Nvidia deal is off, and now the IPO is looking shaky as well.
Nvidia’s failed attempt at buying out UK-based chip designer Arm was big news in the tech world this week. Japanese conglomerate SoftBank quickly announced it would go the IPO route for Arm after international regulators burned the record-setting, $66 billion Nvidia acquisition. However, ghosts from Arm’s rogue China unit may prevent even the IPO from coming to fruition. Allen Wu, the head of the company’s Arm-China joint venture, has launched a third legal case against the company with the aim of getting himself officially reappointed to the Arm China board.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arjun Kharpal / CNBC:
China’s SMIC reports record $5.4B revenue in 2021, up 39% YoY, and $1.7B profit, up 138% YoY, as it looks to add more chip production capacity amid US sanctions
China’s biggest chipmaker SMIC posts record revenue despite U.S. sanctions
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/11/chinese-chipmaker-smic-posts-record-revenue-despite-us-sanctions.html
China’s largest chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation reported record revenue and a surge in profit last year.
That record performance came despite SMIC being put on a U.S. trade blacklist called the Entity List in 2020.
SMIC is also continuing to invest heavily and the company said that it plans to spend $5 billion in capital as it tries to get three new plants off the ground.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mishaal Rahman / Esper Blog:
A deep dive into Android 13′s new features and changes, including a photo picker, per-app language preferences, Quick Settings tiles, a Hub mode, and UI changes
Android 13 deep dive: Every change, thoroughly documented
https://blog.esper.io/android-13-deep-dive/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amazonilla kolmannes pilvimarkkinoista
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13169-amazonilla-kolmannes-pilvimarkkinoista
Pilvipalvelumarkkinat ovat kasvaneet valtavasti alaksi viime vuosina. Kuluttajien keskittyessä yhä enemmän pilveen siirtymiseen, useat palveluntarjoajat ovat onnistuneet kasvattamaan pilviliiketoimintaansa. Markkinoiden ykkönen on Amazon Web Services.
Finboldin keräämän datan perusteella AWS:n osuus pilviinfrastruktuurin palveluntarjoajista on 33 prosenttia. Toiseksi sijoittuu Microsoftin Azure-alusta 21 prosentin osuudella, jota seuraa Google Cloud 10 prosentin osuudella. Huolimatta siitä, että Google ja Microsoft ovat nousseet merkittäviksi toimijoiksi pilvipalvelujen alalla, niiden yhdistetty markkinaosuus on edelleen AWS:ää pienempi.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kiinan sirutuotanto kasvaa vauhdilla
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13174-kiinan-sirutuotanto-kasvaa-vauhdilla
Knometa Research on julkistanut raporttinsa maailman kiekkotuotannon markkinoista. Viime vuodenvaihteessa Kiina oli jo noussut maailman kolmanneksi suurimmaksi valmistajaksi. 200-millisiksi kiekoiksi muunnettuna Kiinassa valmistetaan 16 prosenttia maailman puolijohdekiekoista.
Ykkösenä listalla on Korea, jonka osuus tuotannosta on 23 prosenttia. Taiwanin hallussa on TSMC:n johdolla 21 prosenttia tuotannosta. Vuonna 2011 Kiinassa oli vain 9 prosenttia maailman kiekkotuotannosta. Viime vuodet osuus on kasvanut prosenttiyksikön vuodessa. Tästä voisi päätellä, että Kiina nousee listan kärkeen seuraavan 5-6 vuoden kuluessa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
These 5 Charts Help Demystify the Global Chip Shortage …And reveal why even infusions of cash from the U.S. and European Union won’t solve it
https://spectrum.ieee.org/global-chip-shortage-charts?utm_campaign=RebelMouse&socialux=facebook&share_id=6896078&utm_medium=social&utm_content=IEEE+Spectrum&utm_source=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Race Not Over Between Classical and Quantum Computers
February 10, 2022• Physics 15, 19
A new classical algorithm reduces—by a factor of one billion—a recent claim of so-called quantum advantage.
https://physics.aps.org/articles/v15/19
In the race to achieve the coveted “advantage” of a quantum computer, those developing quantum algorithms are pitted against each other and against those working on classical algorithms. With each potential claim of such an advantage—the successful calculation on a quantum computer of something that is infeasible on a classical one—scientists have designed more efficient classical algorithms against which the quantum algorithms must then be compared. Now, by exactly that route, Jacob Bulmer of the University of Bristol, UK, Bryn Bell of Imperial College London, and colleagues have knocked down a peg a recent claim of quantum advantage using a method called Gaussian boson sampling. The team behind that advantage claim had asserted that a classical computation of Gaussian boson sampling would take 600 million years on the world’s fastest supercomputer. But Bulmer, Bell, and colleagues show that their classical algorithm can do it in just 73 days. This result, along with other recent improvements to classical algorithms, helps build the case that the quantum-advantage race is far from over.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MariaDB SkySQL:
Lift-and-Shift Migration Guide
Seamlessly migrate your current MariaDB cloud or on-prem deployment to SkySQL.
https://go.mariadb.com/20Q4-WC-GLBL-DBaaS-Lift-and-Shift-SkySQL-White-paper-DB1086_LP-Registration.html
Current users of MariaDB Server on premises or through cloud platforms can unlock the benefits of MariaDB Enterprise Server through a lift-and-shift migration to the MariaDB SkySQL cloud database. This paper discusses the benefits of MariaDB SkySQL, the considerations when adopting a database-as-a-service (DBaaS), and a proven path for migration.
Tomi Engdahl says:
GlobalFoundries Sees Strong Demand Ahead as Chip Deficit Drags On
Feb. 11, 2022
GlobalFoundries said it hammered out long-term supply deals last year with 30 customers that together made more than $3.2 billion in prepayments.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/analog/article/21216506/electronic-design-globalfoundries-see-strong-demand-ahead-as-chip-deficit-drags-on?utm_source=EG%20ED%20Analog%20%26%20Power%20Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS220209012&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
GlobalFoundries this week reported a 74% surge in sales in the fourth quarter, driven by strong demand for radio-frequency ICs, power-management ICs, microcontrollers, image sensors, and other chips amid the chip crunch.
The largest U.S.-based contract chip manufacturer, GlobalFoundries said that sales in the fourth quarter last year came to $1.85 billion, up from $1.06 billion a year ago. Demand for the legacy chips it builds for other companies is still outstripping its ability to supply them. Executives warned that there are no short-term fixes for the shortfall and it could take years for the industry to finally close the supply-demand gap.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Semiconductor Sales To Rise at 7.1% CAGR Through 2026
Moderating growth rate from 2021-2026 follows strong 2016-2021 CAGR of 11.0%.
https://www.icinsights.com/news/bulletins/Semiconductor-Sales-To-Rise-At-71-CAGR-Through-2026/
IC Insights has released its comprehensive forecast and analysis of the worldwide semiconductor industry in its January Semiconductor Industry Flash Report—part of the 2022 McClean Report service.
The report forecasts total semiconductor sales will rise 11% this year following a very strong 25% increase in 2021 and an 11% increase in 2020. If achieved, it would mark the first time since 1993-1995 that the semiconductor market has enjoyed three consecutive years of double-digit growth. From 2016-2021, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the total semiconductor market was 11.0%—a very strong period that included a big surge in DRAM and flash memory markets in 2017 and 2018 and strong post-Covid recovery in 2020 and 2021. However, most industry observers—including IC Insights—realize that the semiconductor industry is very cyclical and ongoing annual double-digit gains are unsustainable. As a result, IC Insights now forecasts total semiconductor sales will rise over the next five years at a more moderate compound annual growth rate of 7.1%
The 2021-2026 CAGR for total opto, sensor, discretes (O-S-D devices) is projected to rise at a healthy rate of 8.0% and total IC sales are expected to increase at a slightly lower pace of 6.9%. CAGRs among major semiconductor product categories are forecast to range from a high of 12.3% for sensors/actuators to 3.1% for discretes.
The sensors/actuators market ($24.3 billion forecast in 2022) represents the smallest major product segment within the semiconductor market, accounting for less than 4% of sales. However, throughout the forecast period, sensor sales are expected to increase significantly in automobiles, cellphones, and portable and wearable systems (e.g., smartwatches and fitness/activity trackers). In addition, more systems are using multiple sensors and sensor fusion software for multi-dimensional measurements to support greater machine intelligence and the ability to recognize movement, know locations, and monitor changes in the surrounding environment.
The logic IC market is forecast to post the strongest CAGR among the major IC categories. The logic IC market has performed very well in recent years, with automotive—special purpose logic and industrial—special purpose logic devices serving as strong drivers for overall growth in this segment.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Europe wants to become a leader in chips. But it’s going to need help
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/11/eu-chips-act-europe-will-need-help-from-us-asia-to-achieve-goals.html
The European Union has proposed a new law that would increase investment into chips with the aim of boosting Europe’s share of global production.
But there are no European firms that can manufacture leading-edge chips and the EU will need to convince Intel, Taiwan’s TSMC or South Korea’s Samsung to build factories.
The proposal is an attempt by the EU to mitigate another chip shortage and geopolitical issues that could threaten the supply of semiconductors in the future.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13175-nyt-se-on-varmaa-amd-ostaa-xilinxin
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/02/15/intelin-prosessoriuutuudet-ammattikayttoon/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kyle Bradshaw / 9to5Google:
“Cross Device” service apps in Android 13 Developer Preview show users will be able to interact with their Pixel’s Android apps on Windows 11 PC or Chromebook — Google has been preparing a way to stream apps and notifications from your Pixel phone to your Chromebook or PC …
Exclusive: Pixel will be able to stream Android apps to your Chromebook/PC, here’s how it works [Video]
https://9to5google.com/2022/02/14/exclusive-pixel-stream-android-apps-chromebook-pc-video/
Google has been preparing a way to stream apps and notifications from your Pixel phone to your Chromebook or PC, and 9to5Google has enabled this feature to provide an exclusive first look at it.
Over the years, Google has created quite a few ways for Android phones (especially Pixel phones) and desktops/laptops (especially Chromebooks) to be “Better Together.” The most recent example is Phone Hub, which offers easy access to your phone’s notifications, quick settings, and more from the bottom corner of a Chromebook’s screen.
Another example is Messages for Web, which allows you to connect your Windows/Mac/Chrome OS device to your phone to get notifications for your incoming messages and reply to them in the web app. On Chrome OS, this is a bit more deeply integrated with the system, appearing in the Settings app, and allowing notifications while the app is closed.
Stream to your PC or Mac
The experience — which features a gorgeous multicolor background — is able to open an app on your phone and livestream it through your browser. Once opened, you can then interact with the app just as if it were natively open on your laptop/desktop, including clicking, tapping, and typing — perfect for using your favorite messaging apps.
Another thing we didn’t expect is exactly how this feature works. Your Pixel generates an entirely separate virtual display, which is streamed to your laptop or desktop, rather than simply mirroring your phone’s portrait screen. This second display is where your messaging apps will appear. This means you can have an app open on your laptop/desktop without disrupting any apps running on your phone’s main screen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ben Schoon / 9to5Google:
Samsung has adopted Google Messages as its default messaging app in the US, starting with the Galaxy S22 series — Messaging on Android has been a mess for years, but the tide is finally changing. With Google Messages bringing enhanced RCS messaging to virtually any Android user that wants it, there’s finally a “default.”
Google Messages, with RCS in tow, is now Samsung’s default messaging app in the US
https://9to5google.com/2022/02/14/google-messages-samsung-galaxy-s22-us/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Financial Times:
How SoftBank’s costly bet on IoT at Arm backfired and distracted the company from the much bigger data center market
https://t.co/6ti4Rm2slt
Tomi Engdahl says:
How SoftBank’s costly bet on the ‘internet of things’ backfired at Arm
UK chip designer changes strategy ahead of planned float with renewed focus on lucrative server market
https://www.ft.com/content/29cbb67e-5e06-4eef-a9dd-a46379b9f8da
Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email [email protected] to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour.
https://www.ft.com/content/29cbb67e-5e06-4eef-a9dd-a46379b9f8da
As Masayoshi Son tried to persuade investors of the wisdom of purchasing one of the most successful chip companies in the world in 2016, the SoftBank chief had one clear message: “For the era of the ‘internet of things’, I think the champion will be Arm.”
But the concept of connecting billions of everyday and industrial devices to the internet has been much slower than anticipated to materialise.
Son’s drive to capture the chip design market for the internet of things (IoT) was the first bet he made on Arm that has not paid off. The second was a $66bn sale of the company to Nvidia that unravelled last week.
Arm remains the dominant player in designing chips for smartphones, still the most ubiquitous form of computing but a source of much slower growth in recent years. Ahead of an initial public offering that could come as soon as this year, the company is racing to solidify its position in new markets that it has underexploited to date, while trying to drive up profits to appeal to a new set of investors.
Rene Haas, Arm’s incoming chief executive, told the Financial Times that its products were now “far more competitive” in data centres and cars than when SoftBank bought the Cambridge-based company.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Puolijohdemyynti uuteen ennätykseen
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13179-puolijohdemyynti-uuteen-ennaetykseen
Puolijohdealan teollisuusjärjestö SIA eli Semiconductor Industry Association ilmoittaa, että puolijohdeteollisuuden globaali myynti kasvoi viime vuonna 555,9 miljardiin dollariin. Luku on alan uusi ennätys ja 26,2 prosenttia suurempi kuin vuonna 2020. Kaikkiaan puolijohdeyritykset myivät viime vuonna ennätykselliset 1,15 biljoonaa puolijohdekomponenttia, kun yritykset lisäsivät tuotantoaan vastatakseen suureen kysyntään maailmanlaajuisen sirupulan keskellä. Maailmanlaajuinen myynti joulukuussa 2021 oli 50,9 miljardia dollaria, mikä on 28,3 prosenttia enemmän kuin joulukuussa 2020. Neljännen vuosineljänneksen 152,6 miljardin dollarin myynti oli 28,3 prosenttia suurempi kuin vuotta aikaisemmin.
SIA:n toimitusjohtaja John Neufferin mukaan kasvu perustuu siihen, että valmistajat ovat yrittäneet nopeasti vastata komponenttipulaan. – Puolijohdetuotannon kysynnän ennustetaan kasvavan merkittävästi tulevina vuosina, kun sirut sulautuvat entistä vahvemmin tämän hetken ja tulevaisuuden olennaisiin teknologioihin, Neuffer sanoo.
Alueellisesti myynti Amerikan markkinoille kasvoi eniten (27,4 %) vuonna 2021. Kiina säilyi suurimpana yksittäisenä puolijohdemarkkinana, ja sen myynti oli viime vuonna 192,5 miljardia dollaria. Euroopassa puolijohdemarkkinat kasvoivat viime vuonna 27,3 %, Aasian ja Tyynenmeren alueella 25,9 % ja Japanissa 19,8 %.
Useat puolijohdetuotesegmentit erottuivat joukosta vuonna 2021. Analogiapiirien myynti kasvoi 33,1 % ja oli 74 miljardia dollaria vuonna 2021. Eniten myytiin logiikkapiirejä (154,8 miljardia dollaria) ja muistipiirejä (153,8 miljardia dollaria). Molemmissa myynti kasvoi lähes 31 prosenttia.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel laajentaa analogiapiirien valmistukseen
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13181-intel-laajentaa-analogiapiirien-valmistukseen
Intel ilmoittaa ostavansa israelilaisen Tower Semiconductorin 5,4 miljardilla dollarilla. Towerin asiantuntemus erikoisteknologioista, kuten radiotaajuus- (RF), teho-, pii-germanium- (SiGe) ja teollisuusantureista vie Intelin tarjoamat valmistuspalvelut täysin uudelle alueelle.
Tower palvelee nopeasti kasvavia markkinoita, kuten mobiili-, auto- ja sähköteollisuutta. Towerilla on maantieteellisesti toisiaan täydentäviä tehtaita Yhdysvalloissa ja Aasiassa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s plan to license x86 cores for chips with Arm, RISC-V and more inside
If you’ve wanted to create your own specialized Xeon, now’s your chance
https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/14/intel_x86_licensing/
Intel is making it easier for customers to create silicon in which x86, Arm and RISC-V cores will work together in a single processor.
For that, Intel will license its most important asset, the x86 architecture, to those who want to make custom silicon. Depending on the application, customers will be able to mix up x86, Arm and RISC-V CPU cores as well as hardware acceleration units in a custom-designed chip that Intel fabricates.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jane Lanhee Lee / Reuters:
The Semiconductor Industry Association says global chip sales grew 26.2% YoY to a record $555.9B in 2021 and forecasts 8.8% growth during 2022
Global chip sales hit record in 2021, will grow 8.8% in 2022 -SIA
https://www.reuters.com/technology/global-chip-sales-hit-record-2021-will-grow-88-2022-sia-2022-02-14/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Andy Bounds / Financial Times:
The European Commission approves plans for a €6B satellite internet system to rival SpaceX and others, despite previous objections from its internal watchdog — Brussels seeks standalone coverage despite internal watchdog previously raising doubts over proposals
EU takes on SpaceX and Amazon with its own satellite internet system
Brussels seeks standalone coverage despite internal watchdog previously raising doubts over proposals
https://www.ft.com/content/329d7c77-b4fe-4753-910b-60a4a29eb436
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https://www.ft.com/content/329d7c77-b4fe-4753-910b-60a4a29eb436
The European Commission has approved plans for a €6bn satellite internet system to compete with the likes of Amazon and SpaceX despite previous objections from its internal watchdog.
Brussels’ initiative to provide encrypted broadband coverage was twice rejected by the European Commission’s Regulatory Scrutiny Board. The board, which vets impact assessments for proposals put forward by the commission, believed the scheme would waste money and compete with commercial services.
The Secured Connectivity regulation is the brainchild of Thierry Breton, the internal market commissioner, who wants the EU to build a third satellite system in lower earth orbit (LEO) for secured communications and access to the internet. The EU already has Galileo, a global navigation system, and Copernicus, which is used for earth observation.
The signals from the new system would be encrypted and offered to Europe as well as Africa to give that continent an alternative to Chinese-built infrastructure. It would also provide a back-up in case of cyber attacks on broadband networks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nikkei Asia:
Sources: TSMC’s first US chip plant is three to six months behind schedule due to labor shortages and difficulty obtaining licenses
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tech/Semiconductors/Construction-of-TSMC-s-U.S.-chip-plant-delayed-by-labor-crunch-COVID
Tomi Engdahl says:
Monica Chin / The Verge:
Google announces early access to Chrome OS Flex, a version of Chrome OS for businesses and schools that is designed to run on old PCs and Macs — It’s made for schools and businesses — Google has announced early access to a new version of Chrome OS called Chrome OS Flex.
Google is bringing Chrome OS to PCs and Macs
It’s made for schools and businesses
https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/15/22934810/google-chrome-os-chromebooks-flex-operating-system-enterprise-schools?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4
Google has announced early access to a new version of Chrome OS called Chrome OS Flex. The new version of Chrome OS, designed for businesses and schools, is designed to run on old PCs and Macs. The operating system can be installed “within minutes,” according to Google’s blog post.
Google told me that Chrome OS Flex will look and feel identical to Chrome OS on a Chromebook — it’s built from the same code base and follows the same “release cadence.” It did caveat that some features may be dependent on the hardware of the PC you’re using. In fact, it said this for every specific feature I asked about, including always-on Google Assistant and Android phone syncing. So, if you’re going to try this, keep an eye out.
This won’t be the first time Chrome OS has shown up on devices it didn’t ship with. Google recently bought Neverware, which previously sold an application called CloudReady that allowed users to convert old PCs into Chrome OS systems. That set off speculation about where we might next see Chrome OS and its future in the PC space.
If you want to try out Chrome OS Flex yourself, you can learn more on the Chrome Enterprise website. Note that the OS is still in early access mode, so you may encounter bugs — you can boot it directly from a USB drive if you’d rather poke around before installing it on your machine.
https://chromeenterprise.google/os/chromeosflex/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nyt voit testata tulevaa PCIe 6.0 -väylää
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13184-nyt-voit-testata-tulevaa-pcie-6-0-vaeylaeae
PCI-SIG-järjestö hyväksyi tammikuussa PCI Express -standardin seuraavan polven 6.0-määritykset. Rambus ehti ensimmäisenä PCIe6-ohjaimellaan, nyt mittauslaiteyritys Teknoronix on esitellyt ensimmäisen testausratkaisun tuleville yhteyksille.
Pitää muistaa, että maailma on vasta liikahtamassa PCIe5-aikaan. Las Vegasin CES-messujen alla esiteltiin ensimmäinen SSD-levy, joka tuki PCIe 5.0 -määrityksiä. Tämän vuoden aikana laitetarjonta laajenee ja hallitsevan aseman PCIe5 ottanee ensi vuonna. Tämä tarkoittaa, että PCIe6-väylän aika alkaa varsinaisesti noin vuonna 2025.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Analoginen tekoälypiiri kutistaa laitteen tehonkulutuksen murto-osaan
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13189-analoginen-tekoaelypiiri-kutistaa-laitteen-tehonkulutuksen-murto-osaan
Amerikkalainen Aspinity on yritys, joka on kehittänyt maailman ensimmäisen analogisen tekoälypiirin. Nyt julkistettu AML100-piiri on suunniteltu vähentämään jatkuvasti päällä olevan järjestelmän tehonkulutusta 95 prosenttia. Piirin avulla valmistajat voivat pidentää laitteiden akun käyttöikää.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Denso to take stake in TSMC venture
JAPANESE FAB: Denso’s CEO highlighted how chips for the automotive industry are important to the partnership, with a new plant to commence operations in two years
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2022/02/16/2003773182
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday said that Japan-based Denso Corp will take a minority stake in its Japanese venture with Sony Semiconductor Solution Corp, a partnership that is to build a plant in Japan amid a scarcity of chips for automobiles.
With an investment of US$350 million, Denso would hold a more than 10 percent stake in Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc (JASM) in Kumamoto Prefecture, TSMC said in a statement.
“Semiconductors are becoming increasingly important in the automotive industry as mobility technologies evolve, including automated driving and electrification,” Denso chief executive officer Koji Arima said in the statement. “Through this partnership, we contribute to the stable supply of semiconductors over the medium to long term and thus to the automotive industry.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Preparing For 3D-ICs
Why disaggregation of 2D chips is so complicated, and what’s missing from the tool chain to make it easier for design teams.
https://semiengineering.com/preparing-for-3d-ics/
Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the changes in design tools and methodologies needed for 3D-ICs, with Sooyong Kim, director and product specialist for 3D-IC at Ansys; Kenneth Larsen, product marketing director at Synopsys; Tony Mastroianni, advanced packaging solutions director at Siemens EDA; and Vinay Patwardhan, product management group director at Cadence.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nicole Wetsman / The Verge:
Tandem Diabetes Care says one of its apps got FDA clearance to program insulin delivery for the company’s pump, the first such app to receive approval — t:slim X2 insulin pump users can use the app to program doses rather than the pump itself — The Food and Drug Administration cleared …
FDA clears first smartphone app for insulin delivery
t:slim X2 insulin pump users can use the app to program doses rather than the pump itself
https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/17/22938844/fda-insulin-delivery-smartphone-app-tandem?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4
The Food and Drug Administration cleared a smartphone app from Tandem Diabetes Care to program insulin delivery for its t:slim X2 insulin pump, the company announced Wednesday. It’s the first phone app for both iOS and Android to able to deliver insulin, the company said in a statement. Previously, delivery had to be handled through the pump itself.
With this update, pump users will be able to program or cancel bolus doses of insulin, which are taken at mealtimes and are crucial in keeping blood glucose levels under control. “Giving a meal bolus is now the most common reason a person interacts with their pump, and the ability to do so using a smartphone app offers a convenient and discrete solution,” John Sheridan, president and CEO of Tandem Diabetes Care, said in a statement.
The change could be a big improvement for people who prefer not to have pumps out in pubic settings or attach them to undergarments like bras.
https://investor.tandemdiabetes.com/news-releases/news-release-details/tandem-diabetes-care-announces-fda-clearance-tslim-x2-insulin-0
Tomi Engdahl says:
Susan Dominus / New York Times:
A look at tech recruitment issues as the US unemployment rate for tech workers is 1.7% and 0.2% for cybersecurity experts, well below 4% for the general economy
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/16/magazine/tech-company-recruiters.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13198-eu-haluaa-turvalliset-satelliittiyhteydet-ja-avaruusromun-hallintaan
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13200-intel-lupaa-biljoona-transistoria-sirulla-2030
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Virginia company has connected mobile phones directly to satellites
Lynk will start with intermittent text messages and expand from there.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/09/a-virginia-company-has-connected-mobile-phones-directly-to-satellites/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ohjelmointikieli Rust kasvattaa suosiotaan – jättiläisten korvaaja
https://www.mikrobitti.fi/uutiset/ohjelmointikieli-rust-kasvattaa-suosiotaan-jattilaisten-korvaaja/0ebe3538-50c1-46e3-9d72-f6655b277dfa
14.2.202211:54
Rust-kieli on nopeasti kasvattanut suosiotaan. Kielessä tasapainottuu laiteläheisen kielten tehokkuus sekä modernin kielten turvallisuus ja helppokäyttöisyys.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Koodaaminen on viimeinen vaihtoehto
https://www.fraktio.fi/blogi/koodaaminen-on-viimeinen-vaihtoehto?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_campaign=blogi_koodaaminen_viimeinen_vaihtoehto&hsa_acc=40659616&hsa_cam=6269183630166&hsa_grp=6269183631766&hsa_ad=6280209655566&hsa_src=fb&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_ver=3&fbclid=IwAR1GLYyobtKfakvvcRWU-YJnnrEPk_floC52wb_CKZOKqHygtyX5RlyPLig
Tomi Engdahl says:
Android 13 virtualization lets Pixel 6 run Windows 11, Linux distributions
https://www.cnx-software.com/2022/02/14/android-13-virtualization-lets-pixel-6-run-windows-11-linux-distributions/
Tomi Engdahl says:
TSMC 3nm Yield Problems May Derail AMD’s CPU Plans
By Mark Tyson published 2 days ago
Difficulties with the 3nm furnace
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/tsmc-3nm-yield-problems-may-derail-amds-cpu-plans
A report citing semiconductor industry sources indicates that TSMC reportedly has difficulty with its 3nm process yields. Taiwan’s DigiTimes says that if the 3nm yield problem continues, many customers might extend their use of the 5nm process node. In addition, TSMC’s struggles could impact the product roadmaps of the PC world’s favorite names like AMD and Nvidia.
The source report’s critical rumor is pinned upon TSMC, finding it very difficult to achieve satisfactory yields with its 3nm FinFET processes. It explains that TSMC has “continuously revised” its 3nm offerings, and the foundry is seemingly doing this to find a sweet spot for yields (the percentage of chips that are not faulty). The latest TSMC introduction is N3E, a lower-cost version of TSMC’s 3nm manufacturing process, which surprised industry watchers by arriving a year after N3. TSMC also makes N3B processors for some customers, depending upon design and cost constraints. Despite TSMC’s process wrangling, outlined above, and “constant revision,” the insiders say yields continue to remain lower than expected.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/02/24/prosessorikaupan-kovin-kasvu-hiipui/