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The future of the semiconductor IP ecosystem
December 13 Report:
– Intel’s next-gen SoC manufacturing process will be able to deliver the next Bay Trail Atom only for 2014 products (with higher end Haswell for H2 2013), and it is just a 26nm process in terminology used by the foundry industry not a 22nm one touted by Intel
Lesson from that: Intel may speak about its “22 nm SoC process” but given the late entry of its 32nm SoC process Atom product (Cover Trail) it would be better to assume that with Windows 8 tablets based on that it will affect only the 2014 tablet market, not earlier. This is what the latest leaks are suggesting as well. Meanwhile expect a low-power Haswell ULT based tablet PC push in the H2 2013 as described already in my Intel Haswell: “Mobile computing is not limited to tiny, low-performing devices” [Nov 15 – Dec 11, 2012] post. As for the next year the real question is Can VIA Technologies save the mobile computing future of the x86 (x64) legacy platform? [this same blog of mine, Nov 23, 2012] For this watch what Allwinner vis-à-vis HTC on 2013 International CES [this same blog of mine, Dec 11, 2012] could bring in that respect, something much more than what is described in Allwinner A31 SoC is here with products and the A20 SoC is coming [USD 99 Allwinner blog of mine, Dec 10, 2012] or in $99 Android 4.0.3 7” IPS tablet with an Allwinner SoC capable of 2160p Quad HD and built-in HDMI–another inflection point, from China again [this same blog, Dec 3, 2012].
– end of life of planar transistor and need to move to FinFET, but meanwhile FD-SOI to the rescue
– ARM Physical IP division via its upcoming IP is preparing with its foundry partners (TSMC, GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Samsung) an easier transition to FinFET
September 27 report:
– TSMC’s View of the Semiconductor IP Ecosystem
– Overall semiconductor IP market overview
– The CEVA case
– When sticking with the “Goliath”: ARM Holdings Plc
– When sticking with a “David”: CAST Inc.
Note: I am not discussing at all the most important development of the 64-bit ARM introductions as will devote to it a separate composite trend-tracking post on this blog.
Warning: These two reports are rather comprehensive and extensive on the given subject. When you will read these through your reward will be a deep and wide ranging understanding of this most actual issue for understanding the upcoming very dramatic changes in the further development of the whole ICT industry. To illustrate only some of the most related topics here is a copy of tags for this post:
14 nm, 14nm, 20 nm, 20nm, 22 nm, 22nm, 28 nm, 28nm, 3D devices, Allwinner, AndesCore, ARM Artisan IP, ARM Holdings, ARM Physical IP division, Artisan Physical IP Platform,Atom, BA22-AP, Bay Trail, Beyond BA22, big.LITTLE Processing, bulk CMOS, CAST Inc., CAST IP, CEVA, choice IP partner, Cortex A15, Cortex-A7, EnSilica eSi-3250, Fastec Imaging Corporation, Fastec TS3, FD-SOI, finFET,foundries, foundry and IP business model, foundry business, Freescale, Freescale ColdFire, general-purpose foundry business, GlobalFoundries, Haswell, Haswell-ULT, in-house IP blocks, inflection points, Intel, Intellectual Property, interface products, Internet of Things, IOT, IP suppliers, Kinetis, LEON3, licensable IP blocks, Lincroft, logic products, mainstream CMOS, Mali, MarketsandMarkets, MediaTek, memory compilers, MIPS32, mobile computing,Motomic, MT6588, MT6589, OpenRISC, planar transistor, POP, prime IP partners, Processor Optimization Pack,reusable subsystems, Samsung, semiconductor design, semiconductor intellectual property market, semiconductor IP, semiconductor IP ecosystem, semiconductor IP market, semiconductor IP revenue, silicon IP market, SoC manufacturing process, SoC process, Sodaville, SOI, standard cells, standard industry IP blocks, STMicroelectronics,system IP, tablet PC, transistor designs, Tri-Gate, Tri-Gate transistor, TSMC, TSMC IP Alliance, TSMC IP portfolio,TSMC Soft-IP Alliance, UMC, VIA Technologies, Z670
December 13 Report
– Intel’s next-gen SoC manufacturing process will be able to deliver the next Atom only for 2014 products (with higher end Haswell for H2 2013), and it is just a 26nm process in terminology used by the foundry industry not a 22nm one touted by Intel
Intel progressing in development of 14nm technology, says CTO [DIGITIMES, Dec 5, 2011]
Intel CTO Justin Rattner on December 4 said that Intel’s development of 14nm technology is on schedule with volume production to kick off in one to two years and development of 18-inch wafers is under way through cooperation with partners.
Rattner also noted that Intel’s aggressiveness over technology advancement will allow Moore’s Law to extend for another 10 years.
At the end of 2013, Intel will enter the generation of 14nm CPUs (P1272) and SoCs (1273), while expanding its investments at its D1X Fab in Oregon, and Fab 42 in Arizona, the US and Fab 24 in Ireland, and will gradually enter 10nm, 7nm and 5nm process generations starting 2015.
As for Intel’s competitors, Samsung is already set to enter 20nm in 2013 and is already working on its 14nm node, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) 20nm process [planar, i.e bulk CMOS, see below] will enter small volume production in the second half of 2013 with the first 3D-based FPGA chips to also start.
Globalfoundries has previously announced its 14nm FinFET process will start pilot production at the end of 2013 and enter mass production in 2014.
As for 18-inch wafers, Intel has invested in Holland-based ASML for its EUV technology, and related technologies are expected to start entering production in 2017.
Intel Has No Process Advantage In Mobile, says ARM CEO [Mannerisms on Electronics Weekly, Oct 24, 2012]
Intel has no advantage in IC manufacturing when it comes to manufacturing processes used for mobile ICs, Warren East, CEO of ARM, tells EW.
“This time last year there was a lot of noise from the Intel camp about their manufacturing superiority,” says East, “we’re sceptical about this because, while the ARM ecosystem was shipping on 28nm, Intel was shipping on 32nm. So I don’t see where they’re ahead.”
Furthermore, with the foundries accelerating their process development timescales, it looks increasingly unlikely that Intel will be able to find any advantage on mobile process technology in the future.
“We’re supporting all the independent foundries,” says East. That includes 20nm planar bulk CMOS and 16nm finfet at TSMC; 20nm planar bulk CMOS and 14nm finfet at Samsung and 20nm planar bulk CMOS, 20nm FD-SOI and 14nm finfet at Globalfoundries.
It gives the ARM ecosystem a formidable array of processes to choose from. “I’m no better equipped to judge which of these processes will be more successful than anyone else,” says East, “our approach is to be process agnostic.”
The important thing is that the foundries’ process roadmap is on track to intersect Intel’s at 14nm.
14nm will be the first process at which Intel intends to put mobile SOCs to the front of the node i.e. putting them among the first ICs to be made on a new process.
Asked if the foundries were prepping their next generation processes with the intention of putting mobile SOC at the front of the node, East replies: That’s the information we’re seeing from our foundry partners.”
Globalfoundries intends to have 14nm finfet in volume manufacturing in 2014, the same timescale as Intel has for introducing 14nm finfet manufacturing.
In fact, GF’s 14nm process may have smaller features than Intel’s 14nm process because, says Mojy Chian senior vp at Globalfoundries, because “Intel’s terminology doesn’t typically correlate with the terminology used by the foundry industry. For instance Intel’s 22nm in terms of the back-end metallisation is similar to the foundry industry’s 28nm. The design rules and pitch for Intel’s 22nm are very similar to those for foundries’ 28nm processes.”
Jean-Marc Chery, CTO of STMicroelectronics points out that the drawn gate length on Intel’s ˜22nm” process is actually 26nm.
Furthermore Intel’s triangular fins, which degrade the advantages of finfet processing could underperform GF’s rectangular fins which optimise the finfet advantage.
At the front of the GF 14nm finfet node will be mobile SOCs says Chian. GF has been working with ARM since 2009 to optimise its processes for ARM-based SOCs.
At TSMC the first tape-out on its 16nm finfet process is expected at the end of next year. That test chip will be based on ARM’s 64-bit V8 processor.
Using an ARM processor to validate its 16-nm finfet process should give TSMC’s ARM-based SOC customers great confidence.
Asked about the effects of finfets on ARM-based SOCs, East replies: “There’s no rocket science in what you get out of it. The question is does it deliver the benefits at an acceptable cost? You don’t get something for nothing. How much does it cost to manufacture? How good is the yield? And that, of course, affects cost.”
And so on goes Intel beating its head against the wall to get into the low-margin mobile business.
Recently Intel said it expected its Q4 gross margin to drop 6% from Q3’s 63% to 57%. Shock, horror said the analysts
But if Intel succeeds in the mobile business, its gross margin will drop a lot more than that.
It’s a funny old world.
The Truth About Intel [Mannerisms on Electronics Weekly, Dec 5, 2012]
The darndest things are being said about Intel. The departure of its CEO is unexplained though I heard one person say it was voluntary.
Some people think Apple will put x86 in the iPad.
Others think Apple will drop x86 from iMacs so as to unify its processors across Phone, Pad and Mac.
Sure as eggs are eggs, both can’t happen
Some think Intel is going to become a foundry in a major way starting with Apple’s business – though it’s said the production cost of an Intel wafer is 3x that of a TSMC wafer.
Others say Intel may make wafers for a few customers but will not enter an industry servicing thousands of customers with hundreds of thousands of mask-sets.
Intel is to borrow $6 billion to buy its own shares something it has been doing for some time. I am too financially unsophisticated to understand why it does this but, even before this latest borrowing, Intel’s debt was already pretty high at over $7 billion and its cash rather low – for a cash generative, capex-gobbling company – at $10.5 billion.
The divi is generous – but the purpose of the generosity is to keep the share price up, then generosity hasn’t worked – Intel’s share price is under $20, unchanged in a decade.
The strategy of getting x86 into mobile phones seems mistimed when Apple and Samsung and now LG are designing their own mobile phone processors. This morning Samsung said it will start mass-roducing its own-brand 28nm processors for mobile devices early in 2013.
Intel’s fab situation at 22nm looks tough with 50% utilisation. A $500 million charge for this is expected to be taken in Q4.
Intel’s claim to have a manufacturing advantage looks unconvincing when its 22nm process turns out to have a drawn gate length of 26nm – virtually the same as volume processes at leading foundries.
Where it matters, i.e. in the mobile market, Intel has no process advantage at all because Intel hasn’t yet put its mobile SOCs on its latest process at the start of a node. Intel’s mobile SOCs won’t enjoy early access to a new process node until the 14nm generation.
And was finfet the right bet? 20nm planar may still be made to work, while FD-SOI could turn out to be a better route than finfet.
Meanwhile CEO Paul Otellini won the 2012 Open-Mouth-Insert-Foot Award by some spectacular boo-boos:
- Saying Windows 8 wasn’t ready just before its launch, provoked Microsoft’s riposte that Intel’s power management software wasn’t ready for the launch of Surface, Microsoft’s Windows 8 tablet.
- And endorsing Governor Mitt Romney in the recent US presidential elections probably irked the White House just as Otellini was earning some brownie points by sitting on a Presidential committee. They were much needed brownie points after Intel’s pasting from the FTC for ‘stifling innovation.’
And all the while and worst of all, the PC industry starts to contract and Intel has won few slots in the successor to the PC industry – the mobile device industry.
All in all a pretty rotten year for Intel despite taking in over $50 million in revenues and earning over $12 billion in profits.
Even silver linings can have clouds.
So the war is on as per: IBM, Intel face off at 22 nm [EE Times, Dec 10, 2012]
SAN FRANCISCO – Intel and IBM went head-to-head with their latest 22-nm technologies in back-to-back papers at the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) here Monday (Dec. 10). Separately, a top Intel fab executive commented on increasing wafer costs and the company’s foundry business.
IBM said it is prototyping server processors in a new 3-D ready, 22-nm process technology it hopes will deliver 25 to 35 percent boosts over its 32-nm node. Intel retains an edge with several 22-nm chips already in volume production, and disclosure at IEDM of a variant of the process for SoCs for a wide range of applications.
The Intel paper showed support for “high drive current across the spectrum of leakage and a full suite of SoC tools,” Mark Bohr, head of Intel’s process technology development group, said in a brief interview. The process is geared for a much wider array of designs than that of IBM, he added.
Bohr said Intel’s 22-nm FinFET process is cost effective, contradicting report it is 30 to 40 percent more expensive than TSMC’s 28-nm planar process. The addition of FinFET adds only 3 percent to the cost of the process. Its use of 80-nm minimum feature sizes can be made with a single pass of 193-nm lithography tools, making it cost effective.
Projections from an IMEC keynote that 14-nm wafers will be 90 percent more expensive than 28-nm parts due to the lack of EUV lithography are inaccurate, Bohr asserted. The cost increase for 14-nm wafers at Intel “is nowhere near that,” he said.
“Cost per wafer has always gone up marginally each generation, somewhat more so in recent generations, but that’s more than offset by increases in transistor density so that the cost per transistor continues to go down at 14 nm,” Bohr said.
Separately, Bohr said Intel does have a growing foundry business that may include some higher volume applications than its current announced customers like FPGA startup Achronix. However, “we don’t intend to be in the general-purpose foundry business…[and] I don’t think the [foundry] volumes ever will be huge” for Intel, he said.
Intel’s paper laid out characteristics of Intel’s 22-nm process variation for SoCs (see chart below). It outperforms Intel’s 32-nm planar process by 20 to 65 percent and covers four orders of magnitude in leakage current, said co-author C.H. Jan.
The process provides 51 to 56 percent improvements in high voltage performance used for fast interfaces such Ethernet, HDMI and PCI Express. That’s more than twice the 20 percent boost typical in this area for a new Intel node, Jan said.
In addition, analog performance went up three-fold after declines in the past three nodes. Intel offers a small library of analog circuits tailored to the process including precision resistors, metal-in-metal capacitors and high Q inductors.
The process supports high and standard performance options as well as low and ultra low power ones. It also includes SRAM designs optimized for density, power and performance some of which now hit 2.6 GHz at 1V, up from 1.8 GHz at 32 nm.
Finally, Intel created two new transistor designs specifically for the 22-nm SoC variant. One is focused on low power and the other on high voltage for mixed-signal and analog circuits (see chart above).
For its part, IBM described its 22-nm process using partially depleted silicon-on-insulator. IBM “has prototyped a number of server processors” in the node that achieve latency below 1.5 ns and 750 MHz random clock cycles, said IBM researcher S. Narasimha.
Narasimha declined to give specifics of what IBM might achieve with the 22-nm node. However he did say the goal was to provide 25 to 35 percent boosts of the previous node which delivered server processors running up to 5.5 GHz and others with up to 80 Mbytes embedded DRAM.
IBM created an SRAM cell that measures 0.026 mm2 using the process. It also power supplies at 1.2V across a 550 mm2 die area, he said.
The process provides up to 15 levels of metal. The lowest five levels use 80-nm features, similar to the Intel process, and the top two levels support through-silicon vias for 3-D stacks with memory chips.
IBM will deliver a separate paper Wednesday on its 3-D stacking work.
Before that it was that Intel describes 22-nm SoC process, not chips [EE Times, Sept 13, 2012]
Intel provided the first look at the system-on-chip variant of its 22-nm process technology in a talk at the Intel Developer Forum here Thursday (Sept. 13). However, it declined to provide details on the Atom-based SoCs for tablets and smartphones that will be made in that process.
“It’s fair to say Intel didn’t have much of a focus four or five years ago on SoCs, but that’s changed,” said Mark Bohr, director of Intel’s technology and manufacturing group in a process technology talk. “The success of Medfield [Intel’s 32-nm smartphone platform] shows we are learning to do it right, and I think we will have a technology advantage at 22 nm,” he said.
Intel showed at IDF six smartphones and four Windows 8 tablets using the Medfield SoC, made in an SoC variant of its 32-nm process. “There’s a lot more in the pipeline,” said Ticky Thakkar, a lead Atom designer in a separate talk on the mobile chips.
The company is already shipping to OEMs a 2-GHz version of Clover Trail, a follow on 32nm dual-core processor with boosted graphics. A 1.8-GHz version for tablets is also in the works.
Next up is Bay Trail, Intel’s first 22-nm SoC for tablets and smartphones, expected to debut at IDF Beijing [April 10-11, 2013 as per the IDF page of Intel]. “You’ll have to wait until next year to hear about it,” said Thakkar.
In a separate talk, Bohr described P1271, the 22-nm SoC process to be used for Bay Trail. It differs from the 22-nm CPU process now used for Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors by offering lower leakage logic transistors, higher voltage I/O transistors, denser upper layer interconnects and a set of precision resistors, capacitors and inductors.
“It’s not one set of features, but a menu of feature options—transistors, I/O, interconnects, passive elements and embedded memory,” Bohr said. “The [SoC] transistors go down to much lower leakage levels, but give up some performance,” he said.
The process has significantly better analog characteristics than Intel’s current 32-nm planar process. Designs make heavy use of 80-nm pitch features in lower metal layers, because they are the smallest features Intel can make at 22 nm without needing double patterning, he added.
Intel is running the process at three fabs, two in the U.S. and one in Israel. It will ramp soon in two other fabs.
Reminders: Silicon Technology for 32 nm and Beyond System-on-Chip Products [IDF 2009 presentation by Mark Bohr, Sept 23, 2009]
Products (Formerly Lincroft) [Intel page]
– Number of Products: 5
– Launch Range: Q2’11 – Q2’10
– Max TDP: 1.3W (Z600) – 3W (Z670)
– Z600 (512K Cache, 1.20 GHz) …
… Z670 (512K Cache, 1.50 GHz)
while the first SoC product was the Sodaville which had no real market success (even specs are not listed on the ark.intel.com), and as such was not continued:
– Intel Unveils 45nm System-on-Chip for Internet TV [press release, Sept 24, 2009]
Intel Corporation today unveiled the Intel® Atom™ processor CE4100, the newest System-on-Chip (SoC) in a family of media processors designed to bring Internet content and services to digital TVs, DVD players and advanced set-top boxes.
The CE4100 processor, formerly codenamed “Sodaville,” is the first 45nm-manufactured consumer electronics (CE) SoC based on Intel architecture. It supports Internet and broadcast applications on one chip, and has the processing power and audio/video components necessary to run rich media applications such as 3-D graphics.
…
Intel® Atom™ Processor CE4100
The CE4100 processor can deliver speeds up to 1.2GHz while offering lower power and a small footprint to help decrease system costs. It is backward compatible with the Intel® Media Processor CE 3100 and features Intel® Precision View Technology, a display processing engine to support high-definition picture quality and Intel® Media Play Technology for seamless audio and video. It also supports hardware decode of up to two 1080p video streams and advanced 3-D graphics and audio standards. To provide OEMs flexibility in their product offerings, new features were added such as hardware decode for MPEG4 video that is ready for DivX* Home Theater 3.0 certification, an integrated NAND flash controller, support for both DDR2 and DDR3 memory and 512K L2 cache. The CE SoC contains a display processor, graphics processor, video display controller, transport processor, a dedicated security processor and general I/O including SATA-300 and USB 2.0.
Lincroft is mentioned in my Windows 7 tablets/slates with Oak Trail Atom SoC in December [Nov 1-24, 2010] post as:
Intel “is aiming to mass produce its Oak Trail platform for its Sleek Netbook segment targeting the tablet PC market in December 2010. The Oak Trail platform is a combination of Intel’s Lincroft (Atom Z6xx series) processor with Whitney Point chipset.”
…
The Oak Trail platform will sell at about US$25 with MeeGo [which was terminated as Nokia exited that joint effort 3 months later], and the price for Oak Trail and Microsoft’s Windows 7 will be higher.
so it was Intel’s first attempt to compete against the ARM-based tablet business, including the already successful iPad. As such it ended nowhere in terms of volumes. So adjustment followed as early as noted in my Intel: accelerated Atom SoC roadmap down to 22nm in 2 years and a “new netbook experience” for tablet/mobile PC market [April 17, 2012] despite that fact that products based on Z670 Atom from Lenovo and Fujitsu, as the big names, and Evolve, Motion Computing, Razer and Viliv, as much lesser names, appeared on the market from April, 2011 on (you could find information about them in the post itself). The price was too high: e.g. $729 for the Evolve III Maestro C.
The next Atom based on Intel’s 32nm SoC process appeared in fact just recently, first appeared in Acer Iconia W510: Windows 8 Clover Trail (Intel Z2760) hybrid tablets from OEMs [Oct 28, 2012] priced little lower, from $499 and up which is still overpriced relative to the ongoing 10” Android tablets. Moreover, it became available on in the second half of November and appeared on the Microsoft store to celebrate Cyber Monday (Nov 26) discounted to $399, which is the only competitive price. Now it is back to $499.
Lesson: Intel may speak about its “22 nm SoC process” but given the late entry of its 32nm SoC process Atom product (Cover Trail) it would be better to assume that with Windows 8 tablets based on that it will affect only the 2014 tablet market, not earlier. This is what the latest leaks are suggesting as well. Meanwhile expect a low-power Haswell ULT based tablet PC push in the H2 2013 as described already in my Intel Haswell: “Mobile computing is not limited to tiny, low-performing devices” [Nov 15 – Dec 11, 2012] post. As for the next year the real question is Can VIA Technologies save the mobile computing future of the x86 (x64) legacy platform? [this same blog of mine, Nov 23, 2012] For this watch what Allwinner vis-à-vis HTC on 2013 International CES [this same blog of mine, Dec 11, 2012] could bring in that respect, something much more than what is described in Allwinner A31 SoC is here with products and the A20 SoC is coming [USD 99 Allwinner blog of mine, Dec 10, 2012] or in $99 Android 4.0.3 7” IPS tablet with an Allwinner SoC capable of 2160p Quad HD and built-in HDMI–another inflection point, from China again [this same blog, Dec 3, 2012].
End of Reminders
– end of life of planar transistor and need to move to FinFET, but meanwhile FD-SOI to the rescue
FinFETs or FD-SOI? [SemiMD (Semiconductor Manufacturing and Design), Dec 11, 2012]
By Ed Sperling
STMicroelectronics yesterday unveiled the results of its 28nm production silicon chips using fully depleted silicon on insulator technology, which it claims offers a 30% improvement in speed over bulk CMOS while using less power.The debate over FD-SOI and FinFETs has been notching up over the past few months. While FinFETs and FD-SOI both promise improvements in controlling leakage current, the FinFETs are more difficult to design. FD-SOI uses the same design flow, although it does use a different SPICE model with better characteristics than the one used for bulk CMOS.
ST also used an ultra thin body and box (UTBB) and body biasing to boost performance, according to Joel Hartmann, the company’s executive vice president of front-end manufacturing and process R&D. Hartmann presented his results at an SOI Consortium-sponsored event at the IEDM show last night.
“We are using body bias to boost performance,” Hartmann said. “You can do that with FD-SOI. We also decreased the Vdd of the device by applying body biasing.”
What’s particularly attractive about FD-SOI is that is can be implemented at the 28nm node for a boost in performance and a reduction in power. The mainstream process node right now is 40nm. And while Intel introduced its version of a finFET transistor called Tri-Gate at 22nm, TSMC and GlobalFoundries plan to introduce it at the next node—whether that’s 16nm or 14nm. That leaves companies facing a big decision about whether to move all the way to 16/14nm to reap the lower leakage of finFETs, whether to move to 20nm on bulk, or whether to stay longer at 28nm with FD-SOI.
Hartmann said ST has seen improvements in analog running on FD-SOI, and for memory where the minimum voltage required is lower. He said ST’s road map calls for FD-SOI all the way down to 10nm, with voltages dropping from 0.9v at 28nm to 0.8v at 14nm and 0.7v at 10nm.
One of the sticking points in adopting FD-SOI has been market acceptance. Despite the promise of improved performance and/or lower power, bulk CMOS has been extended using a variety of techniques such as strain engineering and FD-SOI is considered more expensive. At 28nm and beyond, however, bulk has run out of steam, which is why Intel has opted for finFETs.
Still, FinFETs are more difficult to design and manufacture, and they potentially can add significantly to the cost of an SoC. FD-SOI, in contrast, uses the same design tools and reduces the number of masks and metal layers. ST is the first large fab-lite company to adopt FD-SOI and to move beyond just test chips. It remains to be seen which path the rest of the industry takes—and how quickly.
Increasing Levels Of Risk [SperlingMediaGroup YouTube channel, Dec 11, 2012]
Inflection Points [SperlingMediaGroup YouTube channel, Aug 14, 2012]
See also: ST’s FD-SOI Tech Available to All Through GF [SemiMD (Semiconductor Manufacturing and Design), Oct 8, 2012]
– ARM Physical IP division via its upcoming IP is preparing with its foundry partners (TSMC, GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Samsung) an easier transition to FinFET
2012 ARM TechCon John Heinlein Interview [chipestimate YouTube channel, Dec 4, 2012]
TSMC OIP 2012 – Sit down with John Heinlein, ARM [chipestimate YouTube channel, Dec 4, 2012]
An introductory type video for the roundtable video which is the next:
ARM 16/14nm FinFET Manufacturing Leadership [Charbax YouTube channel, Nov 1, 2012]
ARM TechCon 2012 Executive Roundtable: Manufacturing [ARMflix YouTube channel, Nov 14, 2012]
Embedded in the beginning of this roundtable video there is a [4:19] minutes long Investing in FinFET Technology Leadership Presented by ARM [ARMflix YouTube channel, Nov 12, 2012] video in which Dr. Rob Aitken, R&D Fellow at ARM, discusses the need for new transistor technologies and how FinFET may be a solution. The embedded video is starting at [00:39] of the roundtable video. From this I will transcribe here the following part showing ARM’s commitment and strategy for FinFET in its Physical IP Division:
[02:30] ARM is taking a leadership position in FinFET IP development to accelerate the availability of FinFET IP in ARM partnership. We are working closely with foundry partners to develop prototype FinFET physical IP early in the process lifecycle. Using this prototype physical IP ARM is currently developing two different FinFET test chips both taping out in Q3 2012. These efforts continue ARM’s commitment to early development of silicon testing to reduce risk and time to market. Through our early engagement and prototyping work we actively provide feedback to our foundry partners to assure that FinFET technology is well suited to the requirements of energy efficient SoCs. ARM is further contributing to the technical community by publicly releasing fully pre-authorized FinFET transistor model based RTRs roadmap and is extending these models to more advanced FinFET designs. Internally we are modeling proprietary foundry technologies in support of the development work on those processes. This is just the beginning of ARM’s commitment to FinFET IP leadership. [03:46]
There are a number of other ARM specific information about its FinFET efforts in the September 27 report which is in the following major section. Now additional ones from its foundry partners:
Breathing New Life into the Foundry-Fabless Business Model [ARM’s SoC Design blog, Aug 21, 2012]
Early last week, GLOBALFOUNDRIES jointly announcedwith ARM another important milestone in our longstanding collaboration to deliver optimized SoC solutions for ARM® processor designs on GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ leading-edge process technology. We’re extending the agreement to include our 20nm planar offering, next-generation 3D FinFET transistor technology, and ARM’s Mali™ GPUs.
Our collaboration with ARM goes back many years, and its evolution parallels some of the critical developments in the larger semiconductor industry during the same timeframe. ….…
This early and deep collaboration has resulted in several significant milestones, including the world’s first foundry optimized Cortex-A9 processor, POP™ IP for the Cortex-A9 processor operating at 1.6GHzon our 28nm-SLP technology, and a demonstration of more than 2GHzon our 28nm high-performance technology. This platform builds on the existing ARM Artisan® physical IP platforms for GLOBALFOUNDRIES processes at 65nm, 55nm and 28nm.
Now we are extending this collaboration to include true joint optimization for 20nm technologies and beyond, as well as a new focus on GPUs, which are becoming increasingly important in today’s smart mobile devices. The TQV strategy has already been scaled to 20nm and is an integral part of our process development, with a 20nm test chip implementation currently running through our Fab 8 in Saratoga County, N.Y.
And while we are seeing great dividends from this collaboration, the real hard work is only just beginning. We are now leveraging historical synergies from 28nm and 20nm planar technology to enable a smooth migration to next-generation, three-dimensional FinFET technology. One of the well publicized benefits of FinFET technology is its superior low-power attributes. The intrinsic capability of the 3D transistor to operate at a lower Vdd translates to longer battery life, which is heavily sought after in performance-hungry mobile computing applications. Our collaboration is focused tightly on this sweet spot in the market, where designers are looking for the optimum combination of performance, power-consumption, area, and cost. Our co-development work with ARM will enable a faster time to FinFET SoC solutions for customers using ARM’s next generation of mobile SoC IP for both CPUs and GPUs.
So clearly the foundry-fabless business model is not collapsing, but rather adapting to meet the challenges of today. Success will be a result of much closer joint development at the technology definition level, early engagement at the architectural stage, and a more integrated and cooperative ecosystem – precisely the kind of collaboration that we’re demonstrating with our valued partner ARM.
Guest Partner Blogger:
Mike Noonen is Executive Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Sales, for GLOBALFOUNDRIES. In this role, he is responsible for global customer relationships as well as all marketing, sales, customer engineering and quality functions.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES at ARM Techcon 2012 [Charbax YouTube channel, Oct 30, 2012]
If interested in the GLOBALFOUNDRIES Fireside Chat mentioned here watch the separate video GLOBALFOUNDRIES Fireside Chat at ARM Techcon 2012 [Charbax YouTube channel, Oct 31, 2012] with the following content:
“The insatiable need for functional and feature integration on to Mobile SoCs, coupled with ever increasing performance demands has challenged the Foundries and Fabless Semiconductor companies alike. While the diminishing geometries of the process technologies have kept pace to address this challenge, the solutions for leakage power dissipation continued to fall behind threatening to thwart the advances in Mobility. The ground-breaking FinFET technology is the right low-power solution and will serve as an inflection point to further enable SoC-level integration and technological advances in this exciting era of Extreme Mobility. The panel will discuss how the next generation of FinFET technology will change the mobile revolution again.”
Speakers
Dean Freeman, Research VP, Gartner Research
Bruce Kleinman, VP, Product Marketing, GLOBALFOUNDRIES
Subramani Kengeri, Vice President, Technology Architecture Office of the CTO, GLOBALFOUNDRIES
Srinivas Nori, Director. SOC Innovation, GLOBALFOUNDRIES
Dipesh Patel, Deputy General Manager of the Physical IP Division, ARM
TSMC’s information about collaboration with ARM in FinFET space was already included in the second major section (September 27 Report) beginning from ARM and TSMC Collaborate to Optimize Next-Generation 64-bit ARM Processors for FinFET Process Technology [ARM press release, July 23, 2012] part in the text. As an update to that I will include here: TSMC Accelerates finFET Efforts [SemiMD (Semiconductor Manufacturing and Design), Oct 16, 2012]
In response to its foundry rivals, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) has updated and accelerated its process roadmap. The world’s largest silicon foundry has accelerated its 16nm finFET efforts by one quarter and added a 10nm finFET technology to the roadmap.
TSMC also plans to take the “modular fin” approach for its 16nm finFET. It is also looking at 450mm fabs at the 10nm node, according to a TSMC executive, who also stressed that collaboration is a key to success. Customers must collaborate earlier in the design cycle and “at a new level,” said Mark Liu, executive vice president and co-chief operating officer at TSMC, during a keynote at the company’s Open Innovation Platform Ecosystem Forum in San Jose, Calif. on Tuesday (Oct. 16). “We need to align strategically.”
At present, TSMC is ramping up its 28nm process technology. The next process on the roadmap, dubbed CLN20, is a 20nm planar technology. The reference flow for CLN20 is ready and the process is due out in 2013.
[See: TSMC 20nm and CoWoS™ Design Infrastructure Ready [TSMC press release, Oct 9, 2012]
Then, as previously announced, TSMC will enter the finFET transistor era. The company’s initial finFET process, dubbed CLN16FF, is being targeted and branded for the 16nm node. TSMC’s 16nm finFET process is slated for risk production in November of 2013, Liu said. Risk production has been accelerated from February of 2014 to November of 2013.
In an interview after the keynote, Liu said TSMC will take a “modular fin” approach in finFETs. TSMC will marry a 16nm fin with a 20nm backend. “It has 20nm design rules,” he said.
TSMC will also implement a triple-patterning strategy for 16nm finFETs. The company is also keeping its options open. It is exploring 193nm immersion extensions, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography and multi-beam. “At this point, we have both (193nm extensions and EUV) under development,” he said. “Maybe multi-beam will save the day.”
TSMC’s 16nm finFET design solutions, including the EDA tools and IP, will be ready by the first quarter of 2013. “We have pulled in our design enablement solutions,” said Cliff Hou, senior vice president of TSMC, during a separate keynote at the event. The first version of the design solutions, dubbed V0.1, is slated for introduction in January. The second version, V1.0, is due out in October of 2013.
Meanwhile, during his keynote, Liu presented a slide that denoted CLN10FF, which is a second-generation finFET for the 10nm node. TSMC’s 10nm finFET process is expected to move into risk production “close to the end of 2015,” he said.
Also at 10nm, TSMC is looking to enter the 450mm fab era. It is likely TSMC will have a 450mm fab or pilot line in the second phase of 10nm. “There are no show stoppers,” he said. “All of the equipment companies are developing 450mm.”
Other foundries have also accelerated their finFET roadmaps. For example, GlobalFoundries Inc. recently rolled out its finFET technology for the 14nm node. GlobalFoundries is taking a “modular fin” approach with its bulk finFET offering, dubbed 14nm-XM. The 14nm-XM combines a 14nm-class fin with its 20nm back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect flow.
By taking the modular approach, the company has accelerated its process roadmap by a year. Early process design kits (PDKs) are available, with customer product tape-outs expected in 2013. Production, which is slated for 2014, will take place within GlobalFoundries’ new 300mm fab in New York.
Another foundry vendor, United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), is taking a similar modular finFET approach. UMC licensed finFET technology from IBM. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has yet to elaborate on its finFET strategy. Meanwhile, Intel Corp. is already ramping up its 22nm process, which is based on finFET transistors. Intel is providing foundry services for select customers, who plan to ship products based on finFETs.
September 27 Report
In my role, I serve as one of the members of the Global
Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) Steering Committee on Intellectual Property, where we work to share best practices and continue to improve the IP ecosystem for the benefit of the entire semiconductor industry. As part of this role, I’ve observed a trend in the news speculating on the future of the foundry and IP industry, and I recently posted my thoughts on the GSA blog site, and I’d like to share them with you here as well.
In 1897, after a journalist erroneously reported the passing of famed author and humorist Mark Twain, Twain replied in his typical wit with the now famous retort: “the rumor of my death has been greatly exaggerated.” Like the then very alive author, recent reports have speculated on the demise of the foundry and IP business model. I similarly think such talk is pure nonsense. Across many metrics the foundry and IP space is alive and well and providing unprecedented capabilities to semiconductor companies. [his factual argumentation for that you can find much below, in the <<sticking with the “Goliath”>> section]
Dr. John Heinlein, Vice President, Marketing, ARM Physical IP Division on May 16, 2012
– TSMC’s View of the Semiconductor IP Ecosystem
To understand the semiconductor IP ecosystem one should first understand it via the IP related efforts of far the biggest and most influential foundry, TSMC (as their success most heavily depends on a vibrant and quality IP ecosystem):
ChipEstimate.com DAC 2012 IP Talks presenter Dan Kochpatcharin on TSMC OIP and IP Quality [chipestimate YouTube channel, June 26, 2012]
There are 41 IP partners in the semiconductor IP specific TSMC IP alliance program of TSMC OIP (Open Innovation Platform alliance ecosystem) and also have 20-25 IP partners directly supported but not part of the IP alliance program.
Among those the winners of the 2011 TSMC IP Partner Award of Year were:
- Interface IP: Synopsys Inc. [US]
- Analog/Mixed Signal IP: Dolphin Integration SA [France]
Foundation IP [such as basic standard cells, standard I/O, and memory-bit cells]: ARM Ltd. [UK] [ARM Artisan® Physical IP such as: ARM® Artisan Standard Cell Libraries, ARM® Artisan Specialty I/O libraries, ARM® Artisan DDR Interface IP, ARM Artisan Embedded Memory Compilers etc. and Processor Optimization Packs (POPs)]
- Specialty Embedded Memory IP: eMemory Technology Inc. [Taiwan] for second year in a row
Note that for such an IP excellency the organisations behind are not big at all. Dolphin Integration SA is a 190 people company. eMemory employs around 200 people as per the award news release. While ARM Holdings Plc had 2,253 full-time employees alltogether at June 30, 2012, considering their Physical IP Division (PIPD) having just 11% of the overall revenue the number of employees there would probably not exceed 300. Artisan Components Inc. (US) acquired by ARM Holdings for not less than 1 billion US$ in Dec 2004 (because of “collaboration between the two companies on ARM’s next-generation MPU core, code-named “Tiger”, in 2005 becoming Cortex-A8) had 72 employees in 1997, so it is likely from historical point of view as well (considering even ARM’s heavy investment later on).
As far as Synopsys is concerned, 9 months ago it had ~6800 employees, but its portfolio is rather large (implementation, verification, IP, manufacturing and FPGA solutions), and in addition to the Interface IP the company has Analog IP and Memories and Logic Libraries as well in the overall DesignWare IP portolio. To understand that split let’s take the following “Top Interface, Analog, and Embedded Memory IP Vendor” presentation slide from Synopsis Investor Day 2011 presentation, referring to a Gartner, March 2011 report, which is indicating $104.1M interface IP revenue for 2010:
which is ~ 7.5% of the overall revenue of Synopsis (having $1.38B for the fiscal year 2010 ending Oct 31, 2010 when it had 6707 employees) which could mean ~500 employees related to Interface IP activities taken proportionally to the revenue.
And here are the number of titles in TSMC IP portfolio also vs. other foundries:
See also:
– TSMC Extends Open Innovation Platform™ [TSMC press release, June 7, 2010]
– TSMC Expands IP Alliance to Include Soft IP [TSMC press release, Oct 5, 2010]
– Atrenta and TSMC IP Quality Initiative Gains Broad Industry Acceptance [Atrenta press release, March 5, 2012]: “10 intellectual property (IP) providers have qualified their soft IP for inclusion in the TSMC 9000 IP library using the Atrenta IP Handoff Kit. Those companies, part of TSMC’s Soft-IP Alliance Program, include Arteris, Inc.; CEVA; Chips&Media, Inc.; Digital Media Professionals Inc. (DMP); Imagination Technologies; Intrinsic-ID; MIPS Technologies, Inc.; Sonics, Inc.; Tensilica, Inc.; and Vivante Corporation. The participating companies are able to provide quantitative information to TSMC’s customers regarding the robustness and completeness of their soft or synthesizable semiconductor IP that is part of the TSMC 9000 IP library.”
– Imagination Technology Forum: Advanced SoC solutions in cooperation with TSMC [detailed DIGITIMES report, June 28, 2012]: “Not only will we be introducing our latest graphics processing IP, we will also talk about video, displays, multi-threaded cores [Meta SoC Processors], and wireless processors [Ensigma Universal Communications Core Processors (UCCPs)]. We hope that industries can further understand that Imagination is a company that provides complete SoC solutions.“
– TSMC Open Innovation Platform® Ecosystem Forum, Technical Presentation Abstracts 
[TSMC, Oct 18, 2011]
– ARM Physical IP Overview [ARM presentation, Sept 9, 2011]
– Leveraging Advanced Physical IP to Deliver Optimized SoC Implementations at 40nm and below [ARM presentation, Nov 19, 2010] [Meta SoC Processors]
– ARM Announces Processor Optimization Pack [ARM press release, Nov 9, 2010]
ARM today announced the immediate availability of the ARM® Cortex™-A9 Processor Optimization Packs (“POPs”). Processor Optimization Packs leverage ARM Artisan® physical IP to enable customers to achieve technology leading performance or power targets on their Cortex-A9 implementations in the shortest time to market. A silicon-proven POP is available now TSMC(R) 40nm G process technology. The Cortex-A9 POP on TSMC 40nm LP process technology will be available to customers in January 2011.
The Cortex-A9 Processor Optimization Packages contain three elements: ARM Artisan optimized logic and memory physical IP for a specific process technology, supported by implementation knowledge and ARM benchmarking. Combined together the POP allows SoC designers to optimize Cortex-A9 designs for maximum performance, lowest power or to develop customized solutions balancing power and performance for their specific application.
– Overall semiconductor IP market overview
The key players listed by the market researcher MarketsandMarkets (with ChipEstimate.com links wherever possible, where “Prime IP Partners” are highlighted in bold) are the following companies:
ARM Holdings Plc (UK) |
Atmel Corporation |
CAST Inc. |
CEVA Inc. (Israel, Choice IP Partner) |
Coreworks S.A. (Portugal), but see Homepage, Technologies, Products, Rapidity |
Dolphin Integration Inc. |
Imagination Technologies Inc. |
Lattice Semiconductor, but see its IP website |
Mentor Graphics, Inc. |
MIPS, Inc., but see Processor Cores, Interconnect IP, and MIPS Alliance |
MoSys, Inc., but see unparalleled bandwidth performance for next gen networking systems |
NXP Semiconductors N.V |
Rambus, Inc. |
Silicon Image, Inc. |
Synopsys, Inc. |
Tensilica, Inc. (Choice IP Partner) |
Triad Semiconductor, Inc., but see Mixed Signal ASIC, Engagement Model … IP Catalog, ARM Powered VCAs |
VeriSilicon, Inc. (Choice IP Partner) |
exited: Wipro-NewLogic, Inc., but see RivieraWaves (France) as a successor |
Notes:
-
ChipEstimate.com Chip Planning Portal Overview
The ChipEstimate.com chip planning portal is an ecosystem comprised of over 200 of the world’s largest semiconductor design and verification IP suppliers and foundries. These companies all share in the common vision of helping the worldwide electronics design community achieve greater profitability and success. To date, a diverse global audience of over 27,000 users has joined the ChipEstimate.com community and has collectively performed over 100,000 chip estimations. ChipEstimate.com is a property of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS), the leader in global electronic-design innovation. -
Reasons for missing Coreworks S.A, Lattice Semiconductor, Mentor Graphics, Inc., MIPS, Inc., and MoSys, Inc. on the ChipEstimate.com portal are quite diverse. You can find them via the additional linked explanations, typically marked as “but see”.
Overall the summary of the Semiconductor Intellectual Property Market, Silicon IP Market (2012-2017): Global Forecasts & Analysis [MarketsandMarkets, April 2012] states that:
The growth trend of the Semiconductor IP market revenue can be observed by the CAGRs over various time periods. The CAGR of the Semiconductor IP market from 1997 to 2002 was 17.82% while the value from 2002 to 2007 stood at 11.54%. Post 2007, the market again picked up growth and the forecasted CAGR from 2012 to 2017 is estimated to be 14.47%. In 2012, the global Semiconductor IP market is estimated to be $2.90 billion. The percentage share of Semiconductor IP industry in the global revenue for semiconductors was approximately between 0.3% and 1.0% over the years; stood at 0.71% in 2011, and is estimated to increase to 0.85% by the end of 2012 and 0.99% by the end of 2017.
In the Analyst Briefing Presentation of the same report it is stated that:
Coming to the statistics, in 2011, the global Silicon IP Market stood at $2.25 billion, while the global semiconductor industry revenue was at $315 billion. Both these markets are estimated to reach $2.90 billion and $340 billion respectively by the end of 2012.
which means that while the global semiconductor industry is expected to grow just 6.3% this year the Semiconductor IP Market is estimated to grow by 28.9% ! So the latter is quite healthy although still a tiny part of the whole industry.
Gartner presented last year the following, revenue based Semiconductor IP Market view:
Source: Synopsis Investor Day 2011 presentation, referring to a Gartner, March 2011 report
Note that the $231.6M semiconductor IP revenue was just ~15% of the CY2010 overall revenue (~1.5B estimated at max) of Synopsis where Core EDA (Electronic Design Automation) was and is the bulk of the revenue by far: Core EDA revenue was $959M in FY2010 and $980.7M in FY2011. Relative to that the overall Semiconductor IP segment was and is a double digit growth area for Synopsis. Since the company is following a strong “M&A strategy to broaden TAM and provide incremental revenue growth” in non-Core EDA areas the semiconductor IP revenue will probably grow at the same pace in the coming years. Therefore its #2 position will be maintained on this market, especially as it has almost no competitors (only Mentor Graphics IP) among Top 10 (those companies having not less than 71.1% share of market), while the #3 Imagination Technologies’ strongest competitor is the #1 ARM Holdings, as well as the strongest competitor of the #4 MIPS Technologies is the same #1 ARM Holdings.
So overall the market is quite mature, with well established and strong leaders already having the most of the business for themselves. The #1 ARM Holdings is also having a strong ecosystem of its own, which is providing opportunities for not less than 53 small silicon IP vendors outside the Top 10 as well. See: SoC IP [providers in ARM Connected Community Program].
I’ve edited a more descriptive list of that in PDF, which you can download from here. Below I’am providing an excerpt from that, with strongest players in ARM’s own ecosystem in the sense of relying on ARM’s Artisan Physical IP via the IPNet Partner Program (denoted by +) and/or TSCM IP Alliance Program (denoted by *):
Analog Bits*: the leading supplier of low-power, customizable analog IP for easy and reliable integration into modern CMOS digital chips. Our product range includes precision clocking macros such as PLL’s & DLL’s, programmable interconnect solutions such as multi-protocol SERDES/PMA and programmable I/O’s as well as specialized memories such as high-speed SRAMs and T-CAMs.
– Low Power Wide Range PLL – Common Platform 32LP
Arteris*: Arteris invented Network on Chip technology, offering the world’s first commercial solution in 2006. Arteris connects the IP blocks in semiconductors from Qualcomm, Samsung, TI, and others, representing over 50 System on Chip devices. … Arteris is a private company backed by a group of international investors including ARM Holdings, Crescendo Ventures, DoCoMo Capital, Qualcomm Incorporated, Synopsys, TVM Capital, and Ventech.
– C2C™ Chip to Chip Link™ Inter-chip Connectivity IP
– FlexNoC Network-on-Chip Interconnect IP
– FlexWay Interconnect IP
Aurora VLSI, Inc. +: provides AMBA specification-based SoC/ASIC IP components, peripherals, subsystems, and platforms. … Aurora provides a full set of popular communications and SoC IP cores for ARM and AMBA Bus-based SoCs.
– AMBA Peripherals- Ethernet, PCI, USB, IEEE1394, memory and flash controllers, interrupt controller, timers, counters, GPIOs, etc
– AMBA SOC Platform (Configurable)
AuthenTec*: a leading provider of mobile and network security. … AuthenTec’s products and technologies provide security on hundreds of millions of devices, and the Company has shipped more than 100 million fingerprint sensors for integration in a wide range of portable electronics including over 15 million mobile phones. Top tier customers include Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Fujitsu, HBO, HP, Lenovo, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Samsung, Sky, and Texas Instruments.
– SafeXcel™ IP-06 KASUMI Crypto Core Family
– SafeXcel™ IP-115 HDCP2 Content Protection Crypto Module
– SafeXcel™ IP-123 Secure Platform Crypto Module
– SafeXcel™ IP-154 Public Key Infrastructure Cores
– SafeXcel™ IP-16 3DES Crypto Core Family
– SafeXcel™ IP-160 MACsec Security Engine w/ Classifiers
– SafeXcel™ IP-18 CAMELLIA Crypto Core Family
– SafeXcel™ IP-197 Inline Security Packet Engine
– SafeXcel™ IP-28: Public Key Accelerator Cores
– SafeXcel™ IP-3X AES Crypto Core Family
– SafeXcel™ IP-46 SNOW 3G Crypto Core Family
– SafeXcel™ IP-48 ZUC Crypto Core Family
– SafeXcel™ IP-57 HASH/HMAC Core Family
– SafeXcel™ IP-60 MACsec Frame Engine
– SafeXcel™ IP-62 MACsec/IPsec GCM Packet Engine
– SafeXcel™ IP-76 True Random Number Generator
– SafeXcel™ IP-97 Look-Aside Security Packet Engine
CEVA, Inc.*: the leading licensor of digital signal processor (DSP) cores, multimedia and storage platforms to leading semiconductor and electronics companies worldwide. … This portfolio includes a family of programmable DSP cores, DSP-based subsystems and application-specific platforms including multimedia, audio, Voice over Packet (VoP), Bluetooth, Serial ATA (SATA) and Serial Attached SCSI (SAS).
– Application Platforms: for Mobile Multimedia Applications
The Only Silicon-proven Programmable Solution Supporting H.264 codec up to D1 resolution! … Complete, Low-Cost Audio Solution … Complete, Single Processor VoIP Solution
– DSP Cores: The CEVA-X family of cores is based on CEVA’s latest pioneering DSP architecture. This architecture offers best-in-class performance, scalability, and lowest cost-of-development for DSP deployment … CEVA-TeakLite Architecture DSP core.
– System Platforms: Broad set of DSP peripherals extendible through APB … tailored for specific cores of the CEVA-X architecture framework … High performance multimedia platform … CEVA-TeakLite Architecture DSP subsystems
Chips&Media,Inc. *: video codec technologies cover the full line-up of video standards such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.263, H.264/AVC and VC-1 from CIF to HD resolution.
– BODA7Series-HD Video Decoder IP
– BODA9Series-Dual HD Video Decoder IP
– CODA7Series-HD Video Codec IP
– CODA9Series-Dual HD Video Codec IP
Denali Software, Inc. +: Databahn™ products provide optimal control and data throughput for external DRAM (DDR2, DDR3, LPDDR1, LPDDR2) and Flash memory devices.
– Databahn NAND Flash Controller
– Databahn(TM) PCI Express Controller IP Core
– Databahn(TM) SDR/DDR1/DDR2/DDR3/LPDDR2 Solutions
eMemory Technology Inc. *: focused on the development of logic embedded non-volatile memory (NVM) such as OTP, MTP, and Flash. eMemory has published 186 patents. There are over 120 companies who have implemented our technologies and IP’s worldwide.
– NeoBit
– NeoFlash
Intrinsic-ID *: semiconductor IP and embedded software products based on Hardware Intrinsic Security. Our solutions revolve around patented Physically Unclonable Function (PUF) technology, where a secret key is extracted like a silicon biometric or fingerprint from silicon hardware directly and only when required.
Attackers have nothing to find because no key is stored nor present in the power down state. … Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Intrinsic-ID was founded in 2008 as a spin-out of Royal Philips Electronics and has been deployed in Philips’ production environment.
– AES
– HMAC-SHA-256
– iRNG
– Quiddikey™ in Hardware
– SHA-256
Kilopass *
– XPM: embedded, one-time programmable (OTP) non-volatile memory (NVM). … Over 70 customers have integrated XPM™ in over 200 designs from 180nm to 40nm. Applications range from a few hundred bits for unique ID to prevent cloning to multiple instances of 1Mb for program code storage.
PLDA, Inc. *: a leading provider of semiconductor intellectual property (IP) specialized in high-speed interconnect protocols and technologies.
– AMBA 2 AHB to PCI Bridge
– AMBA 2 AHB to PCI Express Bridge
– AMBA 2 AHB to USB 3.0 Device
– AMBA 2 AHB to USB 3.0 Host
– AMBA 3 AXI to PCI Express Bridge
– PCI Express IP Core with AXI interface
Rambus Inc. *: one of the world’s premier technology licensing companies specializing in the invention and design of high-speed memory architectures.
– XDR Memory: architecture … proven in high-volume, cost-competitive applications. Operating at 3.2Gbps, XDR DRAM provides 6.4GB/s of peak memory bandwidth with a single, 2-byte wide device.
Renesas Technology America, Inc. *
– Renesas Application Specific Products: SoC Architecture for Multimedia Controller Chip. Features: Multiple ARM 9 cores, Graphic Controller on chip, USB on chip, Memory Card Interface, Standard high-performance MCU peripherals, JTAG. Easy to customize with proven architecture and IP.
Sidense Corp. *: Sidense Corp. provides secure, dense and reliable non-volatile, one-time programmable (OTP) memory IP for use in standard-logic CMOS processes, with no additional masks or process steps required and no impact on product yield. Sidense’s patented one-transistor 1T-Fuse™ architecture provides the industry’s smallest footprint, most reliable and lowest power Logic Non-Volatile Memory IP solution and offers an alternative solution to Flash, mask ROM and eFuse in many applications.
– SiPROM
– SLP:
– ULP
Silicon Image GmbH *+
– Multimedia Platform IP: complete system solutions for Mobile Communication including MPEG-4 Encoding and Decoding for video chat and video conferencing applications. For Multimedia the offering incudes solutions for DVD Players and Set Top Boxes. Other leading edge technologies include a broad portfolio of security IPs and IP cores of professional networking applications.
Silicon Interfaces +
– Silicon Cores – Core to the Intelligent Systems(TM): 12+ IP cores targeted to areas such as Networking, Wireless, Communication and Interconnect, and around 5+ Verification IPs using Industry standard Verification Methodology
Sonics, Inc. *+: a pioneer of network-on-chip (NoC) technology and today offers SoC designers the largest portfolio of intelligent, on-chip communications solutions.
– MemMax AMP: an intelligent Dynamic Random Access Memory scheduler designed for use with any AMBA AXI compliant bus fabric and memory controller.
– MemMax Scheduler: an intelligent Dynamic Random Access Memory scheduler designed for use with an OCP compliant memory controller.
– SonicsGN: Sonics’ 4th generation, configurable, on-chip network enabling the design of advanced SoC communications networks using a high-speed scalable fabric topology structure. As the industry’s highest frequency NoC available today, SGN allows SoC designers to deliver high-performance, simultaneous application processing for smart phones, mobile video and tablets.
– SonicsLX: On-chip Network contains a high performance advanced fabric with data flow services for the development of complex SoCs.
– SonicsMX: an actively decoupled, non-blocking, intelligent internal interconnect that enables designers to implement multiprocessor SoC architectures using combinations of similar or heterogeneous processing elements.
– SonicsSX: On-chip Network contains a high performance, advanced fabric and a comprehensive set of data flow services for the development of complex, multicore and multi-subsystem SoCs.
Synopsys *+: world leader in electronic design automation (EDA), supplying the global electronics market with the software, intellectual property (IP) and services used in semiconductor design, verification and manufacturing. … Synopsys is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and has more than 70 offices located throughout North America, Europe, Japan, Asia and India.
– DesignWare Cores: Synopsys is a leading provider of high-quality, silicon-proven interface and analog IP solutions for system-on-chip designs. Synopsys’ broad IP portfolio delivers complete interface IP solutions consisting of controllers, PHY and verification IP for widely used protocols such as USB, PCI Express, DDR, SATA, Ethernet, HDMI and MIPI IP including 3G DigRF, CSI-2 and D-PHY. The analog IP family includes Analog-to-Digital Converters, Digital-to-Analog Converters, Audio Codecs, Video Analog Front-Ends, Touch Screen Controllers and more.
– DesignWare System-Level Library: a portfolio of tool-independent transaction-level models (TLMs) for the creation of virtual platforms. Virtual platforms are fully functional software models of complete embedded systems enabling pre-silicon software development and software-driven system validation.
As one could there 18 silicon IP vendors with very strong (Artisan and/or TSMC IP Alliance) ties in ARM’s own ecosystem, and out of them 5 (AuthenTec, CEVA, Rambus, Silicon Image and Syopsys) are in the Top 10 group of providers.
With that we could finish the overall semiconductor IP market overview.
– The CEVA case
A lot of Silicon IP vendors are highly focussed. Probably the most successful among them is CEVA Inc. (Israel, Choice IP Partner):
CEVA DSP – Company Introduction [cevadsp YouTube channel, Aug 4, 2011]
CEVA, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results [CEVA press release, July 31, 2012]
… Total revenue for the second quarter of 2012 was $13.6 million, a decrease of 6% compared to $14.4 million for the second quarter of 2011. Licensing revenue for the second quarter of 2012 was $5.4 million, an increase of 3% compared to $5.2 million reported for the second quarter of 2011. Royalty revenue for the second quarter of 2012 was $7.6 million, compared to $8.3 million reported for the second quarter of 2011. Revenue from services for the second quarter of 2012 was $0.6 million, compared to $0.9 million reported for the second quarter of 2011.
Gideon Wertheizer, Chief Executive Officer, stated: “The second quarter was the strongest licensing quarter in more than three and a half years, driven by a strategic licensing agreement with a tier 1 handset OEM for a range of LTE handsets and the first agreement for our newest DSP, the CEVA-XC4000 for LTE- Advanced. These latest agreements bring the total LTE design wins for CEVA DSPs to date to more than 20, and form the foundation for future royalty growth. Finally, while the competitive 2G market is experiencing pricing pressure, our volume growth in the lucrative 3G market during the quarter significantly outpaced that of the overall 3G space, as low and mid-range 3G smartphones gain traction.” …
About CEVA, Inc.
CEVA is the world’s leading licensor of silicon intellectual property (SIP) DSP cores and platform solutions for the mobile, portable and consumer electronics markets. CEVA’s IP portfolio includes comprehensive technologies for cellular baseband (2G / 3G / 4G), multimedia (HD video, Image Signal Processing (ISP) and HD audio), voice over packet (VoP), Bluetooth, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) and Serial ATA (SATA). In 2011, CEVA’s IP was shipped in over 1 billion devices and powers handsets from every top handset OEM, including HTC, Huawei, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony and ZTE. Today, more than 40% of handsets shipped worldwide are powered by a CEVA DSP core. For more information, visit www.ceva-dsp.com. Follow CEVA on twitter at www.twitter.com/cevadsp.
LTE-A Ref.Architecture [part of the Ceva-XC4000 product page, Feb 20, 2012]
CEVA-XC4000 multi-mode LTE-Advanced reference architecture
Based on multiple CEVA-XC4000 processors, CEVA offers a complete multimode LTE-Advanced reference architecture targeting LTE-A Rel-10 Cat-7. The reference architecture was developed together with mimoOn, a member of the CEVA-XCnet partner program and addresses the entire PHY layer requirements.
Reference architecture highlights:
A complete LTE PHY system architecture addressing the entire PHY layer requirements of multiple standards in software including: TD-LTE-A, HSPA+ Rel-9, TD-SCDMA, WiMAX and more
Built around CEVA-XC4000 processors with minimal complementary hardware accelerators
Offers industry’s most competitive SDR platform in terms of both cost and power consumption
Supports maximal throughput of LTE-A Rel-10 CAT-7 UE FDD (DL: 300Mbps, UL: 100Mbps) with up to 8×4 MIMO and carrier aggregation of up to two carrier components to a total of 40MHz channel
High operating margins enabling customer differentiation by software
[See also the related press release, as well as the CEVA Continues to Dominate DSP IP Market with 90% Market Share [May 14, 2012] press release]
CEVA is also a best case for the trend determining the future of the semiconductor IP ecosystem, especially with the above “small print” example of a reusable LTE Advanced subsystem. More about the formation of such a trend you can find in the <<sticking with the “Goliath”>> section below.
– When sticking with the “Goliath”: ARM Holdings Plc
Then there are a number of vendors with an ecosystem of surrounding IP partners such as ARM Holdings Plc on the higher end (which we’ve already presented in the earlier, “Market Overview” section) and CAST Inc. on the lower one.
Let’s examine the future of the semiconductor IP ecosystem through the eyes of these two companies. What they can offer strategically to their customers? Why customers are selecting the smaller and much less influential offerings from CAST against the “industry behemoth” ARM? What does it mean for a customer sticking with one against the other?
Making IP work and getting the right SoC! [Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) Intellectual Property blog, July 18, 2012]
Jack Browne, Vice President, Marketing, Sonics, Inc.
Designers defining the next generation SoCs are adding more cores in pursuit of the ever increasing user experience. Whether for pacesetting smart phones, WiFi routers, or personal medical devices, making all this IP work as intended in the SoC requires system IP. System IP includes the on-chip network, performance analysis tools, debug tools, power management and memory subsystems necessary for best in class SoCs. Whether used by the architect in the initial definition of the SoC or the layout engineer finalizing timing for place and route closure, system IP is critical to the design insuring that the capabilities of the SoC will meet the required end user experiences.
…
For complex SoCs over 100 IP blocks may be included in a design. Choices can be tough, with over a hundred IP vendors offering solutions, each with multiple products. The System IP eases the design burden by supporting both IP blocks and subsystems with the necessary broad range of interface protocols, widths, frequency domains and power domains.
System IP eases the challenges of maintaining a common software platform over multiple generations of SoC’s, built with varying IP cores and subsystems. Market research firm Semico, forecasts subsystem functions for computing, memory, video, communications, multimedia, security and system resource management. The increased abstraction from subsystems gives productivity benefit (leveraging use of commercial IP blocks) as well as differentiation through the integration of in-house IP blocks with standard industry IP blocks into reusable subsystems. A computing subsystem example would be ARM’s big.LITTLE CPU clusters where ARM does most of the integration ahead of time with the designer doing final configuration of features and/or number of cores. Another example would be faster communication subsystems like LTE advanced subsystems [we have already shown CEVA’s LTE-A Ref.Architecture above as the best example for that]. By customizing a 4G LTE advanced subsystem solution with internal technology, SoC design teams can differentiate from standard IP blocks using their internal expertise while leveraging the shared R&D benefits of merchant 4G IP subsystems.
With the increasing cost of today’s SoCs, many are designed for multiple markets where not all of the functionality of the SoC is in use. Many also have multiple usage scenarios within a given market, e.g. music playback on our smartphone. With the importance of battery life, managing the power of a SoC, including the ability to power off unused blocks, gives the best battery life. Today’s 28nm SoCs are using dozens of power domains and even more clock domains to meet the performance and battery life requirements. By moving to system IP supporting hardware centric control of power transitions, end users will make more use of Dark Silicon (normally powered off) for better battery life as compared to interrupt centric software power management control.
When starting a new SoC design, your choice of system IP is a key early decision as you have now selected the on-chip network, performance analysis tools, debug tools, power management and memory subsystems available for your design. Making the right choice can provide a 2x benefit over other choices with regard to performance, power and cost, so make an informed choice.
Foundry and IP Business Model: Alive and Well [Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) Intellectual Property blog, May 16, 2012]
Dr. John Heinlein, Vice President, Marketing, ARM Physical IP Division
… The IP ecosystem … is diverse and vibrant, with today’s IP providers offering many IP types, spanning a wide range of power, performance and area tradeoffs. As an example, at 45 and 40nm various industry databases list between 450-620 licensable IP blocks available. Furthermore, the latest IP developments at 45nm and 28nm include extensive power management capabilities, cost tradeoffs and implementation options that give designers choices for their chip. Only through this ecosystem diversity can we have the rich and competitive landscape to address the many market segments the industry serves.
… Major technology investments are occurring across the foundry space, with new leading-edge R&D investments in fundamental process technology being made. These investments span major companies like IBM, TSMC, Samsung, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, research consortia like IMEC and even new entrants like SuVolta, all of which are driving for aggressive technologies. Today, 32 and 28nm products are in production and many more ramping to production. Following that, there is a range of solutions already announced at 20nm that deliver the next node of planar bulk CMOS scaling. Furthermore, the industry has clearly shown its commitment to investing in the next wave of 20nm and 14nm solutions beyond bulk ranging from FinFET to fully depleted SOI. …
Clean Sweep at 28nm for ARM Artisan Physical IP [GSA Intellectual Property blog, Oct 11, 2011]
John A. Ford, Director of Product Marketing, Physical IP Division, ARM
On October 6th, UMC announced the selection of the ARM® Artisan® Physical IP Platform for the UMC foundry sponsored IP program. This new platform for UMC’s 28nm high-K metal gate (HKMG) process is a natural continuation of the long standing relationship between ARM physical IP division and UMC. ARM Artisan IP has been successfully used in millions of SoCs produced at UMC for more than 10 years on 180nm, 130nm, 90nm, 65nm and 55nm process technologies. The addition of UMC to ARM’s family of 28nm Physical IP platforms has a larger meaning than just a high quality set of IP on a technology-leading process. ARM Artisan IP is now the only physical IP platform available at all four of the 28nm commercial foundries in the world: TSMC, UMC, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, and Samsung.
This makes good sense considering ARM’s expertise in physical IP optimization and years of establishing early foundry engagement on advance node IP development. ARM started work on physical IP for HKMG processes way back in 2008 with test chips and process qualification chips for IBM’s 32nmLP process. 32nmLP process was the first commercially available HKMG process and is now in high volume production at Samsung for smart phone, tablet and other applications. With millions of production SoCs at 32nm, 28nm is actually the 2nd generation of HKMG IP from ARM and includes all the critical design technique learning from 32nm development and production. ARM is deploying a full platform of standard cells, logic products, memory compilers and interface products at 28nm. Customers can benefit from being able to use consistent IP at all four foundries for the development of their SoC. With ARM’s exhaustive silicon validation process, customers have the assurance, peace of mind and confidence that only comes for using ARM IP.
We’re not stopping there. ARM is now actively developing 20nm physical IP at both IBM and TSMC, with 5 test chips taped out starting in 2009 and several more planned for 2012 and 2013. By engaging early with foundries and developing IP in parallel with the process development, ARM ensures that designers can achieve the full entitlement of the technology, with a high degree of manufacturability. Foundries engage with ARM as a partner for early physical IP because of the long experience we have in developing physical IP on advanced process including CMOS SiON, CMOS HKMG and SOI. …
ARM big LITTLE processing: Saving Power through heterogeneous multiprocessing and task content migration [chipestimate YouTube channel, June 18, 2012]
From: Enabling Mobile Innovation with the Cortex™-A7 Processor [ARM whitepaper for TechCon 2011 by Brian Jeff, Oct 15 2011]
Market requirements for high-end mobile
High-end smartphones require high performance applications processors and graphics processors, but instantaneous performance requirements are highly elastic. During web browsing, for example, peak performance is required when pages are first rendered, but much lower levels of processor performance are required when reading or scrolling down a page. Similarly, applications have varying levels of performance requirements, typically requiring very high performance during launch, and low to moderate levels of required performance during at least some portion of runtime. For voice calls, the level of performance required by the applications processor is quite low, even on a high-end smartphone.
Given the wide range of required performance, it would be ideal if the phone could use a very power efficient CPU some of the time, and migrate the context to a high performance CPU at other times. ARM has been researching this idea for several years, and has specifically designed the Cortex-A7 CPU not only to ideally fit all but the high-end performance requirements of a high-end smartphone, but also to be able to connect tightly with the larger and higher performance Cortex-A15 CPU in a coherent system. When connected together through AMBA Coherency Extension (ACE) interface a Cortex-A15 CPU cluster can be connected with a cluster of Cortex-A7 CPUs in a processor complex with a single memory map, hardware managed cache coherency, and the ability to run workloads on the large CPU cluster or small CPU cluster depending on instantaneous performance requirements. This concept created by ARM is called big.LITTLE processing.
big.LITTLE Processing
Big.LITTLE refers to the coherent combination of High Performance and Power Efficient ARM CPUs A platform that contains both Cortex-A15 (big) and Cortex-A7 (LITTLE) can execute across a wider performance range with better energy efficiency than a single processor. Hardware coherency between Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 enables distinct big.LITTLE use models, either migrating context between the big and little clusters, or OS aware thread allocation to the appropriately sized CPU or CPUs. The CCI-400 cache coherent interconnect enables an extremely fast context migration between the big and little CPU clusters. Finally, software views the big and LITTLE CPU clusters identically, and transitions are managed automatically by OS power management or directly by the OS. The Net result of big.LITTLE power management is a platform with the peak performance of the Cortex-A15, and average power consumption closer to the Cortex-A7. This enables significantly higher performance at lower power than today’s high-end smartphones. The concept of big.LITTLE processing is only briefly introduced here; a more complete description of the ardware, software, and system implementation of big.LITTLE processing is covered in other TechCon resentations.
From: Big.LITTLE Processing with ARM Cortex™-A15 & Cortex-A7 [ARM whitepaper by Peter Greenhalgh, Sept 15 2011]
In general, there is a different ethos taken in the Cortex-A15 micro-architecture than with the Cortex-A7 micro-architecture. When appropriate, Cortex-A15 trades off energy efficiency for performance, while Cortex-A7 will trade off performance for energy efficiency. A good example of these micro-architectural trade-offs is in the level-2 cache design. While a more area optimized approach would have been to share a single level-2 cache between Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 this part of the design can benefit from optimizations in favor of energy efficiency or performance. As such Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 have integrated level-2 caches.
Table 1 illustrates the difference in performance and energy between Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 across a variety of benchmarks and micro-benchmarks. The first column describes the uplift in performance from Cortex-A7 to Cortex-A15, while the second column considers both the performance and power difference to show the improvement in energy efficiency from Cortex-A15 to Cortex-A7. All measurements are on complete, frequency optimized layouts of Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 using the same cell and RAM libraries. All code that is executed on Cortex-A7 is compiled for Cortex-A15.
Cortex-A15 vs Cortex-A7 Performance Cortex-A7 vs Cortex-A15 Energy Efficiency Dhrystone 1.9x 3.5x FDCT 2.3x 3.8x IMDCT 3.0x 3.0x MemCopy L1 1.9x 2.3x MemCopy L2 1.9x 3.4x Table 1 Cortex-A15 & Cortex-A7 Performance & Energy Comparison
It should be observed from Table 1 that although Cortex-A7 is labeled the “LITTLE” processor its performance potential is considerable. In fact, due to micro-architecture advances Cortex-A7 provides higher performance than current Cortex-A8 based implementations for a fraction of the power. As such a significant amount of processing can remain on Cortex-A7 without resorting to Cortex-A15.
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big.LITTLE Task Migration Use Model
In the big.LITTLE task migration use model the OS and applications only ever execute on Cortex-A15 or Cortex-A7 and never both processors at the same time. This use-model is a natural extension to the Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS), operating points provided by current mobile platforms with a single application processor to allow the OS to match the performance of the platform to the performance required by the application.
However, in a Cortex-A15-Cortex-A7 platform these operating points are applied both to Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7. When Cortex-A7 is executing the OS can tune the operating points as it would for an existing platform with a single applications processor. Once Cortex-A7 is at its highest operating point if more performance is required a task migration can be invoked that picks up the OS and applications and moves them to Cortex-A15.
This allows low and medium intensity applications to be executed on Cortex-A7 with better energy efficiency than Cortex-A15 can achieve while the high intensity applications that characterize today’s smartphones can execute on Cortex-A15.
An important consideration of a big.LITTLE system is the time it takes to migrate a task between the Cortex-A15 cluster and the Cortex-A7 cluster. If it takes too long then it may become noticeable to the operating system and the system power may outweigh the benefit of task migration for some time. Therefore, the Cortex-A15-Cortex-A7 system is designed to migrate in less than 20,000-cycles, or 20-microSeconds with processors operating at 1GHz.
big.LITTLE MP Use Model
Since a big.LITTLE system containing Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 is fully coherent through CCI-400 another logical use-model is to allow both Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 to be powered on and simultaneously executing code. This is termed big.LITTLE MP, which is essentially Heterogeneous MultiProcessing. Note that in this use model Cortex-A15 only needs to be powered on and simultaneously executing next to Cortex-A7 if there are threads that need that level of processing performance. If not, only Cortex-A7 needs to be powered on.
big.LITTLE MP is compelling because it enables threads to be executed on the processing resource that is most appropriate. Compute intensive threads that require significant amounts of processing performance, as their output is user visible, can be allocated to Cortex-A15. Threads that are I/O heavy or that do not produce a result that is time critical to the user can be executed on Cortex-A7.
A simple example of a non-time critical thread is one associated with e-mail updates. While web browsing the user will want email updates to continue, but it does not matter if they are done at CortexA15 performance levels or Cortex-A7 performance levels. Since Cortex-A7 is a more energy efficient processor it makes more sense to take a LITTLE longer, but consume less battery life.
Finally, as a fully coherent system can create a significant volume of coherent transactions, Cortex-A15, Cortex-A7 and CCI-400 have been designed to cope with worst case snooping scenarios. This includes the case where a Mali™-T604 GPU is connected to one of the I/O coherent CCI-400 ports and every transaction is snooping Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 at the same time as Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 are snooping each other.
From Combining large and small compute engines – ARM Cortex-A7 [by Brian Jeff on ARM SoC Design blog, Oct 19, 2011]
The fourth and final thing is to ensure these engines work with a regular transmission.
We needed to ensure there was a simple software approach to controlling the big.LITTLE switch consistent with power management mechanisms already in place. Current smartphones and tablet devices make use of Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) and multiple idle modes for individual CPU cores and IP blocks in the application processor SoC. Our implementation of big.LITTLE modifies the back end of the driver which controls the processor’s DVFS operating point (for example cpu_freq in Linux/Android). Instead of three or four DVFS operating points, the driver now is aware of two CPU clusters each potentially with three or four independent voltage and frequency operating points, extending the range of performance tuning that existing smartphone power management solutions use. A big.LITTLE CPU cluster can be operated in a pure switching mode, where only one CPU cluster is active at a time under control of the DVFS driver, or a big.LITTLE heterogeneous multiprocessing mode where the OS is explicitly controlling the allocation of threads to the big or little CPU clusters and is thus aware of the presence of the different types of cores.
ARM Cortex-A7 launch — Intro Simon Segars, President ARM Inc [US] [ARMflix YouTube channel, Oct 19, 2011]
ARM Cortex-A7 launch — Presentation, Mike Inglis, EVP & GM ARM Processor Division [ARMflix YouTube channel, Oct 19, 2011]
Cortex-A7: Redefining Energy-Efficiency (DMIPS/mW)
- Most energy-efficient applications processor
- 5x the energy efficiency of mainstream phones
- Performance to handle common workloads
- >2x the performance of mainstream phone
- Feature set and software compliant with Cortex-A15
- Full backward compatibility
- Scalable and extensible - Up to 20% more performance while consuming 60% less power
From: Enabling Mobile Innovation with the Cortex™-A7 Processor [ARM whitepaper for TechCon 2011 by Brian Jeff, Oct 15 2011]
The Cortex-A7 processor was designed primarily for power-efficiency and a small footprint. The design team based the pipeline on the extremely power efficient Cortex-A5 CPU, then added microarchitecture enhancements to increase performance and architectural enhancements to deliver full software compatibility with the Cortex-A15 CPU. These architectural enhancements include support for virtualization and 40-bit physical address space, and AMBA® 4 bus interfaces. Virtualization and large address space are unusual features for so small a CPU, but are critical to present a software view of the Cortex-A7 that is identical to the Cortex-A15 high-end CPU.
Like the Cortex-A5, Cortex-A9, and Cortex-A8 processors that came before it, the Cortex-A7 processor is a full ARM v7A CPU, with support for the Thumb®-2 instruction set, optional 32-bit/64-bit floating point acceleration and optional NEON™ 128-bit SIMD architectural blocks. The Cortex-A7 also includes support for TrustZone® to enable secure operating modes which are increasingly important in modern mobile OEM designs. To bring higher scalability, the Cortex-A7 is also configurable as a multicore processor, supporting 1-4 cores in a coherent cluster.
The Cortex-A7 is a simple in-order pipeline with significant but not complete dual-issue capability; however the careful choice of design features has enabled the performance of a single Cortex-A7 core to outperform the full dual-issue Cortex-A8 CPU on some important benchmark tests like web browsing, while consuming up to 60% less power.
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Cortex-A7 Microarchitecture
The roadmap below shows the legacy of Cortex-A class CPU designs, beginning with the Cortex-A8. In that design, ARM introduces the NEON SIMD architectural extension, and implemented a 2-way superscalar CPU that brought significant performance enhancements over the single-issue ARM11™. The Cortex-A9 extended the Cortex-A8 by bringing in MPCore capability for 1 to 4 CPU’s with cache coherency managed efficiently by a snoop control unit. The Cortex-A9 also introduced performance enhancements inside the core that brought a 20-30% performance increase over Cortex-A8 for a single core.
Cortex-A7 makes use of a simple 8-stage in-order pipeline, extended to include dual-issue capability on a reduced range of data-processing and branch instructions. Increased dual-issuing coupled with other microarchitectural improvements allow the Cortex-A7 to reach very good levels of performance with very low power consumption.
Other performance enhancing features include an integrated L2 cache, which reduces latency to L2 memory and external memory. The integrated L2 cache simplifies OS support as it uses system mapped registers and can be managed using CP15 operations rather than the memory mapped registers needed for an external L2 cache. Integrating the L2 cache controller also reduces the amount of area consumed by an external controller and enables a tighter integration of the controller with internal bus structures.
The L2 cache controller itself was designed with low power in mind. The mechanism for looking up tags in the cache RAM includes consecutive tag followed by data lookup; similarly, the associativity is fixed at 8-way to balance performance against lookup energy. External requests are triggered on an L2 miss, rather than on speculative requests, to reduce energy.
There are branch prediction improvements as well: the branch target instruction cache (BTIC) caches fetches after a direct branch and hides the branch shadow on tight loops.
There are several improvements in memory system performance. The Load-Store path has been increased to 64-bits from the 32-bit path in the Cortex-A5. The external bus structure has been upgraded to 128-bit AMBA4 to improve bandwidth and introduce support for coherency extension beyond the 1-4 SMP cluster using AMBA 4 ACE.
Energy Efficiency Features of the Microarchitecture
There are several features of the L1 Memory system which reduce the power consumption of the CPU or the system. The merging Store-buffer after the write stage reduces data cache lookups. The 2-way set associative instruction cache trades off the slightly improved hit rate of a 4-way set associative cache for the reduced power on each lookup.
Memory System Tuned to Minimize memory latency
There are several performance optimizing features in the memory system. The address generation unit is shifted one stage back in the pipeline to enable a single cycle load-use penalty. The design team increased TLB size to 256 entries, up from 128 entries for the Cortex-A5 and Cortex-A9; this reduces page walks saving power and significantly improves performance for large workloads like web browsing with large data sets that span a large number of pages. Also, page tables entries can be cached in L1, improving the speed of page table walks on TLB misses. The bus interface unit has support for multiple outstanding read and write transactions. Finally, the physically indexed caches enable efficient OS Context switching.
ARM Cortex-A7 launch — big.LITTLE demonstration, Nandan Nayampally, Director, Product Marketing [ARMflix YouTube channel, Oct 19, 2011]
ARM Expands Processor Optimization Pack Solutions for TSMC 40nm and 28nm Process Variants [ARM press release, April 16, 2012]
…
A Processor Optimization Pack solution is composed of three elements necessary to achieve an optimized ARM core implementation. First, it contains ARM Artisan® Physical IP logic libraries and memory instances that are specifically tuned for a given ARM core and process technology.
This Physical IP is developed through a tightly coupled collaboration with ARM processor engineers in an iterative process to identify the optimal results. Second, it includes a comprehensive benchmarking report to document the exact conditions and results ARM achieved for the core implementation. Finally, it includes a POP Implementation Guide that details the methodology used to achieve the result, to enable the end customer to achieve the same implementation quickly and at low risk.
“A single POP product can be applied to energy-efficient mobile, networking or even enterprise applications, providing a wide range of flexibility for ARM SoC partners to optimize performance and energy-efficiency while reducing risk in their designs,” said Simon Segars, executive vice president and general manager, Processor and Physical IP Division, ARM. “Only ARM can offer a complete roadmap of Processor Optimization Pack implementation solutions so deeply integrated and tightly aligned with ARM processor development activities now and into the future.”
The summary below describes the existing and newly announced POP products for TSMC processes. ARM also incorporates the POP optimizations in hard macros of Cortex cores.
POP availability by process technology
TSMC 40LP
TSMC 40 LP high speed options
TSMC 40 G
TSMC 28 HPM
TSMC 28 HP
ARM Cortex™-A5 Existing
Cortex-A5
NewCortex-A7
NewCortex-A7
NewCortex-A7
NewCortex-A9 Existing
Cortex-A9
NewCortex-A9 Existing
Cortex-A9
NewCortex-A9
NewCortex-A15
NewCortex-A15
Upcoming
ARM Announces Cortex-A15 Quad-Core Hard Macro [ARM press release, April 17, 2012]
Power-optimized implementation of quad-core hard macro on leading 28nm process
ARM today announced the availability of a high performance, power-optimized quad-core hard macro implementation of its flagship ARM® Cortex™-A15 MPCore™ processor.
The ARM Cortex-A15 MP4 hard macro is designed to run at 2GHz and delivers performance in excess of 20,000DMIPS, while maintaining the power efficiency of the Cortex-A9 hard macro. The Cortex-A15 hard macro development is the result of the unique synergy arising from the combination of ARM Cortex processor IP, Artisan® physical IP, CoreLink™ systems IP and ARM integration capabilities, and utilizes the TSMC 28HPM process.
The low leakage implementation, featuring integrated NEON™ SIMD technology and floating point (VFP), delivers an extremely competitive balance of performance and power and is ideal for wide array of high-performance computing applications for such as notebooks through to power-efficient, extreme performance-orientated network and enterprise devices.
The hard macro was developed using ARM Artisan 12-track libraries and the recently announced Processor Optimization Pack™ (POP) solution for the Cortex-A15 on TSMC 28nm HPM process. This follows the recent announcement of a broad suite of POPs for all Cortex-A series processors (see ARM Expands Processor Optimization Pack Solutions for TSMC 40nm and 28nm Process Variants, 16th April 2012)
Full configuration and implementation details will be presented at the Cool Chips conference (18-20 April) in Yokohama, Japan. Further information is contained in an accompanying blog.
“For SoC designers looking to make a trade-off between the flexibility offered by the traditional RTL-based SoC development strategy and a rapid time to market, with ensured, benchmarked power, performance and area, an ARM hard macro implementation is an ideal, cost-effective solution,” said Jim Nicholas, vice president of Marketing, processor division, ARM. “This new Cortex-A15 hard macro is an important addition to our portfolio and will enable a wider array of partners to leverage the outstanding capabilities of the Cortex-A15 processor.”
See also:
– Squaring the circle – Optimizing power efficiency in a Cortex-A15 processor [Haydn Povey on SoC Design blog of ARM, April 17, 2012]
– Simplifying SoC’s with Hard Macros – New solutions for old problems [Haydn Povey on SoC Design blog of ARM, Oct 20, 2011]: “For me, the most important aspect of this talk was the public announcement of the availability of a new Cortex™-A5 Hard Macro for the TSMC 40nm Low Power node (40LP) which can achieve a whopping speed of over 1GHz in a tiny footprint of just 1mm2. … there will always be partners who need the full flexibility of RTL and POPs, but there is also a group for whom having a pre-integrated and hardened ready to run solution out of the box is the best route to market.”
– Hard Macro Processors [ARM product page, April 17, 2012]
The ARM Hard Macro portfolio offers performance and power optimized hard macrocell implementations of the Cortex™-A series processors. For SoC designers looking to make a trade-off between the multifaceted flexibility offered by the traditional RTL based SoC development strategy and the significant costs and efforts it involves, the ARM Hard Macro portfolio is an exciting alternative that enables higher profitability through benchmarked PPA (Performance, Power, and Area), design risk reduction and faster time to market.
…
ARM Hard Macros are available in a number of different implementation options with more being added.
Currently the following options are available.
Processor TSMC 40LP TSMC 40G TSMC 28HPM Cortex-A5 Single-core X Cortex-A9 Dual-core X Cortex-A15 Quad-core X
Processor Optimization Pack™ (POP) solutions targeting ARM Cortex™ processors [ARMflix YouTube channel, April 16, 2012]
ARM Artisan Physical IP Delivers Optimized Performance and Energy-Efficiency for ARM® Cortex™-A5, Cortex -A7, Cortex-A9 and Cortex-A15 cores.
ARM Holdings Management Discusses Q2 2012 Results – Earnings Call Transcript [Seeking Alpha, July 25, 2012]
If I look at physical IP, the story here is our physical IP is being used right across the different sectors that ARM’s processors are used in. We’re continuing with the processor optimization package activity. It was a record quarter for POPs. The best quarter we’ve had. So total of over 32 POPs sold now, still about a 50% attach rate with Cortex-A licensees, so that’s good in terms of generating royalty for the future.
[Note that here are only 13 companies shown out of those 32 POP licensees.]
And also good in terms of generating royalty for the future is that this quarter, we had 4 new fabless semiconductor companies adopting ARM physical IP for their 28nm designs and beyond. So that is good for royalty growth going forward.
Note: On the very first “Q2 2012 Highlights” slide one could see the following overall split:
The overall 77% share of processor division comprised of 31% licensing (the lighter blue)and 47% of royalties. So that is a pretty mature part of the business overall, although the Mail GPU part of it is still developing:
Let’s — I should just highlight, we’ve got on the slide, of course, millions now of Mali devices as well, are going into those Cortex-A-based chips. And as far as Mali is concerned, then we are very much on track for the 100 million-plus units that we expect to deliver this year.
as around 180 million Cortex-A units were shipped in the first half alone (see the graph in the next exerpt from the earnings call).
The “Revenue Split Analysis” slide from the Appendix, however, is showing that due to the steadily growing application processor business (simply indicated Processor Division, PD) the share of the Physical IP business (simply indicated Physical IP Division, PIPD) was not growing for the last four years:
With extremely high interest in upcoming technologies of 28nm and beyond more and more Cortex licensees will (should) exploit the POP opportunity. Here is the low-end SoC market leader, MediaTek (Taiwan) example of its upcoming flagship products which should definitely use PoP as well for such a tight delivery schedule (considering the just 10 months availability of Cortex-A7 for licensing, i.e. ~15 months relative to Jan’13 SoC delivery vs. 2-3 years which were required previously):
MediaTek a product roadmap leaked: Quad-core code-named MT6588 [MTK Smartphones Network (MTK手机网), July 27, 2012]
Update: later was renamed and came to market as MediaTek MT6589 quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC with HSPA+ and TD-SCDMA is available for Android smartphones and tablets of Q1 delivery [this same blog, Dec 12, 2012]
From a recently obtained electronic forum information abroad we see that the MT6585 code communicated earlier for the quad-core MediaTek smartphone chipset is wrong. The true model code is MT6588. It is built on the 28nm process in order achieve higher performance level than the dual-core MT6577 technology.
MT6588 has a 4-core CPU [Cortex-A7 (!), see on the second slide below] clocked at 1GHz [1.XGHz rather, see the included slides below, as well the latest rumor about that being 1.7GHz or 1.5GHz], supports dual-channel at maximum 1066Mbps, has an integrated multimode modem for WCDMA [+ it is delivering HSPA+ WCDMA performance (!) vs just HSPA with MT6577/75, see the first slide below] and TD (!), that is it can support both Unicom [latest upgrade to HSPA+ service, see here] and China Mobile 3G network, supports an up to 13 MP camera and 1080P video playback. It finally has a GPU upgrade with SGX544, doubles the resolution to 1280×800 HD level, and has 32KB L1 cache and 1MB L2 secondary cache.
Along the MT6588 there is a 28nm dual-core version, MT6583 on the MediaTek 2012 product roadmap. From the chipset parameters it is evident that MT6583 is a scaled down version of MT6588. It has 2 cores less, the camera support is 8MP, the video decoder is of 720P level, and the resolution is down to 854×480.
It is understood that MT6588 and MT6583 will be in production in the first quarter of 2013, early next year the fastest.
MediaTek to launch quad-core smartphone solutions in 1Q13, says paper [DIGITIMES, Aug 6, 2012]
MediaTek is expected to launch its first quad-core smartphone solution, the MT6588, in the first quarter of 2013, according to a Chinese-language Liberty Times report. The MT6588 features a quad-core 1.5GHz or 1.7GHz Cortex-A7 CPU, supporting WCDMA and TD-SCDMA technologies.
The MT6588, which features a 13-megapixel camera, also supports 1080p video playback and a display resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels. The chip will be built using a 28nm process, the paper said.
Additionally, MediaTek will also roll out a 28nm dual-core solution, the MT6583, during the same quarter. While the dual-core CPU of the MT6853 will also run at 1.5GHz or 1.7GHz, the chip will support a resolution of 854 by 480 pixels targeting a segment different from that of the MT6588, the paper indicated.
Back to: ARM Holdings Management Discusses Q2 2012 Results – Earnings Call Transcript [Seeking Alpha, July 25, 2012]
One thing we are seeing is the value coming through in mobile, generally, the increasing number of smartphones, and within the smartphones themselves, an increasing number of Cortex-A products. And you can see a little histogram halfway down the slide, the top bar there is the ARM11. So ARM11 is still accounting for 40%, roughly, of the apps processors. And the Cortex-A is accounting for, roughly, 60% of the apps processors. But within that Cortex-A, you can see dual-core Cortex-A increasing significantly if you compare the situation with a year ago. And that’s good news from a value point of view for ARM as royalty, because typically these chips are more expensive. So single-core moving to dual-core and quad-core is a good trend for us. And note also, the underlying growth in sheer volume of our apps processors in smartphones. Don’t forget, with all this gloom and doom around, smartphones continues to be an area of significant growth for the business, and we’re looking forward to 30% thereabout growth in smartphones year-on-year so — for the year as a whole.
ARM in MCU and Internet of Things
Growing standardisation around ARM in Microcontrollers
– More than 100 companies have now licensed Cortex-M class processors mainly for microcontrollers, smart sensors and smartcards
– Cortex-M0+ is ARM’s most energy efficient processor for microcontrollersCollectively, if you look at the line cards from the ARM partners, there are over 1,400 different ARM microcontroller products that you can go out and buy from ARM partners today. And that’s going to be a much bigger number by the time we’re all of that licensing that we’ve been doing gets into Silicon production.
Earlier this year, we launched the Cortex-M0+ product … And again, at the Freescale technology forum, we saw an excellent demonstration of that power efficiency, where they literally had an ARM-powered charger, crank it up with a crank handle, charged a few capacitors up in the range of different microcontrollers and of course, the Cortex-M0+ went on and on and on. So that’s a great product.
As far as the range of opportunities is concerned, it’s huge, and we’re starting to get design ins and as we start to get design ins, so more and more semiconductor companies are jumping onto the ARM-based microcontroller party. And they’re making these decisions in order to position themselves for the Internet of Things way.
Internet of Things brings new opportunities
– Combining radio technology with ARM-based microcontrollers and sensors
– Huge range of applications, billions of opportunities
– New products announced from Freescale, NXP and Toshiba in Q2In terms of volume shipments, at the moment then we saw another great quarter, where if we look year-on-year on microcontroller shipments up about 20% compared with industry shipments, up about 8%.
Freescale: History & Future of “Internet of Things” – Design West (ESC) 2012 [ARMflix YouTube channel, March 28, 2012]
Jim Trudeau, Solutions Technical Marketing from Freescale on the Cortex-M0+, the Internet of Things and Freescale’s Kinetis L SeriesSee more: The Internet of Things, the ultimate mashup [Jim Trudeau on Software Meets Silicon blog of Freescale, April 17, 2012], published on ARM blog as “The Internet of Things, a Triad of Partners, and the Singularity of Change”
…
Implementing connectivity is where a company like Motomic Software comes into play. They bring Human Machine Interface (HMI) capability to a new arena. With connectedness comes the need for HMI to get smarter, to display what we really need to know when we need to know it in better ways. Take the lowly thermostat – as simple as its task, a traditional digital thermostat UI is typically confusing to use. A modern, simple UI in a “learning” thermostat can be quite simple. The contrast in complexity is startling as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Contrasting Digital Thermostat UI
…
Motomic Embedded Software Tools for IOT – Design West (ESC) 2012 [ARMflix YouTube channel, March 28, 2012]
Motomic tells us about embedded software tools for applications focusing on Internet of Things, plus a demo of an embedded browser and media grid. http://www.motomicsoftware.com/
See more: A Face for the Internet of Things [Mike Gee, CEO of Motomic Software, Inc. as a guest blogger on Embedded blog of ARM, June 11, 2012 ]
… Motomic has created two browsers. Both browse and render HTML/CSS. Motomic’s µButterfly “microbrowser” runs in as little as ~320 KB Flash and 109 KB RAM. The Butterfly “minibrowser” is based on Qt, it supports features such as TrueType fonts, anti-aliasing and alpha blending. It requires 6+ MB of Flash. The RAM requirement depends on screen size and content requirements, starting around ~1 MB.
Both leverage the very low power requirements and very small footprints of ARM’s Cortex-M0+ and Cortex-M4 microprocessors that are too small to run a web browser such as WebKit, Chrome, Mozilla, etc. These small processors can now accurately render HTML/CSS content previously reserved for higher-end processors.
Qt on Future’s WVGA display [MotomicSoftware YouTube channel, July 9, 2012]
Nokia Qt for Freescale’s MQX real-time operating system on Kinetis K70 @ Future Electronics’ WVGA (800×480) PIM (Passive Intermodulation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodulation#Passive_Intermodulation) displays …. By adding Qt to MQX, you can: develop Qt-based applications for MQX, begin with the latest prebuilt, prevalidated, preintegrated Qt version, ready for your first deployment on one or more hardware platforms—you don’t need to build Qt, add splash screens with the world’s fastest animations, deploy Qt applications to your embedded devices automatically, leverage hardware optimizations and future-proof your hardware platforms. Motomic also lets you add media to MQX, for example advertisements or instruction videos. You can add social networking, games and browser functionality to your applications and products. Motomic helps you distribute your Qt application across networks.…
Development for the IoT is also being boosted by the Embedded Software Store. Motomic’s browsers and hundreds of other components for developing embedded software are accessible. Pre-built components allow solutions to be assembled more rapidly and with lower project risk. Complex systems can now be built rapidly by adding pre-built components.
Innovative solutions like the Embedded Software Store (source of pre-built components for embedded developers), Motomic’s browsers, and ARM’s range of processors are allowing the creativity of developers to envision and build highly innovative solutions for the Internet of Things.
ARM Embedded Software 2.0 [chipestimate YouTube channel, June 19, 2012]
Will Tu, Director of Business Development at ARM. IP Talks speaker with ChipEstimate.com at DAC 2012 in San Francisco.
See more:
– Advances in technology create new problems for today’s embedded developers [Will Tu on Software Enablement blog of ARM, Oct 12, 2011]
– Solving the Challenge of Software Complexity for Today’s Embedded Developer [Will Tu on Software Enablement blog of ARM, Oct 26, 2011]
– Avnet Electronics Marketing and ARM Launch Embedded Software Store [ARM press release, Oct 26, 2011]… Users can choose from a broad array of reputable embedded software vendors, including ARM, CMX Systems, Inc., DSP Concepts, Micrium, Motomic, YaSSL, and others. New software vendors are invited to join the initiative on an ongoing basis. The site also offers a quick download delivery system and preview of all license agreements in advance of purchase. Users are encouraged to participate in the Embedded Software Store’s online community to create a strong ecosystem of software support for ARM technology. … The site is fully operational and accessible at www.embeddedsoftwarestore.com …
AvnetEMA and ARM Launch Embedded Software Store [AvnetEMA YouTube channel, Nov 1, 2012]
Kinetis L Series & Energy Efficiency: FTF Keynote Demo [freescale YouTube channel, July 31, 2012]
Freescale Debuts Kinetis L Series, World’s Most Energy-Efficient Microcontrollers [Freescale press release, Jun 19, 2012]
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) is now offering alpha samples of its Kinetis L series, the industry’s first microcontrollers (MCUs) built on the ARM® Cortex™-M0+ processor. Kinetis L series devices are on display this week at the Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) Americas and were demonstrated during the event’s opening keynote address.
As machine-to-machine communication expands and network connectivity becomes ubiquitous, many of today’s standalone, entry-level applications will require more intelligence and functionality. With the Kinetis L series, Freescale provides the ideal opportunity for users of legacy 8- and 16-bit architectures to migrate to 32-bit platforms and bring additional intelligence to everyday devices without increasing power consumption and cost or sacrificing space. Applications, such as small appliances, gaming accessories, portable medical systems, audio systems, smart meters, lighting and power control, can now leverage 32-bit capabilities and the scalability needed to expand future product lines – all at 8- and 16-bit price and power consumption levels.
The ARM Cortex-M0+ processor consumes approximately one-third of the energy of any 8- or 16-bit processor available today, while delivering between two to 40 times more performance. The Kinetis L series supplements the energy efficiency of the core with the latest in low-power MCU platform design, operating modes and energy-saving peripherals. The result is an MCU that consumes just 50 µA/MHz* in very-low-power run (VLPR) mode and can rapidly wake from a reduced power state, process data and return to sleep, extending application battery life. These advantages are demonstrated in the FTF demo, which compares the energy-efficiency characteristics of the Kinetis L series against solutions from Freescale competitors in a CoreMark benchmark analysis.
*Typical current at 25C, 3V supply, for Very Low Power Run at 4MHz core frequency, 1MHz bus frequency running code from flash with all peripherals off.…
Features common to the Kinetis L series families include:
48 MHz ARM Cortex-M0+ core
High-speed 12/16-bit analog-to-digital converters
12-bit digital-to-analog converters
High-speed analog comparators
Low-power touch sensing with wake-up on touch from reduced power states
Powerful timers for a broad range of applications including motor control
The first three Kinetis L series families:
Kinetis L0 family – the entry point into the Kinetis L series. Includes eight to 32 KB of flash memory and ultra-small 4mm x 4mm QFN packages. Pin-compatible with the Freescale 8-bit S08P family. Software- and tool-compatible with all other Kinetis L series families.
Kinetis L1 family – with 32 to 256 KB of flash memory and additional communications and analog peripheral options. Compatible with the Kinetis K10 family.
Kinetis L2 family – adds USB 2.0 full-speed host/device/OTG. Compatible with the Kinetis K20 family.
The Kinetis L series is pin- and software-compatible with the Kinetis K series (built on the ARM Cortex-M4 processor), providing a migration path to DSP performance and advanced feature integration.
Availability and pricing
Kinetis L series alpha samples are available now, with broad market sample and tool availability planned for Q3. Pricing starts at a suggested resale price of 49 cents (USD) in 10,000-unit quantities. The Freescale Freedom development platform is planned for Q3 availability at a suggested resale price of $12.95 (USD).
For more information about Kinetis L series MCUs, visit www.freescale.com/Kinetis/Lseries.
Kinetis L Series MCUs Built on the ARM Cortex-M0+ Core: What is the Plus For? [freescale YouTube channel, May 4, 2012]
World’s Most Energy-efficient Processor From ARM Targets Low-Cost MCU, Sensor and Control Markets [ARM press release, March 13, 2012]
RM today announced the ARM® Cortex™-M0+ processor, the world’s most energy-efficient microprocessor. The Cortex-M0+ processor has been optimized to deliver ultra low-power, low-cost MCUs for intelligent sensors and smart control systems in a broad range of applications including home appliances, white goods, medical monitoring, metering, lighting and power and motor control devices.
The 32-bit Cortex-M0+ processor, the latest addition to the ARM Cortex processor family, consumes just 9µA/MHz on a low-cost 90nm LP process, around one third of the energy of any 8- or 16-bit processor available today, while delivering significantly higher performance.
…
“The Internet of Things will change the world as we know it, improving energy efficiency, safety, and convenience,” said Tom R. Halfhill, a senior analyst with The Linley Group and senior editor of Microprocessor Report. “Ubiquitous network connectivity is useful for almost everything – from adaptive room lighting and online video gaming to smart sensors and motor control. But it requires extremely low-cost, low-power processors that still can deliver good performance. The ARM Cortex-M0+ processor brings 32-bit horsepower to flyweight chips, and it will be suitable for a broad range of industrial and consumer applications.”
The new processor builds on the successful low-power and silicon-proven Cortex-M0 processor which has been licensed more than 50 times by leading silicon vendors, and has been redesigned from the ground up to add a number of significant new features. These include single-cycle IO to speed access to GPIO and peripherals, improved debug and trace capability and a 2-stage pipeline to reduce the number of cycles per instruction (CPI) and improve Flash accesses, further reducing power consumption.
The Cortex-M0+ processor takes advantage of the same easy-to-use, C friendly programmer’s model, and is binary compatible with existing Cortex-M0 processor tools and RTOS. Along with all Cortex-M series processors it enjoys full support from the ARM Cortex-M ecosystem and software compatibility enables simple migration to the higher-performance Cortex-M3 and Cortex-M4 processors.
Early licensees of the Cortex-M0+ processor include Freescale and NXP Semiconductor. … The Cortex-M0+ processor is ideally suited for implementation with the Artisan® 7-track SC7 Ultra High Density Standard Cell Library and Power Management Kit (PMK) to fully capitalize on the ground-breaking low power features of the processor.
The Cortex-M0+ processor is fully supported from launch by the ARM Keil™ Microcontroller Development Kit, which integrates the ARM compilation tools with the Keil µVision IDE and debugger. Widely acknowledged as the world’s most popular development environment for microcontrollers, MDK together with the ULINK family of debug adapters now supports the new trace features available in the Cortex-M0+ processor. By utilizing these tools, ARM Partners can take advantage of a tightly coupled application development environment to rapidly realize the performance and ultra low-power features of the Cortex-M0+ processor.
The processor is also supported by third-party tool and RTOS vendors including CodeSourcery, Code Red, Express Logic, IAR Systems, Mentor Graphics, Micrium and SEGGER.
Module 1: Kinetis-L Introduction and Overview of Features [AvnetEMA YouTube channel, Aug 3, 2012]
Module 2: Kinetis-L Ultra Low-Power Features [AvnetEMA YouTube channel, Aug 3, 2012]
More information:
– ARM Cortex-M0+: More than a low-power processor [Thomas Ensergueix on Embedded ARM blog, June 19, 2012]: “The Cortex-M0 MCU was quite unique when launched in 2009, offering a subtle mix of low-power, 32-bit performance and optimized code size, all of this packed in a very low gate count processor. … The new implementation of the very same ARMv6-M architecture with a 2-stage pipeline in Cortex-M0+ has given us 9% more performance while reducing the power consumption by around 30%.”
– Introducing the ARM Cortex-M0+ processor: The Ultimate in Low Power [ARM whitepaper by Joseph Liu, May 4, 2012]
– ARM Cortex-M0+ Takes Flight on the Wings of Freescale’s Kinetis L Series [Danny Basler from Freescale as a guest partner blogger on Embedded ARM blog, March 14, 2012]
– FTF 2012 and Everything ARM [Drew Barbier on ARM Embedded blog, Aug 1, 2012]
– The Freedom Board [Erich Styger on Software Meets Silicon blog of Freescale, July 27, 2012]: “… my Freescale Kinetis L series Freedom board arrived. … The board will be available at Element 14/Farnell. It is expected to be publicly available by the end of September 2012, and you can pre-order now. The United States Element 14 site will have the board available for a suggested resale price of $12.95 (USD). In Europe it will be about 10 Euro. …”
– Freescale ARM technology powerhouse in action [The Embedded Beat (all posts) blog of Freescale, June 19, 2012]: “Freescale has become an ARM technology powerhouse, offering the most unique and massively broad portfolio on the market today. It starts with our Kinetis portfolio, and the new Kinetis L series based on the ARM Cortex™-M0+ core, extends to the new Vybrid controller solutions [featuring a unique dual core ARM Cortex-A5 + Cortex-M4 architecture that handles both MCU and MPU tasks on a single chip] that enable rich apps in real time, and stretches to the ultimate multimedia and display solution – the scalable i.MX 6 series [based on the ARM® Cortex™-A9 architecture].”
Continuing with the ARM Holdings Management Discusses Q2 2012 Results – Earnings Call Transcript [Seeking Alpha, July 25, 2012]
We now have nearly 900 licenses, and so that continues to grow. The pool of licenses that are out there to generate royalties for the future. If I look at just quarter on its own, 23 licenses in total, collection of Cortex-A licenses, including our 12 big.LITTLE licensee. So we’ve now got 12 partners signed up for big.LITTLE. At the other end of this scale, the microcontroller end, I was just talking about the Internet of Things, yes, more licensing of our Cortex-M products.
And our new architecture, the v8 architecture, the 64-bit stuff, we’ve now got 9 v8 licensees, including the latest architecture licensee. And we’ve got this rather, it’s with — rather ill-defined horizontal axis of time going along the slide here. We are at the stage where we’ve done a lot of lead licensing now. We are approaching the first Silicon, the product launch type phase and so the 64-bit program is on track. And the interesting thing about our 64-bit architecture, it is not just about high-end computing and servers, it’s actually people talking about using it and the mobile as well, talking about using it in infrastructure applications, some of the networking applications that I talked about a moment or 2 ago.ARM in Networking and Servers
Leading networking companies choosing ARM processor technology
– Another v8 architecture licensee for intelligent networking applications
– Freescale announced their first ARM-based chip for infrastructure applications
– HiSilicon, LSI, TI and Xilinx have already announced ARM-based chips for networking… these smartphones, computers and everything, they have — they communicate and that communication means that they’re getting data from somewhere or they’re sending data somewhere. They’re sending over some data handling infrastructure. And the explosion in smartphones and more mobile computing and prevalence of the Internet is generating much more data. Some study suggests as much as 20x as much data over the sort of 10-year period from 2010 to 2020. And clearly, if that data is handled with the existing architecture, it’s going to consume 20x as much power, which is not a very sustainable situation. If you look at all the electricity generated in the world, then IT equipment accounts for about 10% of it, and if that is going to increase by a factor of 20, then we’ll going to have to build a lot more power stations. So that isn’t going to happen. People are going to look for more power efficient ways of designing this stuff, and here is the opportunity for ARM in networking. And so you see, as I mentioned a moment ago, a new v8 architecture licensee engaged in ARM in networking.
Freescale, I wasn’t there, Freescale technology forum a few weeks ago. Freescale busy announcing their extensive networking product range, switching to adopt the ARM architecture. We’ve seen similar indications from HiSilicon, LSI, TI, Xilinx and so on. Everybody is realizing that in order to get more power efficient products here, then ARM is a great solution.
And it’s the same power efficiency story, which is behind ARM’s activity in servers.
- Servers bringing new opportunities
– Dell launches ARM-based server with 48 quad-core chips by Marvell
– Calxeda demonstrated 15x power/performance improvement
– Canonical announces server grade software for ARM-based chips
ARM Holdings Management Discusses Q2 2012 Results – Earnings Call Transcript, Question-and-Answer Session [Seeking Alpha, July 25, 2012]
Unknown Analyst … you’ve been talking about 64-bits sort of v8 architecture taping out relatively soon. Maybe you could — if you could give us a bit more details on what type of products would come on the market in the next 12 months for these 64-bit, if it’s only servers and other things.
… On the second question, about 64-bits, then as I said in the presentation, it’s being used across a range of different applications, including mobile and computing. Servers is a very visible application area, where as we’ve said before, our penetration in the server market is limited until such time as we deploy 64-bit solutions. And I think it’s well known that one of our early 64-bit architecture licensees is targeting server applications and so probably, you’ll see that Silicon fairly early on. If we move along and move back.
Unknown Analyst I think, Calxeda provided some interesting milestones this quarter in terms of the server progress. I’m just wondering, whether you can talk to how you feel the progress is going there in terms of actual sort of processing. Secondly, I just wondered whether — part of interesting slide just on the multi-core effect in the quarter, I just wondered, whether you have a sense of how much of your units shipped in mobile today is actually on quad-core based devices, versus dual-core, so the impact of quad-core presumably is still to come.
D. Warren A. East
Okay. On Calxeda and the server activity, I really don’t have anything else to say. We’re very pleased with the progress. The data that’s coming out suggests that all the experiments that we did before and all the simulation that we did before is being proven in Silicon. And bear in mind, this first Calxeda Silicon is actually Cortex-A9 based. And so I think I said Cortex-A9 was a core we developed very much with mobile in mind. Calxeda have added System-on-Chip infrastructure to turn into a server chip but it’s still a microprocessor core that was designed for mobile. When you put that server infrastructure around the microprocessor core that’s been a bit more designed with server applications in mind, like for instance, Cortex-A15, or moving onto v8, then you’re going to see even better performance at these levels of power consumption. But we’re very pleased with the data that’s come out so far. We’re also pleased to see other ARM Silicon partners starting to get a bit more public with their activity on the servers. The dual-core, quad-core, I don’t know that I can talk specifically about numbers, but I’ll just point you to shows like Mobile World Congress and CES, where what tends to happen is that you sort of have an announcement about products 1 year, and they turn into reality the next year. And we saw in the 2011 season, a load of dual-core devices being announced and they’ve now sort of materialized into phones. And it was about a year later at these shows that we saw the quad-core products announced and so we’d expect that sort of trajectory to continue. Over and above that, some people have gone a little bit further ahead with the quad-core and they’re using it as a sort of marketing tool and saying that the quad is better than dual. It’s a bit of a marketing thing. And it’s up to us semiconductor partners to see what performance they can actually — for what performance for a given level of power consumption they can actually achieve. We put it up on the slide as multi-core, and put the 2 together, because that’s really how we view it.
Kai Korschelt – Deutsche Bank AG, Research Division
… just on a like-for-like perspective, if you could remind us maybe of the potential royalty premium for a 64-bit versus 32-bit, please?… On 64-bit premium for — or sort of royalty premium for 64-bit, I mean this is a continuation of the trend we’ve been on for a while, where, basically, if there’s more value in the microprocessor, they royalty comes through with a higher rate. And we’ve talked about Cortex-A being sort of typically in the sort of 1.5% to 2% range, compared with preCortex-A being more in the sort of 1% to 1.5% range. And that trend will continue with our v8 architecture, so it’s going to be at the higher-end of that range.
ARM Holdings Management Discusses Q2 2012 Results – Earnings Call Transcript [Seeking Alpha, July 25, 2012]
64-bit, Physical IP and FinFET
- TSMC and ARM announce collaboration to optimise ARM’s 64-bit processors and Physical IP and TSMC’s FinFET technology
– Optimization of ARM’s next generation processors and TSMC’s state of the art process technology
– Companies’ joint work will accelerate the adoption of SoC optimized FinFET technology
– Allows ARM’s and TSMC’s partners to develop market leading products for high-performance and low-power applications like mobile and enterpriseNow looking ahead to a more leading edge technologies, as I said, we had an announcement earlier this week with TSMC, and this is ARM and the biggest independent semiconductor wafer fab or foundry company in the world getting together to actually continue work that’s been ongoing together for quite a long time, in terms of optimizing their process technology, working with physical IP division to optimize our physical IP on their new FinFET process, and using our new 64-bit processor as a vehicle for that development. So it’s world leading companies getting together to work from transistors right through its microprocessors to enable our joint partners to produce world leading products.
ARM Holdings Management Discusses Q2 2012 Results – Earnings Call Transcript, Question-and-Answer Session [Seeking Alpha, July 25, 2012]
Unknown Analyst
… So on the FinFETs with TSMC, can you give us, maybe a bit more comments about this? How do you think it compares with Intel 3D, or whatever they call it? And how involved your PIPD team is involved trying [ph] to transistors characteristics, absorbs transistors? And also, I think the timing has been brought forward by 1 year, I think. So that’s the first question. …
D. Warren A. East
Dealing with the FinFETs first. A year or so ago, when Intel took technology, we said yes. So this is something which has been around in the semiconductor industry for the last decade or more. It’s one of the ways of making transistors more efficient, but it comes with a load of associated challenges that are actually making this stuff and making them yield and that sort holds back the semiconductor industry from taking that step. Intel took the step and announced that they’ve taken the step. They were the first ones over the gate, announcing that they were doing this. Of course, everybody else has been the same, researching it and playing with it for the best part of the last decade. And TSMC had their plans in place. They just were not choosing to go public on FinFET until they were choosing to go public. And we’ve been working with TSMC on their next-generation processes for some time. We always stood here and done presentations and talked about tape outs on 20nm, the first ARM tape out on 20nm was well over a year ago. We’ve taped out first 40nm designs already with some of these players and its R&D activity. As and when the foundry wants to make some of these things public, then they will, and that’s what TSMC have chosen to do this week. And they chose to, I guess, communicate particularly with their customers who are ARM partners by saying, “Not only are we doing some process development in the back room, but we’re also thinking about how you’re going to take this technology to market, the sort of products you’re going to built with it. You’re probably going to build ARM-based products with it, and so we’ve been working with ARM and ARM’s physical IP division to make sure that their physical IP, their microprocessors and our semiconductor process technology, works well together. And that’s all there is to it.”
…
Janardan Menon – Liberum Capital Limited, Research Division
Two questions. One is on the FinFET agreement with the TSMC, it’s on 64-bit. So I’m just wondering what plans you have on moving the 32-bit, Cortex-A15 kind of products to FinFET? DO you have another agreement with them which we don’t know about and will the timing of the introduction of that be roughly the same as the 64-bit signed? …
D. Warren A. East
Okay. Well, let’s answer the first one. The FinFETs, yes, the announcement is, with our 64-bit processor because just as we want to work with TSMC’s most advanced process technology, they want to work with our most advanced microprocessor, making a 20nm FinFET and later, a 16nm FinFET implementation so that our 32-bit processors will form naturally out of that development activity. We’re optimizing our physical IP to build microprocessors. We just happen to be using our new 64-bit processor as the vehicle for it. The same physical IP will be very easily used to implement our 32-bit processors.
Janardan Menon – Liberum Capital Limited, Research Division
And with your — as part of the timescale of introductions, is that a 2014 introduction or is it ’15?
D. Warren A. East
Well, we have to stick with the announcements for now. And I think as and when TSMC want to make more comments on when these things are available, then they’ll make more comments. As I said, from a development point of view, we’re taping out stuff all the time. …
…
Sumant Wahi – Redburn Partners LLP, Research Division
… The second question has to do with the FinFET again. Am I doing — most of the foundries are sort of offering different known transition and in between, I assume, a FinFET would be, an option in between 20nm and probably 16nm. So my question really was that, would you be licensing FinFET technologies separately as well, or is this an exclusive collaboration with TSMC? And then is there a royalty increase coming from products based on FinFET, PIPD, so to speak? …
D. Warren A. East
Okay. Next question was about FinFET and whether it’s essentially a different physical IP product from ARM. And the answer is, well, it’s a different flavor. We have different flavors of our physical IP for each semiconductor process. And so a low-power version of a given note is a different physical IP bundle than a high-profile version. And the FinFET is another flavor again. So it would be an incremental licensing opportunity. But the fact that our physical IP is used, would generate the royalty opportunity. But it’s not an incremental royalty opportunity. The fact that it’s FinFET, it’s just another flavor. So if we’re going to have a 20nm low-power plainer flavor and the FinFET flavor, and the chips are going to be made out of one process technology, and so the royalty opportunity is the same. …
ARM and TSMC Collaborate to Optimize Next-Generation 64-bit ARM Processors for FinFET Process Technology [ARM press release, July 23, 2012]
TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) and ARM today announced a multi-year agreement extending their collaboration beyond 20-nanometer (nm) technology to deliver ARM processors on FinFET transistors, enabling the fabless industry to extend its market leadership in application processors. The collaboration will optimize the next generation of 64-bit ARM® processors based on the ARMv8 architecture, ARM Artisan® physical intellectual property (IP), and TSMC’s FinFET process technology for use in mobile and enterprise markets that require both high performance and energy efficiency.
… The ARMv8 architecture extends ARM low-power leadership with a new energy-efficient 64-bit execution state to meet the performance demands of high-end mobile, enterprise and server applications. The 64-bit architecture has been designed specifically to enable energy-efficient implementations. Similarly, the 64-bit memory addressing and high-end performance are necessary to enable enterprise computing and network infrastructure that are fundamental for the mobile and cloud-computing markets.
TSMC’s FinFET process promises impressive speed and power improvements as well as leakage reduction. All of these advantages overcome challenges that have become critical barriers to further scaling of advanced SoC technology. ARM processors and physical IP will be able to leverage these attributes to maintain market leadership, while the companies’ mutual customers can benefit from these improvements for their new, innovative SoC designs. …
ARM and TSMC Sign Long-Term Strategic Agreement [ARM press release, July 20, 2010]
ARM and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today jointly announced a long-term agreement that provides TSMC with access to a broad range of ARM processors and enables the development of ARM physical IP across TSMC technology nodes. This agreement supports the companies’ mutual customers to achieve optimized Systems-On-Chip (SoC) based on ARM processors and covers a wide range of process nodes extending down to 20nm. …
ARM and TSMC Tape Out First 20nm ARM Cortex-A15 Multicore Processor [ARM press release, Oct 18, 2011]
ARM and TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today announced that they have taped out the first 20nm ARM® Cortex™-A15 MPCore™ processor. The two companies completed the implementation from RTL to tape out in six months using TSMC’s Open Innovation Platform® (OIP) 20nm design ecosystem.
Building on this tape out, ARM will optimize its physical IP technology to specific TSMC 20nm process technologies for Power, Performance and Area (PPA), driving the specification of the Cortex-A15 Processor Optimization Pack (POP). TSMC’s 20nm process provides more than a 2X performance increase over preceding generations.
FINFET: Has its time finally come for a sub – 20nm 3D device? [Jean Luc Pelloie Fellow Director of SOI Technology on the ARM SoC Design blog of ARM, Dec 21, 2011]
… As we move to 20nm and beyond process technology, Fin-FET design may earn its place as the technology path of the future. … Fin-FET or tri-gate may be implemented on either bulk or SOI wafers. … There is still work to be done, i.e. variability is expected to be different between SOI and bulk versions and needs to be quantified; … However, 3D devices are clearly on the road for sub-20nm nodes…and Fin-FET’s time may finally be here.
Firms Rethink Fabless-Foundry Model [SemiMD (Semiconductor Manufacturing and Design), July 31, 2012]
TSMC, for one, plans to accelerate its finFET efforts. Originally, TSMC planned to introduce finFETs at 14nm by late 2014. Now, the company has no plans to brand its finFETs at 14nm, but rather it will introduce the technology at 16nm. TSMC’s finFET “risk production” is slated for the end of 2013 or early 2014, with production scheduled for the second half of 2015, Chang said.
Taiwan Semiconductor’s CEO Discusses Q2 2012 Results – Earnings Call Transcript [Seeking Alpha, July 19, 2012]
… our 20 nanometer SoC, we believe, is fully competitive with industry leaders, other companies’ 22 nanometer for the served available markets that we serve. For our markets, we believe our 20 SoC is fully competitive with anyone’s 20 nanometer or 22 nanometer offering.
And, one important point to make is that our 20 nanometer has the industry’s leading metal pitch of 64 nanometers. Our leading competitors have 80 nanometer metal pitch. That allows an advantage in the device’s density and die size.
Now, as for the timing, we expect our 20 nanometer technology to be qualified by the end of this year and will be ready to support customers (inaudible) in Q1 of 2013.
Now today, last time I mentioned that we will have a FinFET product after 20 SoC. And today, I’m glad to say that we have been planning the 16 nanometer FinFET. Right after our 20 nanometer (inaudible), which is the 20 SoC, we will offer FinFET at 16 nanometer for significant active power reduction. We expect to achieve speed and density, speed and logic density levels comparable to industry’s leading players 14 nanometer FinFET.
So, we expect our 20 SoC to be competitive with competitors’ 22 nanometer or 20 nanometer products and we expect our 16 nanometer FinFET to be competitive with our competitors’ 14 nanometer FinFET products. You might ask why are we calling it 16. The only reason, in fact, until two days ago, we were undecided on whether to call it 14 or 16 FinFET. Now the only reason we decided to call it 16 FinFET is first, we want to be somewhat modest; second, we are told quite a few major customers ask the 16 FinFET, that designation and we didn’t want to confuse our customers by now switching to 14. But we expect it to be competitive with other people’s 14 nanometer offerings.
Now 16 nanometer FinFET, our 16 nanometer FinFET, is expected to deliver about 25% speed gain given the same standby power over the 20 nanometer SoC. It is expected to give 25% to 30% power reduction at the same speed and the same standby power, and for mobile products, it is expected to give 10% to 20% speed gain at the same total power. As for timing, we expect it to be about one year after 20 SoC namely it should be ready for risk production at the end of 2013 or early 2014, about one year later than the 20 SoC.
[from Q&A session]
… 20-SoC which is 20-nanometer will ramp in 2014. And we believe that the 16 FinFET will ramp in, perhaps the second half of 2015. …
– When sticking with a “David”: CAST Inc.
Decreasing Risk When Selecting Third-Party Semiconductor IP (49th DAC) [castcores YouTube channel, July 17, 2012]
Leapfrogging The Competition Through Smart IP Selection [GSA Intellectual Property blog, March 30, 2012]
Nikos Zervas, VP of Marketing, CAST, Inc.
The adoption of a reliable design reuse methodology, proliferation of high-quality IP products, and shake-out of the most untrustworthy IP vendors creates a situation offering a huge potential advantage to system integrators and product designers looking to jump ahead of their competition.
Instead of choosing the same big-vendor, star IP that most competitors may pick by default, smarter firms will seek out and commit to what might be technically-superior IP products from smaller vendors/partners who will offer both deeper and broader service and support.
A good example is regarding microprocessors and controllers, the heart of most systems and usually the first, most critical system design choice.
Consider a deeply embedded system that needs the power of a 32-bit processor. Much like that saying from the 1980′s that when choosing PCs “nobody gets fired for buying an IBM,” choosing a processor from the leading processor company is probably the easiest, safest choice, and it’s certainly an undeniably fine product with an extremely effective ecosystem. But making this choice might mean missing an opportunity for differentiation in a competitive market where every advantage is required for success.
The IP portal sites list many 32-bit processor core options beyond the leading processor company, with Chip Estimate and Design and Reuse each returning nearly 300 results for such a search. More significantly, I count almost 30 different providers of these products. Certainly some of these vendors offer a product, support, or licensing terms—or perhaps even all three—that could give the smart designer a critical edge.
Six of these stand out as being especially popular based on my recent visits with designers in California and Asia:
- the AndesCore from Andes Technology,
- the BA22 developed by Beyond Semiconductor and available from CAST, Inc. (disclosure: I work for CAST),
- the ColdFire from IPextreme
- the eSi-3250 from EnSilica,
- the LEON3 from Aeroflex Gaisler, and
- the MIPS 4KS and others from MIPS Technologies.
How can you determine if options like these have sufficient benefits to outweigh the risk of not going with the leading processor company? Comparisons can be tricky, but there are a few key points to start with.
The technical suitability and potential advantages of course depend on the detailed needs of your system. A good IP sales team will help you articulate the relevant characteristics of your project and make sure their product will work well before selling it to you.
Quick comparisons of the performance and operating characteristics is made easier through the publication of well accepted power consumption and speed measures, like the CoreMark performance and CSiBC code density standards. Be sure, however, to look deeper to fully understand the specific configuration and technology details behind each vendor’s figures compared to that of your own target system.
Ecosystems for programming and system development aids are a hot processor marketing topic. Be sure that the basics are covered: effective software programming tools such as the GNU tool chain, JTAG debugging, and ports of the RTOS or OS you want to use. A graphical IDE, support from tool vendors like Keil or Lauterbach, and eval/dev board kits are extras that can help further accelerate development.
Licensing terms and actual costs can vary dramatically. For example, some vendors rely on royalty streams for their profits, while others have simpler up-front licensing fees with no royalties. What’s best for you depends on your specific product and market plans.
Finally, credibility of the processor and the vendor are both crucial. For the former, look to successful use by other customers with applications similar to your own. For the latter, look for business longevity and general reputation, backed by your own experiences with the provider’s sales and engineering people. Try to extrapolate from a vendor’s pre-sale support how effective their integration help and other technical support services will be after you purchase from them.
The examples of 32-bit processor alternatives I listed earlier all compare favorably with the leading processor company’s products in these factors; any might be the one to give you the extra technical, timeframe, or cost edge you need to make your product more competitive.
The same is true of most other areas of semiconductor IP. Now that our industry embraces the use of third-party IP, the smartest designers will get a major payback from putting up-front effort into investigating the very best IP for their specific needs, whether that initially seems like the “safe” choice or not.
(Note: all trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned here are the property of their respective owners.)
About Nikos Zervas
Nikos is the VP of Marketing for CAST, Inc. Before joining CAST in 2010, Nikos was a co-founder, chairman, and CEO of video/image SIP vendor Alma Technologies, SA [Pikermi, Greece]. He has been a member of the board for the Hellenic Silicon Industry Association since 2009, and he is a senior member of IEEE. Nikos holds BA and PhD degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Patras, Greece, and has published over forty papers in referenced journals and international conferences.
Additional information:
AndesCore™ from Andes Technology (founded in Taiwan in 2005) with AndeStar™ ISA:
AndeStar is a patent-pending 16-bit/32-bit mixed-length instruction set to achieve optimal system performance, code density, and power efficiency.
Freescale™ ColdFire Architecture IP
Our extensive collection of ColdFire IP gives you the flexibility to choose the best solution for your cost/performance requirements while benefiting from the huge ecosystem of development resources available for the ColdFire architecture. Deployed in over 500 million devices worldwide, ColdFire is one of the world’s most widely-used 32-bit processor architectures. And the modern implementations of the ColdFire architecture, proven in devices from Freescale Semiconductor and available as synthesizable IP from IPextreme, provide performance and reliability that rival any similarly featured 32-bit processor IP.
All ColdFire cores feature a variable-length RISC architecture for compact code and are supported by an extensive collection of development systems, tools, libraries, and operating systems from Freescale and several third-party commercial and open-source providers.
Beyond BA22 Processor [Beyond Semiconductor web page, Dec 17, 2007] from privately held Slovenian fabless semiconductor IP company Beyond Semiconductor sold, supported, and built within platforms by CAST Inc. worldwide:
Beyond BA22 Processor is the first implementation of Beyond BA2 Architecture processor. It’s main design goal was to minimize code size, gate and flip-flop count while obtaining similar performance as Beyond BA12 processor. The processor is extremely configurable, allowing for variety of size/performance trade-offs.
Note: more Beyond BA22 related information is given later on as part of the CAST-related information
eSi-3250 – 32-bit, high-performance CPU [EnSilica (UK) web page, Oct 11, 2009]
EnSilica’s eSi-3250 CPU IP core is a high-performance processor ideal for integration into ASIC and/or FPGA designs with off-chip memories. The eSi-3250 is suited to a wide range of applications including running complex operating systems such as Linux.
…
Scalability
For applications that require do not require off-chip memory, the smaller eSi-3200 is available. For even simpler applications that do not require 32-bit performance or more than 64kB of memory, the eSi-1600 16-bit processor can be used. All of the eSi-RISC processors RTL and toolchains share a common code base, resulting in an easy migration path for both software and hardware developers, should the demands of an application change.
LEON3 Processor [Aeroflex Gaisler (Sweden’s Gaisler acquired by US based Aeroflex) webpage, March 28, 2005]
The LEON3 is a synthesisable VHDL model of a 32-bit processor compliant with the SPARC V8 architecture. The model is highly configurable, and particularly suitable for system-on-a-chip (SOC) designs. The full source code is available under the GNU GPL license, allowing free and unlimited use for research and education. LEON3 is also available under a low-cost commercial license, allowing it to be used in any commercial application to a fraction of the cost of comparable IP cores.
MIPS32® 4KS™ Family [MIPS web page, Feb 28, 2003]
The MIPS32® 4KSd™ secure data core is a high-performance processor that meets the needs of emerging secure data applications and the stringent power, security and size requirements for smart cards. This core has the performance required to implement software programmable cryptography without the need of a coprocessor, reducing SoC size and power consumption. The 4KSd core is the most secure, licensable, 32-bit processor available.
End of additional information
ChipEstimate.com DAC 2012 IP Talks presenter Nikos Zervas [chipestimate YouTube channel, June 21, 2012]
Additional information:
Meet Our New VP of Marketing [IP Notes from CAST, Inc., Sept 9, 2010]
We’re very pleased to announce our new Vice President of Marketing, Nikos D. Zervas.
…
Why did you join CAST?
CAST has an industry reputation for being an IP vendor customers can really trust, with solid products and great support. Solving difficult technical challenges still excites me, of course, but my nine years working alongside CAST have shown me that having a passionate drive to help customers then earning the satisfaction of seeing those customers succeed can be just as rewarding.
When the opportunity rose to join the impressive team at CAST, help grow the company, and further the ideal of easier design through IP, it seemed like the right time in my career for just such a move.
What trends do you see for the IP market over the next year?
Design reuse was become accepted for reducing risk and minimizing time to market. With this acceptance—and the fast-increasing rates of design complexity growth and design cycle shrinkage—I believe designers will move beyond specific functional cores to seek broader IP systems and complete solutions, like CAST’s recent H.264 Reference Design System. I think CAST is well positioned to supply this need, and that I can help them succeed with this next stage of growth.
CAST Interview at DesignCon 2012 [castcores YouTube channel, Feb 14, 2012]
Fast JPEG Encoder Core from CAST Used in Fastec TS3 High-Speed Camera [CAST press release, March 6, 2012]
Fastec Imaging Corporation has incorporated a JPEG Encoder IP Core from CAST, Inc. in its groundbreaking TS3™ line of handheld, high-speed digital cameras.
Sourced from long-time CAST partner Alma Technologies SA, the JPEG-E Encoder Core is one of the fastest-available baseline JPEG compression cores. This enables extremely competitive functionality for Fastec’s TS3 high-speed digital cameras, including capture of 1280 x 1024 pixel images at 500 frames per second, or 800 x 600 at 1,250 fps.
“The quality of the core plus CAST’s
determination to see us succeed were both instrumental in bringing our groundbreaking handheld high-speed camera, the TS3, to market on time and on spec.,” said Bob Sefton, principal FPGA design engineer at Fastec. “The JPEG encoder’s features and excellent performance were as specified, and the system integration was so easy I didn’t need CAST’s technical support services.”
The encoder core supports the Baseline Sequential DCT mode of the JPEG standard and is suitable for still-image or motion-JPEG capture. This third-generation core offers very fast JPEG compression—up to 750 MSamples/sec in a 65nm technology—yet is compact enough to fit low-cost FPGA devices.
A bit-rate control option further benefits bandwidth-limited applications. “We envisioned demanding customer applications like Fastec’s when designing the JPEG encoder,” said Spyros Theoharis, vice president of products and technology at Alma Technologies. “It’s exciting to see yet another customer release of such a remarkable product using our technology and CAST’s support.”
The JPEG-E core is part of a comprehensive family of image and video IP cores offered by CAST.
A First look at the Fastec TS3 Camera [FastecImaging YouTube channel, May 30, 2012]
Butterflies caught on High Speed Camera [FastecImaging YouTube channel, May 30, 2012]
Mentos and Diet Coke Geyser in Slow Motion [FastecImaging YouTube channel, July 6, 2012]
The New Handheld TS3 100 High-Speed Camera [Fastec Imaging press release, July 10, 2012]
Fastec Imaging, a leading global manufacturer of digital high-speed video cameras has, once again, taken the high-speed imaging world by storm with the release of the revolutionary new TS3 100 handheld high-speed camera. This portable, affordable, battery operated camera puts all the power of a high end, high-speed camera, in the palm of your hand!
“We wanted to create a high-speed camera that was going to be easy to use, versatile and very portable, unlike many of the other cameras in this field,” explains Steve Ferrell, President of Fastec Imaging. “The TS3 combines the power, speed, resolution and light sensitivity of our renowned HiSpec camera line with the portability and ease of use of our previous handheld ‘point and shoot’ high speed cameras. The result is a completely portable and intuitive high-speed camera with the ease of use of a DSLR.”
The TS3 100 captures 500 frames per second (fps) at 1280 x 1024 pixels and over 20,000 fps at reduced resolutions, making it the perfect high-speed camera for broadcast, research and industrial applications. Featuring a built-in 7’’ high resolution touchscreen LCD, the TS3 allows for instant playback of footage out in the field. Combine that with an industry leading 4 hour battery, and it is easy to see why the TS3 100 is quickly becoming so popular.
Unlike any other high speed camera on the market today, the TS3 100 offers unmatched versatility. Not only is it an intuitive point- and-shoot handheld camera, but it can also be controlled over Gigabit Ethernet via a PC or MAC, or even over the Internet using a standard web browser for long distance control. The TS3 also features both USB ports and SD ports allowing users to easily download images to thumb drives, SD cards, or portable hard drives. Additionally, an optional built-in SSD, (Solid State Drive), provides for up to 256GB of non-volatile internal storage. This allows for shooting all day long without having to download to a computer.
“The response to the TS3 has been overwhelming”, says Ferrell. “Its ease of use and affordability makes the TS3 one of the most accessible high-speed video cameras on the market and a perfect solution for researchers and manufacturers as well as TV and film producers.”
For more information about the TS3 and other Fastec products, visit the web site at www.fastecimaging.com.
Beyond BA22 Processor [Beyond Semiconductor webpage, Dec 17, 2007] from privately held Slovenian fabless semiconductor IP company Beyond Semiconductor:
Beyond BA22 Processor is the first implementation of Beyond BA2 Architecture processor. It’s main design goal was to minimize code size, gate and flip-flop count while obtaining similar performance as Beyond BA12 processor. The processor is extremely configurable, allowing for variety of size/performance trade-offs.
Embedded Processor Cores [Beyond Semiconductor webpage, May 7, 2007]
ARM9™, ARM11™, ARM Cortex™-A9 and ARM Thumb®-2 are registered trademarks of ARM Holdings PLC.
OpenRISC [Beyond Semiconductor webpage, Sept 1, 2007]
Product Status – Obsolete
OpenRISC was an open source hardware RISC CPU designed by Damjan Lampret, one of the contributors of OpenCores, released under the GNU Lesser General Public License. The OpenRISC OR1000 and OR1200 are no longer under active development, and are not recommended for new products.
Beyond Semiconductor can provide commercial support for OR1000 and OR1200 processors.
The Beyond BA12 Embedded Processor is an up-to-date, fully supported commercial version of OpenRISC, including many enhancements, integrated software development tool suite, development platforms and software debug tools.
CAST and Beyond Semiconductor enter 32-bit Processor Core Partnership [joint press release, June 3, 2011]
CAST to sell, support, and build platforms around the BA22 processor IP core from Beyond Semiconductor
San Diego, CA – June 3, 2011, 48th DAC – Semiconductor intellectual property (IP) provider CAST, Inc. has reached an agreement with Beyond Semiconductor by which CAST will provide Beyond Semiconductor’s BA22 processor core worldwide.
The BA22 is a fast, compact, power-saving, 32-bit RISC processor that CAST will offer without royalties. These capabilities plus easy development and integration features make the processor an excellent step up for CAST’s large base of 8-bit 8051 customers who need more processing power. In fact, the BA22’s programming code is so efficient that systems using it may require less silicon area than an 8051 with its respective code and memory.
CAST will package the affordable BA22 with peripheral controllers and other essential IP. The initial focus is on deeply embedded systems; later platforms will exploit the processor’s scalability and performance potential to support broader applications.
The platform approach gives customers a ready-to-use processor subsystem, and eases the transition to 32-bit processing for designers accustomed to similarly configured 8051 IP cores.
“The 8051 is still a good choice for many chips, but our experience with customers incorporating data-intensive functions like touch-based interfaces and high-res video makes it clear they really need a good 32-bit embedded processor,” said Bill Finch, CAST’s senior vice president for sales. “The silicon-proven BA22’s performance, tiny code footprint, and mature development tools make it a great choice for many new systems, while our 15 years of microprocessor IP experience and very attractive business model make CAST a great 32-bit processor provider.”
“CAST has a long track record as a smart, effective, customer-focused IP team that makes them a perfect match for our products,” said Matjaz Breskvar, chief executive officer of Beyond Semiconductor. “Working with them will enable us to bring highly customizable Beyond BA22 to new designers across the world while providing ease of use and excellent customer support.”
Limited availability of the BA22 from CAST begins now, with a full product roll out in the next quarter. IP integration services are also available.
Learn more by visiting http://www.cast-inc.com/beyond or emailing beyond@cast-inc.com. Participants in the 48th DAC in San Diego, June 5–8, are welcome to stop by CAST’s booth (2217) to see a demo and discuss the advantages of the BA22.
About Beyond Semiconductor
Beyond Semiconductor is a privately held fabless semiconductor IP company. Its comprehensive product offering features 32-bit embedded RISC/DSP processors with the highest code density in the industry. For more information, visit http://www.beyondsemi.com.
About CAST, Inc.
CAST, Inc. is a privately held company that provides semiconductor IP products and services. The company features advanced image/video processing and microcontroller IP families, plus the memory controllers, high-speed buses, peripherals, and other functions needed to build complete systems. Learn more at http://www.cast-inc.com/.
Background information:
CAST IP for ASICs and FPGAs: Introduction and Overview [CAST presentation on SlideShare, July 2002], only images for certain slides are included below
BA22-AP: BA22 32-bit Application Processor [CAST datasheet, June 20, 2012]
Implements a 32-bit RISC processor for demanding embedded applications that use offchip instruction and data memories and that may need to run a real-time operating system (RTOS) or a full operating system such as Linux or Android. Part of the royalty-free BA22 family, this processor core is extremely competitive in terms of high performance and low power consumption, and has best-in-class code density.
The core has Instruction and Data Memory Management Units (MMUs) and Caches, dedicated buses for on-chip instructions and data memories, and an AMBA® AHB™ or Wishbone system bus interface. Optional floating point, divider and multiply–accumulate units benefit DSP applications. The core includes up to 32 general purpose registers (GPRs), a tick-timer (TTimer), a programmable interrupt controller (PIC), an advanced power management unit (PMU), and an optional debug unit (DBGU). Additional microcontroller peripherals may be ordered for pre-integration and delivery with the core, individually or in a complete platform. IP Integration Services are also available to help integrate any BA22 processor configuration with memory controllers, image compression, or other CAST IP cores.
The processor’s BA2 instruction set is relatively simple and extremely compact. Programing is facilitated with the included C/C++ tool chain; Eclipse IDE; architectural simulator; and ported C libraries, RTOSs, and OSs.
The BA22-AP synthesizes to 35k gates in a 90nm technology, can be clocked with more than 450MHz in a 65nm technology and provides as many as 1.59 DMIPS/MHz. The core is delivered, with a complete software development environment under Eclipse IDE, and its users get access to already ported real operating systems (Linux, Android, eCOS and uClinux) and libraries.
The BA22 family of processors has been designed for easy reuse and integration, has been rigorously verified, and is production proven. Contact CAST Sales for details.
Applications
Internet, networking and telecom
Portable and wireless
Home entertainment consumer electronics
Automotive
…
Deliverables
The core is available for ASICs in synthesizable HDL, and includes everything required for successful implementation:
Verilog RTL source code
Verilog Testbench
Silicon-proven Reference SoC/ASIC Design
Software development tools for Cygwin on Windows and Linux, with Eclipse IDE interface
Operating systems and board support package
A reference design board running Linux and FPGA versions of the core are also available; contact CAST Sales for information.
…
UPDATE Aug’13: Xiaomi $130 Hongmi superphone END MediaTek MT6589 quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC with HSPA+ and TD-SCDMA is available for Android smartphones and tablets of Q1 delivery
Formerly known as MT6588 but recently renamed as MT6589. About that history see my earlier post: Boosting the MediaTek MT6575 success story with the MT6577 announcement – UPDATED with MT6588/83 coming early 2013 in Q4 2012 and 8-core MT6599 in 2013 [June 27, July 27, Sept 11-13, Sept 26, Oct 2, 2012]
Although MediaTek is claiming that MT6589 is the first quad-core Cortex-A4 SoC, it is not true as the Allwinner A31 SoC is here with products … [my other ‘USD 99 Allwinner’ blog, Dec 10, 2012]. It should also be noted that Qualcomm quad-core Cortex-A7 SoCs with Adreno 305 and 1080p coming for the high-volume global market and China [this same ‘Experiencing the Cloud’ blog, Dec 9, 2012] with customer sampling by 2Q 2013. Therefore MediaTek will have at least several months advantage over Qualcomm in this respect, as according to MediaTek’s press release
the first models based on this new chipset are expected to ship commercially in Q1 2013.
Updates: MediaTek quadcore Cortex-A7 superphones go higher frequency and lower end in H2 CY2013
According to Maybank Kim Eng in its MediaTek Closing In Fast [July 17, 2013] report:
From this Xiaomi selected the current highest-frequency MT6589T (Turbo) MediaTek quad-core SoC for its own entry-level superphone:
The list price is as low as ¥ 799 i.e. $130 in order to challenge Apple’s entry
http://www.xiaomi.com/hongmi: 红米手机 [Hongmi] Red Rice phone [July 31, 2013] as translated by Google
Size, weight, color
| Basic parameters |
|
| Capacity |
|
| Network |
|
| Battery |
|
| Screen |
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| Photograph |
|
| Camera |
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| Multimedia Player |
|
| Sensors |
|
Xiaomi shifts into low end of mobile sector [China Daily, August 1, 2013]
The company officially offers the first batch of products on Aug 12
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi Corp launched a sub-brand “Hongmi” (red rice) on Wednesday that targets the country’s entry-level smartphone buyers.
With rumors circulating that Apple Inc will introduce cheaper iPhones for Chinese clients in the second half, Beijing-based Xiaomi aims to beat its rival to the punch in the lower-end market.
Xiaomi released the Hongmi smartphone, priced at 799 yuan ($130), at a Beijing newsbriefing on Wednesday.
Hongmi has a 4.7-inch screen, Android-based device equipped with MediaTek Inc’s 1.5-gigahertz quad-core processor. The dual-card handset supports China Mobile Ltd’s second-generation (2G) and third-generation (3G) networks.
Lei Jun, founder and chief executive officer of Xiaomi, said the launch of the Hongmi signifies Xiaomi’s first attempt to explore the nation’s affordable (below 1,000 yuan)smartphone market.
“I believe the Hongmi is the best product among all 1,000-yuan smartphones” in China,Lei said. “Xiaomi does not care much about sales or shipments, but we strive toproduce the finest devices” for our costomers, Lei said at the event.
Since Apple is hatching a plan to slash its iPhone price and garner more Chinese buyers, some Xiaomi officials said the “birth” of Hongmi is a preparation for the looming price-cut trend.
“People will pay more attention to cheaper but capable smartphones,” one said.
Apple’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook was in Beijing again, said officials at ChinaMobile Ltd on Wednesday.
Xi Guohua, China Mobile’s chairman, met with Cook on Tuesday to discussion cooperation, said Li Jun, spokesman of China Mobile, via a text message.
Analysts said Cook might have come to China to discuss Apple’s shrinking sales.
There’s no doubt that Hongmi will open more doors for Xiaomi. Compared with the middle and high ends of the smartphone market, where Xiaomi has been operating, the entry-level market boasts many more potential buyers.
According to data from Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, China’s biggest e-commercecompany by sales, 61 percent of the mobile phones sold on the Taobao marketplace and the business-to-customer platform Tmall.com were priced below 1,000 yuan. About one-fifth of the mobile phones sold cost 1,000 yuan to 2,000 yuan, while only 18 percent cost more than 2,000 yuan.
“The entry-level smartphone market is definitely the market offering the most consumers,” said Li Yanyan, an analyst with Beijing-based research firm Analysys International.
Domestic telecom operators have actively promoted and launched market campaigns for affordable smartphones, which help raise consumer awareness, she pointed out.
Sandy Shen, an analyst with Gartner China, said the launch of the Hongmi also fills avoid for Xiaomi in cooperation with the nation’s biggest mobile operator, China Mobile.
“Previously, Xiaomi partnered with both China Unicom and China Telecom, but we never heard any information about cooperation with China Mobile,” Shen said.
China Mobile, although struggling in the domestic 3G competition because it adopted a relatively inferior 3G technology, has gradually got on track to catch up with rivals inrecent months.
China Mobile sold more than 59 million mobile phones for its 3G network in the first half of this year, said Ma Jingxin, vice general manager of China Mobile Terminal Co, during the same event. Ma added the figure was close to China Unicom’s 3G mobile phone shipments.
The Hongmi smartphone is available for pre-orders on Tencent Holdings Ltd’s Qzone, a social-networking platform with more than 60 million users. On Aug 12, Xiaomi will officially offers the first batch of products.
Although Chinese media have reported that Tencent was about to invest in Xiaomi,officials at Xiaomi have denied any such plan.
“Qzone is China’s biggest social-networking website and it closely aligns with Xiaomi’s targeted clients,” Li Wanqiang, vice-president of Xiaomi, said.
“Social-networking platforms are the major battlefield (for Xiaomi marketing and sellingits products),” Li added.
While the MT6589 based smartphones were targeted to the mid-range market so far:
CLICK HERE to get a clickable PDF version of the above “picture document” if needed. Note that the previous hit SoC from MediaTek, the MT6577 has only slightly more, 74 devices listed in this device database since July 2012, but only 47 if taking a similar period. So with 61 devices already MT6589 has a much greater market success. To compare with MT6577 see Boosting the MediaTek MT6575 success story with the MT6577 announcement – UPDATED with MT6588 [later renamed 6589]/83 coming early 2013 in Q4 2012 and 8-core MT6599 in 2013 [‘Exp. the Cloud’, June 27, July 27, Sept 11-13, Sept 26, O0ct 2, 2012] and MT6577-based JiaYu G3 with IPS Gorilla glass 2 sreen of 4.5” etc. for $154 (factory direct) in China and $183 internationally (via LightTake) [‘Exp. the Cloud’, Sept 13, 2012].
The first product was delivered from Micromax, the leading local brand in India (now world’s 3d largest smartphone market) with 19.3% smartphone market share in the January-April period (24.3% in April), #2 behind Samsung (which had 40.7% share out of the 9.4 million units in total). The 5” IPS 1280×720 8MP/2MP Micromax A116 Canvas HD went on sale starting February 14 for Rs. 13,990 [$236], and 1 million unit sales were achieved by April 24. It was followed by the 5” IPS 480*854 8MP/2MP A110Q Canvas 2 plus entry model from May 22 for Rs. 12,100 [$204], and then by the 5” IPS 1280×720 13MP/5MP Canvas 4 top model from July 8 for Rs. 17,999 [$303]. As other Micromax products they were manufactured in China by unknown white-label vendor(s).
Other Indian brands of similar kind were close to Micromax’s footsteps. I will add just the next two local brands: the #3 Karbonn with 8.6% smartphone market share, and Lava International which is aggressively targeting the smartphone market this year with $169M planned sales, 50% of the overall phone revenue plan. Note that overall phone revenue of Karbonn in the fiscal year ended June 30 was $408M, and for the next fiscal year its plan is $675M according to Karbonn Mobiles eyeing Rs 4,000 crore turnover in FY 2014.
The 4.5” IPS 540×960 5MP/VGA S1 Titanium model from Karbonn appeared February 16 on its website for pre-booking at Rs. 10,999 [$185], then came the 5.5” IPS 1280×720 13MP/5MP S9 Titanium top model announced on July 5 (in order to gain attention before Micromax Canvas 4) at Rs. 19.990 [$337] and to be released in the 2nd week of August. Note that two other quadcore Titanium models the S2 and the S5 are based on Snapdragon SoCs from Qualcomm, as well as a rumored S6 model.
Lava International’s subsidiary Xolo was starting the sales of its 4.5” IPS 540×960 8MP/1MP Q800 model from March 10 for Rs 12,499 [$211], the 4.5” IPS 540×960 5MP/VGA Q700 model from May 13 for Rs. 9999 [$169], the 5” IPS 720×1280 8MP/1.2MP Q1000 top model from May 22 for 14,990 [$253], the latest 4.5” 854×480 5MP/VGA Q600 entry model of the Q series from July 1 for Rs 8,499 [$143].
From announcement point of view the first one was the Alcatel One Touch Scribe HD (announced at the CES 2013 in January) but it was delivered only from March, although with subsequent rollouts worldwide. Here is the WMC 2013 presentation of it:
Building a Better Smartphone Experience: MediaTek Dual-SIM Platform
[mediateklab YouTube channel, June 23, 2013]
MediaTek: April EDM [newsletter, April 26, 2013]
New MediaTek-driven products revealed
MediaTek chipsets have found their way into several new products of late, many of which have since enjoyed widespread media coverage.
Alcatel‘s One Touch Scribe HD, which leverages MediaTek’s quad-core technology to deliver top of the line, HD720p picture was recently featured in CNET.
Lenovo meanwhile generated its own share of CNETand Engadget buzz with the release of its trio of new tablets. The company’s ten-inch IdeaPad S6000 and seven-inch A3000 were widely praised for their value proposition – Both devices, despite being priced for the mid-market, house a MediaTek 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, making them a viable contender in any tablet category. Likewise, Lenovo’s entry-level model, the A1000, is also said to punch well above its weight class.
Similarly, Micromax and BLU Products have achieved advances in their Canvas and BLU LIFE lines respectively, both of which are powered by the MT6589 processor. Both brands have garnered extensive local and international media coverage, including a glowing TECH2AUTO for Micromax. Interest for the new offerings by BLU Products has also been tracked across media such as Engadget and SlashGear .
How MediaTek reduces power consumption [3 video episodes in a playlist on mediateklab YouTube channel, CPU: Feb 24 – Display: March 12 – Multimedia: March 12, 2013]
Lenovo S6000 and A3000 hands-on [TheVerge YouTube channel, Feb 24, 2013]
MediaTek Powers Lenovo’s Premium Multimedia IdeaTab S6000 Tablet [and two other] [press release, Feb 25, 2013]
End of Updates
MediaTek Strengthens Global Position with World’s First Quad-Core Cortex-A7 System on a Chip – MT6589 [MediaTek press release, Dec 12, 2012]
MediaTek Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions, announced the launch of the MT6589, the world’s first commercialized quad-core System on a Chip (SoC), available for mid to high-end Android smartphones and tablets worldwide. The new quad-core SoC integrates MediaTek’s advanced multi-mode UMTS Rel. 8/HSPA+/TD-SCDMA modem, a power-efficient quad-core Cortex™-A7 CPU subsystem from ARM, PowerVR™ Series5XT GPU from Imagination Technologies, and is delivered in 28nm process technology. As a leader in Dual-SIM technology, the MT6589 is also the world’s first HSPA+ smartphone platform supporting Dual-SIM, Dual-Active functionality to address increasing multi-SIM demand around the world. The integration of these compelling features makes the MT6589 a universal platform that delivers premium multimedia capabilities with extremely low power consumption for an outstanding user experience. It also enables handset makers to reduce time to market, simplify product development and manage product differentiation in a more cost effective way, for any market worldwide.
“The ARM Cortex™-A7 is the most power-efficient applications processor ever developed by ARM. We are pleased MediaTek is the first company to combine a quad-core Cortex-A7 and leading edge 28nm manufacturing with TrustZone® for system-level security. The MT6589 system-on-chip brings the performance and features associated with high-end mobile devices to mass-market smartphones and tablets,” said Laurence Bryant, director of mobile solutions, ARM.
The MediaTek MT6589 quad-core solution supports 1080p 30fps/30fps low-power video playback and recording, a 13MP Camera with Integrated ISP, up to FHD (1920×1080) LCD displays, and enhanced picture processing for DTV-grade image quality. In addition, the MT6589 also supports MediaTek’s “Cool 3D” suite, which includes support for stereo 3D cameras and displays, real-time 2D-to-3D conversion and an optimal 3D user interface. Leveraging MediaTek’s established 3D technologies from the DTV and Digital Home markets, this suite helps create an optimal stereo 3D display with a custom-tailored 3D interface, providing an extremely flexible platform for product differentiation.
Tony King-Smith, Vice President Marketing, Imagination Technologies, said, “Today’s smart device users have very high expectations for graphic quality and performance. The MT6589 gives Imagination a great opportunity to show the abilities of the PowerVR™ Series5XT GPU, which delivers around twice the performance of previous generation devices while maintaining the lowest possible power and silicon area. We are delighted to contribute to this impressive, highly integrated solution, which demonstrates the benefits of our ongoing close strategic relationship with MediaTek.”
The MT6589 also supports Miracast™ technology for multi-screen content sharing and pre-integrates MediaTek’s leading 4-in-1 connectivity combo, which supports 802.11n Wi-Fi, BT4.0, GPS and FM.
Jeffrey Ju, GM of the smartphone business unit at MediaTek, said, “As the world’s first quad-core SoC, the MT6589 is a strong proof point of MediaTek’s growing global presence and ambition to drive the democratization of the smartphone and reshape the mid to high-end device market. Having built a solid reputation for quality and reliability over the last 15 years, we’ve created a one-of-a-kind achievement with the MT6589 platform—marrying blazing performance and flexibility with surprising affordability and simplicity. It’s an innovative solution that accelerates product development, simplifies differentiation, and offers the best possible experience that mid to high-end smart device owners desire.”
“The demand for a Smartphone SoC that can be delivered anywhere in the world has never been greater, which is why the MT6589 is so important to our business,” said Dr. Ji-Yang Wang, COO at TCL Communications Technology/Alcatel One Touch. “As the first truly universal platform it is designed with the customer in mind to give us a crucial competitive edge. The MT6589 will make the life of our customers and partners easier, allowing them to bring the best possible experience to mid-to high-end users in multiple markets in the most timely and affordable manner, and most importantly, without compromising its performance.”
The MediaTek MT6589 is currently being incorporated into smart devices by MediaTek’s leading global customers, and the first models based on this new chipset are expected to ship commercially in Q1 2013.
For GPU related information see:
A brief history of the PowerVR Series5XT GPU family [Imagination, Nov 5, 2012]
MediaTek Launching Quad-Core MT6589 CPU’s Today [Gizchina.com, Dec 10, 2012]
Although we have been hearing alot about MT6589 powered phones already, Mediatek will only offiicially launch their low-cost quad-core CPU later
today!MediaTek took the smartphone market by storm this year with the single core MT6575 CPU and later the dual-core MT6577 and MT6577T processors which have found their way in to phones from local Chinese firms and larger international manufacturers.
The new quad-core MT6589 CPU, which will be launched later
todayin Shenzhen, will build on the company’s low-cost, high performance reputation, but could bring with it a new lower price. Rumour from earlier this year claimed the quad-core chip could cost less to manufacture than current dual-core MT6577 CPU’s, however this is not to say we are going to find $100 quad-core phones launching anytime soon.According to most companies already testing the MT6589, they hope to launch higher end phones with larger screens, in an attempt to take on the higher price range Android phones from big brands such as Samsung, HTC and Sony. Typical specifications for MT6589 phones current offer 5 inch 1920 x 1080 displays, 2GB RAM, and 12-13 mega-pixel cameras.
Currently Oppo, ZTE, Huawei, Lenovo, Gionee and even Sony have confirmed to be working on phones using the new quad-core CPU, with prices from some smaller brands expected to start at around $200.
MediaTek launches ‘world’s first’ quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC, we go hands-on (video) [engadget, Dec 11, 2012]
There’s a new player in the quad-core SoC game and it’s called the MT6589. MediaTek announced today that it’s launching the “world’s first” quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC and gave us the opportunity to take it for a spin — in prototype form, of course. The MT6589, which includes the aforementioned quad-core Cortex A7 1GHz+ CPU, also features a PowerVR Series5XT GPU, high-performance multimedia support (13MP / 3D camera, 1080p video and display, Miracast) and a built-in 42Mbps HSPA+ / TD-SCDMA-capable dual-SIM dual-active radio. By combining competitive performance with high thermal efficiency and low power consumption in an affordable package, MediaTek’s new chip is well suited for a wide-range of smartphones and tablets running Jelly Bean and beyond. The MT6589 will be available in devices starting Q1 2013. Check out the gallery and hit the break for our impressions and benchmarks plus MediaTek’s videos and PR.
We played with two devices equipped with the new chip — a generic handset with branding covered up by MediaTek stickers and an upcoming Alcatel smartphone with a 1.2GHz MT6589, five-inch HD display, 8MP 1080p camera, dual-SIM 42Mbps HSPA+ connectivity, Miracast support and a 2500mAh battery. While our hands-on time was extremely limited we managed to run some benchmarks on Alcatel’s prototype — namely Quadrant, Vellamo 2 and AnTuTu 2 / 3. As you can see in the table above, the scores are generally lower than the competition, but the results are still decent enough. Both handsets felt snappy despite neither using final software or hardware. What’s more impressive is how efficient the MT6589 appears to be in MediaTek’s videos below, both in terms of heat dissipation and power management. We’ll reserve judgement until we’re able to test a production device equipped with the company’s new quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC, but it sure looks like 2013 is going to be an interesting year in the chip business.
From the gallery:
Replaced with equivalent: MT6589 – The Coolest Quad-Core SoC Platform – Thermal Benchmark [mediateklab YouTube channel, Dec 28, 2012]
Replaced with equivalent: MT6589 – The Coolest Quad-Core SoC Platform – Low Power Benchmark [mediateklab YouTube channel, Dec 28, 2012]
Jiayu G4 redefines thousands of quad-core smart phone! [JiaYu product page, Dec 12, 2012] as translated by Google with manual edits
December 12, 2012, immediately following the MTK 6589 quad-core chip release, Yiayu Mobile will launch next-generation flagship smartphone – the Yiayu G4 redefines thousands Yuan quad-core smartphone!
The best domain the G4 main performance parameters are as follows:
1, CPU: MT6589 1.2Ghz quad-core; the GPU: SGX544
2, 4.7 inch IPS screen resolution of 1280×720 HD (MIPI interface), the the OGS whole fitting process (single glass program)
thickness of the dual-battery design, thin electric 1800 mA, 3000 mA thick power for the different needs of the user selects.
4, gyroscope \ distance \ light \ Gravity \ magnetic sensor \ double wheat Noise Reduction \ WIFI \ Bluetooth \ FM \ GPS galore!
5, body measurements: thin electrical about 130 × 63.5 × 8.1 (mm) thick power 130 x 63.5 x 10 (mm), a larger screen, a shorter, narrower, thinner body!
6, higher definition camera configuration, specific parameters be announced separately.
as translated by Bing with manual edits
On December 12, 2012, released along with the MTK 65,894 core chips, Yiayu Mobile will launch a new generation of flagship Smartphone—”Yiayu G4″ redefines the thousands of quad-core smart phone!
G4 major performance parameters are as follows:
Quad-Core 1, CPU:MT6589 1.2Ghz; GPU:SGX544
IPS,2 inch screen, resolution 1280×720 HD (MIPI interface), using OGS laminating technology (single glass scheme)
3, thickness double batteries design, thin 1800 Ma, thick by 3,000 Ma, for different needs of users.
4, gyro \ \ \ distance light gravity \ \ magnetic sensor dual noise-canceling Bluetooth \FM\GPS \WIFI\ MAK-everything!
5, body measurements: thin about 130×63.5×8.1 (mm), thick 130×63.5×10 (mm), a large screen, a shorter, narrower and thinner body!
6, HD camera configuration, specific parameters be announced separately.
Jiayu G4 Is Unveiled With MT6589 Quad-core Processor [GizmoChina, Dec 11, 2012]
Today is all concerned with MediaTek smart phone chip friend who’s big day, including manufacturers, including, has always been a cost-effective smartphone known for the Jiayu taking advantage of MediaTek released MT6589 4-core of the occasion, the official website released a long-awaited the quad-core smartphone – Jiayu G4.
The information revealed in succession before Jiayu G4 hardware parameters with consistent, the Jiayu G4 will equip MediaTek MTK6589 quad-core processor, clocked at 1.2GHz, built-in PowerVR SGX 544 graphics processor. The 4.7 inch IPS screen resolution of 1280 * 720 HD level. There are two different versions of the battery with body size, the the thick version of the body measurements of 133 * 65 * 10 mm, with a capacity of 3000 mA battery, thin version of body size of 133 * 65 * 8.2 mm, The battery capacity of 1800 mA. In addition, support for commonly used Bluetooth, FM, GPS and WIFI, and built-in gyroscope distance light Gravity magnetic sensors and other common sensing devices, and supports dual-microphone noise reduction technology.
See also: MT6577-based JiaYu G3 with IPS Gorilla glass 2 sreen of 4.5” etc. for $154 (factory direct) in China and $183 [on this same blog, Sept 13, 2012]
Allwinner vis-à-vis HTC on 2013 International CES
Allwinner has launched its latest quad-core application processor A31 in December 2012 and will create another legend in the consuming world.
If you would like to know more about A31, please schedule a meeting with us at CES 2013 via Eva.wu@allwinnertech.com.
Booth No:MP40016
Booth Map:http://www.mapyourshow.com
You could already have all the necessary information from my special posts given in a newly created blog about the ‘Allwinner phenonmenon’:
– Allwinner A31 SoC is here with products and the A20 SoC is coming [Dec 10, 2012]
– Is low-cost enough for global success? [Dec 5, 2012]
– The upcoming Chinese tablet and device invasion lead by the Allwinner SoCs [Dec 4, 2012]
– $40 entry-level Allwinner tablets–now for the 220 million students Aakash project in India [Dec 4, 2012] from this alone 220 million additional tablets would have been delivered from 2013 to 2016
– USD 99 Allwinner [Nov 30, 2012]
– It’s a Strategic Inflection Point [Dec 1, 2012]
This is the most dramatic disruption in the whole history of ICT, what I am calling the ‘ALLWINNER PHENOMENON’ (or ‘Allwinner et al phenomenon’ sometimes when including Allwinner’s internal mainland China competitors such as Rockchip into account as well). EVERYBODY SHOULD BE AWARE of the fact, however, that even in the latest forecasts by bigname ICT market researchers the ‘Allwinner phenomenon’ is not taken into account at all. The two very recent reports from IDC given as updates in my Boosting both the commodity and premium brand markets in 2013 with much more smartphones and tablets while the Windows notebook shipments will shrink by 2% [this ‘Experiencing the Cloud’ blog, Nov 20 – Dec 10, 2012] are the latest examples of that fact. So, keep that in mind as the ‘Allwinner phenomenon’ will add hundreds of millions to those forecasts starting as early as in 2013. Especially the numbers for the tablets will be affected.
I personally would be most curious about the Windows 8 (rather Windows RT obviously) support on the Allwinner A31 SoC as already indicated on the A31 product page. Maybe HTC will be the first company bringing out a product based on that?
I would not be surprised at all if HTC will bring out double, x86/64 and ARM platform based products for the portable PC and the tablet markets (using IDC terminology) by marrying the A31 SoC with VIA Technologies current 40nm VIA Nano X2 dual-core x86/64 chip, based on the still state-of-the-art (that is much better than the current Atom) Isaiah/CN micro architecture CPU core from its subsidiary Centaur Technology. You can find all related information about the latter in my earlier post on this blog:
– Can VIA Technologies save the mobile computing future of the x86 (x64) legacy platform? [Nov 23, 2012]
Qualcomm quad-core Cortex-A7 SoCs with Adreno 305 and 1080p coming for the high-volume global market and China
With Qualcomm’s this week announcement (see below in the details section) the company is expanding the high-volume Play tier of its S4 class SoCs for aggressive competition with Taiwan (especially MediaTek, see in the details) and mainland China based competitors, as well as NVIDIA (see in the details) and Marvell:
Note: the greyed boxes contain the number of available or announced products based on that particular SoC as of end of September, 2012.
As with it Qualcomm’s Krait based dual-core offerings came into a kind of performance overlap with the new quad-core Cortex-A7 SoCs (not according to Qualcomm obviously but easily recognizable from the above table) the company intensively emphasized in the last month the upcoming Krait v3 upgrade, officially called Krait 300, for the 2013 market. I will provide that information as well, after the MSM8x26 related information.
Finally Qualcomm published a new video about its strategic partnership with Dell in which Jeff Clarke, vice chairman & president of Global Ops and End User Computing at Dell is stating:
[1:13] Our strategic ARM partner is Qualcomm. Our strategic LTE partner is Qualcomm. Our wireless wins strategic partner is Qualcomm. [1:21]
As there is a special indication in the notes to that video about the Dell World 2012 (Dec 11-13, 2012), where Steve Mollenkopf, President and Chief Operating Officer of Qualcomm is listed among the 16 most distinguished speakers and Qualcomm is a Gold sponsor of the event, we may expect further details regarding both the MSM8x26 and Krate 300.
In order to have a complete and actual picture of Qualcomm’s SoC business I will also add some other information, particularly for the Adreno 300 series, along and after the MSM8x26 and Krate 300 related parts.
Before the details I will highly recommend to read my previous post Qualcomm decided to compete with the existing Cortex-A5/Krait-based offerings till the end of 2012 [Sept 30, 2012] as well.
The details
Qualcomm Announces S4 Play MSM8x26 and WTR2605 – Quad Core ARM Cortex A7 [AnandTech, Dec 5, 2012]
Yesterday, Qualcomm announced a new SoC for its Snapdragon S4 Play category, the MSM8x26, and alongside it a new transceiver, WTR2605. The announcement was a little light on detail and I waited until confirmation of a few details, but now know more about these two new parts geared at the growing entry-level Chinese handset market.
First off, MSM8x26 is a 28nm SoC consisting of four ARM Cortex A7 CPUs running at (1.2 GHz) alongside an Adreno 305 GPU. This is to my knowledge the first Qualcomm SoC using a Cortex A7 for CPU, previously we’ve seen a lot of Cortex A5 use at Qualcomm in parts like MSM8x25 (dual A5s), MSM8x25Q (quad A5s), and also onboard baseband as an optional AP for managing things like a router. MSM8x26 is the spiritual successor to MSM8x25Q, which was again quad core ARM Cortex A5s at 45nm with Adreno 203 graphics. MSM8x26 should bring a nice jump in performance on both CPU and GPU over that part, in addition to supporting 1080p video encode and decode, and support for 13 MP cameras. MSM8x26 will come in two flavors, 8226 with UMTS and TD-SCDMA, and 8626 with UMTS, CDMA, and TD-SDCMA, consistent with Qualcomm’s part numbering scheme.
The other part of the story is the new transceiver, WTR2605, whose name suggests a wafer-level package (W for wafer) and includes necessary improvements to accommodate dual SIM active and standby modes (DS-DS operation) popular in the entry level Chinese market MSM8x26 is geared at. I don’t know anything further about the WTR2605 or how it compares in terms of RF ports to WTR1605L, which is Qualcomm’s current flagship transceiver, but suspect it’s an evolution of that design with changes to accommodate the dual SIM modes. We’ll have a piece ready later in the week about WTR1605 and the state of Qualcomm’s modem portfolio.
Qualcomm Technologies Expands Line of Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Processors with Quad-Core CPUs for High-Volume Smartphones [Qualcomm press release, Dec 4, 2012]
— MSM8226, MSM8626 and Reference Design Counterparts Add Depth to Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Roster and Incorporate New WTR2605 Multimode Radio
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., is adding two chipsets to the Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 family of mobile processors, the MSM™8226 and MSM8626 chipsets, along with Qualcomm Reference Design versions of both. These Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processors with quad-core CPUs will bring premium multimedia and connectivity features to high-volume 3G handsets. Featuring the powerful Adreno™ 305 GPU, 1080p capture and playback, and up to a 13 megapixel camera, the MSM8226 and MSM8626 processors are optimized to deliver visually stunning graphics and exceptionally long battery life to high-volume smartphones. Both processors will be ready for customer sampling by the second quarter of 2013 for UMTS, CDMA and TD-SCDMA.
Building on Qualcomm Technologies’ previous quad-core offering, both the MSM8226 and MSM8626 processors are fabricated using the 28nm technology node and will continue to support multi-SIM capabilities with Dual SIM, Dual Standby; and Dual SIM, Dual Active. In addition to quad-core CPU processing power, these chipsets incorporate the new WTR2605 multi-mode radio transceiver, optimized to address China specific requirements such as support for TD-SCDMA, CDMA 1xAdv and HSPA+. The WTR2605 transceiver comes with an integrated, high-performance GPS core with GLONASS and Beidou support. Optimized for low power consumption, the WTR2605 transceiver offers 40 percent power savings and 60 percent smaller footprint compared to previous generations.
“The expansion of our Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 family extends our leadership in performance and low power for the high-volume smartphones,” said Cristiano Amon, executive vice president and co-president of mobile and computing products, Qualcomm Technologies. “This expanded roadmap provides our customers with a differentiated feature set upon which to build compelling smartphones for budget-conscious consumers.”
Qualcomm Technologies will also be releasing Qualcomm Reference Design (QRD) versions of both MSM8226 and MSM8626 processors. The QRD program provides device manufacturers with comprehensive handset development resources and access to an ecosystem of hardware and software vendors, whose components and applications have been tested and validated for QRD-based devices. QRD customers are offered everything they need to rapidly deliver differentiated smartphones to the mass market. There have been more than 100 public QRD-based product launches to date in collaboration with more than 40 OEMs, and there are currently more than 100 designs in progress. The QRD versions of these particular Qualcomm Snapdragon processors—the QRD8226 and QRD8626—will also be available for sampling by the second quarter of 2013.
Windows RT on Snapdragon Processors [QUALCOMMVlog YouTube channel, Nov 16, 2012]
Nvidia Tegra 3 under strong pressure from S4 Pro, say Taiwan makers [DIGITIMES, Dec 7, 2012]
Snapdragon S4 Pro series processors developed by Qualcomm have brought increasing competitive pressure on Nvidia’s Tegra 3 because of its superior overall performance-cost ratio, according to Taiwan-based handset supply chain makers.
Although Nvidia successfully landed orders for Google’s Nexus 7 and Microsoft’s Surface RT in 2012, with Microsoft reportedly planning to adopt Qualcomm’s platform for its next-generation Surface RT, while Tegra-based smartphones have only had average sales performance, Nvidia may find it difficult to continue achieving strong growth in 2013 like in 2012.
In 2012, Nvidia received Tegra orders for smartphones including the HTC One X, LG Electronics Optimus 4X H, ZTE Era, K-Touch Treasure V8 and Fujitsu’s devices.
Qualcomm is expected to start fierce competition against MediaTek and China-based handset chipmakers in China’s mid-range to entry-level smartphone market in the first quarter of 2013, challenging Nvidia’s plans of releasing a solution for CNY1,000 smartphones (US$160), while ualcomm’s aggressiveness over striving orders from tablet players with its reference design, which is set to release in the first half of 2013, also places strong pressure on Nvidia, the sources noted.
From this you could see that Qualcomm and MediaTek is in a kind of mouse and cat game: MediaTek to bring forward launch date of MT6589 quad-core solutions [DIGITIMES, Dec 3, 2012]
MediaTek reportedly has decided to move forward the launch date of its quad-core smartphone solution, the MT6589, to December instead of January 2013 in order to meet market demand during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday season, according to industry sources.
In addition to China-based smartphone makers, Motorola Mobility, Sony Mobile Communications and LG Electronics are also likely to be among the first wave of vendors taking deliveries of quad-core solutions from MediaTek, the sources indicated.
Smartphones powered by MediaTek’s quad-core chips are expected to hit the market in the first quarter of 2013 at the earliest, added the sources.
MediaTek November revenues dip to 5-month low [DIGITIMES, Dec 10, 2012]
MediaTek saw its consolidated revenues slide 17.5% sequentially to a five-month low of NT$8.65 billion (US$297 million) in November, according to company data. The monthly figures were up 13.4% from a year earlier.
Accumulated revenues for the first 11 months of 2012 amounted to NT$91.68 billion, increasing 15.5% from a year ago.
MediaTek will give a presentation for its quad-core MT6589 smartphone solution as well as a low-priced version MT6589M to clients on December 11 and to the media on December 13, according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) report.
Krait 300: The AnandTech Podcast: Episode 12 [Dec 3, 2012] from Brian Klug
(see also the Qualcomm’s Quad-Core Snapdragon S4 (APQ8064/Adreno 320) Performance Preview [AnandTech, July 24, 2012] where Krait v3 is already mentioned as well as Adreno 320 improvements with all detailed slides about the new GPU)
[51:44] … all current Kraits are Krait v2 (Krait v1 was a sort of internal thing we never saw) … soon will get Krait v3 and [MSM]8960T … T stands for Turbo … strait IPC [Instructions Per Cycle] increase of about 15% … additionally increased clocks from 1.5 GHz to 1.7 GHz … expect 20 to 30% higher overall performance … more power efficiency … more out-of-order capability … better branch prediction … there is Krait 400 at some point but don’t know about that … expect devices with MSM8960T shipping early next year … Adreno 320 GPU is coming with 8960T … [57:58]
CPU Leadership Now and into Next Generation:
Highest Performance at the Lowest Power
Most widely presented on Qualcomm Analyst Day, Nov 15, 2012 (slide #90) but taken from IAR_Americas_Summit_2012_Industry_Leadership_Anand_Chandrasekher (1)
Note from ExtremeTech:
The x86 SoC above is obviously Intel’s Medfield, while the 40nm competitor in green is almost certainly Tegra 3. The yellow line is Samsung’s dual-core Exynos Cortex-A15 CPU. The first magenta line presumably refers to the dual-core Snapdragon S4 designs …
… Cortex-A15 is primarily a server/netbook chip, but that doesn’t mean Samsung can’t build smartphones around it.
Snapdragon CPU Performance [QUALCOMMVlog YouTube channel, Aug 21, 2012]
How Snapdragon processors stack up against the competition [QUALCOMMVlog YouTube channel, Sept 20, 2012]
Current Krait v2/200 SoCs see in the table below (with actual devices as end of Sept):
taken from my earlier core post: Qualcomm decided to compete with the existing Cortex-A5/Krait-based offerings till the end of 2012 [Sept 30, 2012]. Note that the newer SoCs with quadcore S4 Pros (not even in this table) are not shown. About them see:
– HTC Droid DNA Rocks First 1080p Display [Qualcomm Insider Blog, Nov 13, 2012]
– Google Nexus 4 [Qualcomm product page]
– LG AND GOOGLE ANNOUNCE NEXUS 4 [LG press release, Oct 30, 2012]
Sleek, New Smartphone Combines LG’s Best-in-Class Hardware with the Best of Google
SEOUL, Oct. 30, 2012 -– Designed collaboratively by LG and Google, Nexus 4, the newest smartphone in the Nexus line-up from Google, was announced today for availa bility starting next month in select markets. With a sophisticated hardware design from LG, your favorite Google Apps, and the latest version of Android™, Nexus 4 puts the best of Google in the palm of your hand.
“LG is proud and excited to play this role in helping build the latest Nexus smartphone,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Users will be delighted by the perfectly balanced combi nation of form and function with the latest generation of Android.”
“This is the first time we collaborated with LG to build a Nexus device,” said Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile and Digital Content at Google. “They brought an extraordinary amount of talent to the project, and the result is a feature-packed device that feels great in your hand, and blazingly fast under the hood.”
Capture and share your world
Nexus 4 comes with a high-performance 8MP camera and takes stunning Photo Sphere images, letting you capture every detail of the world around you. Up, down and all around you, it’s like no camera you’ve ever seen; with Nexus 4, you can snap pictures in every direction that come together into incredible, immersive Photo Spheres that put you right inside the scene. Plus, photos upload themselves with Instant Upload so you’ll never lose a shot.
All of this comes to life with stunning clarity and crisp, natural color on the vibrant 1280-by-768 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus display supported by Zerogap Touch technology. Gently curved glass edges allow your finger to slide smoothly on and off the 320ppi screen, while cutting edge display technology means you feel like you’re touching every pixel, protected by scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2.
Built for speed
Nexus 4 comes with a cutting-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 Pro processor, so you’ve got speed and power to spare. Zip around the web, experience rich 3D graphics and gameplay, and effortlessly switch between multiple apps without ever missing a beat. With 2GB of RAM and the fastest version of Android ever, Nexus 4 is the snappi est Nexus smartphone yet.
Information at your fingertips
Nexus 4 comes with the latest Google apps, putting the best of Google in the palm of your hand. The latest version of Google Now is built-in, which keeps you even more organized -– get reminders about upcoming flights, restaurant reservations, hotel confir mations and even nearby photo opportunities -– when and where you need them.
Get to the places you care about quickly and easily with Google Maps™ for Android. With turn-by-turn GPS navigation, live traffic info, and integrated driving, walking and public transit directions, getting from A to B has never been easier. 3D Maps and rich satellite imagery give you a more realistic sense of what’s around you while features like Street View and Indoor Maps make sure you always know what’s in front of you.
Nexus 4 is sold unlocked and is GSM/HSPA+ compatible so it will operate on more than 200 network providers worldwide. Just pop in a supported SIM card and be up and running in no time. It will be available to purchase in both an 8GB version and a 16GB version on Google Play™ starting November 13 in the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Australia. Offline availability in Europe, Central/South Americas, Asia, CIS and the Middle East will begin from the end of November.
Key specifications
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 Pro processor with 1.5GHz Quad-Core Krait CPUs
- Operating System: Android 4.2, Jelly Bean
- Network: 3G (WCDMA), HSPA+
- Display: 4.7-inch WXGA True HD IPS Plus (1280 x 768 pixels)
- Memory: 8GB / 16GB
- RAM: 2GB
- Camera: 8.0MP rear / 1.3MP HD front
- Battery: 2,100mAh Li-Polymer (embedded) / Talk time: 15.3 hours / Standby: 390 hours
- Size: 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1mm
- Weight: 139g
- Other: Wireless charging, NFC
- Nexus 4 8GB on Google Play $299
- Nexus 4 16GB on Google Play $349
- LG Nexus 4 Price in India on 2012 Dec 09th is Rs.25990 [$477]
- Google Nexus 4 smartphone sold out until after Christmas?
- Google’s Nexus 4 briefly reappears in UK and Germany, but 8GB version sells out again
- LG UK Explains Nexus 4 Shortage
“As with any sales process, LG supplies product quantities against partners’/customers’ (ie retailers, operators etc) forecasts,” Andy Coughlin, head of mobile at LG UK, told CNet, adding that, “demand via the Play Store has been very high in this instance.”
Adreno 320 GPU Leads in Power-Efficient Performance:
Latest GPU Architecture – Higher Parformance, Lower Power
Most widely presented on Qualcomm Analyst Day, Nov 15, 2012 (slide #93) but taken from IAR_Americas_Summit_2012_Industry_Leadership_Anand_Chandrasekher (1)
Graphics Benchmarking [QUALCOMMVlog YouTube channel, Sept 26, 2012]
GPU Demonstration: Fortress [QUALCOMMVlog YouTube channel, Sept 19, 2012]
Adreno Graphics for Snapdragon [Qualcomm Industry Analyst Relations, Sept 7, 2012]
Adreno GPUs are custom-built by Qualcomm and exclusively integrated within Snapdragon processors. They provide the level of computational processing power needed for the high-end 3D gaming, complex UIs, super-responsive web browsing and rich navigation experiences that today’s savvy mobile users demand.
The newest generation of Adreno GPUs, the Adreno 300 series, integrated in Snapdragon S4 Prime (MPQ8064) and S4 Pro (APQ8064, MSM8960T) processors, lead the market in power-efficient graphical processing capacity, capabilities and quality. The first GPU in the series, Adreno 320, delivers over three times the computational performance of the previous Adreno GPU, Adreno 225. Adreno 320 also provides the API support needed to enable not only high-end, connected 3D gaming experiences, but also to assist the CPU with computationally intensive use cases like imaging and video enhancement.
- Snapdragon and Adreno have strong global adoption, as evidenced by the fact that Qualcomm shipped more GPUs in 2011 than any other mobile silicon provider.
- Adreno GPUs enable today’s advanced graphical use cases with industry leading performance and power efficiency.
- Adreno GPUs are uniquely designed to dynamically adjust to shader loads, minimizing processing power and boosting application performance by eliminating wasted cycles.
- Qualcomm’s newest GPU, Adreno 320, introduces support for the latest graphics APIs like OpenGL ES 3.0, as well as the latest compute APIs like OpenCL 1.2 that enable GPGPU acceleration of advanced computational camera and video effects.
- Qualcomm’s Adreno graphics solution includes support of leading game engines and valuable tools that save developers time and money.
Snapdragon GPU Technology [QUALCOMMVlog YouTube channel, Aug 6, 2012]
Adreno Profiler & SDK [QUALCOMMVlog YouTube channel, Oct 1, 2012]
High-volume Nokia Lumia superphones with Windows Phone 8 extended on the top for China, and on the entry level needed for Asia and Middle-East as well UPDATE: at even lower price by 27%
After the Lumia 820 and 920 models introduced for Windows Phone 8, see:
- Unique differentiators of Nokia Lumia 920/820 innovated for high-volume superphone markets of North America, Europe and elsewhere [Sept 6 – Nov 13, 2012] and
- Lumia 920 vs. iPhone 5 (and vs. Android, Galaxy S3, HTC One X+) [Dec 7, 2012]
Nokia extended the range with the China specific TD-SCDMA model Lumia 920T, as well as introduced the entry-level model 3.8” Lumia 620 for the WP8 range.
Update: In March the Lumia 620 has been extended by an even a lower priced and configured 4” Lumia 520 which was “developed in China, made in China, for China”. It is introduced already both in China and India for $209 and $193 respectively (compared to the lowest $263 price in India for Lumia 620 the 520 is quite attractive for the market). Here is the latest Lumia 520 vs 620 : First Impression & Initial Thoughts [wpxbox, YouTube channel, March 21, 2013] comparison from India:
There was an extension of the entry level 620 somewhat higher as well by the 4.3” Lumia 720. Here is a Nokia Lumia 520 Vs 720– Quick Comparison Video [intellectdigest YouTube channel, March 20, 2013] from the launch in India:
Update: Lumia 520 W-CDMA appeared on 360buy Jingdong: at price of ¥1299 [$209] [MyDrivers.com, March 21, 2013] as translated by Google and Bing from Chinese, with manual edits
Earlier news that the most low end of WP8 from Nokia, the Lumia 520 will be put on sale at the end of the month, at present, Unicom WCDMA Lumia 520 has appeared on 360buy Jingdong Mall [http://www.360buy.com, see 360buy on Wikipedia], and concrete prices are given.
The Jingdong product page displayed Lumia 520 W-CDMA price of 1299 yuan [$209], with pre-ordering in the country starting from March 25 (next Monday), and the first batch of Lumia 520 will be available in lemon yellow, twilight black and sky blue color selections.
…
Update: Nokia Brings Innovation to India; Launches Affordable Lumia 520 and Lumia 720 [Telecom Talk, March 20, 2013]
… will be available for sale from early April 2013. The Nokia Lumia 520 seems to be the Nokia’s most affordable Windows 8 smartphone with a price of approx. Rs 10, 500 [$193] while that of Lumia 720 will be around Rs. 20,000 [$368].
Note that compared to the lowest Lumia 620 price in India at $263 [Rs 14, 299] the Lumia 520 is quite attractively priced for the Indian market.
Update: Nokia Lumia 520 Hand On Review, Price In India and Features [intellectdigest YouTube channel, March 20, 2013]
Update: The Nokia Lumia 520: Made in Beijing [Nokia Conversations, Feb 28, 2013]
Unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Nokia Lumia 520 is the most affordable Windows Phone 8 powered Lumia that Nokia has released so far.
It offers tremendous value for money without compromising on its good looks and is still packed full of eye-grabbing features such as a 4-inch super sensitive touch screen, Nokia’s unique camera lenses such as Cinemagraph and Smart Shoot, as well as changeable shells.
In short, the Lumia 520 offers an innovative and rich smartphone experience at a highly competitive price point.
The product team behind the Nokia Lumia 520 wanted to create a smartphone for a mass market and, especially, for young people. Currently, there is no market bigger than the one in China and, in fact, the Lumia 520 was developed out of Nokia’s Beijing site.
We spoke to Mikko Kahlos, the Lumia 520’s lead product manager, about the team behind this smartphone, the difference it makes working in Asia and why he enjoyed making this device more than any other.
What was the guiding principle for the team behind the Nokia Lumia 520?
From the beginning it was important that we wanted to make it affordable. So what does that mean? We really kept that in our minds and stayed on target with everything that we did.
What are the major roles within the team?
We had a programme manager who was driving the overall R&D work and a technology manager who was ensuring that the quality was what we wanted.
I was the guardian of the consumers so that the market could see we had made a valuable smartphone that we could differentiate against the competition.
So it was us three who were running the show, but in reality this was a team effort.
How did you approach the task?
One of the first things we did was create a ‘war room’ where we worked really intensively for the first few months so that we were constantly interacting. So when we made the first decisions everybody was there.
I feel that discussions are more effective when all people involved are next to each other and share a common goal. We were able to do an excellent job with clear guidance on where to go.
How strong was the Chinese influence?
Although the Lumia 520 is a global product, the team behind the phone kept it in mind that this was a smartphone made in China, for China.
Most of the people on our team are Chinese and also new to Nokia. What makes the group even more fascinating is that more than half of the team were making their first mobile phone ever, having worked previously with suppliers, other companies or elsewhere in Nokia.
They had a real challenger mindset and an opportunity to show what they can do. With guidance and support from the more experienced guys in the team, they did a great job!
How proud are you of the Nokia Lumia 520, considering it’s such a new team?
I have done products for five years in Nokia and I have enjoyed this one the most. With this product, we have experienced the Asian culture, how people here work and how they succeed.
It is great to see people doing their absolute best and enjoying being part of something great.
This is the youngest and least experienced team ever in Nokia to have made a phone. We’ve been able to do it in the fastest time ever too. If you put all this together we have a lot to celebrate.
The Compact Nokia Lumia 620 — Marko Ahtisaari, Nokia Design Team [nokia YouTube channel, March 13, 2013]
Update: Nokia signals China ambitions [China Daily via China.org.cn, March 7, 2013]
This year could be a tipping point for Windows Phone device manufacturers such as Nokia Oyj with early indications the handsets have achieved a good start in major smartphone markets including China, according to the boss of Nokia China.
In an exclusive interview with China Daily, Gustavo Eichelmann, chief executive officer of Nokia China, expressed confidence in Nokia’s turnaround in China, as well as in the global smartphone market in 2013.
Mexico-born Eichelmann took the job in China amid a turbulent time. He has been the third China chief since Nokia devoted itself to developing smartphones on Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system in 2011.
Finland-based Nokia held almost half of the smartphone market share in China more than two years ago, but the figure slipped to a mere 2.4 percent in the fourth quarter last year, according to Beijing-based firm Analysys International.
“It is because it has only just begun,” Eichelmann said. “Think about iPhone and Android devices in their first six months. If you look at the Windows Phone, its trajectory is actually right on track. There will be an increasing but gradual acceleration in 2013. If we fast-forward to 2016 and we look back, you will see that 2013 was the turning point in terms of changing the trajectory.”
One of the possible reasons why Windows Phone devices may enjoy greater popularity is because more people will get to know about the platform. Microsoft, the developer of the Windows Phone operating system, has begun introducing Windows PCs and Windows tablets with exactly the same user interface.
“More people know about the system. The viral effect – word of mouth – is starting to take place,” Eichelmann said.
Competitive market
Stephen Elop, CEO of Nokia Corp, said at the end of last year that China is the biggest market globally for Nokia’s Lumia series Windows Phone devices.
The company launched its first Lumia smartphone in China in early 2012. Since then Nokia has introduced eight Lumia models to the Chinese market.
Across the world, Nokia remains the No 1 Windows Phone vendor, with a market share of 78 percent, compared with HTC Corp’s 14 percent and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s 6 percent, according to a Forbes report.
The company sold 4.4 million Lumia smartphones worldwide in the fourth quarter. Nokia Lumia 920, the latest Nokia flagship smartphone that runs on the Windows Phone 8 operating system, received “extremely encouraging feedback” from Chinese clients, Eichelmann added.
“The simple target for Nokia in China this year is growth,” he said.
From subways and shopping malls to chic flagship stores in Beijing, various Nokia advertisements, fronted by Chinese singers and movie stars, have been attracting people’s attention.
Li Yan is a 28-year-old worker in the finance industry in Beijing who wants a new smartphone. “The first mobile phone brand that popped into my mind was Nokia. It seems that I have a natural affection for the brand,” Li said.
When Li was a college student, her father sent her a Nokia device. It was the first mobile phone she ever owned. There are millions of people in China like Li that adopted Nokia as an integral part of their lives.
“Compared with other international smartphone vendors such as Apple and HTC, one of the major advantages of Nokia in China is its branding,” said Yan Xiaojia, a telecom analyst at Analysys International.
Nokia has had a presence in China for more than two decades and the company has about 250 million users in the country.
But Li was not very comfortable with the Windows Phone system. “I used an Android phone before so when I tried the new Nokia models I needed time to get used to them,” she said. Eventually she gave up and bought an iPhone 4S.
In a China Mobile outlet in Changchun, in Jilin province, salesman Zhao Xin said many people were curious about Nokia phones, especially the latest Lumia 920, but there were too few in stock and the outlet missed out on the traditional Spring Festival shopping season.
“The biggest winners now are domestic brands, such as Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE. People buy them because they are good quality and also are much cheaper,” Zhao said.
“The Chinese market is highly competitive. The dynamics of the competition are probably the most advanced I have ever seen,” Eichelmann said. With about 1.1 billion mobile phone subscribers, China attracts a lot of industry players both at home and abroad.
“The product cycle in China’s smartphone market is the fastest. Nokia needs to drive the consistency of its brand and innovation,” he said.
Chinese rivals emerged and gradually snatched the market share that Nokia lost. Huawei, the Shenzhen-based telecom giant, rose to become the world’s third-largest smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter last year, with a 4.9 percent market share worldwide, according to a report issued by International Data Corp.
In contrast, Nokia’s China ranking dropped to fifth place in the first half of 2012, from the top position at the end of 2011, according to research by IHS.
Samsung topped the list and shipped more than double the number of smartphones than Nokia managed, gaining a market share of 20.8 percent – 14.4 million smartphones – in the first six months of last year, IHS said.
Nokia faced the most direct competition in the territory of Windows Phone devices. Taiwan-based HTC jumped ahead of Nokia to launch the first Windows Phone 8 handset in the Chinese mainland. Samsung, ZTE and Huawei have also expressed an ambition to develop Windows Phones.
“Nokia welcomes the competition, and the competition fuels the strength of the Windows Phone ecosystem,” Eichelmann said. Among all the devices, Nokia definitely has its own unique qualities, he said.
The latest Nokia smartphone Lumia 920 has the ability to synchronize content between Windows Phone 8 smartphones, Windows 8-based PCs, tablets and the Xbox, said Flann Gao, Nokia China communications manager.
There are other innovative functions as well, he added. The Nokia City Lens, one of the highlights, is an augmented reality software that gives dynamic information about users’ surroundings. “City Lens makes finding the best of what’s around you as simple and natural as looking through the smartphone display,” Gao said.
“Nokia has a unique position within the latest Windows Phone 8 ecosystem. All our best work and resources is on the Windows Phone 8,” Eichelmann said.
What’s next?
Unlike other international smartphone players such as Apple that focus mainly on the North American market, Nokia has long positioned the Chinese market as its top priority.
Eichelmann said Nokia would be part of China’s progression as it enters the fourth generation mobile network age. Rumors have circulated that China is likely to kick off the 4G commercial rollout in the second half of this year. China Mobile Ltd, the nation’s biggest telecom carrier, is conducting large-scale 4G trials in 13 Chinese cities.
Eichelmann did not respond directly to questions as to whether Nokia would develop smartphones suitable for the Chinese homegrown TD-LTE 4G technology but did say: “Clearly that’s something we will be part of.”
In order to revive its Chinese market performance, Nokia has also started to cooperate with local e-commerce websites and expand its online sales in the country.
“Online shopping is booming in China,” Eichelmann said. He emphasized the importance of e-commerce but said Nokia will not open its own mobile phone e-store, a step that Chinese rivals Xiaomi Corp and Huawei have already taken.
“Nokia will strengthen cooperation with third party e-commerce websites,” Eichelmann said. All future Nokia devices will sell through online and offline channels in China simultaneously.
360buy.com, China’s second-largest business-to-consumer e-commerce retailer, agreed to buy 2 billion yuan ($320 million) of mobile phones from Nokia this year.
About 30 million mobile phones were expected to be sold online in China last year, up 68 percent from 2011, according to a report issued by SINO Market Research. The growth rate is more than 10 times that for mobile phones that were sold in offline outlets during the period, according to the report.
Update: Nokia takes high-end innovation to new audiences at Mobile World Congress [Nokia press release, Feb 25, 2013]
Nokia Lumia 720 [Windows Phone 8 with Long Battery Life] and Nokia Lumia 520 [Affordable Windows Phone with Dual Core Processor]
deliver high-end Lumia innovation to more affordable price points [at 27% lower entry price for the new Lumia 520, see the Lumia 620 for $249 vs. Lumia 520 for $182 (excluding taxes and subsidies) in the comparison table below]Nokia also announced that following the launch of the Nokia Lumia 920T by China Mobile last year, the world’s biggest mobile operator would bring the Nokia Lumia 720 and the Nokia Lumia 520 to China. Further details on exact availability will be announced in due course.
Update:
– A closer look at the Nokia Lumia 520 and 720 [Conversations by Nokia blog, Feb 27, 2013]
– Have more fun with the Nokia Lumia 520 [Conversations by Nokia blog, Feb 25, 2013]
– Sleek stylish Nokia Lumia 720 [Conversations by Nokia blog, Feb 25, 2013]
– 10 things you need to know about the Nokia Lumia 720 [Conversations by Nokia blog, Feb 26, 2013]
– An innovative approach to imaging with the Nokia Lumia 720 [Conversations by Nokia blog, Feb 27, 2013]
Nokia’s imaging experts followed a familiar path to the acclaimed Nokia Lumia 920 when creating the camera for the Nokia Lumia 720, with a mission to let people capture stunning images at both day and night.
Essential comparison: [+ Source 1, Source 2]
With this announcement the entry to mid-range Nokia Lumia superphones are based on the same SoC from Qualcomm: Snapdragon S4 MSM8227, 1.0 GHz dual-core Krait 200, Adreno 305.
| Lumia 520 | Lumia 620 | Lumia 720 |
| Affordable Windows Phone with Dual Core Processor | Windows Phone 8 with MS Office | Windows Phone 8 with Long Battery Life |
| EUR 139 [$182] excluding taxes and subsidies from March’13 (Hong Kong, Vietnam first) and Q2’13 (elsewhere) |
$249 excluding taxes and subsidies from Jan’13 on (Asia first) |
EUR 249 [$326] excluding taxes and subsidies from March’13 (Hong Kong, Vietnam first) and Q2’13 (elsewhere) |
| 4 inches | 3.8 inches | 4.3 inches |
| IPS Luminance 600 RGB Stripe TFT |
ClearBlack RGB Stripe TFT |
IPS, ClearBlack
Corning® Gorilla® Glass |
|
EDGE Class B |
EDGE Class B |
EDGE Class B |
| Snapdragon S4 MSM8227 1.0 GHz dual-core Krait 200 Adreno 305 |
Snapdragon S4 MSM8227 1.0 GHz dual-core Krait 200 Adreno 305 |
Snapdragon S4 MSM8227 1.0 GHz dual-core Krait 200 Adreno 305 |
| 2 Microphones | 2 Microphones | 2 Microphones |
| 3D Accelerometer Ambient Light Sensor Proximity Sensor |
3D Accelerometer Ambient Light Sensor Compass (Magnetometer Sensor) Proximity Sensor |
3D Accelerometer Ambient Light Sensor Compass(Magnetometer Sensor) Proximity Sensor |
| Positioning: A-GPS CellID GLONASS GPS SA-GPS WiFi positioning |
Positioning: A-GPS CellID GLONASS GPS SA-GPS WiFi positioning |
Positioning: A-GPS CellID GLONASS GPS SA-GPS WiFi positioning |
| 2592 x 1936 pixels 5.0 Megapixels f/2.4 aperture |
2592 x 1936 pixels 5.0 Megapixels f/2.4 aperture |
2848 x 2144 pixels 6.7 Megapixels f/1.9 aperture |
| Auto and Manual White Balance, Continuous Auto Focus, Full Screen Viewfinder, Geotagging, Lenses Applications, Still Image Editor, Touch Focus
+ LED Flash |
Auto and Manual White Balance, Continuous Auto Focus, Geotagging, Lenses Applications, Still Image Editor, Touch Focus |
Auto and Manual White Balance, Continuous Auto Focus, Geotagging, Lenses Applications, Still Image Editor, Touch Focus |
| 1280 x 720 pixels video recording resolution |
1280 x 720 pixels video recording resolution |
1280 x 720 pixels video recording resolution |
| – | Video Call | Video Call |
|
Audio Streaming |
Audio Streaming |
Audio Streaming |
| – | Secondary Camera: 640 x 480 pixels – f/2.4 aperture |
Secondary Camera: 1280 x 960 pixels – f/2.4 aperture |
| 512 MB RAM | 512 MB RAM | 512 MB RAM |
| – | NFC Secure NFC |
NFC Secure NFC |
| USB Charging | USB Charging | USB Charging |
| up to 14.8 hours talk time – – up to 360 hours standby time |
–
up to 14.6 hours talk time (GSM) |
up to 23.4 hours talk time – – up to 520 hours standby time |
Update: Compact, vibrant, and lots of fun: our Nokia Lumia 620 hands-on [Conversations by Nokia blog, Feb 24, 2013]
Update*: Nokia 620 in China as of Feb 5, 2013 [Windows Phone 8 with MS Office]
Merchants offer: ¥ 1665 [$267] to ¥ 1899 [$305] a total of 521 businesses
*Note that The first Windows Phone 4Afrika from Huawei for $150 = Huawei Ascend W1 for $240 (in China) and more elsewhere [Feb 5, 2013] and the device is using the 1.2 GHz MSM8230, a higher level SoC (with essential difference of 1080p video vs. Lumia 620’s 720p video from MSM82227) – see the SoC comparison
Now there only one hole is left between the Lumia 620 and 820 (presumably will be Lumia 720 when launched).
See also my companion post: Marko Ahtisaari from Nokia and Steven Guggenheimer from Microsoft on the Internet of Things day of LeWeb Paris’12 [December 6] from which you could watch this short video as a teaser:
Regarding the new products below the Windows Phone 8 based Lumias (Lumia 620 … Lumia 920) see:
– With Asha Touch starting at $83 and Lumia at $186 Nokia targeting the entry-level and low-end smartphone markets–UPDATED [Dec 19, 2012] new entry prices and Lumia 505 (? $220 ?) with AMOLED ClearBlack and Gorilla Glass [Nov 1 – Dec 19, 2012]
- Nokia introduces new Nokia Lumia 620 [Nokia press release, Dec 5, 2012]
- Nokia Lumia 620 Data Sheet [Nokia, Dec 5, 2012]
- Detailed specifications for the Nokia Lumia 620 [Nokia, Dec 5, 2012]
- The family is growing: Nokia Lumia 620 [Nokia Conversations blog, Dec 5, 2012]
- Nokia Partners with China Mobile to Launch the Lumia 920T, the First TD-SCDMA Windows Phone [Nokia press release, Dec 5, 2012]
- China welcomes the most innovative smartphone [Nokia Conversations blog, Dec 5, 2012]
- Nokia Lumia 920T product page [Nokia China (in Chinese), Dec 5, 2012]
- Nokia’s Lumia deal with China Mobile raises hopes [Reuters, Dec 5, 2012]
For the already available Lumia 820 and 920 models see my earlier:
– Core post: Unique differentiators of Nokia Lumia 920/820 innovated for high-volume superphone markets of North America, Europe and elsewhere [Sept 6 – Nov 13, 2012]
With this Nokia established the sweet spot at $250 (list) for the entry-level of the Windows Phone 8 superphones. Note that there is already a lower level sweet spot defined by the company for the Windows Phone 7.5/7.8 smartphones described in my earlier post: With Asha Touch starting at $83 and Lumia at $186 Nokia targeting the entry-level and low-end smartphone markets [Nov 1, 2012] With Asha Touch starting at $83 [Feb 22: $65] and Lumia at $186 [Feb 22: $168] Nokia targeting the entry-level and low-end smartphone markets–UPDATED [Dec 19, 2012] new entry prices and Lumia 505 (? $220 ?) with AMOLED ClearBlack and Gorilla Glass
Specifications and prices compared for the whole WP8 range of Lumias from Nokia
Specifications are shown here by essential differences between the next to each other models as moving up on the range (source Compare Mobile Devices on Nokia Developer):
Nokia Lumia 620: $249 excluding taxes and subsidies
will begin selling in January 2013 in Asia, followed closely by Europe and the Middle East before expanding further
Essential differences:
| Lumia 620 | Lumia 820 |
| 3.8 inches | 4.3 inches |
| ClearBlack RGB Stripe TFT |
AMOLED, ClearBlack |
|
EDGE Class B |
EDGE Class B |
| Snapdragon S4 MSM8227 1.0 GHz dual-core Adreno 305 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 1.5 GHz dual-core Adreno 225 |
| 2 Microphones | 2 High Dynamic Range Microphones |
| – | Gyroscope |
| 2592 x 1936 pixels 5.0 Megapixels f/2.4 aperture |
3264 x 2448 pixels 8.0 Megapixels f/2.2 aperture |
|
Auto and Manual White Balance, Continuous Auto Focus, Geotagging, Lenses Applications, Still Image Editor, Touch Focus |
all that + Auto and Manual Exposure Carl Zeiss Optics Dual-LED Flash |
| 1280 x 720 pixels video recording resolution |
1920 x 1080 pixels video recording resolution Video Stabilization |
|
Audio Streaming |
all that + Dolby Headphone |
| 512 MB RAM | 1 GB RAM |
| USB Charging | USB Charging Qi Wireless Charging |
| up to 14.6 hours talk time (GSM) up to 9.9 hours talk time (WCDMA) up to 330 hours standby time (GSM/WCDMA) up to 61 hours music playback time |
up to 15.4 hours talk time (GSM) up to 8.1 hours talk time (WCDMA) up to 360 hours standby time (GSM/WCDMA) up to 61 hours music playback time |
[Nokia Lumia 720: TBD later as here is a definite hole in the WP8 Lumia range]
Nokia Lumia 820:
- Mobile City Online, Unlocked Import:
$699.99$599.99 - Amazon, LTE 8GB/1GB Ram: $644.99
- Best Buy, AT&T LOCKED unactivated – Black: $479.99
- in India: Rs. 25000 $458
Essential differences:
| Lumia 820 | Lumia 920 and Lumia 920T |
| 480 x 800 pixels screen resolution | 768 x 1280 pixels screen resolution |
| 4.3 inches | 4.5 inches |
| AMOLED, ClearBlack |
ClearBlack |
| 2 High Dynamic Range Microphones | 3 High Dynamic Range Microphones |
| 3264 x 2448 pixels 8.0 Megapixels f/2.2 aperture |
3552 x 2448 pixels 8.7 Megapixels f/2 aperture |
| Auto and Manual Exposure, Auto and Manual White Balance, Carl Zeiss Optics, Continuous Auto Focus, Dual-LED Flash, Geotagging, Lenses Applications, Still Image Editor, Touch Focus | all on the left + Optical Image Stabilization, Pixel Size 1.4 µm, Sensor Size 1/3″, Sensor Type: BSI |
|
Video Call |
all on the left + Optical Image Stabilization |
| 640 x 480 pixels secondary camera | 1280 x 960 pixels with f/2.4 aperture etc. |
| 8GB internal memory | 32GB internal memory |
| up to 15.4 hours talk time (GSM) up to 8.1 hours talk time (WCDMA) up to 360 hours standby time (GSM/WCDMA) up to 61 hours music playback time |
up to 18.6 hours talk time (GSM) up to 10.8 hours talk time (WCDMA) up to 360 hours standby time(GSM/WCDMA) up to 74 hours music playback time |
Nokia Lumia 920:
- Mobile City Online, Unlocked Import – Black:
$799.99$699.99 - Best Buy, AT&T LOCKED unactivated – Red: $599.99
- Amazon, AT&T LOCKED [unactivated] – White: $649
- Amazon, LTE 32GB/1GB Ram AT&T LOCKED– YELLOW:
$899.99$729 - in India: Rs. 32000 $587
Nokia Lumia 920T:
- China Mobile, without contract: RMB 4599 $738
The Lumia 920T will be available for order by the end of the year.
Essential differences:
| Lumia 920 | Lumia 920T |
|
EDGE Class B |
EDGE Class B |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 | Snapdragon S4 |
| Secure NFC |
NFC |
| 10.8 hours talk time (WCDMA) | 18.8 hours talk time (TD-SCDMA) |
Note that the Lumia 920T will definitely have the TD version of LTE as well as soon as that is licensed to China Mobile by the government.
$99 Android 4.0.3 7” IPS tablet with an Allwinner SoC capable of 2160p Quad HD and built-in HDMI–another inflection point, from China again
[This is a huge, compiled collection basically finished in September, 2012. Contains updates till November, 2012. It was published in early December, 2012. A new USD 99 Allwinner blog was launched on Nov 30, 2012 based on this compilation. Please read the two entry posts of that as well: The upcoming Chinese tablet and device invasion lead by the Allwinner SoCs and $40 entry-level Allwinner tablets–now for the 220 million students Aakash project in India in order to understand very quickly that It’s a Strategic Inflection Point of enourmous consequences, and not only for the ICT industry.]
Or it is first time that we can see globally that China is on a different, significantly more effective price/performance/functionality trajectory of its own than anybody else. Even the latest challengers to the already fading Wintel empire will be affected by this. We should therefore understand: 1. The new challenge—2. The learnings from similar fundamental shifts in the history of ICT—3. The current market for this new industry trajectory—4. The initial advantage that made possible this trajectory—5. The most significant new customer value which will assure its global victory in the end—6. The current way of thinking of the established client device players.—7. Possible further hardware advances sustaining this new trajectory.
Inside PRC the situation is even more dramatic. Below you could see 3 market leading products on the mainland China market as was indicated on Sept 25 by vast and quite sophisticated marketplace information of PConline, the largest portal in the PRC specialising in IT product-related content, in terms of advertising revenue. The type of SoC used in those products is shown in blue ink. A13 and A10 are from Allwinner Technology, while RK3066 is from Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics. Both are quite successful SoC companies founded in China. Information about these tablets will be given in section 3. The Teclast & Window tablets shown below are also available globally for $120 and $215 respectively.
Update: All three tablets essentially have kept their position up to now (Dec 3). The price of Teclast P75D even went down to ￥499 i.e. $80 at one of the dealers, three of the dealers have price between ￥594 and ￥599, i.e. between $95 and $96, while 5 others still selling it for ￥699 i.e. $112 by today’s exchange rate. This is showing clearly that the $99 pricing for the HAIPAD i7 is realistic even in terms of the hottest tablet of such kind on the mainland China market which has ￥646 i.e. $104 across all of its dealers on PConline.
At the same time the unchanged ￥259 i.e. $41.5 price of Andorra A713 clearly shows the fact that for a non-IPS 7” tablet with the Allwinner A13 SoC, essentially a constrained to 512M RAM version of A10 with no HDMI output, there is a well established entry-level price in China. Note that the A713 tablet has a capacitive multi-touch (5-point touch) screen, so it is not a kind of cheap resistive screen variety of tablets.
This whole story will end in section 7. with the even more dramatic development of a PCMCIA card (or as was renamed PC Card) format package called EOMA-68 (see: Embedded Open Modular Architecture), which contains a whole computer with an Allwinner A10 SoC, 1GB of RAM, 1 to 16 GB of NAND Flash etc. All this for a target price of $15. Almost all interfaces available of the Allwinner A10 SoC have been made available on the 55x85mm credit-card-sized card, including both Transport Streams, SIM Card, PATA, the 24-pin Camera Interface, both 24-pin LCD Interfaces, VGA, Composite Video (CVBS), SPDIF, AC97, I2S, GPS, CAN-Bus, Infrared, and many more. This is in addition to the standard EOMA-68 Interfaces of Ethernet, I2C, SATA, LCD 24-pin RGB/TTL, USB2 and 16 GPIO pins.
While this is a FLOSS-related initiative rooted in UK, the hardware part is fully based on mainland China companies, including Allwinner Technology. What is the benefit for the FLOSS-people could be much more for the Chinese industry network already moving along a much faster and more effective trajectory than the outside world. To me it can go as far as a SoC vendor like Allwinner Technology will be able to produce these type of cards as well which will significantly enhance the possibilities and worldwide competitiveness of the hundreds of independent manufacturers is Shenzhen, Zhuhai and elsewhere in PRC. As a consequence the consumer equipment prices could go down even more and/or functionaly, as well as quality, could be risen even more.
Meanwhile the SoC and subsequent Android tablet competition is intensifying very-very fast inside PRC as evidenced by this latest Overview of the latest/best 7″ Tablets out of Shenzhen China [Charbax YouTube channel, Oct 28, 2012]:
Finally there is an even stronger newcomer, Nufront already on the Chinese SoC market, also posing the greatest challenge to Allwinner for the next year as it stands on Nov 1. We are talking about the Taishan platform with:
The NS115 mobile computing chip, a dual-core ARM Cortex™-A9 MPCore™ processor up to 1.5GHz and Mali™-400 MP GPU implementation, features 1080P HD encode/decode and support of Android 4.0
which justifies a whole section of its own to describe the whole strength of:
8. The Nufront challenge coming from inside
All those finding are compiled into this very large composite post on my trend-tracking blog here, which has the following sections with final names reflecting better the individual section contents as:
- The new challenge
- A proper recollection of what happened to Intel’s memory business
- The market and industry situation reflecting this new inflection point
- The Allwinner advantage 全志
- The wireless display and 2160p (“Quad HD”/4K) outlook
- Are the established client device players recognizing this strategic inflection point or not?
- Possible further hardware advances sustaining this new trajectory
- The Nufront challenge coming from inside
Please go through those compiled sections at least by reading the emphasized texts which I’ve put everywhere to make fast reading possible.
Note as well that section 2. is also on a new blog of mine, USD 99 Allwinner, as an expanded version standing on its own and made accessible from every post there via It’s a Strategic Inflection Point page.
Finally, on this new blog you will find the USD 99 Allwinner page as well which, besides providing the rationale for the naming and the existence of that blog, will summarize my current (Dec. 1) opinion about the mobile device market for 2013, especially the threat which may force Microsoft and Intel to adjust their current strategies radically.
1. The new challenge
HAIPAD I7 IPS 1024*600 Multitouch Screen with Android 4.0 Dual Camera 1080P HDMI [Merimobiles.com, Sept 10, 2012]
List Price:
$269.99Your Price: $99.99 [with free shipping worldwide]
[when it became available in April’12 it was briefly $137.99 already]
[more tablets of this kind coming to the market too, e.g. the $99 Dragon]Haipad i7 Android ICS 7” capacitive IPS Thin Tablet Review – Allwinner A10 Merimobiles ColonelZap [SchlumpfiHB YouTube channel, April 15, 2012]
TECH SPECS:
Warranty:
– 1 Year, click here for detailsCPU:
– Allwinner A10 1.2 GHzOS:
– Android 4.0.3Memory:
– 1GB DDR3 Ram, 8GB Nandflash built in
– Extend Memory up to 32GB via micro sd cardScreen:
– 7 inch IPS 5 points Capacitive Multitouch
– 1024*600Audio:
– Stereo Speaker
– 3.5MM headphone jack
– Supports: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, QCP, MP3, WMA, WAV, MIDI, M4AVideo:
– 1080P,WMV/ASF/MP4/
3GP/3G2M4V/AVI/MJPEG/RV10/DivX/
VC-1/MPEG-2/
MPEG-4/H.263/H.264
– 1280*720P HD 30 fps, 1080P,720*480 D1 30fps
– Real-time Video decodeCamera:
Front 0.3MP camera,
back 2.0MPBattery:
– 3600mAhFeatures and highlights: – Allwinner A10
– 8GB Nandflash
– 3D G- Sensor
– 802.11b/g,support WAPI
– Capacitive touching panel multi-point( 5 point touch)
– OTG and host expand
– USB2.0 data transfer
– Micro 5pin USB
– Supports mouse, external keyboard
– HDMI output
– Multilanguage support
– Excellent Ebook reader
– Weather on line
– Web Browser
– Slim body
– Sound Card:AC97
– 196.3*122.3*8.5mm
– standby time:36 hours
– working time:4~5hours (play video online)Package Content:
HAIPAD I7
Earphone
USB Cable
Charger
Color:
Gray
Language:
English
Regarding the multimedia capabilities I will suggest to go through a review of a similar tablet: MPMan MID74c (NATPC Primatab 7″) tablet review part 3: multimedia and HD video playing capabilities (Boxchip Allwinner A10) [ARCHTABLET NEWS, May 25, 2012]. Two videos are included there as well!
As you can see this process was well visible much earlier, in the beginning of Q2 2012 at the latest. Besides the September milestone of reaching the $99 cost with such a high-quality IPS tablet, another impetus for me to write this post was a last Sunday’s article titled Hardware is dead [VentureBeat, September 15, 2012]:
I go to China every four or five months for work. I have to visit all the corporate headquarters in Beijing and Shanghai, but the highlight of every trip is the day I spend at Hua Qiang Road North in Shenzhen. Pretty much every piece of electronics we use today is sourced and manufactured within 100 miles of Shenzhen, and Hua Qiang is the city’s electronics shopping district.
On my last trip, in July, I met a ‘procurement’ consultant, and he told me which of the 50 mega malls in the area to visit to buy tablets.
In the US, when we talk about tablets we usually mean the iPad and increasingly the Kindle devices, but beyond that there is not much else in the market. I had heard that tablets in China had already reached low price points. You can buy a reasonable Android phone for $100 retail, and I wanted to see if I could find a $150 tablet. This consultant pointed me to a mall filled with hundreds of stalls selling nothing but tablets. I walked into the middle of the scrum to a random stall. I pointed to one of the devices on display and asked, “How much for this one?” 300 kuai. My Mandarin is a bit rusty, so I had to ask again. Slowly, the stall owner repeated renminbi 300 yuan.
If this were a movie, the lights would have dimmed and all the activity in the room frozen. 300 renminbi is US $ 45. And that was the initial offer price given to a bewildered foreigner in China, no haggling. I felt a literal shock.
I bought the device and did some more research. This was a 7-inch tablet, Wi-Fi only with all the attributes of a good tablet. Capacitive touchscreen. Snappy processor. Front facing camera. 4GB of internal memory and an expandable memory slot.
I later found out that these devices are now all over the supply chain in Shenzhen. At volume, say 20,000 units, you can get them for $35 apiece. My device ran full Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and had access to the full Google API, including Gmail, Maps, YouTube and Google Play (not quite sure how that works either).
Once my heart started beating again, the first thing I thought was, “I thought the screen alone would cost more than $45.” My next thought was, “This is really bad news for anyone who makes computing hardware.”
…
My contacts in the supply chain tell me they expect these devices to ship 20 million to 40 million units this year. Most of these designs are powered by a processor from a company that is not known outside China —
All Winner[Allwinner]. As a result, we have heard the tablets referred to as “A-Pads.”When I show this tablet to people in the industry, they have universally shared my shock. And then they always ask “Who made it?.” My stock answer is “Who cares?” But the truth of it is that I do not know. There was no brand on the box or on the device. I have combed some of the internal documentation and cannot find an answer. This is how far the Shenzhen electronics complex has evolved. The hardware maker literally does not matter. Contract manufacturers can download a reference design from the chip maker and build to suit customer orders. If I had 20,000 friends and an easy way to import these into the US, I would put my own name on it and hand them out as a business cards or Chanukah gifts.
I think this leads to an important conclusion: No one can make money selling hardware anymore. The only way to make money with hardware is to sell something else and get consumers to pay for the whole device and experience.
…
Postscript
I thought discovering the A-Pad was pretty exciting. So I was dismayed to find that the week after I got back from China, a device that looks a lot like my A-Pad was on sale at Fry’s Electronics for $79. No brand listed. The process has already begun.
Jay Goldberg is a financial analyst with an investment bank. He has been working with tech companies for ten years. Prior to that he lived and worked in China for almost 10 years.
A morale of this story is not the one written in the title of the article, i.e. it is not true at all that “hardware is dead”, rather we are witnessing again an old phenomenon first discovered by Intel’s Andy Grove back in the 80’s and coined with a term “[strategic inflection point]”. With no proper representations in places like Wikipedia (don’t confuse with mathemetical concept only included there) you better search the web with the phrase:
“Andy Grove” “inflection point” Japanese “memory chips”
For me the best quote for my initial purposes here is from the permitted excerpt of Andy Grove’s famous Only the Paranoid Survive [Sept 1, 1996] book, reformatted for more immediate recognition of the intended meanings as follows:
I’ll describe what a strategic inflection point is a bit later in this book. For now, let me just say that a strategic inflection point is a time in the life of a business when its fundamentals are about to change. That change can mean an opportunity to rise to new heights. But it may just as likely signal the beginning of the end.
…
You can be the subject of a strategic inflection point but you can also be the cause of one. Intel, where I work, has been both.
In the mid-eighties, the Japanese memory producers brought upon us an inflection point so overwhelming that it forced us out of memory chips and into the relatively new field of microprocessors.
The microprocessor business that we have dedicated ourselves to has since gone on to cause the mother of all inflection points for other companies, bringing very difficult times to the classical mainframe computer industry.
Having both been affected by strategic inflection points and having caused them, I can safely say that the former is tougher.
Next I should give a brief explanation for “changing fundamentals of a business”. As is obvious from the recollection given below (section 2.) there were certain assumptions on which Intel’s original DRAM business was based upon. These assumptions were questioned by its Japanese competitors entering the lucrative DRAM market, first time winning against Intel in 1979 with better manufacturing yields and then by 1982 in terms of overall manufacturing competence as well. Equally important was that Intel was not able to remedy the situation although the symptoms were well recognized and seemingly effective actions were taken as well.
Please study that recollection first and then the sections which follow after that and which describe the observable facts about this very latest strategic inflection point. You will be able to both understand the current situation properly (unlike the investment analyst quoted above) as well as to predict the possible outcome of this inflection point for the ICT industry as whole (with the highest probability possible at all). I wish you good reading!
From the brief understanding of the new challenge as given above I should also paraphrase my remaining points of study as:
2. A proper recollection of what happenned to Intel’s memory business
3. The market and industry situation reflecting this new inflection point
4. The Allwinner advantage
5. The wireless display and 2160p (“Quad HD”/4K) outlook
6. Are the established client device players recognizing this strategic inflection point or not?
7. Possible further hardware advances sustaining this new trajectory
2. A proper recollection
of what happened to Intel’s memory business
Exerpts about the factual evidence are taken from the following scientific article:
A PROCESS MODEL OF STRATEGIC BUSINESS EXIT: IMPLICATIONS FOR AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE ON STRATEGY [Robert A. Burgelman, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 17, 193-214 (1996)] (available here for download)
…
Table 1. Key events in the evolution of DRAMs at Intel: 1970-85
1970
E1. Intel introduced the first 1K (kilobit) dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in volume. The product used the new metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) process technology. This process technology was relatively slow but less power consuming than the standard bipolar process technology. Intel was the first successful mover in DRAMs.
1972-74
E2. Intel introduced 4K DRAMs. Intel captured more than 80% of the 4K DRAM market in 1974.
E3. The first competitive challenge came from Mostek, a new startup. Mostek focused on user-friendliness of DRAMs in the 4K DRAM generation.
1976-77
E4. Intel introduced a standard 16K DRAM. Intel captured more than 35% of the 16K DRAM market in 1976.
E5. The competitive challenge from Mostek and others continued. By 1979, Intel’s market share in standard 16K DRAM was less than 5%.
E6. High demand for EPROMs created a shortage in Intel’s manufacturing capacity. For the first time, DRAM manufacturing capacity was shifted toward the higher-margin EPROM products.
1979
E7. Intel introduced the first 5-volt ‘single-power-supply’ 16K DRAM. Single-power supply greatly simplified the user’s design and production tasks. In 1979, Intel was the only supplier of single-power-supply 16K DRAMs and captured a price premium of double the industry average for three-power-supply 16K DRAMs.
E8. Intel expected the 64K DRAM generation to be introduced later and to be based on single power supply. Fujitsu introduced a standard 64K DRAM in 1979 and captured a large market share.
E9. The single-power-supply 16K DRAM remained a small-niche product.
E10. Intel fell behind in manufacturing yields relative to top Japanese producers of DRAMs (Prestowitz, 1988: 46).
1982 E11. Intel’s 64K DRAM with ‘redundancy’ entered production. Redundancy involves adding an extra column of memory elements so that, in the event of a process-induced defect, the auxiliary column could be activated. This allows a defective memory chip (at testing) to be reprogrammed before shipment and to increase yields. Intel expected that ‘redundancy’ would help overcome its disadvantage in manufacturing yields relative to the Japanese, and that the 256K DRAM generation would be based on the redundancy process technology.
E12. However; Fujitsu and Hitachi entered with a standard 256K DRAM in 1982 and captured a large market share.
E13. Intel was now far behind in manufacturing competence relative to the Japanese.
…
…
March 1985
…
E30. COO Andy Grove felt strongly that the burgeoning logic (microprocessor) business needed to get more resources
Summer 1985
…
E34. The General Manager of the Components Group stepped down and was reassigned to another business area. Andy Grove assumed direct operational control over the DRAM exit process. He assigned two senior managers to immediately and fully implement the DRAM exit decision.
October 1985
E35. The decision was reached to close Fab 5 for DRAM production. Fab 5 was to be transformed into a process technology site for microprocessors. Animosity and mistrust between manufacturing and process technology personnel flared at Fab 5.
E36. Andy Grove went to Portland to speak to the group: ‘Welcome to the Mainstream Intel’. That is, Intel the ‘microcomputer company’.
…
Intel’s initial success in the 1K (kilobit) DRAM (1971-73) was due to the ability of its technologists to come up with a process technology that allowed production yields sufficiently high to beat magnetic core memory, which was the industry standard of the day, in the market (E1). Process technology was therefore viewed by Intel management as the firms’ ‘distinctive competence’ (Selznick, 1957) on which its ability to differentiate its products and get a premium price depended (E7, E11, E18, E22). Having maintained leadership in the 4K DRAM generation (1972-76) (E2, E3), Intel’s process technologists came up with the first 5-volt single-power-supply 16K DRAM in 1979. Intel process technologists decided to focus on the single-power-supply 16K DRAM because they projected a relatively long life cycle for the 16K generation due to the technological challenges posed by the 64K generation (E18). They also believed that the single-power-supply process would eventually dominate the memory industry. They considered it too risky to tackle both the 64K DRAM generation and the single power supply in the same product.
While it is usually difficult to observe distinctive competence independent of the successful product with which it is associated, and the risk of tautology is high, Intel’s pattern of strategic actions offers the opportunity to make independent observations. When changes in the DRAM industry structure shifted the basis of competition from process technology to largescale precision manufacturing, Intel continued to rely on process technology to compete in four successive product generations. The first independent observation concerned the 16K DRAM generation. But, as documented below, inertial deployment of process technology competence was also observed in the 64K, 256K, and 1 Meg (megabit) product generations. Paradoxically, the distinctive competence that provided Intel with its initial competitive advantage became a source of failure later on.
…
Falling behind reinforces the impetus process
Falling behind in the market made it difficult for the DRAM business managers to compete with Intel’s other businesses for resources. Business managers had tried to reposition Intel’s single power-supply 16K DRAM as a niche product that would fetch a higher unit price (‘2x’). They had expected that eventually the whole 16K market would have to go for single-power-supply. This did not happen for the 16K generation, however, and further impetus for exit was gained when the strategy to reposition Intel’s DRAMs as niche products failed (E9; Cogan and Burgelman, 1990).
Repositioning
Intel was already late in the 64K generation and Japanese companies had entered the DRAM market in 1979. In addition, Intel’s 64K product design was flawed and expected to result in uncompetitive low manufacturing yields (E10). The DRAM process technology group responded by introducing a new process technology called ‘redundancy’, as a way to overcome the low yield problem (E11). This new process, however, had a major defect which showed up late in its development. Intel introduced its 64K DRAM with redundancy only in 1982. These delays were fatal for Intel’s strategic position in the 64K generation. A former General Manager of the Memory Components Division (during the early 1980s) said that he took a 1-week trip to see the Intel sales engineers and explain that Intel would be late. He said (Cogan and Burgelman, 1990: 15):
“The sales force was very disappointed in the company’s performance. Any sales force wants a commodity line. It’s an easy sell and sometimes it’s a big sell. That trip was perhaps the most difficult time in my whole career. When I announced we would be late with the product, the implication was that Intel would not be a factor in the 64K generation.”
Having assessed that they were behind in the 64K generation, the DRAM process technology group took another gamble. They had come up with yet another innovative process technology—complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)—which was to eventually supersede the standard n-channel MOS (NMOS) technology. They decided to apply the CMOS technology to a new 64K DRAM product as well as in the 256K generation (E16). This raised the difficult question for the memory components division about how to effect the transition from NMOS to CMOS. The NMOS products had been made at the Chandler (Arizona) facility, but that capacity had been shifted to microcontrollers based on the maxmize margin-per-wafer start rule. In early 1984, the decision was made to phase out the NMOS line (E17).
The former General Manager of the Memory Components Division (during the early 1980s) said that the new business strategy was to reposition Intel in DRAMs. The idea was to create a niche market with premium pricing for 64K and 256K CMOS products, so that Intel could maintain a memory presence while accelerating back into an overall leadership position at the 1 Meg (Megabit) generation. But for both the 64K and 256K DRAM products, the innovative solution did not produce competitive advantage. The large majority of customers for the 64K generation were looking for standard products of high quality (few defect devices) at low prices. Japanese companies provided what customers wanted at very low prices. The Japanese had introduced standard 256K DRAMs in 1982 (E12), and Intel had fallen far behind the Japanese in manufacturing yields (E13). Intel entered with its CMOS 256K product only in 1984, and it remained a small niche product. The former General Manager of the Memory Components Division (during the early 1980s) said that standard DRAMs were being sold at less than half of the price Intel was asking, and the improved performance of the CMOS chips just wasn’t worth it to most customers. Intel’s repositioning effort resulted in completely losing strategic position in the DRAM market. Intel’ s market share shrunk from more than 80 percent in the 4K DRAM generation in 1974 to less than 1 percent in the 256K DRAM generation in 1984 (Cogan and Burgelman, 1990). Repositioning thus failed to reestablish Intel as a key player in the industry. Also, prices for the niche products were lower than expected, making it harder for DRAMs to compete with other products for Intel’s scarce manufacturing resources.
The Director of Technology Development observed that Intel’s DRAM business had entered a ‘death spiral’. In the face of strong competition from Japanese manufacturers, business managers’ focus on the more profitable products and technology development’ s preoccupation with leading-edge processes contributed to missing the
DRAM mainstream market. This led to cutbacks in manufacturing capacity and budgets which made it even more difficult to compete. This manager, in an interview in October 1988, anticipated a similar vicious circle (‘death spiral’) for EPROMs, which had also become a commodity product, and correctly foresaw the decision to exit from EPROM manufacturing, which happened in 1991.
Strategic context
For Intel’s top management, the strategic context of DRAMs had always been very clear. DRAMs had very strong legitimacy. DRAMs was the business that ‘made Intel’, as one senior manager put it, and some top managers, including the CEO, viewed DRAMs as a core business and one that served as technology driver on which the learning curve of the company depended. It was not easy for top management to admit that the legitimacy of DRAMs was vanishing. And it was difficult to decide to exit from DRAMs even though objective analysis seemed to suggest that this was the appropriate course of action in light of Intel’s strategic alternatives.
…
3. The market and industry situation
reflecting this new inflection point
Let’s see first the latest market data by one global analyst companies, IDC:
Source: IDC Expects Smart Connected Device Shipments to Grow by 14% Annually Through 2016, Led by Tablets and Smartphones [IDC press release, Sept 26, 2012]
According to the latest information from China the tablet market is quite underestimated by IDC:
How many tablets does China make, how big is the Chinese market?
80 percent of media tablets made in China are exported
Unit: Million of units
Source: Chinese industry estimates
as China alone will be delivering 50 million tablets this year and the overall Chinese estimate is 155 million units vs. 120 million per IDC:
By volume, the Android tablet sector has grown to an estimated 80 million units, outpacing the 75 million iPads sold by Apple thus far, according to estimates by Rockchip [marketing] vice president Feng Chen.
as reported by Junko Yoshida, ex-editor in chief of EE Times who now has a strong emphasis on China as “a roving reporter”:
in China Fabless: Rockchip rattled by Android tablet wars [Sept 25, 2012]
Just nine months ago, Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics, a developer of apps processor for tablets, looked almost invincible. …
… since then, the Android-based media tablet market has gotten far more competitive. By volume, the Android tablet sector has grown to an estimated 80 million units, outpacing the 75 million iPads sold by Apple thus far, according to estimates by Rockchip [marketing] vice president Feng Chen.
…
At the beginning of 2012, the target price of a 7-inch capacitive screen media tablet featuring Cortex-A8 was $99. That price has since dropped to around $65, due largely to Allwinner, a red-hot Chinese fabless company that has flooded the tablet market with its own turnkey system. … Rockchip’s situation vividly illustrates the challenges most Chinese fabless chip companies now face.
During a recent interview with EE Times here, Rockchip’s Chen said, “This is a new world war we’re fighting.” … Indeed, nearly every apps processor [sic, SoC] vendor here is in a rough spot because “the time-to-market requirement has gotten much shorter,” he noted. “Worse, catching the market rhythm or cycle — at the right time – has become much harder.”
…
“… now, as end-product cycles get shorter, we do everything from designing a chip to developing a board and software that goes around the hardware — literally within a couple of months,” he explained.
In March, for example, Rockchipstarted to design its RK3066, a dual-core Cortex A9 chip with a quad-core Mali-400 GPU. By April [15], it hustled to showcase sample tablets based on the chip at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair. By May, the company began shipping the new apps processor to its customers.…
Note regarding the timing of RK3066 SoC development:
– The initial version of RK3066 datasheet brief is dated Oct 30, 2011. the 1.0 version of it February 15, 2012.
– The RK30xx platform was announced on Feb 27, 2012 with information that “Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with up to 1.4GHz speed, implemented with Artisan Processor Optimization Pack (POP)” and that “Samples of the Rockchip RK30xx platform will be available in March 2012.”
…
Unlike other startups here, Rockchip has been profitable from the start. But as the tablet battle heats up, it also needs to find a way to move to the next level. “We are fighting a world war. We need the world’s top talent.”
The company also needs access to capital. Without it, Rockchip can’t even think about mergers or acquisitions. Organic growth alone won’t get it to the next level, Chen acknowledge, saying he expects consolidation in the Chinese fabless sector but “no Chinese companies want to give up.”
Lastly, Chen said, “We need to be clear on the market” so that Rockchip can choose its battles.
Another of her observation:
– Yoshida in China: How Nokia failed, MediaTek won [Sept 26, 2012]
Earlier this month when I sat down for breakfast here with Feng Chen, vice president of China fabless company Rockchip, he abruptly asked if I knew the “80-3-2 rule.” I had never heard of it.
The subject came up as we were discussing the global media tablet market. Chen, who noted that this is his personal theory, not Rockchip’s, explained: If you design a system (or chip) with performance of at 80 percent compared to the best-in-class product on the market, and if you offer it at one-third the price, you can double the sales volume of your system (chip).
Chen used the media tablet market as an example. Many Android-based tablets with relatively less performance than Apple’s iPad, will eventually exceed sales of iPad in volume, he argued.
In other words, don’t over-engineer it.
Android, along with outsourcing and faster product turnarounds are the key elements that make the 80-3-2 rule possible. The rule also offers a mechanism for getting products in the hands of consumers.
Source: IHS iSuppli
Does the 80-3-2 rule make sense? Sort of.
The chart above illustrates the theory’s flaw: While Apple gets all the profits generated by the iPad, sales revenue for the Android camp is divvied up by many me-too Android tablet and chip suppliers. Presumably those companies, all subscribing to the 80-3-2 rule, are fiercely undercutting one another, further reducing their margins.
So, the 80-3-2 rule is simplicity itself, but it doesn’t look sustainable to me.
Chen’s theory reminded me of something else. The Economist carried a story about “frugal innovation.” The article cited companies like General Electric and India’s Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) that developed new products like a hand-held electrocardiogram (by GE) and a water filter (TCS).
“Instead of adding ever more bells and whistles, they strip the products down to their bare essentials,” embarking on “frugal innovation,” or as it is sometimes called, “reverse innovation,” the Economist explained.
According to the Economist, “Frugal innovation is not just about redesigning products; it involves rethinking entire production processes and business models. Companies need to squeeze costs so they can reach more customers, and accept thin profit margins to gain volume….”
Therein are the dots we can use to connect to Chen’s theory. His 80-3-2 rule also addresses the issue of how a company finds a way to develop a product and a business process to squeeze costs, gain volume and reach millions of new customers.
(Full disclosure here. The Economist article was first pointed out to me by a U.K.-based engineering executive who works for Taiwan’s chip giant MediaTek. He was explaining how MediaTek’s recent success has a lot to do with “frugal innovation.” MediaTek, virtually unknown 10 years ago, is now a power house with huge market share in the Chinese smartphone and media tablet markets.)
MediaTek has fundamentally changed the playbook for the chip industry here, especially for smartphones and tablets. More chip suppliers for smartphones and tablets who are competing with MediaTek are now expected to provide similar “turnkey systems” that MediaTek delivers, rather than just reference designs.
Technology development, especially in the electronics industry, has historically been one-dimensional. It all pretty much comes down to how your engineering team makes a system operate faster, run more apps and features, while consuming less power.
Frugal, or reverse, innovation and the 80-3-2 rule both suggest that it’s time to rethink innovation in more in multi-dimensional terms.
I can think of two good examples for how ignoring reverse innovation costs companies. … Nokia … Japanese LCD TV manufacturers like Sharp …
Her latest report continues with Yoshida in China: ‘Shanzhai’ clouds tablet data [EE Times, Nov 8, 2012]
NEW YORK – The global tablet market may be a lot bigger — perhaps as much as 50 percent bigger — than previously thought depending on how you measure the increasing numbers of “Shanzhai” tablets produced in China.
Loosely translated, “Shanzhai” means white box, as in, no label. These tablets manufactured in China are distinguished from “knockoff” products, which the original Chinese term “Shanzhai” suggests.
Earlier, I wrote about the global market for tablets during the third quarter of this year. According to estimates, shipments reached 27.8 million units.
Several industry sources based in Beijing and Shenzhen responded with notes saying that the math behind the industry estimates didn’t add up. The Chinese observers argue that most estimates ignore the size of the white box tablet market.
Factoring in the number of apps processors shipped by Chinese fabless companies and tablet displays from its panel vendors, the number of white box tablets made in Shenzhen during the third quarter could total as high as 18 million units, Chinese sources claimed.
Add those to the branded tablets sold by Apple, Samsung, Amazon, Asus and Lenovo and the global tablet market in the third quarter jumps to 42.5 million units. That’s 52 percent more than the global total estimated by IDC in 3Q.
This huge gap makes me wonder what other Chinese consumer electronics products are uncounted or under-counted.
One thing to take into account is Chinese fabless chip company Allwinner Technology — how it operates and and how it has taken advantage of the growing white box market.
The applications processor vendor has substantially expanded its market share over the last 18 months, primarily based on the strength of its turnkey system that has been described as “super easy to use” by Chinese industry sources. The solution allegedly makes it a snap for practically any white-box vendor to make media tablets and ramp up production in a Shenzhen minute.
According to sources in Shenzhen, Allwinner holds as much as 60 percent of the white box market and shipped 3.5 million apps processors in August alone. Allwinner is said to have shipped 5 million apps processors in October, generating $30 million revenue (at a $6 average selling price). If true, wow!
The momentum behind white box tablet production in Shenzhen is building. Chinese sources now believe shipments have climbed from 6 million units in August to 9 million in October.
Who’s buying all these tablets?
A source in Beijing describes them as “tablets shipped by no-name brands at about $50.” The end market is not necessarily China, but “mostly emerging economies including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, South America and Africa, etc.” He added that Chinese consumers “have similar tastes and demands as those living in the developed world. They don’t really buy these low-end tablets. They buy iPad or Samsung.”
If true, we may need to rethink not just the size of the booming tablet market, but the consumer revolution triggered by the tablet market well beyond China’s border.
The lack of recognizable brand names makes it that much harder to track unit shipments. Plus, chip shipment figures can be inflated or double-counted. Then there is China’s vast gray market.
Even taking all of those factors in account, the explosion of tablets in emerging markets is no mirage – and it might be spreading much faster than any one imagined.
For example, one source in Shenzhen estimates that annual shipment of white box tablets this year could hit 50 million units.
With all that she (Junko Yoshida) came closest from the West to understand the new ICT phenomenon rooted in China. Now let’s look at what others have come to so far:
The overall tablet market trend is illustrated by IHS iSuppli via the tablet display shipments as follows:
then it is described in Global Tablet Display Shipments to Soar by 56 Percent in 2012 [IHS iSuppli press release, Sept 17, 2012] as:
… [the first part of the press release is essentially giving information which is represented by the diagram above] …
LG and Samsung Dominate Tablet Display Shipments
LG Display and Samsung Display were the main suppliers of tablet displays in the first quarter with 42 percent and 38 percent shipment market share, respectively. Both are market leaders because they make the liquid crystal display (LCD) panels that are used in the iPad, which continued to dominate the media tablet space with a commanding 58 percent of all tablets shipped in the first quarter.
[LG Display holds 70% of iPad panel shipments [DIGITIMES, Sept 20, 2012]: while Samsung Electronics, Sharp and Chimei Innolux (CMI) have all been seeing decreasing shipments … CMI will make up less than 5% of overall iPad panel shipments by the end of the third quarter in 2012.]
Aside from supplying Apple, LGD also furnishes display panels to Amazon and Barnes & Noble, while Samsung provides panels to its internal tablet division. Investments are being made by the two major tablet panel suppliers in capacity allocation and technological improvements to supply high-performance tablet panels and to develop wide-viewing-angle technologies like in-plane switching (IPS) and fringe-field switching (FFS). Both LGD and Samsung Display are also looking to convert amorphous-silicon fabs into making oxide silicon panels to help improve tablet panel resolution, power consumption and overall performance.
Panel Manufacturers Enter the Tablet Panel Fray
Other LCD panel suppliers also are jumping into the fast-growing tablet market. In particular, Japanese suppliers such as Sharp, Japan Display and Panasonic are actively targeting the tablet panel market by dedicating capacity at their Generation 6 and Generation 8 fabs in order to make tablet panels.
Together the capacity allocation this year for small and medium displays by the Japanese is expected to increase 164 percent from last year’s levels, reaching 5.5 million square meters in 2012. Of particular interest is the oxide silicon capacity at Sharp, which has been supplying panels from its G8 fab for the latest iteration of the iPad—also called the new iPad. Another company, Panasonic, is likely to produce 7.x-inch and 8.x-inch tablet panels during the second half of this year.
For their part, LCD suppliers based in Taiwan, such as AU Optronics and ChiMei Innolux, reportedly are adjusting their business models—some to focus on tablets for the education sector, and others to supply tablets for the white-box market in China.
It is believed that AUO may be one of the suppliers qualified to supply the smaller iPad’s 7.85-in panels.
But unlike Tier 1 tablet display makers LGD and Samsung Display, Taiwanese panel suppliers primarily target the Chinese market that is geared more toward lower-priced tablets. To meet lower price points, display specifications are usually dialed down compared to Tier 1 products. Displays targeted at the white-box tablet market in China mainly employ the more basic twisted nematic (TN) LCD, not the wide-viewing-angle LCD technologies of IPS and FFS.
Regardless of the display technology and market segment, display suppliers are making sure they align their strategies to serve this fast-growing market.
Chimei Innolux to Win 40%-50% Share of White-brand Tablet PC Touch-panel Market [CENS, Aug 15, 2012]
Chimei Innolux Corp., the largest thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel manufacturer in Taiwan, is expected to win a 40% to 50% share of the global market for white-brand tablet PC applications, according to the company.
Some 40 million to 60 million white-brand tablet PCs are expected to be shipped this year, similar to the total shipments of Apple`s iPad.
Major market research firm DisplaySearch recently forecast that some 121 million tablet PCs would be shipped worldwide this year, and the annual volume would increase to 416 million units in 2016, in conjunction with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28% over next five years. Apple would continue to be the market leader in next five years with a market share of 60%, while white-brand counterparts are expected to enjoy high growth due to their advantageous pricing.
Jeff Hsu, Chimei Innolux`s vice president, pointed out that demand for white-brand tablet PCs from emerging markets has been quite strong this year. In addition to sales in China, many Chinese white-brand tablet PC makers also export products to other nations. So, the annual demand for touch panels for white-brand tablet PCs this year is expected to reach some 60 million units, with 7-inch models as the mainstream and followed by 10-inch ones. Chimei Innolux aims to ship more than 25 million touch panels for white-brand tablet PCs, accounting for 40% to 50% of the application market, Hsu said.
Hsu also added that this year, the mainstream touch-panel type in tablet PC application has shifted from resistor to capacitive, which is expected to benefit many Taiwanese suppliers with more advanced technology. Jtouch Corp. of Taiwan, for example, is stepping up boosting production capacity of its new touch-panel factory in Hunan Province of China. The firm`s large-sized touch panels are expected to account for more than 20% of its revenue this year. Mutto Optronics Co., Ltd. recently also won big-ticket orders for tablet PC touch panels, and expected to see a 30% sequential revenue growth in the third quarter.
Google recently pushed its Nexus 7 tablet PC priced for only US$199, and the company immediately sold out one million units. A white-brand tablet PC with 7-inch screen is often priced for about US$100 only, and such more affordable device has won very hot market responses in Latin America, Southeast Asia etc. Currently, monthly tablet PC shipments in China are between three million and four million units.
However in Tablet PCs will have good sales in the third quarter [Micdigi from China, July 19, 2012], from a knowledgeable source in Shezhen:
In the first quarter of 2012, the manufactures have good business, but in the second quarter they have so worse business.
As they have produced so many products in the first quarter, they have large stock of goods that they have to mark down price to sell them.
In the second quarter of 2011, the tablet PCs has good sales. But in this year, it is so cold.
In the third quarter, tablet market will rebound.
VIA chips was the winner in all the chip manufactures last year.
But in this year, Allwinner with high cost/performance chips gets the winner.
Most of Shenzhen tablet manufactures export to other countries. Because Chinese do not like knock off tablet PCs or SurperPad tablet PCs, they like brand ones.
In the third quarter, the tablet market will rebound and the fourth quarter will be the boom season.
I think the manufactures must get ready for the fourth quarter.
They had better prepare products with high cost performance.
This is one of the reasons why Nexus 7 not yet allowed to enter China market [Sept 11, 2012]:
While the Nexus 7, the tablet co-developed by Google and Taiwan-based vendor Asustek Computer, has been witnessing booming sales in major markets around the world, it is difficult for the model to be available for sale in the China market because the China government has not yet approved its import, according to industry sources in Taiwan.
The China government’s negative attitude is interpreted as a response to Google’s announcement of withdrawing from the China market in March 2010, the sources pointed out. It is difficult for the Nexus 7 to enter the China market, even through sale of Asustek’s marketing network there, the sources indicated.
Without the Nexus 7 in the market, China-based white-box vendors of tablets are under much less competitive pressure, the sources indicated. This is because the Nexus 7 has the advantage of Google’s and Asustek’s brand image with commensurate product quality and is expected to be strongly competitive with 8GB Android 4.0 tablet models in the 7- to 9-inch range launched by China-based white-box vendors, including Ainol, Onda, Teclast and Cube, at US$149, the sources pointed out. In addition, the Nexus 7 will bring competitive pressure on tablet PC models of equal specifications offered by Samsung Electronics and China-based vendors Lenovo and Hasee Computer in the China market, the sources indicated.
Without the China market, the cumulative global sales volume of Nexus 7 will reach an estimated 3.5 million units at the end of 2012, the sources noted.
Tablet Shipments to Surpass Notebook Shipments in 2016 [NPD DisplaySearch press release, July 3, 2012]
Total Mobile PC Shipments Exceed 800M Units by 2017
Tablet PCs, such as Apple’s iPad, are expected to be the growth driver for the mobile PC market over the next few years. Tablet shipments will surpass notebook shipments in 2016, according to the latest NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report. Overall mobile PC shipments will grow from 347M units in 2012 to over 809M units by 2017.
While notebook PC shipments are expected to increase from 208M units in 2012 to 393M units by 2017, tablet PC shipments are expected to grow from 121M units to 416M units in this period, for a compound annual growth rate of 28%. A key driver for tablet PC growth is adoption in mature markets (including North America, Japan and Western Europe), which will account for 66% of shipments in 2012 and remain in the 60% range throughout the forecast period. Tablet PC shipments into mature markets will grow from 80M units in 2012 to 254M units by 2017.
Figure 1: Worldwide Mobile PC Shipment Forecast (000s)
Source: NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report
“Consumer preference for mobile computing devices is shifting from notebook to tablet PCs, particularly in mature markets,” said Richard Shim, senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch. “While the lines between tablet and notebook PCs are blurring, we expect mature markets to be the primary regions for tablet PC adoption. New entrants are tending to launch their initial products in mature markets. Services and infrastructure needed to create compelling new usage models are often better established in mature markets.”
Figure 2: Emerging and Mature Market Tablet Shipments (000s)
Source: NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report
Building upon convenience-oriented features including instant-on capability, long battery life and extreme portability, tablet PCs are expected to evolve in form factor and performance, making them a compelling alternative to notebook PCs. Tablet PCs are expected to incorporate multi-core processors, increasingly stable operating systems, growing app libraries and higher resolution displays.
In addition, notebook PCs are also evolving to meet the challenge from tablet PCs. Thinner form factors, higher resolution displays and touch functionality features are expected to increase. The notebook PC market will remain the largest part of the mobile PC market during the forecast period, accounting for 60% of mobile PC shipments in 2012, declining to 49% by 2017.
Digitimes Research: China tablet SoC developers enjoy robust shipment growth in 2012 [DIGITIMES Research, Nov 20, 2012]
There has been a surge in demand for tablet-use SoC solutions in the China market thus far in 2012, benefiting local IC design companies such as Allwinner Technology, Rockchip Technology and Amlogic, according to Digitimes Research. The tablet-IC market in China is dominated by local SoC developers, which mainly adopt the ARM architecture enabling a low-cost and easy-to-design platform.
Shipments of China makers’ branded and white-box tablets destined for the local market are forecast to reach about 15 million units in 2012, while those destined for overseas will climb to as high as 44.15 million, Digitimes Research said. In total, shipments of China makers’ branded and white-box tablets are estimated at nearly 60 million units in 2012, Digitimes Research indicated.
China’s white-box tablet companies will account for 81% of the overall units shipped in 2012, Digitimes Research said. Shipments of China’s brand-name tablet companies are set to reach only about five million units in 2012, Digitimes Research added.
Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America are the key markets which China-based tablet exporters will target in 2012, Digitimes Research noted. The exporters, mainly white-box makers, have their products sold through local distributors and telecom carriers in the target markets. [8%]
Allwinner will unseat Rockchip as the top developer of tablet SoCs in 2012. Allwinner is forecast to ship a total of 22 million chips in 2012 [37%], while Rockchip‘s shipments will total 12.5 million units [21%], Digitimes Research said. Amlogic will rank third with shipments of 5.5 million units [9%], followed by Taiwan-based VIA Technologies with 4.5 million units [8%], according to Digitimes Research.
Source: Digitimes Research, November 2012
Non-Apple tablets to drop to US$150-200 upon release of upcoming 7.85-inch iPad [DIGITIMES, Sept 18, 2012]
Tablets priced US$199-400 are expected to drop in price to US$150-200 in order to help non-Apple tablet makers stay competitive when Apple releases its reported 7.85-inch iPad, according to industry sources.
The sources are predicting that Apple will have a big influence on the 7-inch tablet market just like it currently has with its 9.7-inch iPad series and competitors will need to drop their tablet prices as well as provide more value-added features for the devices, said the sources.
If major tablet makers were to drop product prices they would most likely not incur losses as many makers make a substantial amount of profits from 3G plans with telecommunication providers, added the sources.
The sources still haven’t confirmed an exact release date for Apple’s 7.85-inch iPad but are expecting it will be early in the fourth quarter.
MediaTek’s Q3 sales expected to beat company’s guidance [Focus Taiwan, Sept 16, 2012]
… Bill Lu, a Morgan Stanley analyst in Hong Kong, expected MediaTek to ship over 200 million smartphone chips in 2013 by offering a more complete solution to Chinese handset. …
Another upside factor for MediaTek is growing interest in “white-box” tablets in emerging markets, which could approach 100 million to 150 million units in 2013 and drive up MediaTek’s revenue if the company can tap into the supply chain, Lu said.
A white-box tablet is a model without a registered brand name, which is usually sold more cheaply than branded tablets to gain traction among price-sensitive consumers.
Global shipments of white-box tablet PCs to reach 40 million units in 2012, say chip designers [DIGITIMES, July 25, 2012]
Forecast global shipments of white-box tablet PCs in 2012 have been upward adjusted from 30 million units originally to 40 million units due to growing demand in emerging markets including China, India, Thailand and Latin America, according to Taiwan-based design houses of ICs used in tablet PCs.
An estimated 10 million white-box tablet PCs were shipped globally in 2011, and shipments increased to 18 million units in the first half of 2012, the sources indicated.
Vendors/makers of white-box tablet PCs currently cluster in Shenzhen and Dongguan, southern China, the sources noted. A large portion originally made netbooks and have stepped into tablet PCs as chips and the Android operating systems have matured, the sources said.
White-box tablet PCs are primarily competitive in price with models launched by own-brand vendors, with retail prices standing at US$59 for 7-inch models and US$149 for 10.1-inch models, the sources indicated.
China white-box vendors showcase tablets at HK fair [DIGITIMES, April 16, 2012]
Many China-based white-box vendors are showcasing 7.0-inch tablet PC models at shipment prices of US$65-80 and 10.1-inch models at US$100-110 at the 2012 Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) taking place during April 13-16.
These white-box vendors include Dream Technology, Aocos, PCTX, HKC, Onn and Onda.
These tablet PC models are equipped with chipset solutions mostly developed by China-based Allwinner Technology, Android 4.0, Wi-Fi modules, 4GB built-in memory, 800×480 or 1,024×600 16:9 touch screens, plastic casings. In addition, 9.7-inch tablet PCs equipped with IPS touch screens and metal casings are priced at US$130-140.
If these tablet PC models are also equipped with 3.5G modules, shipment prices will increase by US$45 on average, according to white-box vendors.
White-box vendors indicated that they have reached combined shipments of three million tablet PCs a month.
China-based white-box tablet PC makers ramping up shipments, say sources [DIGITIMES, April 13, 2012]
China-based white-box tablet PC makers have ramped up their combined shipments to three million units a month recently, and total shipments of tablet PCs by all makers are expected to top 50 million units in 2012, market research firm eMedia Asia has estimated.
In Guangdong province alone, hundreds of small- and medium-size businesses have entered the development and production of tablet PCs on an OEM, ODM or OBM basis, according to industry sources.
With the availability of Android 4.0 platform, white-box makers have rolled out tablets in 7-, 8-, 9.7- and 10.1-inch sizes with specifications catered to customer’s demand, said the sources, adding that the models target markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
The white-box makers are able to deliver a 10.1-inch model, which runs on Android 4.0 and has a display resolution of 1024 by 600 and 4GB built-in storage, at FOB prices of about US$100-110, indicated the sources.
Shipments of tablet PCs by China-based makers totaled 14 million units in 2011, eMedia Asia said.
Suggested further reading: Here is a recent set of briefing documents produced by Seasize Technology Co., Ltd, formed in 2007 in Shenzhen China with roots in trading of electronic goods for export as early as 2005, see: Support [Seasize, Aug 20, 2012]
Download Free
CHINA TABLET PC SOURCING GUIDE (English) [Aug 8, 2012]
This is a guide to purchasing (“sourcing”) from China, and working with Chinese factories. It will probably be most helpful to people like me – entrepreneurs developing a new product or starting a new business that need to obtain parts and raw materials from China. It is written humorously, but hopefully there is some useful advice.
CHINA TABLET PC WHOLDSALES MARKET 2012(English) [Aug 7, 2012]
This article is provided by Seasize Technology- professional tablet PC manufacturer in Shenzhen,China, exclusively to customers. You may share this information to your friends and colleagues. Seasize should not be held responsible for any information that may be misleading or incorrect.
CHINA TABLET SOLUTIONS INTRODUCTION(English) [Aug 8, 2012]
This article is provided by Seasize Technology- China popular tablet pc solutions:chips company&chips introduction. The performance of a tablet model is determined by the tablet solution. To select and source the right tablet products, you have to know the difference among tablet solutions and identify the right tablet designers and manufacturers.
which are giving a kind of industry insider’s view into the complex world of the Chinese ICT goods market.
How relevant is it? A year earlier Company Introduction [Sept 5, 2011] described Seasize Technology’s business as:
After years of development, Seasize technology already has a strong domestic procurement and export capacities. We are committed to provide affordable and quality digital video and GPS navigation products. Our company persist the principle of: Customer first, quality first not only meets the needs of customers and has been recognized by customers.
Since its inception, the company mainly engaged in two major product lines: digital audio playback systems and GPS navigation devices,
Digital audio and video aspects of the products covered MP3/MP4/MP5 players, digital TV set-top box, digital television etc.
GPS navigation devices contain : GPS navigator, GPS tracker, networking version of GPS, GPS navigation and digital TV combo products, and the recently launched GPS navigation function with Internet personal terminal device (MID).
Based on trade in the same time, has been developing its own brand and own technology products, after years of effort, the company has filed multiple patents in the country, and has registered the brand. Dependent on many years of trading experience and technology accumulation Seasize Technology already has more advanced ability to enter this industry. It can be expected in the near future that we will get a place in the relevant fields, and access to long-term development.
Its new profile [May 27, 2012] stated a subsequently changed description as:
After years of development, we have grown up into a strong company which enjoys many advantages from procurement, production and export. We have passed ISO9001:2008 certificate in year 2011 and established a standard quality system that will ensure our delivery of quality product to our customers. Our product lines include two areas: digital audio&video products and GPS-related products. We are committed to provide our customers with cost-effective solutions, whose value has been seriously balanced against its prices.
and then there is a SOURCING GUIDE-Android Tablet pc,tablet pc,wifi tablet pc,google tablet pc,tablet pc review,wholesale tablet pc [Aug 8, 2012] page which was quite probably the marketing campaign page for the above documents with leads generated via registrations for each, with more direct indication of the China Tablet Solutions Introduction [Aug 8, 2012] as well as another one of Risks of Doing Business in China.
Seasize therefore is definitely trying to expand its purchasing business as well, so its documents could be valuable, even sufficiently authentic for those people who are potential partners of Seasize. As such these documents might describe the purchasing situation over there for everybody else as well. For Seasize’s track record of activities see: Seasize Technology Co., Ltd.: Newsletter Archive [May 31, 2011 – Aug 7, 2012 and beyond].
4. The Allwinner advantage 全志
珠海 Zhuhai 全志科技 Allwinner Technology (150 ~ 499 employees) — 148 campus hirees only for 2013 (click here for a full content) recruited with a roadshow held in:
– 西安 Xi’an: at 西安交通大学 Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) on Sep 18; at 西安电子科技大学 Xidian University on Sept 21
– 哈尔滨 Harbin: at 哈尔滨工业大学 Harbin Institute of Technology on Sept 25
– 武汉 Wuhan: at 华中科技大学 Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST) on Sept 22.
– 广州 Guangzhou: at 华南理工大学 South China University of Technology (SCUT) on Sept 17, at 中山大学 Sun Yat-sen University TBD
– 成都 Chengdu: at 电子科技大学 University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) on Oct 11.
From jobyun.com:
= US$ 1,113
Company Overview of AllWinner Technology Co., Ltd.
[Bloomberg Businessweek]
AllWinner Technology Co., Ltd. engages in mixed-mode SOC technology research and VLSI design. The company’s products are used in high-definition television and digital photo frame markets. It also provides support services. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Zhuhai [Guangdong province], China.
From: AllWinner Technology Selects ARM Cortex CPU and Mali GPU Technologies To Bring Integrated SoC To Android OS-Based, Connected Consumer Devices [ARM press release, April 12, 2011]
AllWinner Technology Co., Ltd was founded in 2007, and is engaged in mixed-mode SOC technology research and VLSI design. AllWinner Technology is dedicated to be the major leader in the HD media field, to excel in low-power VLSI design, advanced technology and innovative architecture; to be the pulse of the consumer market, with a unique understanding of self-developed core technologies. Through functionality, performance and cost advantages of integrated products and the industrialization of the operational capabilities of the market to provide customers with leading designs and services from SOC products to comprehensive solutions.
From: Zhuhai sez daily: Gan Lin investigated in high-tech zones “two little two two high” enterprise [Allwinner press release, June 10, 2010]
… Gan Lin, Party Secretary of Zhuhai city … accompanied by director of the CMC Qiu Shi, successively investigated the Kingsoft Park (Jinshan Software Park) project site, Xuan Garment Co., Ltd. Design Center, BOXlight (Po Wright) Medical Technology Inc., Tin Shui Power Technology Limited, Allwinner Technology Co., Ltd. and Bioenergy Limited. …
Zhuhai Allwinner Technology Limited is committed to becoming a leader of application requirements in the area of key technologies for HD multimedia and communication networks, radio and television networks, and the Internet “triple play”; specializes in low power VLSI design capacity of independent research and development of core technologies, has completely independent intellectual property rights. According to the General Manager [Chairman and CEO] of the company, Zhang Jianhui (张建辉), the Allwinner company was established in 2007. In the first two years to April 2009, the company had been working hard on technology R & D and did not earn a penny, then launched two categories for the introduction of a series of nine full HD network integrated smardescriptiont chips in order to become one of the leading manufacturer of ultra-large-scale system-on-chip and embedded software technology.
…
The roots of the Allwinner Technology:
May I ask [about] Zhuhai [珠海] Victory Technology [全胜 科技] – How can I like it? [http://laoyaoba.com in Chinese, Oct 23, 2010]
Looking for a job, this company has come to our school, a little want to go, but I don’t know how on Earth is this company, [since there is] almost no information on the Internet, looking for an insider look, appreciate it!
… The entrepreneurial team of Zhao Guangmin[赵广民先]’s [Zhuhai] Actions Semiconductor Co., Ltd. was brought over after Zhao’s unfortunate, untimely death. The Zhang Jianhui[张建辉]-led team, however, is still very strong in the Chinese semiconductor industry. It began to grab the PMP [Personal Media Player >>> MP3 etc.] market share last year, and it is estimated that [its] revenue this year should be around $ 30 million ….
The life and spiritual heritage of the legendary Chinese IC design industry leader Zhao Guangmin [Baidu in Chinese, Aug 27, 2007]
… In early 2006, Zhao Guangmin left Actions, where had been working for a number of years, and with a number of like-minded partners co-founded Victory (Zhuhai) Microelectronics Co. as chairman with aspirations to win a new peak. …
Actions pass the sudden departure of founder, investors have been excluded [VentureData.org, April 4, 2006], the picture of Zhao Guangmin below is from this source which is the Chinese origin of this material below:
Led the company successfully landed on the Nasdaq after 4 months, founder of Zhuhai Actions Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Actions”), Zhao Guangmin [then vice chairman of the company] suddenly announced his resignation.
…
Zhao Guangmin the early 1980s graduated from Xi’an Jiaotong University, has a number of Semiconductor companies in the office. Zhao Guangmin founded in December 2001 and served as general manager [not CEO] of Actions. Actions a total investment of $ 10 million, primarily engaged in the development of VLSI design and test production. Taiwan-funded by the holding of shares in which Zhao Guangmin unknown.
Under Zhao Guangmin leadership, relying on keen to capture the opportunity to MP3 chips, Actions to achieve rapid development. In 2002, Actions Semiconductor sales only 1.08 million yuan [US$ 130K]; in 2003 sales increased to
4,000 million[US$ 4.3 million – see the chart later]; in 2004 sales soared to more 460 million [US$ 55.5 million], net profit up 200 million yuan [US$ 24.1 million].At the same time, Actions also introduced more than a dozen proprietary chip. In 2004, the company was selected as the China Semiconductor Industry Association, the annual top ten IC design companies. To the fourth quarter of 2004, Actions in the global chip market share in the first MP3.
November 30, 2005, to Actions as the main Action Semiconductor Co.Ltd (Nasdaq: ACTS) in the U.S. Nasdaq market, the first phase of financing $ 72 million. Since listing, the market responded well to the Actions, and there have been investment banking analyst cut its rating to “buy.”
Actions with the same period of rapid development and to the patent dispute. Zhao Guangmin issue in the mail two days before departure, the U.S. International Trade Commission a preliminary ruling, Actions part of the audio processor infringes two U.S. SigmaTel’s patents. SigmaTel is the world’s leading mobile phones and digital audio players, chip vendors, the company early last year to the U.S. District Court in Austin, sued Actions Semiconductor infringed its patents.
“Now I can not say anything, but to leave and certainly nothing to do with the lawsuit.” Zhao Guangmin side of the phone hesitantly.
Zhao reasons for leaving, Actions official answer is “retired.” One of the company staff responsible for media relations, said, “Although less than the retirement age, but Zhao fame in this industry has made the decision to retreat is also very natural.”
However, close to Zhao Guangmin the industry does not think so. He said that Zhao’s departure and the investors.
The source said, as early as Actions Prior to listing, to facilitate investment in the idea of a replacement company executives. Public information, Zhao Guangmin general manager of the term of Actions of August 2005, is the company going public push. Zhao’s successor as general manager, is working with many years experience in the semiconductor industry, China Taiwan nationals Yenan Hong.
On this course, after listing a media interview, Zhao Guangmin stunned: “In order listed, and sometimes take their cut first!”
According to Zhao said, in order to make more in line with investors Actions taste, Actions update prior to listing a number of board members and executives. Most of these people in the chip industry has a deep background and is familiar to foreign investors, including former vice president of operations SMIC Chiu Tsz Wan.
Interestingly, in the Actions of the prospectus, as the founder of Zhao Guangmin not appear in the list of shareholders, executives, Zhao’s team did not name.
Further explanation is given here, only two sentences are important to quote (the picture of Zhao Guangmin below is from this source which is the Chinese origin of this material below):
… [Till] June 2005 Zhao Guangmin has been Actions’ general manager, [then] since June
to becomevice president, and in November the company officially listed [that] Zhao Guangmin had [been] transformed into a vice chairman. … In fact, although ZhaoGuangmin since 1993 aswas general manager of Zhuhai Actions, but hehashad no control of the company, the companyhashad been in a firm grip on the hands of equity investment in Taiwan.
Note that Actions is a still existing company keeping its description as under Zhao Guangmin’s leadersip: About Actions [Sept 6, 2005]
… Actions has successfully put into market some products, such as digital audio/video SOC chip and its total solution, a series of IC for digital potential meter, SOC chip for TV entertainment products and its total solution, … etc, since the first day it was found. All Actions’ products are under the protection of intellectual property law, and have been gradually showing their competitive power after directly joining the international market.
With management and techniques accumulated, high-tech and product positioning, precise market position, strong innovative power, Actions sustains fast improvement and development. In 2003, Actions was identified as one of the top 10 fastest growing IC design companies within the China area by the China semiconductor association; the same situation will happen again in 2004 as well.
Actions’ latest product developed under his leadership: Actions Introduces New Video Technology — Advanced Media Video （AMV） [Actions press release, April 10, 2006]
… provides comprehensive mixed-signal system-on-a-chip solutions for portable consumer electronics, today introduced a new generation of video technology, Advanced Media Video-AMV3.0. This new technology supports a higher degree of picture resolution (QCIF i.e. 176 x 144), a better display of motion picture than the AMV1.0 and 2.0 technologies, and is capable of converting SWF files and other regular movie formats. This technology was developed specifically to be the video engine for Actions’ new 9 series SoCs.
The history of Actions’ audio and video technology can be traced back to 2004, when Actions introduced two video technologies, MTV1.0 and MTV2.2, ahead of a majority of its competitors. This breakthrough innovation of Actions had risen the technology playing field of the entire digital music industry to a higher level.
…
“Although our current 9 series SoCs require conversion software to enable playback, our next generation of SoC products, embedded with a MIPS core, will support direct streaming video playback. With the benefits of a MIPS core, the data processing speed will be much faster,” continued Mr. [John] Lee [Senior Product Manager of the company].
“The advancement of our MIPS core technology will remain consistent with our development in AMV4.0. Furthermore, based on the MIPS platform, both the design house and the manufacturer will be able to freely take full advantage of their expert technology, thus providing them with a favorable position in a fiercely competitive market,” concluded Mr. Lee.
Here is the “Proven Management Experience and Expertise” slide (#11) from the May 2006 Corporate Overview of Actions presentation. Note that this was immediately after the departure of Zhao Guangmin and there were three managers from the original founding team, neither of them with executive power (as evidenced by EDGAR submissions), and only Shao Chuan (Shawn) Li is still with Actions as a director of the board (since September 2005) but more importantly as Chief Technology Officer (since the establishment of Actions in December 2001), while Zhang Jianhui was the head of Multimedia Division and as such he was the topmost manager with core innovation competency, and it was no surprise that he left Actions when Zhao Guangmin established his next venture, Victory (Zhuhai) Microelectronics Co. which after his death became the current Allwinner managed by Zhang Jianhui. (There is no information about Gong Hui.) Note as well that at the time of that presentation Actions had 280 employees; 210 engineers with IC, system, and software capabilities.
It is quite remarkable that after Zhao Guangmin’s departure Actions went into decline as visible from the chart showing the revenues generated by the company. With $150M in 2005 Actions was the second-largest China-based fabless company. Employing not less than 280 people in 2006 the new Taiwanese executive duo of Nan-Horng Yeh as CEO and David Lee as CFO (both educated in the United States) have completely failed. This is all despite of their strategy to move into midrange products by developing mobile TV SoCs via licensing core technology from U.S.-based Mavrix Technology. See: SoC firm finds fertile ground in China [EDN, Aug 22, 2006]. This licensing decision led only into an industry sideline with stronger external reliance on MIPS processor cores (originally selected by Zhao Guangmin in July 2005 as the vice president, but for fast internal development) and a subsequent, necessary acquisition of Mavrix as licensee in 2010. Paradoxically Mavrix’s CEO, Dr. Zhenyu Zhou became even the CEO of Actions in December 2011. Only David Lee has still a high-level position with the company as chairman of the board. The future outlook for Actions is also rather uncertain as only a single analyst had any interest in the company’s Q2 2012 Results Call [Aug 7, 2012].
What a contrast with Zhao Guangmin’s new company which became after his death today’s Allwinner. Here is the Commemorate [what] Zhao insisted: a win-win situation, team together and do things realistic [Aug 24, 2007] by his deputy (??) and effective successor in charge of his Victory Microelectronics Co., Ltd., Zhang Jianhui:
Zhao went away from us, the circle of friends chatted about Zhao, and so far we are still unable to accept that this is a fact. Remembered Zhao, in addition to in the legendary entrepreneurial experience at Actions, we talk about the most, is the insistence of Zhao and low-key.
Speaking of the insistence of old Zhao, when Zhao won the Zhuhai Special Economic Person of the Year in 2004, in an interview he said: “As long as you choose the right direction, be sure to persist in walking, did not insist on was not successful.” It is this insistence on belief and perseverance of action which created Zhao’s unusual success story.
First, Zhao insisted on the concept of win-win, through the development of core IC products to add value for the customer, and industry chain downstream supporting enterprise vertical and horizontal, building win-win business model among enterprises, resulting in overall lead between the company and the customer.
Zhao served as general manager of Actions by virtue of more than 10 years accumulated of IC design and enterprise operating management experience. He led there a well-trained professional operating team to share common goals, to carry out efforts with hard work, to get global semiconductor industry attention via achievements. This made Actions from an unknown small company, in just a few years, China IC design industry’s first to become a globally known enterprise. The MP3 multimedia master chip R & D accounted for more than 50% of the world market share. This led to billions of dollars via the quick formation of the MP3 industry chain in China, prompting mainland China to become world’s major export base of MP3 which has brought tremendous development and benefits to the consumer electronics industry [here].
This was for the first time as a mainland China IC design company established itself in the field of global consumer electronics products, mastered and mass provided the core technology products with international advanced level. Actions’ operating income grew significantly from a few million yuan in 2002 to 1.2 billion yuan in 2005, [thus] creating rapid growth of more than 100 times for the Actions Semiconductor in three years only, and [then] eventually prompting the success of Actions to be listed on NASDAQ.
Second, Zhao insisted on the need to uphold the integrity of the fundamental values [which] can be established between the team and the customer, [on the] long term sustainable growth of business culture, [that] the strength of the team is always greater than the power of any individual.
In the early venture days of Actions Zhao personally wrote a column for the internal publications, talked about the issues of development ideas and the reform of corporate culture, and also to encourage other executives to write articles for publication. Fixed each Wednesday [?his?] commuting leadership talked about the exchange of business issues, to develop common thinking habits and language of communication – because every time before this would open, the kitchen will cook a pot of noodles as participants of dinner, affectionately called “noodles will”.
This will sometimes be open until two o’clock at night, and the truth is argued more and more out; companies and departments use the monthly regular meeting with employees face-to-face communication. After a year passed, not only everyone has made great progress, but he also formed a fully functional teamwork of high degree of homogeneity and quality, great combat effectiveness of entrepreneurial backbone of the team, and subsequently laid a very good foundation to the success of the company.
Third, Zhao insisted on doing anything seriously, down-to-earth. He used to say that a 99.99% working IC is still not working. Design paradoxes are in place, it is where the BUG. In 1995 I and old Zhao did cooperative research and development projects for the first time. I was responsible for the system design, Zhao for the circuit design. There was no RTL coding method as now, the circuit was built by human hand structures. Zhao’s design adhered to repeated scrutiny and carefully optimized design logic based on clear, simple drawing. Sometimes he explained to me where is the circuit of the collar, which is the heart of the circuit and the limbs, old Zhao could meander, and the favorite circuit design is input ready.
It is quite unfortunate that China’s IC design industry has lost an outstanding leader, and friends lost an honest, down-to-earth best friend. However, true to Zhao’s spirit, I believe in increasing prosperity and burgeoning growth of Chinese IC design, offering useful lessons and inspirations, and I believe this will also correspond to Zhao’s heartfelt wishes and expectations.
Mr. Zhao Guangmin may rest [in peace] .
Author: Zhang Jianhui, Victory Microelectronics [全胜] Co., Ltd. (Zhuhai), general manager, for the friends and colleagues of Zhao Guangmin years
For more information see Mr. Zhao Guangmin Memorial page [Aug 29, 2007] of eMedia Asia Global resources. Note from there that he entered the university in 1977 which is the first year of entry after the Cultural Revolution when only exceptional people were able to enter the universities. More explanation about that phenomenon see in Yoshida in China: Cultural rev survivors leap forward [EE Times, Oct 1, 2012]
Allwinner’s close cooperation with ARM Holdings started with Victory Technology selects ARM processor for ultra-low-power high-definition network video applications [joint press release available only in Chineese on eetrend.com and elsewhere, Feb 9, 2010]
ARM926EJ-S processor to achieve high-definition video processing while reducing power consumption by up to 50%.
Zhuhai Victory Technology Co., Ltd. (referred Victory Technology) and ARM [(LSE: ARM); (Nasdaq: ARMH)] today jointly announced: Victory Technology licensed the ARM926EJ-S ™ processor for its IC design for ultra-low-power high-definition network video applications. These applications include: home Internet video streaming via the Internet, cable television and wireless network high-definition video player and other network video equipment.applications include: home video streaming via the Internet, cable television and wireless network high-definition video player and other video devices on the network.
Victory CEO Zhang Jianhui said: “In addition to the well known high-performance and low-power characteristics, another important feature of the ARM ® processors is versatility, they can bring better scalability, reducing the workload and difficulty of development, and shorten time to market. These features help us design IC products for the fast-changing Internet video applications, and are very important. ARM has always spared no effort to promote innovation through its strong product planning, which provides an opportunity for us to further cooperation in the future. The resources required to design the system is very rich around the ARM ecosystem, and we are very confident in each other’s cooperation capability that it will be successful.”
With more and more Chinese consumers having broadband access at home or on the move, China’s Internet video applications market is developing very rapidly. With rich experience in the field of video processing technology, as well as a deep understanding of the market, combined with ARM’s top high-performance, low-power processor technology Victory Technology has the capability to meet the standards and local consumer demand to develop IC products for the high-definition Internet video equipment. Through the use of excellent performance at low power consumption of ARM926EJ-S processor as well as Victory Technology’s ultra-low-power design techniques, the company hopes that its new chip can achieve 50% of energy consumption savings versus the similar products on the market, without sacrificing performance needed for HD video streaming on the Internet.
…
Brief English content appearing about the same on Sept 26, 2012:
Gan Lin, Party Secretary of Zhuhai, Visited Allwinner Technology
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Gan Lin, Party Secretary of Zhuhai, accompanied by several other leaders, visited Allwinner Technology on June 10, 2011.
During the visit, Gan gave Allwinner Technology credit for its independent R&D and spirit of leadership in technology. He pointed out that Allwinner Technology should continue embracing innovation to boost its competitive edge and accelerate the development of strategic emerging industry.
A10 won “The Most Promising Award” on the Sixth “China Chip” Ceremony [Allwinner press release, in Chinese: Dec 31, 2011, reproduced in English: Sept 26, 2011]
Allwinner Technology A10, xPad SoC of High Integration and High Definition, has won “The Most Promising Award” in China IC Industry Promotion Conference 2011, also the sixth “China chip” ceremony held in Jinan on December 16th.
The China Chip hosted by the Software and Integrate Circuit Promotion center (CSIP) of Information Industry Ministry, is a rather influential ceremony among domestic IC enterprises, experts, as well as other manufacturers involved in the industry chain. More than three hundreds enterprise representatives attended this ceremony.
On the basis of striking video codec technology, DVFS, multi-core multiplexing technology, and advanced 55nm process, A10 outruns other competing solutions in its high integration, and outstanding multimedia and network processing capability. It supports 3D video playback, 2160P ultra-HD video decoding and 1080P HD H.264 video encoding, multi-screen, and integrates full-format audio codec engine, rich A/V outputs such as HDMI, LVDS, VGA, TVOUT, etc, and memory interfaces such as DDR3, DDR2, LPDDR1, NAND flash, etc, plus its edge in BOM and power consumption, it becomes one of the most favored solutions after marketing for several months, and is honored “the most promising” solutions in this ceremony.
Zhang Jianhui, General Manager of Allwinner Technology, said that this award bears testimony to the efforts Allwinner has made in the past few years, and will definitely encourage Allwinner to come up with better solutions to meet customer demand, and carry forward the IC industry.
Allwinner Technology and ARM working together to get to market quicker [ARM’s Multimedia blog, June 19, 2012 – in Chinese on Oct 4, 2012]
The dynamics of the mobile device industry can be seen in the rise of tablets and in particular the growth in Android based tablets. This new form factor has grown to an expected 100M shipping volume in 2012 with this being projected to exceed 200M by 2016 – when Android tablet shipments is expected to be over 50% (Source: IDC). This new form factor and pace of change have opened up opportunities for new companies to offer specific System on Chip (SoC) businesses a chance to address this market. Allwinner Technology Co., Ltd.is one of these. Over the last 12 months Allwinner Technology has become one of the major China Android tablet SoC chip vendors, with many of the Android tablet OEM system makers adopting our chip and system solution. A key
industry analyst in China expects 40M Android tablets to ship in the China grey market in 2012, and it is expected that 60% of the share will be from Allwinner Technology.
This rapid time to market has been achievable through the close working relationship and usage of ARM Intellectual Property (IP). Allwinner Technology uses a combination of the ARM CortexTM-A8 and ARM MaliTM-400 MP. This combination enables Allwinner Technology to balance the required performance needs for tablet applications with the power consumption boundaries of a mobile device. By working with ARM for both CPU and GPU elements Allwinner Technology have been able to maximize the benefits of both high performance with low power consumption that ARMs years of knowledge in the mobile device market brings to new entrants to the market.
Allwinner Technology has gone from the licensing [in April 2011] of the Mali-400 to production silicon in 7 months . This speed of execution has been enabled by the close linkage between the CPU and GPU from a design perspective, the RVDS [toolchain, the legacy solution for software development on older ARM processors replaced by the new ARM Development Studio 5, DS-5] and ARM DS-5TM toolchain [comprises tools such as the best-in-class ARM C/C++ Compiler, a powerful Linux/Android™/RTOS-aware debugger, the ARM Streamline™ system-wide performance analyzer and real-time system model simulators, all conveniently packaged in a user friendly integrated development environment (IDE) based on the Eclipse] and the out-the-box quality software drivers which are all supported by localised support teams. All these elements combined have enabled Allwinner Technology to move swifter and in an agile way to address the needs of this market and we look forward to working with ARM going forward.
Guest Partner Blogger:
Jack Lee, CMO, Allwinner Technology Co., Ltd.
ARM gaining traction in GPU IP market [DIGITIMES, June 22, 2012]
… ARM has expanded its GPU licensee base at a fast pace, according to Kevin Smith, VP of strategic marketing at the firm’s media processing division. Taking the China market as an example, ARM’s Mali GPUs are currently shipping in over 70% of graphics-enabled digital TVs, 50% of Android tablet PCs and 20% of Android phones, said Smith.
ARM’s partners are forecast to ship more than 100 million Mali GPUs in 2012, up over 100% from 2011 levels, Smith indicated. The anticipated shipment rise – driven by brisk demand for Android smartphones and tablets, and China’s growing smart-TV market – will boost ARM’s presence significantly in the global GPU-IP market this year, Smith added.
ARM’s Mali GPUs are targeted at smart TVs, handsets and tablets, which require high-definition graphics and higher picture fluency, Smith stated. The product line has been enhanced to meet various customer needs such as high-resolution images, multi-game offerings and energy saving, Smith said.
Combining with ARM’s CPU platform, the Mali GPU technology comes with additional features such as power efficiency, Smith noted. The combination is able to generate a complete multi-IP solution, Smith said.
In addition, Smith indicated that ARM’s solutions are able to help system customers speed up time-to-market. For example, it took less than half a year for both China-based AllWinner Technology and Rockchip Electronics to launch their integrated CPU-GPU SoC solutions targeting the local tablet PC market, Smith said.
…
New ARM DS-5 v5.9 Toolchain Provides Developers With an Integrated Processor and GPU Software Optimization Platform For Mobile Gaming [ARM press release, March 5, 2012]
ARM today released the latest edition of the ARM Development Studio 5 (DS-5™ v5.9) toolchain with additional support for graphics analysis on ARM Mali Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). The toolchain can be downloaded by developers today, enabling them to achieve integrated optimization across the whole system, including both the applications processor and GPU. The ARM DS-5 v5.9 toolchain provides significant benefits to semiconductor suppliers and OEMs, as well as mobile application and game developers, by enabling improved system visibility and decreased time-to-market. In particular, the ARM Streamline™ Performance Analyzer, within the DS-5 toolchain, allows developers to design more interactive interfaces and immersive game play for end users whilst extending battery life. This will enable next generation user experiences for use on smartphones, tablets, smart-TVs and set-top boxes.
The launch of the updated toolchain addresses the increasing demand for high-performance graphics development. Such advanced visual computing capabilities will deliver next generation smartphone and tablet applications where console-like gaming graphics, 3D User Interfaces (UI) and Augmented Reality (AR) will be the norm. Multicore systems, such as these, benefit from optimization of intensive tasks where integrated applications processor, GPU and memory subsystem designs can be configured to achieve the highest levels of performance and energy-efficiency.
By using the ARM DS-5 v5.9 toolchain, developers can quickly and easily locate system performance bottlenecks across the Cortex processors, Mali GPUs and System IP, enabling the creation of faster applications and accelerating the software development cycle.
… [additional information: Developing Top Performing Graphics Applications for Android Made Easy [ARM’s Software Enablement blog, March 7, 2012] and
ARM Launches Free Toolkit For Android Application Developer Community [ARM press release of the DS-5 Community Edition, Nov 28, 2011]
]
The first Allwinner A10 tablets came to the market from a number of vendors in November 2011. See just these reports by Micdigi from China:
- SurperPad With Allwinner A10 Trend—LingyunF1 [from Lingyun Technology] [Nov 22, 2011]
- MOMO8 [from Ployer] Business Version Based on Allwinner A10 [Nov 24, 2011]
- L-Y F1 [from Shenzhen Lingyun, with IPS screen] Based On Allwinner A10 [Nov 28, 2011]
In December more tablets of that kind came to the Chinese market as Micdigi reported:
The tablet based on Allwinner A10 processor and 5-point touch capacitive screen [Dec 7, 2011]
Recently, Allwinner tablet PCs are so popular. 7-inch capacitive screen tablet based on Allwinner [Cortex-]A8 solution sells for only $80.
Now I will introduce a tablet based on Allwinner A10 from Shenzhen HongYuXing.
Based on Allwinner A10 processor, Q780 is launched [Dec 8, 2011]
Allwinner A10 has so good cost performance that it is the most suitable chip for entry level tablet PCs.
Q780 from Shenzhen Xlong is launched.
Allwinner A10 tablet—PC741 [from Shenzhen Inote] [Dec 12, 2011]
Now the tablet chips are like a hundred flowers in bloom, like ten thousand horses galloping ahead. Allwinner A10 appeared late in the market but they came back. At present most of the tablet PCs from China are based on Allwinner A10 chips.
Q701 based on Allwinner A10 [Dec 16, 2011]
With cheap price and powerful performance for video playback, Allwinner A10 processor is popular in the world.
Q701 is introduced Allwinner A10 processor.
Then the events unfolded as follows:
- The tablet PC based on Allwinner A10 sells for about $65 [Jan 9, 2012]
- Tablet chips competition analysis in 2012 [Feb 28, 2012]
Based on high cost performance, Allwinner A10 has good sales after the Spring Festival. The chips with high cost performance are welcome.
AMLogic based on A9 core is a high-end chip, which is introduced by SONY and Philips.
RockChip chips became cheaper and cheaper since Allwinner released A10.
As the first chip of Allwinner, A10 is released with cheap price, which makes it has good sales. Allwinner is a famous company in MP3 times so that Allwinner has a strong customer base.
In addition, A10 has few bugs since it is released. The performance of other chips is not stable in the beginning, such as RK2808 and VIA8505.
The agents who have ordered VIA chips go to order Allwinner A10. VIA will release VIA8850 next month [but mass production just started in June, see later] which is based on A9 core. The performance is not different from A10. It means that it does not have any advantage.
VIA8850 will be cheaper than Allwinner A10. Allwinner will release A13 to compete with VIA8850 so that VIA will get in a difficult position. [Was more expensive the the A13 when mass production started in June, see later]
MTK will release MTK6575 which is the upgraded version of MTK6573, based on dual-core, 1GHz frequency and A9 core. The chip with excellent call function is mainly introduced by smart phone. It is also suitable for tablet PCs.
AMLogic will release AMLogic M6 and RockChip will release RK30XX. They are all dual-core chips.
[for RK30XX and the earlier RK29XX and RK28XX see MWC 2012: Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics [this same ‘Experiencing the Cloud’ blog, March 13, 2012] where it is stated: Samples of the Rockchip RK30xx platform will be available in March 2012]
At present, there are few new products in the market, but many new products will be released in May.
- The Allwinner A10 PCBA from Crownho sells for about $27 [March 7, 2012]
As Allwinner A10 solution is so cheap, it is introduced by most of Chinese tablet PCs.
The Allwinner A10 PCBA from Shenzhen Crownho sells for about $27.
With this PCBA, the cost price of the tablet will be less than $64, such as DA701 [tablet] based on capacitive screen, which sells for about $63.5.
- 7-inch Allwinner A10 tablet [from Shenzhen HongYuXing] sells for about $59 [March 10, 2012]
- 7-inch tablet [from Shenzhen Hystom] with [Cortex-]A9 core [inside its Amlogic 8726 SoC] and capacitive screen sells for $54 [March 10, 2012]
INSERT ABOUT THE CURRENT AND FUTURE SoC COMPETITION
Competitive SoCs from Chinese vendors that were available in March’12 or came soon after March’12:
Amlogic 8726-MX (dual core), 8726-M3; Rockchip RK3066(dual core), RK2918
Source: http://www.eeworld.com.cn/xfdz/2012/0725/article_14042.html
(A10 $7, A13 $5)
Among those competitors the Rockchip RK3066 (dual core) became a market leader in China on its own as was already shown in the very beginning by the example of Window N90 Dual Core II 2 (16G) leading the dual core market in China:
No surprise therefore that this is also a kind of leading product on the global market as shown by Merimobiles:
List Price: $399.99 Your Price: $214.99 (with shipping)
First Review – Window N90 Dual Core II 2 – RK3066 IPS – Purchase at: Merimobiles.com [MrTasselhof YouTube channel, May 24, 2012]
while the Benchmarks Review – Window N90 Dual Core II 2 – RK3066 IPS – Purchase at: Merimobiles.com [MrTasselhof YouTube channel, May 24, 2012] is:
and the global dual-core competition represented by Merimobiles as follows:
Note that for the 1.5GHz Windows N70 (as opposed to the above 1.6GHz version available globally) the AnTuTu v2.4 benchmark on the PConline is on the right (see also: AnTuTu Benchmark):
Since a multiple core Cortex ARM based Allwinner SoC will come just after those SoCs (“processors” – as named wrongly) shown in the table above, given the credentials of Allwinner presented in this post I dare to predict that the next-generation in the “A series” SoCs from Allwinner will beat the Rockchip RK3066 (or RK30XX in general) and others. There was just one concrete rumor recently: Ampe Allwinner Cortex-A7 Quad-core Tablet is Coming [ChinaEshops.com, July 12, 2012]
Rockchip and AMLogic dual-core tablet come out to snatch the tablet PC market while AllWinner dual-core tablet keeps in silence. Although Allwinner A10 & A13 still hot in the middle-low end market. Rockchip RK3066 and AMLogic AML8726-MX has already listed for two months from the beginning of May. Now these two chip still mainly occupy the china dual-core tablet PC market. Freescale’s quad-core tablet PCs begin to launch, even Tegra3 quad-core. Obviously, allwinner may it is late for launch dual-core, but it doesn’t mean that Allwinner will give up dual-core tablet. Allwinner will launch Quad-core chips in August. Latest news report that AMPE will launch a new 10.1 Inch IPS Tablet PC equipped with allwinner quad-core processor.
According to latest report the allwinner quad-core is using ARM Cortex-A7 structure. …
max says: August 8, 2012 at 8:43 pm
any news on this.chinaeshops says: August 31, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Sorry, it is coming soon.
As a matter of fact the Cortex-A7 was meant to be a companion ship for the Cortex-A15, all targeted for 28nm TSMC technology which is in extremely tighty supply at least till the end of the year. On the Cortex-A7 Processor—Related Products page we can find (among other things) that:
Physical IP
ARM Physical IP Platforms deliver process optimized IP, for best-in-class implementations of the Cortex-A7 processor at 40nm and below. A set of high performance Processor Optimization Packs (POPs) containing advanced ARM Physical IP for 28nm technologies to enable rapid development of leadership physical implementation supports the Cortex-A7 processor. ARM is also working early to assure a roadmap to 20nm optimizations. Optimization packs support ARM’s strategy of offering specifically targeted Physical IP to enable Partners to achieve tuned implementations of ARM cores. ARM is uniquely able to design the optimization packs in parallel with the Cortex-A7 MPCore processor architecture, enabling the processor and physical IP combination to deliver workstation class performance in a mobile power envelope while facilitating rapid time-to-market.
But according to the later ARM Expands Processor Optimization Pack Solutions for TSMC 40nm and 28nm Process Variants [ARM press release, April 16, 2012] Cortex-A7 PoP became available for both “TSMC 40LP” and “TSMC 40 LP high speed options” type of process technologies (where LP stands for “Low Power”). This practically means that Allwinner can indeed deliver by this time its next-gen SoC at 40nm.
Breaking news:
1. Quad-core tablets large chaos department: Allwinner quad-wide prototype will debut in November [Bolopad.com, Oct 3, 2012]
Before beginning I have to say to you: “I’m sorry”. Because last week we happily told everyone interested in quad-core prototype that it appeared in September, and it is not far from the days of mass production. But yesterday your editor suddenly received a mysterious call to be informed that the Allwinner quad-core prototype can’t come in September, it is estimated to be out in November to meet with you. I really wanted OOXX to be cursed to death (thought better of course).
…
2. Exclusive: Allwinner quad-core processors code-named A15X coming soon [Bolopad.com, Sept 18, 2012]
…
All right, now that the product finally appeared, we at Bolopad are also excited and highly interested in the quad-core chip code-named A15X (don’t get me wrong, this A15X has nothing to do with
AppleA15 [rather Cortex A15 wrongly percieved by many to be in the A6 SoC of the iPhone 5]). Now the related PCBA layout began to take shape, the chip samples came out and so on. Last reportedly bounced because the Allwinner quad-core is dependent on [Cortex] A7 architecture build, but as 40nm and 32nm was short of the desired effect, the 28nm tapeout eventually came in to achieve the desired results.…
END OF THE INSERT ABOUT THE CURRENT AND FUTURE SoC COMPETITION
NOW BACK TO THE CADENCE OF
ALLWINNER A10-RELATED EVENTS & INFORMATION:
An even bigger market push started when Allwinner A10 with the Android 4.0.3 Software Development Kit was officially launched on March 10, 2012. From the press release:
TSMC’s 55 nanometer “half generation” derivative of the 65-nanometer process technology directly miniatures 90%, including input/output and analog circuits, for customer provides competitive advantage with single die cost significantly reduced, while can also save power consumption by 8% at the same speed of operation.
As it was reported later in Taiwan: Allwinner Technology Introduces New SoC Platform on TSMC 55nm Process [CENS, March 29, 2012]
Allwinner Technology Co., Ltd., a leading supplier of high-definition media semiconductor solutions headquartered in
Shanghai[Zhuhai, as the contact address is: Block 1 Software Park, Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, B6, four], recently released a new system-on-chip (SoC) platform based on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s (TSMC’s) 55nm process technology.The platform, codenamed A10, employs advanced SoC design technology to integrate central processing unit, graphic processing unit, high-definition multi-frame video engine, 3D multi-screen engine, and high-speed video interface module on a chip.
Equipped with Allwinner’s Android 4.0.3 Software Development Kit, A10 consumes fewer energy to achieve higher computing efficiency on mobile devices.
Using TSMC’s 55nm process technology, A10 is able to deliver quality dynamic voltage frequency scaling (DVFS) performance and brand new video management capability on mobile computing devices, and extend battery lifespan of the devices.
TSMC’s 55nm process shrinks geometry of integrated circuits, including I/O, on chips by 90% as compared with chips with 65nm process, considerably cutting down cost of every single chip and saving electricity on a chip by 8% relative to competing chips.
Allwinner General Manager Zhang Jianghui pointed out that TSMC has been a reliable partner supporting Allwinner in product production, quality and lead time.
Allwinner Technology-A10 [product page, April 13, 2012] 
In A10 Allwinner used 55nm technology, the integrated chip has four times full HD [i.e. the 2160p “Quad HD”] video decoding technology, smart power management system CoolFlex, HD multi-screen display processing and output, efficient and high-speed system architecture, mixed analog-digital high-speed signal design and integration of advanced technology, and integrated, smart power balance, and more items of leading technology. A10 is mainly used in tablet PCs, high-definition players, smart phones, network set-top boxes, smart TV machines.
With A10, Allwinner Technology will drive SoC into a brand new era of connected Smart HD which can enhance the application of connected HD SoC as well as user experience of electronic multimedia products. A10 is offering MULTI-CHANNEL decoding and 1080p encoding, MULTI-CHANNEL display with independently developed advanced frame, as well as MULTI-CHANNEL Analog TV Decoder Interfaces. What’s more, power consumption can be much lower than its competitors during 1080p decoding process.
Features
VPU
– HD Video Decoding (Super HD 2160P/3D Film)
– Support all popular video formats, including VP8, AVS, H. 264 MVC, VC-1, MPEG-1/2/4, …
– HD Video Encoding (H.264 High Profile) [datasheet: 1080p@60fps]
– Support encoding in H.264 format
[datasheet: 720p@100fps]
Rich Connectivity
– USB2.0 Port
– CSI, TS
– SD Card3.0
– 10/100 Ethernet controller
– CAN Bus, Built-in SATA2.0 Interface
– I2S, SPDIF and AC97 audio interfaces
– PS2 , SPI , TWI and UART
DPU
– MULTI-CHANNEL HD displays
– Built-in HDMI
– YPbPr, CVBS, VGA
– LCD interfaces: CPU, RGB, LVDS up to Full HD
Boot Devices
– NAND FLASH
– SPI NOR FLASH
– SD Card
– USB
Powerful Acceleration
– Graphic( 2D/3D)
– VPU(Super HD)
– APU
– E-reader
Benefits
High-performance processing and multimedia capabilities
Outstanding Super HD 2160p/3D Film video decoder makes bunds of creative application possible
High level of integration enables you to launch products in less time, with less effort and at a lower total system cost
Further development Kits, including OS BSP( Android2.3.4, Linux2.6,WinCE6.0)
Typical Application
Pad
Integrated Smart TV
Internet Player
Vehicle Multimedia Center
HDMI Dongle
Projector
2160p [Wikipedia, excerpted on Sept 18, 2012]
2160p is the shorthand name for 4K UHDTV, a video mode planned to appear in future HDTV products.[1] It has a resolution of 3840×2160 (8.3 megapixels in the 16:9 aspect ratio) and is one of the levels of Ultra-high-definition television.[2][3][4][5] The number 2160 stands for 2,160 lines of vertical display resolution, while the letter p stands for progressive scan or non-interlaced. In a progressive image, the lines of resolution of the image go from the top of the screen to the bottom.
2160p is also called “Quad HD” since it displays four times the number of pixels of the highest HDTV standard resolution, 1080p (a standard which is also known as “Full HD“). The only planned higher definition format for television is 8K UHDTV.
Phillips has made a 3D Quad HDTV with a native resolution of 2160p.[6]
In June 2012, Toshiba launched the world’s first 3D TV without glasses with 9 parallax images which passed through special lenticular lenses to deliver 3D effect with glasses-free on a 55″ Toshiba Regza RZ1 Quad Full HD TV, 3840x2160p resolution.[7] Due to delivered 9 parallax images at the same time, so the 3D image will only be seen as HD 720p (1280×720) —> 3840×2160 = 9x1280x720.
Sony plans Quad HD TV to launch between 2012 and 2020. Holographic Versatile Discs and Blu-ray Disc may be used for 2160p video, since it theoretically has a storage capacity of up to 10 Terabytes.[citation needed]
The AllWinner A10 System on Chip Specifications [the alternative allwinner.com product page, July 20, 2012]
Overview
Using 55nm technology, Allwinner Technology’s A10 SoC chip integrates full HD video decoding technology, multi-screen display processing, various analog-digital I/O interfaces, and a high-speed efficient ARM core with intelligent power management. The A10 is used in a number of consumer products such as tablet PCs, high-definition players, smart phones, network set-top boxes and mobile media hubs but with the availability of excellent development tools, the A10 is positioned to expand that list.
Key Features
VPU
• HD Video Decoding (Super HD 2160P/3D Film)
Support all popular video formats, including VP8, AVS, H. 264 MVC ,VC-1, MPEG-1, 2,4, …
• HD Video Encoding (H.264 High Profile)
Support encoding in H.264 format
1080p @ 60 fps
720p @ 100 fpsDPU
MULTI-CHANNEL of HD displays
Built-in HDMI v1.3/v1.4
YPbPr, CVBS,VGA
LCD interfaces: CPU, RGB, LVDS up to Full HDRich Connectivity
• THREE USB2.0 Port (OTG/HOST/UTI)
UTI Digital TV(TS over USB)
• CSI(2), TS(2)
• SD Card3.0(4)
• 10/100 Ethernet controller
• CAN Bus, Built-in SATA2.0 Interface
• I2S, SPDIF and AC97 audio interfaces
• PS2 (2), SPI (4), TWI (3) and UART (8)Boot Devices
• On board NAND FLASH
• SPI NOR FLASH
• SD Card
• USBPowerful Acceleration
• Graphic( 2D/3D, Mali400 MP)
• VPU(Super HD 2160P/3D)
• APU
• E-reader
Support text in EPUB, PDF, FB2, PDB, CHM, HTML, TXT
Support coding format in ANSI/ASCII, UTF-8, UTF16-BE, UTF16-LE, GB2312, EUC-KR, SHIFT-JIS, Windows-1250/1251, Support Chinese, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and KoreaCPU/GPU
• ARM Cortex-A8 at 1.2 Ghz without cooling
• 32KB I-Cache/32KB D-Cache
•256KB L2 Cache
• MALI 400 MP GPU
• ARM NEON general-purpose SIMD engineMemory
•DDR3 SDRAM, 32-bit 16G bits Memory Capacity
• SLC/MLC/TLC/DDR NAND
8 flash chips, ECC 64bits
Memory Capacity up to 64GB/chipSecurity
• Trustzone Technology and DRM
• Supports DES, 3DES AES encryption/decryption
• Support SHA-1, MD5 message digest
• hardware 64-bit random generator
• 128-bit EFUSE chip IDPMU
• Flexible built-in power options
• Intelligent Power Select allocates power safely and transparently among USB, external AC adapter, Li-battery and application loads
• adaptive and USB-compatible PWM chargerBenefits
• Very high performance processing and multimedia capabilities
• Hardware acceleration enables very low power consumption for HD video and graphics
• High level of integration makes you can launch product in less time, with less effort and at a lower total system cost
• Optimized Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) creates high First Pass Yield (FPY) in mass production
• OS Board Support Packages for Android, Linux and WinCE
NEW Allwinner Technology-A10s [product page, Sept 26, 2012]
Allwinner Tech has expanded its processor lineup to include a new ARM Cortex-A8 chip A10s which is even more competitive for HDMI Dongle with higher performance (ManyCore Structure), better compatibility of Streaming Video Protocol/local multimedia formats, lower power consumption, and lower total system cost. As the brains of Android 4.0.4, A10s makes multitasking smoother, apps loading more quickly, and anything you use responds instantly. What’s more important, A10s is available in BGA336 package with Audio Codec, and HDMI integrated.
Features
CPU / GPU
– ARM Cortex-A8 Core
– 32KB D-Cache / 32KB I-Cache
– 256KB L2 Cache
– Mali-400 3-D EngineVPU
– HD Video Decoding
– 1920 * 1080 @ 30fps
– Support VP8/6, H.264/H.263, WMV9/VC-1, WMV7/8, MPEG-4/2/1, Xvid, etc
– HD Video Encoding
– Support encoding in H.264 format up to 1920 * 1080 @ 30fpsHDMI
– HDMI 1.4
– 1080P OutputBoot Devices
– NAND Flash
– SPI Nor Flash
– SD Card
– USBUltra-low System Power Consumption
– 15 ~ 20% lower than competitors
DPU
– LCD Interfaces: CPU, RGBMemory
– DDR2/DDR3: Up to 533MHz
– 16 bits/32 bits Data Bus
– MLC / TLC / SLC / EF-NAND
– ECC 64-bit
– Support NAND of 4xnm, 3xnm, 2xnm …
– Support NADN of Samsung, Toshiba, Hynix …Peripherals
– USB2.0 OTG, USB2.0 HOST (OHCI / EHCI)
– SD Card V.3.0, eMMC V.4.2
– SPI, TWI and UART
– TS Port
– EMAC
– CSI
– IISAudio Codec
– integrated Audio Codec
– MIC/FM/LINEIN InputPowerful Acceleration
– Graphic (3D, Mali400 MP)
– VPU (1080P)
– APUPackage
– BGA336, 14mm*14mmBenefits
Optimum multimedia and processing abilities
Lower power consumption of HD videos and graphics due to hardware acceleration
Lower power consumption of HD videos and graphics due to hardware acceleration
Total solution, including OS BSP (Android 4.0.4 UP)
Typical application
And A10s is definitely coming to the market as per this [Sept, 21, 2012] discussion thread
Today I found a seller on on a website selling new model of Android TV stick, it claims adopting new A10S chip & support DLNA function that is just what I want, is that a good deal?
Allwinner Technology-A13 [product page, April 13, 2012]
Allwinner Technology has expanded its processor lineup to include a new ARM Cortex-A8 chip A13 which is even more competitive for Android tablets with higher performance (ManyCore Lite), lower power consumption, and lower total system cost. As the brains of Android 4.0. 3, A13 makes multitasking smoother, apps loading more quickly, and anything you touch responds instantly. What’s more important, A13 is available in eLQFP176 package with Audio Codec, and 2 Points R-TP integrated.
Features
CPU / GPU
– ARM Cortex-A8 Core
– 32KB D-Cache / 32KB I-Cache
– 256KB L2 Cache
– Mali-400 3-D Engine
VPU
– HD Video Decoding
– 1920 * 1080 @ 30fps
– Support H.264, H.263, VC1, Mpeg1/2/4, Divx 3/4/5/6, Xvid, VP6 / 8, AVS etc
– HD Video Encoding
– Support encoding in H.264 format up to 1920 * 1080 @ 30fps
Boot Devices
– NAND Flash
– SPI Nor Flash
– SD Card
– USBUltra-low System Power Consumption
– 15 ~ 20% lower than competitors
– Smart Backlight: auto adjust backlight acc. to the image display
DPU
– LCD Interfaces: CPU, RGBMemory
– DDR2/DDR3: Up to 533MHz
– 16 bits Data Bus
– Memory capacity up to 512MB
– MLC / TLC / SLC / EF-NAND
– 2 flash chips, ECC 64-bit
– Support NAND of 5xnm, 4xnm, 3xnm, 2xnm …
– Support NADN of Samsung, Toshiba, Hynix …Peripherals
– USB2.0 OTG, USB2.0 HOST (OHCI / EHCI)
– SD Card V.3.0, eMMC V.4.2
– SPI, TWI and UART
– integrated Audio Codec
– CSIR-TP Controller
– 4-wire resistive TP interface
– 2 points and gesture detectionPowerful Acceleration
– Graphic (3D, Mali400 MP)
– VPU (1080P)
– APU
– E-ReaderPackage
– eLQFP176Benefits
Optimum multimedia and processing abilities
Lower power consumption of HD videos and graphics due to hardware acceleration
Much faster, easier and cost efficient product launch due to the high integration
Further development kits, including OS BSP (Android 4.0.3 UP)
Typical application
Note that Allwinner is operating in a world-class environment as you could easily see from the below picture of their office building taken from their brief intro page [April 13, 2012]:
全志科技 Allwinner Technology has been committed to the IC design industry, is one of a handful of domestic enterprise engaged in system-level ultra-large-scale mixed analog-digital chip design the SoC and intelligent power management. Our main products are intelligent terminal application processor chip, smart power management chip.
With excellent R & D team and technical strength, the company’s products to achieve industry-leading levels of high-definition video codec, a high level of integration, low power consumption, rapid market expansion, has become a domestic Tablet PC application processor chip, high-definition player application processor chip as well as one of the mainstream supplier of intelligent power management chip market, has a clear lead.
New content replacing the above on Sept 26, 2012:
Allwinner Technology, one of the domestic companies in integrated circuit design industry, is dedicated to the design of mixed analog-digital VLSI SoC and smart power management SoC.
Depending on its excellent R&D capability, Allwinner Technology has
beenled the industry in terms of its HD video codec, high integration and low power consumption, etc. As a result, it is gaining more market share, and has become one of the domestic mainstream suppliers of tablet processors, HD player processors, as well as smart power management SoC.
Note therefore that Allwinner’s roots are in the video (multimedia) related chips as also shown by their latest pre-A10 SoC product (introduced in August’11) for that market, the F1C100 (another SoC, the more focussed F20 introduced in August’11 for portable video players, living room computers etc. has even better, 1080p full HD decode technology; as well as the very latest F10 introduced in April’12 for HD players and lower end –relative to A10—car multimedia), described on its product page as:
With advanced independently developed video decoding technique, F1C100 becomes the ONLY processor in the market that can decode video in all formats based on ONLY 4MB NOR FLASH and 16MB SDRAM. In the mass production of final products, NOR bootloader burning is much easier and faster compared with NAND FLAHS ‘. Last but not least, F1C100 supports two-point touch which can improve the using experience of end-users.
New F10 content replacing the above on Sept 26, 2012:
The F10 is an advanced HD video CODEC processor with unparalleled competitive edges in integration, video compatibility and cost efficiency, which have been widely verified by mass production of dozens of applications. End-users are overwhelmed by its capability to serve banquet for the eyes.
Typical Application
F1C100’s datasheet [initial version, March 31, 2011] is providing the following, more precise description:
and for the video engine of their own design in particular:
…
With this intellectual property they were able to upscale to a market leading 2160p functionality in the A10 (vs. the 720p in the above F1C100) while using a less upscaled IP for the 1080p in A13. So they can even have a scaleable video engine IP of their own.
In the A10 datasheet or here [initial version, Aug 22, 2011] the following description is giving some hint regarding the company’s strategic intent to remain in the forefront of video acceleration technology:
It is quite notable that neither on the product page nor in this datasheet Allwinner is giving further information about their video engine. Even in the functional block diagram of datasheet the video engine (VE) is simple put into a central box with Cartex-A8 and the Mali GPU:
The only available information is the CedarX wiki page [July 14 – Sept 16, 2012] on linux-sunxi wiki:
CedarX is Allwinner’s multimedia decoding technology. It is composed of several parts, including:
- A hardware video decoding unit
- Proprietary libraries to communicate with the hardware unit
- Glue code to use those libraries on an actual system with video playback capabilities (e.g. Android)
Benefits
Efficient use of system resources when decoding multimedia.
Allows small ARM systems to playback high resolution/bitrate multimedia content, which wouldn’t be possible using software-only decoding.
Disadvantages
The proprietary libraries have no clear usage license.
The android glue code is implemented as a “media player” (parallel to stagefright) instead of as OMX components.
This media player has limitations when it comes to playing back content pointed to by Android URIs and some web-based content.
There is no glue code for any other multimedia frameworks on GNU/Linux systems. The use of OMX would’ve rendered this a non-issue, with existing projects like GstOpenMAX.
Integration
Reverse Engineering
On June 15 2012 Iain Bullard started reverse engineering the proprietary libraries.
open_cdxalloc as an free reimplementation of Allwinner‘s libcederxalloc.a.
CedarXWrapper as a LD_PRELOADed wrapper to help understanding the proprietary libraries.
CedarXPlayerTest as a basic player to use when testing.
Some leading tablets (single core) as of April, 2012 per Merimobiles (with an office in Canada)
(Haipad I7 is now $99, the price of Ployer Momo9 is unchanged, see: HAIPAD I7 IPS 1024*600 Multitouch Screen with Android 4.0 Dual Camera 1080P HDMI [Merimobiles.com, Sept 10, 2012], Haipad’s latest 7-inch ICS tablet Haipad i7 gets FCC clearance [Merimobiles blog, March 6, 2012], from Shenzhen Haina Electronic Co., Ltd “founded in 2003 as a high-tech company specializing in laptops and other digital mobile devices”)
The Allwinner A10 based tablets came to the global market from quite a number of vendors as shown by the following table (=50) compiled from two related threads from SlateDroid.com (note that global arrival of A10-based product started in Jan’12):
Comprehensive List of Allwinner
|
„2nd generation” A10 tablets (with 1 GB or more):Ainol: Novo Elf, Novo AuroraBmorn V11 ExtremeAmpe A90Gemei: G9, Gemei G2Eken A90Ployer Momo11 Birdnewman P81Onda: Vi40 (8g, 16g, 32g/ 10” screen), Vi10 elite, 1GB Ram, 8 GB Flash, 1024×600 LCDTeclast: P85 (8″ screen), A10Later/OTHER devices (not verified, just put on the thread, THOSE WITH LINKS are from the Adding new Allwinner A10 CPU Devices THREAD [Jan 19-Sept 17, 2012]):Ampe: A80, A85, A10Andtai FG-A97Benyi M8Coby Kryos 7042Gemei G3Haipad i7HKC M701ICOO: D50 deluxe edition, D80WiNote: V4, A8, A8-2, A-8-3Kliver MB9703MyAudio 908ANaviatec MD710Onda Vi40 FlagshipPolaroid PMID701CShimaro M5Sinvigo M7Sysbay s-mp99Treq A10CTrio Stealth Pro 7VISTURE 3Zonge M90Yarvik Xerios TAB464Xtouch X716Woxter Tablet PC 97 |
Note that there were only couple of Chinese vendors with multiple Allwinner A10-based tablet offerings, namely: Ainol, Ampe, Bmorn, Eken, Gemei, ICOO, iNote, Onda, Ployer, Sanei, Teclast (i.e. just 11 out of 50).
There is a much shorter and later started list of Allwinner A13-based tablets on SlateDroid.com, see: List of Allwinner A13 CPU Devices [from Aug 1, 2012]
Then from April to August there were the following events unfolding in China as per Micdigi reports:
- Allwinner A13 tablet PCs begin to appear in market [April 28, 2012]:
A13 is cheaper than A10 with only 512M memory and 800×600 resolution but without Bluetooth and HDMI. Allwinner A13 can be only used for 7-inch tablet PC and 8-inch tablet PC, it does not support 10-inch tablet PC.
Contrasted with VIA8850 and RK2906, A13 with low cost will have strong market competitive capability. The price of 7-inch tablet with A13 and capacitive screen will be less than $48 in May.
- The [7-inch] tablet PC [from Shenzhen Haipad] based on A13 solution sells for $47.5 [May 8, 2012]
- The [7-inch] A10 tablet PC [from Shenzhen Zhongjiweiye] based on 1G memory and 8G storage sells for about $52 [May 23, 2012]
- The [7-inch] A13 tablet [from Shenzhen VAYEE] sells for 299 RMB [$47] [May 25, 2012]
- The tablet PC based on RK2906 is cheaper than A10 tablet PC [May 25, 2012]:
Rockchip has released RK2906 chip to defeat Allwinner A10. The chip is not different from RK2918 but it can only used for 7-inch tablet and 8-inch tablet.
The tablet based on RK2906 comes from Shenzhen DavidMid.
- The Allwinner A13 PCBA from Shenzhen SMIT [State Micro Technology] [May 25, 2012]: [SMiT, Official website: http://www.smit.com.cn/] [“slot-in screen” is rather “embedded capacitive screen”: 内嵌电容屏]
The two sample tablet PCs from SMIT are based on slot-in screen and flat screen. The price of the slot-in screen is less $8 than the price of the flat screen.
The price of the PCBA sells for about $19, the tablet PC based on A13 solution, slot-in screen and capacitive control sells for about $47.
… The slot-in screen does not have external glass and interaction sets that it is cheaper. But the experience is not different from the flat screen. …
Remark: Embedded Touchscreen Technology and Market Analysis [Displaybank, March, 2010]
The embedded touch technology is divided into In-cell and On-cell technologies. Conventionally, only the In-cell technology which was exclusively developed by panel makers drew attention, but it entailed issues in technology and cost regarding a mass production by satisfying the touch function demanded by customers and market. The on-cell technology lies at a grafting point between the conventional touch industry infra and LCD panel industry that it tends to mutually supplement the two industries in terms of performance and function.
The embedded touch technology which includes above On-cell and In-cell technologies is ideal since it reduces thickness and weight as well as it overcomes shortcomings of the conventional add-on type: reduced transmittance, lowered readability due to contrast ratio decrease, and thick bezel width. Based on above advantages, related makers continue with the technology development. The market is yet insignificant, but it is expected to show high growth rate comparable to the Touch market’s growth.
Latest info:
– On-cell Touch Screen Panel Slims Down Mobile Displays [Electronic Design, June 10, 2012]
– TOUCH TECHNOLOGY IN SMARTPHONES EXPLAINED [FlatpanelsHD, Sept 19, 2012]
- Q780 based on Allwinner A10 solution and 7-inch screen [from Shenzhen Xunlong] sells for 29X RMB [$46.x] [June 28, 2012]
- The volume production of VIA8850 chip will start in this month. [June 25, 2012] In last year, VIA8650 has controlled most of the market share. As the new chip is released so late, Allwinner and Rockchip get more market share.
- Structure of VIA8850 competition [June 29, 2012]
VIA8850 based on Cortex-A9 core is powerful than VIA8650. VIA8650 is so worse that some famous manufactures in China have not made their tablet PCs to introduce VIA8650 chip, such as Ramos, Window and TOBE.
VIA8850 will come with cheap price and powerful performance. It will be mainly used for SuperPad tablet PCs. It is said that VIA will release another chip for big-brand companies.
Actually it is same with VIA8850, but it has different name.
As VIA8650 chip is so worse, Infotmic [X200] 7-inch chip, Allwinner A10, Allwinner A13 have got most of the market share.
Could VIA8850 chip get more market share in this year?
1. There are so many Allwinner A10 tablet PCs that the competition is so fierce. Some manufactures do not make any money. They will not continue to release A10 tablet PCs. Maybe they will release VIA8850 tablet PCs.
2. VIA8850 based on Cortex-A9 core is [more] powerful than Allwinner A10 based on A8 core and A13 based on A8 core. With the resource of HTC, the system optimization of the VIA8850 tablet PC is excellent. It not only has powerful performance but also has cheap price.
3. VIA is a famous chip company in the world. They have good marketing channel.
Allwinner has released the A10 chip for about half a year. They have earned so much money including the investment cost and the profit.
VIA must do their best to earn the investment cost. The cost of VIA8850 is [more] expensive than Allwinner A13.
Allwinner has advantage in the price war.
- The tablet PC based on VIA8850 [from Shenzhen Vayee] sells for $299 RMB [$47] [July 6, 2012]
- Most of Shenzhen tablet manufactures export to other countries. Because Chinese do not like knock off tablet PCs or SurperPad tablet PCs, they like brand ones. [July 19, 2012]
- The 7-inch tablet PC based on Infotmic [X200] solution [from Shenzhen Wave] sells for 199 RMB [$32] [July 21, 2012]
Configurations: Infotmic solution, 256M memory, 4G storage, 7-inch resistive screen with 800×480 resolution, front facing camera, Android2.3 OS.
Infotmic X200 series are based on ARM11, 1GHz frequency, supports 1080P video decode.
- The 7-inch tablet PC based on Allwinner A13 solution [from Shenzhen Shenzhen Jinsuoai] sells for 25X RMB [$39.X] [July 28, 2012]
Recent examples of tablets:
$39 AllWinner A13 Tablet (100K bulk) by Hott at IFA 2012 [Charbax YouTube channel, Sept 2, 2012]
$46 AllWinner A13 by OMG at IFA 2012 [Charbax YouTube channel, Sept 2, 2012]
$99 3G Allwinner A10 Eken G70 at IFA 2012 [Charbax YouTube channel, Sept 1, 2012]
And here is an earlier $55 AllWinner Boxchip A13 Tablet Factory Tour [Charbax YouTube channel, May 27, 2012] to understand why and how the workforce is able to assembe the tablets at such a cheap price:
AAPPAA Shenzhen JinPinXing Tablets [Charbax YouTube channel, Sept 2, 2012]
Some important information mentioned in the video:
MID-971:
– World’s Thinnest 9.7” [IPS] Pad
– Only 8.9 mm
– Built-in 3G (can be also without it)
– WiFi + Bluetooth
– VIMICRO??? or Longcheer 2918/3066
– the WiFi only version is US$115-120 depending on quantityMID-803:
– 8” Pad
– Built-in 3G
– Dual Camera
– Rockchip 3066 dual core
– US$172 with 8GB and 3G
?MID-973?: a 9” tablet with Allwinner A13 is said to cost US$73-74
30K tablets sold per month, can sell upto 50K per month
On their product microsite (see below) the tablets shown currently have the following SoCs and parameters:
– Allwinner A10 (Cortex A8@1.5GHz): MID-501 and MID-702 (both 512MB DDR3 and 7” 800×480 with Android 4.0.4)
– Allwinner A13 (Cortex A8@1.0GHz): MID-438 (7” 262×480 and Android 4.0.3), MID-703 (7” 800×480 and Android 4.0.4) both with 512MB DDR3
– VIMICRO882 (Cortex A8@1.0GHz): MID-706 (512MB DDR3 and 7” 800×480 with Android 4.0)
– all the those are with capacitive touch screens, NAND FLASH 4GB/8GB/16GB / 32GB (optional), AMD graphics acceleration, full support for OpenGL ES2.0 (AMD Z340) and h.264 720P HD 1080i
Jinpin Xing Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen – Tablet PC – Products – [as of Sept 18, 2012]
深圳市金品兴科技有限公司 – 平板电脑 – 产品介绍
AAPPAA –About us [Aug 19, 2011]
AAPPAA, founded in 2005, is an established manufacture of smart digital products with super perfect design in MP3/4/5, Mini Speaker products field. We design and produce super perfect quality products, many of them are original which we ship to wholesale customers all over the world. Given the wide array of geographic regions across which we distribute product, we work closely with our customers and retail partners to ensure the AAPPAA team remains innovative and competitive in a constantly evolving market sector.
AAPPAA’s Success: AAPPAA’s success can be attributed to close collaboration with our global set of customers and partners combined with internal efforts to continually improve our productivity, design creativity and quality management initiatives. Through the years, AAPPAA has experienced tremendous growth while also enhancing the personal lives of our customers, and the well being of our loyal employee base. AAPPAA employs 60+ people with an average employment tenure of nearly 3 years a fantastic achievement amidst China’s explosive growth that has offered a continuous list of new opportunities of a young, energetic workers.
AAPPAA’s Manufacturing Capacity: AAPPAA’s 1500 square meters of manufacturing space and 60+ workers are based in Shenzhen China. We operate multiple production lines with SMT machines, hot plastic packing machines as well as high & low temperature age and vibration testing units. Production capacity exceeds 110,000 units per month. In addition, AAPPAA’s products are CE, FCC, RoHS certified.
Address: 5F, Nankeng No.2 Industrial Park Abuilding, Bantian Town, Longgang District, ShenZhen City 518129, China
Tel : +86-755-83579180 Fax:+86-755-83579189 E-mail: sales@aappaa.com
5. The wireless display and 2160p (“Quad HD”/4K) outlook
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™: Your Content – Now Showing on Screens Everywhere [WiFiAlliance YouTube channel, Sept 18, 2012]
What that means practically is currently best shown by a non-Chinese tablet SoC vendor:
NVIDIA Tegra 3 Enhances Miracast Wireless Display [nvidia YouTube channel, July 26, 2012]
What you see here is the Hardware + software optimization done by NVIDIA for Miracast. Since Allwinner is using its own video processing unit (VPU) which is said to be the fastest relative to the video engines of its Chinese SoC competitors (e.g. Amlogic) we can expect a similar to the NVIDIA’s kind of software optimization for the Allwinner VPU. (Take also into consideration “the company’s strategic intent to remain in the forefront of video acceleration technology” as it was proven in the “Allwinner Advantage” section before.)
In other respect a separate 3d party WiFi chip is coming into the play, and there is already quite a number of those chips already to be designated Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ :
Easy-to-use, multi-vendor wireless display has arrived: Wi-Fi Alliance® launches Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ [Wi-Fi Alliance press release, Sept 19, 2012]
Wi-Fi Alliance® today announced the launch of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ certification program. Miracast devices provide simplified discovery and setup, so users can quickly transmit video content from one device to another. Industry analysts predict annual shipments of Miracast-certified devices to exceed one billion units within the next four years.
Miracast users can do things like view pictures from a smartphone on a big screen television, share a laptop screen with the conference room projector in real-time, and watch live programs from a home cable box on a tablet. Miracast connections are formed using Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct™, so access to a Wi-Fi® network is not needed – the ability to connect is inside Miracast-certified devices.
“Wi-Fi users around the world want to experience multimedia on the device of their choice – no matter what brand – and Miracast is the breakthrough they have been waiting for,” said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance. “We have been delighted with the level of enthusiasm and support among our member companies for this new offering.”
Miracast supports protected content streaming, enabling devices to stream feature films and other copy-protected materials. To protect premium content, Miracast uses a wireless adaptation of the trusted content protection mechanisms widely used today for cabled interfaces like HDMI® and DisplayPort. In addition, the latest WPA2™ security protections are automatically enabled on every device, making the transport of all multimedia content private.
“Miracast builds on Wi-Fi Direct with a compelling application,” said Brian O’Rourke from IHS iSuppli Research. “This is a big step forward in a market migration from single-vendor display solutions, into an offering from a wide array of vendors. With more than 1.5 billion Miracast devices expected to ship in 2016, the program is poised to have broad adoption.”
The technology underlying Miracast was developed in Wi-Fi Alliance by a diverse group of mobile and consumer electronics manufacturers and silicon vendors to standardize methods for simplified video sharing. Based on the Wi-Fi Alliance Display Specification, products bearing the Miracast brand interoperate across vendors, making it easy to enjoy video on screens throughout the home or office.
The first products to be designated Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast, and which form the test suite for the certification program, are:
Broadcom Dualband 11n WiFi
Intel® WiDi
Marvell Avastar USB-8782 802.11n 1×1 Dual-band Reference Design
MediaTek a/b/g/n Dualband Mobile Phone Client, MT662X_v1 and DTV Sink, MV0690
Ralink 802.11n Wireless Adapter, RT3592
Realtek Dual-band 2×2 RTL8192DE HM92D01 PCIe Half Mini Card and RTD1185 RealShare Smart Display Adapter
The first consumer products certified since testing opened to vendors include the LG Optimus G smartphone, Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone and Samsung Echo-P Series TV.
More information, including a list of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast products, the Wi-Fi Alliance Display technical specification, white paper, and more is available at www.wi-fi.org/miracast.
Broad industry support for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast
“As a Wi-Fi market leader, Broadcom is honored to be one of the primary certification solutions for the Wi-Fi Alliance Miracast™ program and is committed to driving new Wi-Fi standards,” said Dino Bekis, Senior Director, Wireless Connectivity Combo Group at Broadcom. “The standardization of this technology will enable consumers to easily and seamlessly share content across the ever-growing landscape of connected devices.”
“Users clearly expect that they should be able to move their content and applications freely at home, at work, in the classroom, and on the go,” said Joe Van De Water, Director of Consumer Product Marketing at Intel. “Intel has seen tremendous user enthusiasm for Intel® WiDi, and as a member of the Wi-Fi Alliance, we support enabling this usage more broadly and are excited to announce WiDi as one of the first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast solutions.’’
“We celebrate the launch of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ program,” said Hyunghoon Oh, Head of LG Mobile Communication R&D Division. “Miracast brings an exciting advancement in the way devices deliver display applications.”
“The Wi-Fi Alliance’s Miracast certification program will allow for easy sharing of video content, regardless of vendor,” said Bart Giordano, Director, Wireless Marketing at Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. “We have included Miracast in our solutions, and are honored to have been selected for the program’s test bed.”
“The video streaming applications enabled by Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ are key to the growth of the Wi-Fi ecosystem encompassing Consumer Electronics, Personal Computing, and Mobile devices.” said Mr. SR Tsai, General Manager of Wireless Connectivity & Networking Business Unit at MediaTek. “We are honored to have our Android mobile platforms, Digital TV, as well as our connectivity solutions for Windows platforms selected for the Miracast test bed.”
“Miracast on NVIDIA Tegra will bridge the distance between mobile devices and high-def TVs, providing customers a rich – and cable-free – multimedia experience,” said Matt Wuebbling, Director of Product Marketing at NVIDIA. “We have embraced Miracast and are working with our OEM partners to bring its amazing possibilities to market.”
“We are happy to have been involved in developing the Miracast program and to be one of the first companies to receive certification,” said Jessy Chen, Vice President and Spokesman at Realtek. “The solution will greatly expand the market for easy-to-use interoperable wireless display connectivity.”
“As a leader in N-screen technology, Samsung has introduced AllShare Cast (based on Miracast), which is incorporated into most of Samsung’s high-end smart mobile devices including the GALAXY S III, GALAXY Note 10.1, and GALAXY Note II, “ said Hankil Yoon, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy Team, Samsung’s Mobile Communication Business. “We will continue to support the program, and plan to offer more Miracast-certified devices to our customers going forward.”
“Sony Mobile is pleased to support the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ certification program. We continuously strive to deliver new exciting user experiences and Miracast™ technology will enhance our ability to offer consumers seamless connectivity to move their content freely between smartphones and other screens,” says Nikolaus Scheurer, Director Marketing Planning for Sony Mobile Communications.
“Miracast will play an important role in enabling true seamless media streaming, gaming and content sharing between mobile screens and large displays,” said Ram Machness, director of marketing, Wireless Connectivity Solutions, Texas Instruments Incorporated. “Our OMAP™ platform, DaVinci™ video processors and WiLink™ connectivity products will offer Miracast-certified source and sink solutions to provide a rich experience for our customers’ end products.”
About the Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide.
The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 15,000 product certifications, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets.
Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™, Passpoint™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™, Miracast™, Wi-Fi ZONE™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
All other company and product names mentioned are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
For Chinese vendors the WiFi-related MediaTek chips are the most accessible and affordable, so I am including the additional MediaTek press release as well:
MediaTek Interlinks Mobile Devices and TVs for Wireless Display MiracastTM Applications [MediaTek press release, Sept 19, 2012]
MediaTek Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions, today announced that its 802.11a/b/g/n Dual-band Mobile Phone Client (MT662X), 802.11n Wireless Adapter (RT3592) and DTV Sink solutions (MV0690) have all been selected as part of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED MiracastTM test bed. As the benchmark to drive interoperability testing for the newest Wi-Fi program, MediaTek’s Miracast-certified solutions allow mobile devices to wirelessly stream multimedia content, such as video and games, onto big screen DTVs without a connection to an access point.
“We congratulate MediaTek on achieving selection to the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED MiracastTM test bed,” said Wi-Fi Alliance CEO Edgar Figueroa. “MediaTek’s participation in the development of this program has been instrumental in the achievement of industry-wide certification.”
In a typical MiracastTM usage scenario, one device acts as the source (the transmitting device sending out the content) while the other becomes a sink (a receiving device displaying the content). Thanks to the new Wi-Fi test program and MediaTek’s proven technologies, interoperability and user experience of Miracast applications can be guaranteed.
“We are partnering with MediaTek to provide consumers with high-performance, affordable smartphone solutions that incorporate the latest Miracast Wi-Fi display technology for the home and on the go, “ said Dr. Ji-Yang Wang, COO at TCL Communications Technology. “MediaTek’s industry-leading technologies, cross-platform advantages across home and mobile, and ‘hands-on’ approach to design and support, are essential in creating products that helps us deliver a compelling user experience and differentiated offering.”
“The video streaming applications enabled by Wi-Fi CERTIFIED MiracastTM are key to the growth of the Wi-Fi ecosystem encompassing Consumer Electronics, Personal Computing, and mobile devices.” said Mr. SR Tsai, General Manager of MediaTek’s Wireless Connectivity & Networking Business Unit. “Having our Android Smartphone, Digital TV, as well as our connectivity solutions for Windows platforms selected for the MiracastTM test bed is a strong testament to the breadth and quality of MediaTek’s Wi-Fi technology.”
MediaTek offers a broad portfolio of high-performance SoC and wireless connectivity solutions for the proliferation of smartphones, tablets, PCs, DTVs, Blu-ray players and AP/routers. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED MiracastTM MediaTek solutions included in the test bed are:
• MT662X a/b/g/n Dual-band Mobile Connectivity Combo
• RT3592, Ralink 802.11n Wireless Adapter
• MV0690 DTV Sink
The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED MiracastTM MediaTek solutions have entered mass production and are shipping in commercially launched devices.
* Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.
See also:
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct™: Personal, portable Wi-Fi® that goes with you anywhere, anytime [Wi-Fi Alliance, Aug 15, 2010]
As far as the 2160p (“Quad HD” or 4K) technology is concerned, which is already on our footsteps, I would first recommend to watch the below demo video available on YouTube in QUAD HD resolution. You should “simply” select the “Original” quality in full screen viewing mode, and if your monitor has sufficient resolution than you could get the proper experience (do not forget that your Internet connection should be sufficiently fast in terms of guarranteed dowload speed as well). If not than correspondingly less:
IT005 QUAD HD 4K – Italy travel guide Bird watching [VOXLIBERTUM YouTube channel]
Then please watch another video which is showing what the leader in this TV technology, Toshiba was showing on the recent IFA 2012 fair in Berlin:
Toshiba 4K Quad-HD 3840×2160 TVs with CEVO Engine upscaling/processing from 55″ to 84″ [Charbax YouTube channel, Aug 30, 2012]
The reporter (Nicolas Charbonnier alias Charbax) did an excellent job with this video, as well as the Toshiba guy showing him around. Even his English is very good and enjoyable. Note that from [02:10] and “Glassless 3D” is shown and explained quite extensively, then highly zoomable Google Maps in 3D etc. Charbonnier is doing during all this an excellent job zooming with camera so one can really grasp the 4K and 3D experience quite well even in a normal viewing environment of your monitor. THANKS!
More information:
– Toshiba unveils the first large-screen glasses-free 3D TV in Asia
[Toshiba Singapore press release, May 3, 2012]
– Toshiba Brings New Generation of TVs and PCs to the Philippines Announces New Brand Ambassador [Toshiba Philippines press release, June 20, 2012]
– RZ1 SERIES NEW! Glasses-Free 3D TV [Regza Asia microsite, June 4, 2012]
– Toshiba Regza RZ1 [Toshiba Regza YouTube channel, May 31, 2012]
– Toshiba Regza RZ1 3D TV Review [gadgetguruindia YouTube channel, Aug 6, 2012]
You can also watch Charbonnier’s shorter report about Sony 84″ 4K TV KD-84X9005 with 4K X-Reality Pro [Charbax YouTube channel, Sept 2, 2012] which came after Toshiba to the market and said to be widely available for Christmas.
Finally: Status of the TV Display industry by Paul Gray, Director of European TV Research for DisplaySearch [Charbax YouTube channel, Aug 31, 2012]
6. Are the established client device players
recognizing this strategic inflection point or not?
Decide for your yoursel, dear reader:
Ballmer trumpets Microsoft’s ‘epic year’ [The Seattle Times, Sept 15, 2012]
Q: The iPad has the largest share of the tablet market, but its soft spot, it seems to me, is the price.With the Surface, are you planning to compete with the iPad on price or on features?
A: We haven’t announced pricing. I think we have a very competitive product from the features perspective. …
I think most people would tell you that the iPad is not a superexpensive device. … (When) people offer cheaper, they do less. They look less good, they’re chintzier, they’re cheaper.
If you say to somebody, would you use one of the 7-inch tablets, would somebody ever use a Kindle (Kindle Fire, $199) to do their homework? The answer is no; you never would. It’s just not a good enough product. It doesn’t mean you might not read a book on it….
If you look at the bulk of the PC market, it would run between, say, probably $300 to about $700 or $800. That’s the sweet spot.
…
Q: Where do you see Microsoft’s position in five years, 10 years?
A: First of all, I’d say: pre-eminent technology company. I think that in a back-looking view, people would say we were a software company. That’s kind of how we were born.
I think when you look forward, our core capability will be software, (but) you’ll probably think of us more as a devices-and-services company. Which is a little different. Software powers devices and software powers these cloud services, but it’s a different form of delivery….
Doesn’t mean we have to make every device. I don’t want you to leap to that conclusion. We’ll have partners who make devices with our software in it and our services built in. … We’re going to be a leader at that.
Supply chain estimates x86 Surface Price at US$500-700 and RT below US$399 [DIGITIMES, Sept 18, 2012]
Microsoft’s own-brand Surface tablets are expected to launch at the end of October with the related supply chain players estimating that the Surface RT’s hardware cost is at around US$300-400 and the end price will be less than US$399. However, the pricing is not confirmed by Microsoft.
Microsoft’s pricing strategy for its own-brand tablets will relatively affect PC brand vendors’ pricing strategy and sales projections for their Windows 8 tablets. As the launch time at the end of October is approaching, PC brand vendors are keeping a close eye on Microsoft’s actions. With the related Surface pricing speculations having been floating around the market, Surface RT was previously rumored to be priced at only US$199, leaving the PC brand vendor in a cold sweat.
Since CEO Steve Ballmer in a recent interview pointed out that a price level between US$300-800 will be the sweet spot for PC sales, some market watchers have interpreted the statement as a hint for Surface pricing.
The sources revealed that the hardware cost of Surface RT is at US$300-400 and US$400-500 for the x86 version. Since the devices will not need to pay the licensing fee for the operating system. The RT version will be priced below US$399, while the x86 version is estimated to be US$100-200 higher based on hardware costs and priced at US$500-700.
The PC brand vendors also pointed out that they will not be absent from launching x86-based Windows tablet products since Windows still has leadership position in the global enterprise market. If the x86 Surface’s end user price is at US$500-700, although they will feel the pressure from competition, the product line would still be profitable.
Acer, Asustek Windows 8 tablet prices may be to high to attract consumers [DIGITIMES, Sept 20, 2012]
Acer and Asustek Computer’s Windows 8 tablets are reportedly to be priced at above US$800, about the same price as the New iPad with the highest specifications, and market watchers are concerned that the high price may drag down consumer demand and impact the vendors’ performance.
Although PC brands including Acer, Toshiba, Dell, Lenovo, Asustek, Samsung and Sony, have mostly unveiled or showcased their Windows 8 tablets publicly, their prices and specifications are still not yet to be officially revealed. However, some websites have recently leaked information about Acer and Asustek’s tablets including prices and specifications.
Asustek is reportedly to release three Windows 8 tablet models and the 11.6-inch Vivo Tab will be priced at US$799.
Acer reportedly will release two sizes of Windows 8 tablet – the 10.1-inch 64GB Iconia Tab W510 with Wi-Fi support only and priced at NZD999 (US$827), a keyboard accessory will raise the price to about US$993; and the 11.6-inch 128GB Iconia Tab W700 with Wi-Fi support only at NZD1,799 (US$1,490), and with a Bluetooth keyboard, the machine’s price will go up to about US $1,570.
However, Acer and Asustek have both declined to comment on the leaked prices and only pointed out that they will host product launches in the near future. Intel has also recently sent out media invitations and will host a Windows 8 tablet conference on September 27 in the US to showcase tablets and convertibles from Acer, Asustek, HP, Lenovo, Dell, Samsung and ZTE to promote for the launch of Windows 8.
Acer and Asus to Launch Windows 8 Tablet PCs in Q4 [CENS, Aug 22, 2012]
Eying business opportunities created by the new Windows 8 operating system (OS), scheduled for release in October, Taiwan-based personal computer (PC) vendors Acer and Asus will soon launch Win 8 tablet PC models.
Acer plans to launch two Windows 8 tablet PCs supporting keyboard input, and will soon launch several Android smartphone models, including the A9- and C-series in September. Acer`s CA and C1 smartphones will be demonstrated in pan-European market in the fourth quarter possibly in cooperation with some telecom carriers.
Industry sources said that Asus` new tablet PC TF500T will be priced between its lower-end Transformer Pad TF300 and high-level model Transformer Pad Infinity TF700.
Some institutional investors deem that after the Windows 8 products go to market, consumer response will decide how intensive PC vendors will promote compatible models.
Lenovo has also announced to launch price-competitive Windows 8 tablet models priced from US$200 to US$300, with its IdeaPad Yoga notebook PC also to be announced in October.
According to PC part and component suppliers, all major international vendors, including Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Acer and Asus, are actively developing Windows 8 products, leading to parts suppliers` revenue peaks in the fourth quarter.
Compal Electronics Inc., a major contract notebook PC assembler, is reportedly developing Windows 8 notebook PC models for HP, which plans to unveil the new models in the fourth quarter to boost sales in the Christmas season.
Acer to Keep Launching Netbook PCs: Chairman Wang [CENS, Sept 18, 2012]
In the face of tablet PCs encroaching on sales of netbooks worldwide, J.T. Wang, chairman of Acer Inc., a Taiwanese, globally leading brand vendor of PCs, stated that his company will keep launching netbook models in the future.
Since the launch of Apple Inc.’s iPad in 2010 ignited the market for tablet PCs, such emerging electronic devices have rapidly eaten into market shares of netbook PCs over the past few years. This forces most PC vendors, including Samsung, Dell and Lenovo, to consider giving up the diminishing market.
Acer’s Taiwanese counterpart Asustek Computer Inc., which once rode on netbook PCs to achieve bigger shares of the global laptop market, also confirmed earlier that it will retire netbook PC production lines starting in the fourth quarter of this year, since such products, the company’s CEO Jerry Shen said, have already fulfilled tasks for the development of the global PC industry.
Another factor prompting PC vendors to exit the netbook market is the lack of support from Microsoft and Intel. Accordingly, Microsoft doesn’t launch any starter edition of Windows 8 for netbook PCs, while Intel will focus the development of its Atom processors on tablet PCs and smartphones. This has made netbook PCs even more unworthy of development.
But, Acer’s chairman Wang is still optimistic about the market for netbook PCs. He said that consumer demand for such devices will continue growing in emerging countries, not to mention that netbook sales in developed countries still make up a majority of the global total at present. Therefore, Wang said promotion of netbook PCs will remain part of his company’s product strategy in the short term.
The latest statistics issued by International Data Corp. (IDC), a global PC market researcher, show that global sales of netbook PC totaled 8.913 million units in the first half of this year, with 26.2% of which supplied by Acer. The sales volume is estimated to reach between 15 million and 16 million units for the whole year.
With most of its peers jumping out of the market, Acer, backed by strong brand recognition and huge outlets, is expected to take over most of the shares that they will leave to dominate this segment.
Shares by Top 5 Brands in Global Market for Netbook PCs in Q2
Ranking
Brand
Sales Volume
Market Share
1
Acer
1.182 million units
26.2%
2
Asus
1.019 million units
22.6%
3
HP
413,000 units
9.2%
4
Samsung
407,000 units
9.0%
5
Canaima
293,000 units
6.5%
Source: International Data Corp.
Contract Manufacturers Make About Nine Out of 10 Media Tablets in 2012 [IHS iSuppli press release, Sept 21, 2012]
Although your new media tablet may sport the logo of a familiar brand name like Apple or Amazon, there’s a 90 percent chance the device was actually made by a company with a much less famous moniker, such as Hon Hai or Quanta.
That’s because the vast majority of tablets—including the iPad and Kindle Fire—actually are made by contract or outsourced manufacturers based in Asia, according to an IHS iSuppli Global Manufacturing & Design Report from information and analytics provider IHS. (NYSE: IHS). The percentage of tablets made by outsourced manufacturers is set to rise this year and beyond as brands seek to minimize operational risks and reduce costs.
Outsourced manufacturers in 2011 were responsible for 87.5 percent of tablet production, compared to 12.5 percent that were made in-house. The percentage of outsourced tablets this year is expected to increase to 89.2 percent, with the portion claimed by in-house production projected to decline to 10.8 percent, as shown in the figure below. The years after that will see the share by outsourced manufacturing of tablets remain in the low 90 percent range, hitting a high of 91.1 percent by 2015 before settling back down at 90.4 percent in 2016.
“The high percentage of outsourced manufacturing of tablets reflects the choice among tablet brands and original equipment manufacturers—even ones as big as Apple—to refrain from in-house production,” said Jeffrey Wu, senior analyst for OEM at IHS. “Tablet brands use outsourcing for many reasons, including faster time to market; the leveraging of capabilities, especially for firmware development and hardware integration; and asset flexibility that translates into reduced corporate expenditures and lower headcount.”
Hon Hai Dominates Tablet Contract Manufacturing
The biggest contract manufacturer of tablets is Apple partner Hon Hai, of Taiwan, also known as Foxconn. Hon Hai accounted for 62 percent of tablet shipments last year. The company’s position in the tablet space is unique—not only because it accounts for the majority of tablet shipments in 2011, but also because of its close relationship with Apple.
Hon Hai is an EMS provider, a type of outsourced manufacturer that generally does not participate in designing product but simply offers manufacturing and supply chain management services. EMS providers for the most part control a smaller piece of the outsourced manufacturing space for computing products like notebook PCs—traditionally dominated by a rival group of makers known as original design manufacturers (ODM), which enjoy an advantage over EMS providers by being able to design products and offer manufacturing services alike. In the tablet production space, however, ODMs are the underdogs.
This is because Hon Hai, with Apple as its main client, holds the coveted right to make the iPad, the industry’s best-selling tablet by a wide margin. The ODMs have then been left to scramble for what remains of the tablet market—making rival devices for the likes of Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Asus, none of whose product offerings matches the iPad’s soaring sales and unequalled clout.
Android and Windows Power Rise of ODMs in Tablet Market
With the emergence of Android—and soon, Windows-based tablets—ODMs will have a better chance of breaking Hon Hai’s near-impregnable hold on the market. If the Android and Windows tablets prove successful, ODMs could see their share of the tablet outsourcing market grow, expanding to as much as 53 percent by 2016, on the assumption that consumers will embrace iPad alternatives.
Nonetheless, concerns for ODMs and Hon Hai alike could be in store.
Currently sidelined in much of the dynamic tablet space, ODMs also have concerns about their prospects in future tablet production. Most ODMs make notebook PCs as well, and choosing to produce tablets for other clients could mean endangering their own stake in the PC market—much as tablets are now eating into the share traditionally enjoyed by notebook computers among consumers. However, strengthening their foothold in the tablet space is inevitable for ODMs, especially as tablets continue to gain momentum at the expense of notebook computers.
ODMs also face potentially higher operating expenses and risks with the emergence of more tablet platform options—signified by the rise of Android and Windows—which would involve additional research and development costs in order for ODMs to maintain technical capabilities on those fronts.
Hon Hai, the current champion among tablet producers, is likewise not entirely free of peril. Should Apple shift some of its tablet production to other contract manufacturers in an effort to diversify its contract manufacturing base, Hon Hai could suffer a blow.
For other tablet brands like Samsung and Motorola that choose in-house production, their share of tablet manufacturing is not expected to exceed the 12.5 percent that the collective in-house space saw in 2011. Share of in-house production in the years ahead will stay in the 9 to 10 percent range, IHS predicts, as ODMs and EMS providers battle fiercely among themselves for an increasing stake in the hotly contested tablet business.
7. Possible further hardware advances
sustaining this new trajectory.
The current and already mature value proposition in brief is:
the rhombus tech initiative, along with the EOMA-68 standard, has been designed to tackle the very problems that RockChip and other SoC vendors face. our strategy is very straightforward:
a) invite SoC vendors to release EVBs in a standardised modular form which can go straight into mass-production, needing only a very simple 2 to 4 layer PCB for the main I/O of any matching product.
b) standardise and therefore greatly simplify the software development. the advantage of having standard I/O boards (products into which the CPU Modules can fit) is that the software for those products will already have been written. porting a CPU Card to work in a range of existing hardware products is far, far simpler than forcing everyone to design complete products from scratch (including the software).
the cost savings and time savings should be evident, and this is absolutely critical and will only become more so as the prices are driven down further by 28nm and beyond, as well as the product lifecycles becoming shorter and shorter.
it’s quite complex to explain initially but very straightforward once it’s fully understood, and very exciting as well. would you be so kind as to mention to Mr Chen that we would love to work with him, especially to help introduce RockChip CPUs properly into the Free Software Community, which will result in considerable engineering cost saving for RockChip, apart from anything else? i am easy to find on the internet but here is my email address anyway: lkcl@lkcl.net
Comment on 10/1/2012 by Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton, CTO at Rhombus Tech entered for China Fabless: Rockchip rattled by Android tablet wars [EE Times, Sept 25, 2012]
Latest information: A10 EOMA-68 CPU Card [luke.leighton | 24 Nov, 2012]
hi folks, small update: wits-tech detected an ambiguity in how the usb interfaces work, which needed clarification from allwinner as well as a PCB layout alteration. we'll have more details as-and-when they're available to us and as-and-when knowledge of the solution has been shared with is. usual china "save face" thing is going on at the moment i.e. don't share details of the problem until a full solution has been found. what this translates into is at least another 2 weeks whilst the new PCB layout's done and the new sample PCBs are printed. obviously that's an estimate, as it's beyond our control.
Note: wits-tech = Shenzhen WITS Technology Co.,Ltd
The original concept of a year ago:
Embedded Open Modular Architecture/EOMA-68 [Embedded Linux Wiki, Sept 23, 2012]
earlier: Embedded Open Modular Architecture/PCMCIA [Embedded Linux Wiki, Sept 5, 2011 – March 11, 2012]
…
The Obligatory Tablet – a simple tablet motherboard which could potentially be developed as a very low cost single-sided 2-layer PCB. Components are chosen to reduce development cost and risk, as well as reduce manufacturing cost.
…
Embedded Open Modular Architecture/EOMA-68/Tablet [Embedded Linux Wiki, Sept 21, 2011],
note that what is excerpted below had not essentially been changed till Feb 12, 2012, the last date of change for this wiki page
The Tablet Motherboard
Popular by decree, but only successfully-sold when the price is stunningly low yet the feature-set rich, tablets are the “must-have” for all ODMs and OEMs who aspire to a chunk of the large apple pie. Key goals for this motherboard are therefore to be small, slim, low component count and based on a low-risk development strategy. Thanks also to the modular design, the board is sufficiently simple that it may even be possible to do as a single 2-layer PCB, thus reducing costs even further.
Connectors and Components
The connectors required are:
- 1x USB2
- PCMCIA Connector “inline” (signals conforming to EOMA/PCMCIA Standard)
- 5V Power
- 1x PCI Express “inline” (supporting USB Wifi, not PCI-e Wifi, such as RT2070 and RT8191)
- 1x Stereo Speakers and Microphone
- 1x RGB/TTL LCD Output (with LED Backlight)
- 2x Battery Connectors
Major components are:
- An STM32F103RBT6 Embedded Controller (same as in the Micro Engineering Board)
- A 4-port USB-2 High-speed Hub (e.g. FE11
- 12.5Mhz XTAL (for the USB Hub)
- Power Management ICs (Buck Converters for 3.8v Lithium to 5.0v; 3.3v LDOs)
- Step-up DC-DC Converter for the LCD Backlight AP3029
- An I2C EEPROM
- An RT2070, RT8191 or Atheros ath9k USB-compliant MiniPCIe WIFI Module
- An Antenna for the WIFI Module
- A 7in LED-backlit LCD (e.g. AT070TN93)
- A resistive or capacitive touchpanel (resistive: low-cost; capactive: expensive, often more expensive than the LCD)
- A slim-line PCMCIA Ejector Assembly
The estimated BOM is therefore around the $30 to 35 mark [Sept 21, 2011 !], excluding the EOMA/PCMCIA-compliant CPU Card, and including the batteries, case and WIFI module. The most expensive component is the LCD Panel, whilst the 2nd most expensive one is the batteries.
…
Diagram of Tablet Motherboard Layout
From this diagram, it can be seen that there is very little involved. Like the Odroid, it’s possible to have a product where the connectors and buttons define the size of the PCB more than the ICs and discrete components. In this case, many of the major connectors (such as USB-OTG, HDMI, Micro-SD and Headphones) will already be on the EOMA/PCMCIA-compliant CPU Card, leaving nothing left for the motherboard than to provide USB2 and Power connectors! An alternative revision is also shown which takes a USB 3G Modem, in PCI-e form-factor.
…
Diagram of Tablet Construction
…
Others: Laptop LCD Monitor (TV)
Embedded Open Modular Architecture/EOMA-68 [Embedded Linux Wiki, Sept 23, 2012]
earlier: Embedded Open Modular Architecture/PCMCIA [Embedded Linux Wiki, Sept 5, 2011 – March 11, 2012],
note that the excerpts below are essentially as of Sept 21, 2011, image: Jan 16, 2012
EOMA-68 Specification
This page describes the specification of EOMA-68. The number of pins on the interface is 68; the physical form-factor is the legacy PCMCIA.
Re-purposing of the PCMCIA interface and form-factor has been chosen to create portable Embedded Computing Modules (Computer on Module). Mass-volume “Lowest Common Denominator” interfaces have been chosen, all of which have existed for over a decade, but are low-power enough to be standard across virtually all mass-produced powerful Embedded CPUs.
The interfaces are:
- 24-pin RGB/TTL (for LCD Panels)
- I2C
- USB (Low Speed, Full Speed, optionally Hi Speed/480 Mbit/s and optionally USB3)
- 10/100 Ethernet (optionally 1,000 ethernet)
- SATA-II (optionally SATA-III)
- 8 pins of General-purpose Digital I/O (GPIO).
These interfaces are NOT OPTIONAL for CPU Cards. All CPU Cards MUST provide all interfaces. I/O Boards on the other hand are free to implement whichever interfaces are required for the device. For example: whilst all CPU Cards must have an SATA interface, devices such as tablets or laptops into which CPU Cards are plugged are not required to have an SATA hard drive.
…
Future Versions
… At the time of writing (2011), the interfaces in the 1.0 Specification are “Lowest Common Denominator” yet are still present across the majority of 2011’s powerful embedded SoCs (OMAP4440, Enyxos4210, Tegra 3, iMX53 etc.) However, in the future, the “Lowest Common Denominator” could well comprise MIPI instead of RGB/TTL, 2 lane PCI-express (or its successor), and USB-3 instead of USB-2 (perhaps even a faster version of ULPI).
As of 2011 however, the total number of Embedded CPUs supporting all these newer interfaces and still keeping to a 1.5 watt budget is precisely zero. Support for these high-speed interfaces will therefore be re-evaluated in 2 to 3 years time, and a future version of this standard created when a large proportion of available embedded CPUs have these or other high-speed interfaces that are available at the time.
…
The project had been initiated by a Crowd funding proposal [Rhombus Tech, Dec 25, 2011],
note that Rhombus Tech website rhombus-tech.net started on Nov 18, 2011 as well as there was an earlier low-cost EOMA-PCMCIA CPU Card initiative (allwinner cortex a8) e-mail by Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton <lkcl@lkcl.net> on Dec 14, 2011
To: opensuse-arm@opensuse.org, linaro-dev@lists.linaro.org, arm@lists.fedoraproject.org, meego-community@meego.com,ubuntu-server-arm@lists.ubuntu.com, maemo-developers@maemo.org, gentoo-embedded@lists.gentoo.org, general@lists.tizen.org,
ARM <debian-arm@lists.debian.org>
Cc: Linux on small ARM machines <arm-netbook@lists.phcomp.co.uk>
Aim: Small (Free as in Speech) Linux device which can be upgraded
In particular, a small CPU card which:-
- Complies with GPL (Free as in Speech)
- Powerful
- Upgradeable
- Cheap
For example I can buy a tablet, after a few years the display, touch-screen and memory will be perfect. After a few years I may want to upgrade the CPU, or fix a software bug, or both – at the moment this is not possible.
We are aiming for this CPU Card will have full GPL Source Code publicly available and will be suitable for many purposes including use as a Freedom Box, or as an embedded computer, or in the future to drive products such as Tablets, Laptops, IPTVs and Desktop PCs simply by plugging it in. These devices can then run a nice GNU/Linux distribution like Debian, Ubuntu or similar.
Current Situation
Not many tablets or small devices run a nice GNU/Linux distribution like Debian, Ubuntu or similar. They are either low powered, closed source, GPL violating or not cheap.
The problem that if you want low-cost mass-produced hardware, you normally have to go with GPL-violating product. We then spend the majority of our time reverse-engineering before getting something useful. By the time we are done, the product is usually end-of-life: thus if it breaks, we are back to square one. If there is a security bug in the kernel supplied – again we are back to square one.
The reason for the GPL violations is that the low-cost China-based Factories simply have zero software skill and a chain of about five business relationships between the seller and manufacturer. The manufacturer has got their money at this stage, so at this point we are asking the manufacturer for more effort in return for no extra income. Thus, we logically concluded that the only way to get non-GPL-violating product out there is to go directly to the factories and be the supplier of their software.
Aim of this Funding Round
To get funding, to deliver a stable CPU on a card:-
GPL: Full source code available.
Powerful: 1.5ghz
Upgradeable: A standard layout, which will allow the card to be ejected and replaced.
Cheap: Stable version at $30
Long Term Aim
High-volume production, then the costs will be $15. Yes $15 for GPL-Loving, powerful, packaged CPU Card.
So put this with :-
2000mAh battery $8,
7in 800×600 LCD $15,
resistive touchpanel $5,
main motherboard including WIFI module about $8,
Case about $3
Total of $39. yes, really – $39. So basically, you can see that a mass-volume retail cost of about $80 for a 7in tablet with the Allwinner A10 and a resistive touchpanel would be quite reasonable. Running Debian, with a CPU upgrade only costing $15.
Progress So Far
Rhombus Tech has been established to serve Free Software Developers, entrepreneurs, enthusiasts and Engineers with access to affordable, modern and importantly GPL-compliant hardware. It is a Community interest company – designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good.
Over the past two years we been contacting and vetting China-based factories, directly, to find at least one which is prepared to work with us. We found one.
We have also found an absolutely great CPU, called the Allwinner A10, which in mass-volume quantities is only about $7: that means that a PCB similar to the raspberrypi with similar features can be made for about $15 (not $25) and, because the Allwinner CPU is an ARM Cortex A8 not an ARM11 it is at least three times quicker than the raspberrypi’s CPU. (A 400-pin highly feature-rich 1.5ghz ARM Cortex A8 with a MALI400 GPU. )
We have full support of the Board of Directors of the Allwinner CPU: they released full source code to us in advance. We have made it available and found it to compile successfully.
We have selected a standard layout, which will fit within 55mm, which large number of pins can be removed by the user without damage. Which will be the cases are already available and which will have a trivial cost in low-volumes. A PCMCIA format.
Complies with GPL – Yes
Powerful – Yes
Upgradeable – Yes
Cheap – Not yet.
Next Steps
The primary reason for using a Community Interest Company for the sale of GPL-compliant products to Free Software Developers is that profits from sales will be re-invested directly into development of further products, with a primary focus of serving the Free Software Community yet at the same time leveraging mass-volume sales opportunities.
But this needs a kick-start. Then the end-product will get cheaper, then profits are re-invested and end-products get cheaper still. The snowball needs a little magic snow to get it started.
Magic Snow required: $13,500
To fund the three stages:-
Unstable (Also know as Sid for all Debian lovers) : $3,500
Testing Stage: $4,000
Stable: $6,000
Long Term Support: Self-funding
Unstable
5 CPU cards available at a cost of $3,500
A initial cost of $2000 per “board development change”. This is the non-recurring expense. This sets up the PCB tooling so further changes cost about $1500. The aim is to have a development board, tweak then have a second set of development boards.
This gives us the hardware only – about 5 development boards available. Time for the 15 Debian developers, already on board to start coding. (Bootloader, Kernel and main software).
Timeframe – AA months
Rhombus Tech to loan the boards to the developers, free as in beer, in return for help with coding.
Testing
100 CPU cards available at a total cost of $4,000 Timeframe – AA + BB months
We have a board, the bootloader work and the kernel is okay. No full Distribution images as yet. If you are a software developer and are basically happy to get involved doing u-boot, debian-installer, ubuntu images a board is suitable to play with at this point. Hard, but not impossible.
Rhombus Tech to loan half (50) CPU cards to developers, free as in beer, in return for help with coding. The other half of the board to be sent as premium rewards.
Stable
250 CPU cards available at a total cost of $6,000 Timeframe – AA + BB + CC months
Rhombus Tech to give 50 boards to developers, free as in beer who helped with coding. The remainder of CPU cards to be sent as rewards.
Long Term Support (Just for Ubuntu lovers)
Timeframe – AA + BB + CC + DD months CPU Cards at less than $30
The CPU cards can then be produced in mass-volume. Sold through Rhombus Tech, with profits used to seed further CPU upgrades.
Rewards
Total funds required for Unstable, Testing and Stable stages: $13,500
Testing CPU Cards – $50 (Aiming for 50 = $2,500)
Stable CPU Cards, with working OS image – $50 (Aiming for 50 = $2,500)
Stable CPU Cards – $35 (Aiming for 200 = $7,000)
Special Rewards
A Rhombus Tech Sticker sent world wide – $5 ($1.50 profit per sticker)
Mention in the source code – $5
A certificate mentioning your contribution to the Small (Free as in Speech) Linux device which can be upgraded. – $10
A testing CPU Card, with your choice of Debian Packages loaded by a Debian Developer – $250
You select the code name for the Unstable Board (legal, ethical names only) – $250
You select the code name for Testing CPU Card (legal, ethical names only) – $500
You select the code name for Stable CPU Card (legal, ethical names only) – $1,000
Then more information came in the for of FAQ [Rhombus Tech, March 25, 2012]
What’s the goal, again?
To create a synergy between the ultra-low-cost Factories and SoC vendors of China with their expertise in Hardware, and Software (Libre) Developers with their expertise in GNU/Linux and other OSes, with a view to leveraging the combination to create affordable and desirable mass-volume products that are GPL-compliant before they hit the Retail Hypermarket shelves;
For those products to be modular, versatile and open, so that they can be upgraded without the environmental waste of throwing away an entire device; for Retailers, Factories and users to be able to keep up with the rapid and increasing pace of technological development;
For anyone to be able to use the products for their original purpose as well as for Educational purposes, Research, Engineering and more.
How will this goal be achieved?
Very carefully, in small steps, having learned from the experiences of the OpenMoko and OpenPandora projects.
Produce very simple EOMA-68-compliant CPU modules which can act as stand-alone computers in their own right (powered via USB-OTG) so that Software (Libre) Developers have something to start working on.
Start designing IO boards.
Software (Libre) Developers help develop the software to run on the products.
Products go to market.
Profit.
Use profits to repeat the process, to the benefit of all parties, including the Software (Libre) Developers.
And… a CIC? really? But those are for Social Clubs!
The rules for CICs are “to not make a loss”, which makes sense for any business. There is no limit on the profitability of a CIC: it’s just that, at the end of each Financial Year, the profits have to be allocated to a charitable cause, or they have to have been ploughed back into the business. A Community Interest Company simply does makes more sense in the context of the goals of bringing Software (Libre) Developers together into this exciting technological area that has previously been dominated by vertical market sales strategies.
Why is the price of the Allwinner A10 EOMA-68 Card $15?
It damn well isn’t! We are getting a massive amount of misunderstandings about this. We have reported that based on estimates from the Reference Board supplied by the Manufacturer of the SoC that the MATERIALS COST is APPROACHING $15 in MASS VOLUME quantities of 100,000 units.
That is excluding a case, power supply (which as the unit can be powered by USB-OTG is not needed), packaging, tax, customs duty, shipping and, most importantly, a profit margin.
Any company has to make a profit, and a CIC is no different. Charities and Not-for-Profit Foundations can get away with not making a profit, but Rhombus Tech is not a Charity.
Profits made will be used to fund Free Software Developers, as well as future CPU Cards and the creation of Reference Design Products: Laptops, Routers and so on, all of which will be done in an Open fashion.
What is EOMA?
It stands for “Embedded Open Modular Architecture”. The concept of modular architecture isn’t new: many companies have divided out CPUs into separate PCBs or modules, but it just hasn’t been done recently, not on a mass-volume scale and not on a user-controllable basis. See the elinux.org EOMA page for more information.
Why re-use PCMCIA??
It’s legacy – nobody makes PCMCIA cards any more: it’s all changed to the PCIe-based “PCI express” aka “ExpressCard” thing. However, it turns out that Satellite TV “Conditional Access Modules” are in PCMCIA form-factor, meaning that the connectors, housings and assemblies are all still mass-produced. So there’s less risk of having someone destroy their CPU card if they force-break the mechanical barriers (see specification for details) but the pricing on parts is still good in mass-volume quantities.
What’s so special about the interfaces on EOMA-68?
The interfaces that have been picked happen to have been around for at least a decade, and the number of pins, including 16 pins of GPIO and including enough GND pins to separate each of the high-speed signals, by a jammy coincidence comes to exactly 68 pins.
RGB/TTL: 28 pins
USB2: 2 pins
I2C: 2 pins
10/100 Ethernet: 4 pins
SATA-II: 4 pins
GPIO: 16 pins
5V Power: 2 pins @ 0.5A per pin
The total comes to 58 pins, and there are 5 groups of GND pins to separate each group. Grand total: 68 pins. jammy or what? More information is available here.
Whoa, wait, PCMCIA is 100ohms approximately!
Yes, we know. It’s not all bad. By a coincidence, SATA-II is 100 ohms and USB-2 is 90 ohms. We think that’s close enough. Absolute absolute last resort: both SATA-II and USB-2 can be ramped down in speed. This would be a bugger, but at least product would work. Other than that: yes it is possible to adjust impedance through careful placement of tracks and ground planes etc.
Bottom line: we’ll just have to pick the right PCMCIA connector supplier, that’s all.
Why is the first CPU that RHT picked a China-based one?
Cost and features – pure and simple. Consumers do not care about Software Freedom – they just don’t. Only Software (Libre) Developers care about Software Freedom. However, GPL Compliance is very very important to RHT, because we do not wish to be liable for GPL violations, and we do not wish our mass-volume Retail Hypermarket Clients to be liable for GPL Violations, either. So, RHT has spent the past two years negotiating with SoC vendors to find one that has the three critical factors of: 1) Cost 2) features 3) GPL Compliance. Amazingly, it was a China-based Fabless Semiconductor Company that first met the requirements. Yes we are looking for more.
Which CPUs have you analysed so far, and why were they rejected?
We have analysed dozens of CPUs. With the exception of the Allwinner A10, none of them really fulfil all of the criteria. This section turned out to be so large that it was moved to its own page: Evaluated CPUs.
So what FSF Hardware-Endorseable options are there?
The Ingenic MIPS jz4760 (700mhz) – $USD 7 in mass-volume
The 600mhz ARM Cortex A8 OMAP 3503 ($19, 1k volumes)
The 720mhz ARM Cortex A8 AM3357 – ($14, 1k volumes and $5 in 100k)
Sadly, none of these CPUs however fulfil the mass-volume criteria of being able to do 3D Graphics or 1080p video. Some of them can do 720p, but that is not enough for commercial mass-volume purposes: it really does have to be 1080p now. 4 years ago, 720p was acceptable: now it isn’t.
These CPUs are listed on the Evaluated CPUs page.
Is this an “Open Hardware” Project i.e. can I get the full schematics?
This is a misleading question: here’s some clarification. The EOMA-68 initiative is an “Open Specification“. That means that anyone can create either CPU cards or motherboards that conform to it. Thus, it is possible for anyone to create an “Open Hardware” compliant CPU card or motherboard.
Rhombus Tech has chosen to work with a small, dynamic factory in China that loved the idea of the “we’ll do the software if you do the hardware” deal. It would be rather a different proposition for us to then ask them to release the full schematics.
Also in development is a 8mm-high (Type III) EOMA-68 CPU card with a AMD 64-bit x86 APU with Dual-core CPU, integrated Radeon 3D Graphics, with full Free Software support.
Bari also has an initiative to turn the Beaglebone or any other ARM SOC or AMD Fusion APU into an EOMA-68 CPU card, if enough people show interest in this happening. Given that the Beaglebone (and other systems like it such as the IMX53QSB, Origen, Pandaboard etc.) schematics are available under an Open Hardware License, the Beaglebone EOMA-68 CPU Card will be “Open Hardware”.
Additionally, given that the Leaflabs Maple is an “Open Hardware” Project, there exists the possibility for the creation of EOMA-68-compliant Motherboards based around the adaption of Leaflabs Maple Boards.
Summary of the above: it’ll happen. (update: 10jan12 – sooner than anticipated!schematics being developed here).
Rhombus-Tech/ allwinner a10/ news
…
24 Jul 2012: Casework for EOMA-68 CPU Card
Titoma Design is delighted to be involved with the EOMA-68 project and has a preliminary design for the first EOMA-68 CPU Card, using the Allwinner A10 SoC. Titoma Design specialises in casework and full product design, and will be more than happy to assist clients to develop products based around the time and cost saving benefits of the EOMA-68 upgradeable design strategy.
28 Jul 2012: GPIO and Expansion Headers for EOMA-68 CPU Card
A rework of the GPIO and Expansion Headers for the first Qimod EOMA-68 CPU Card has been carried out. Almost all interfaces available of the Allwinner A10 CPU have been made available on the 55x85mm Credit-card-sized CPU Card, including both Transport Streams, SIM Card, PATA, the 24-pin Camera Interface, both 24-pin LCD Interfaces, VGA, Composite Video (CVBS), SPDIF, AC97, I2S, GPS, CAN-Bus, Infrared, and many more. This is in addition to the standard EOMA-68 Interfaces of Ethernet, I2C, SATA, LCD 24-pin RGB/TTL, USB2 and 16 GPIO pins.
The rework involved adding an extra optional 45-pin FPC, which is in addition to the optional 44-pin FPC. The orders page has been updated to reflect the full pinouts, as well as the finalised selection for the 16 EOMA-68 GPIO pins.
…
The most current product information therefore is available on Preorders [Rhombus Tech, July 28, 2012, but preorders are listed from Dec 12, 2011 to Sept 23, 2012]
This is the preorders page for EOMA-68-compliant Allwinner Cortex A8 CPU modules. This product will have full GPL Source Code publicly available, and will be suitable for many purposes including Educational and R&D purposes, a USB-OTG-powered Thin Client, use as a Freedom Box, or as an embedded computer, or in the future to drive products such as Tablets, Laptops, IPTVs and Desktop PCs simply by plugging it in. Some options for hardware that is on the roadmap are described as example motherboards on the EOMA-68 page.
Features
The Allwinner EOMA-68-compliant module will have the following features:
- Approximately Credit-card size format (56mm x 90mm)
- An Allwinner A10, 1.2ghz ARM Cortex A8
- 1gb of RAM
- at least 1gb of NAND Flash (possibly up to 16gb)
- Operation as a stand-alone computer (USB-OTG powered)
- 2160p (double 1080p) Video playback
- MALI 400MP 3D Graphics, OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant.
- HDMI, Micro-SD, Headphones Socket,
- EOMA-68-compliant interfaces (RGB/TTL, I2C, USB2, SATA-II, 10/100 Eth)
- Expansion Header (similar to Beagleboard, IMX53QSB, Origen etc.)
…
These are the available interfaces on the 44-pin [Expansion Header’s interfaces] DIL:
- 2pins: 1x USB-2
- 8pins: 5-pin AC97 shared with 8-pin I2S Signals.
- 2pins: PWM0 (PB2)
- 4pins: TV-Out, VGA-Out
- 4pins: 4-wire Resistive Touchscreen
- 10pins: LVDS0 (multiplexed with LCD0)
- 10pins: LVDS1 (multiplexed with LCD0)
- 5V and 3.3V power
…
Due to multiplexing on the Allwinner A10, the following interfaces are also available on the PCMCIA connector via the 24-pin RGB/TTL pins (WARNING: non-EOMA-compliant).
- IDE (PATA)
- 24-bit Camera Sensor
- 20 External Interrupts
- 8×8 Keypad Interface
- 2 full UARTS with RX,TX,CTS,RTS
- CAN-bus
- 2 PS/2 interfaces
- SD/MMC 3.0 Ultra-High-Speed Class, UHC-I
Further multiplexing also allows the I2C interface to be switched over to two extra GPIO pins (WARNING: non-EOMA-compliant).
Also, the pins on the Micro SD/MMC interface can also be switched over to JTAG and a UART. With a special PCB with a Micro SD/MMC slot on the end it is possible to perform debugging of the device, live, without opening it up.
The Infrared Interface on the expansion header supports the following data formats:
- MIR FIR IrDA 1.1
- 0.576 Mbit/s 1.152 Mbit/s Medium Infrared (MIR)
- 4 Mbit/s FIR IrDA 1.4
- CIR
These are being considered:
- 2pins: 3.8v Battery Connection, on separate connector
- 3pins: Reset and Power, on separate connector
- 3pins: u-boot select, on separate connector
Pricing
Regarding pricing: the hardware NREs from the factory are $USD 2,000. Therefore, based on the number of committments so far (23 as of 2011Dec12), pricing looks set to be around $100. By the time the number of preorders reaches 30, that will be around $75 (30 reached as of 2011Dec17). (Update: as of 2012Mar01 the alpha units have reached 141 and it’s down to $41 per unit assuming NREs of $2,000 and component costs of $30. Please note: we do not yet know the unit cost! this is entirely preliminary!).
The mass-volume (100k units) cost will be somewhere around $15: the more committments received, the closer the price will get to that. One expression of interest has been received for 1,000 (stable) units: a pricing evaluation request is outstanding with the factory and will be reported as soon as it is received.
Please note: this cost excludes a case, power supply, packaging, shipping, tax, customs and import duty. and profit.
Software Freedom Information
Regarding Software Freedom: the caveat regarding this CPU is that it requires ARM-proprietary libraries for the 3D Graphics (as does virtually every single suitable consumer-grade embedded SoC on the planet with the almost exclusive sole exception of the Ingenic jz4760 and some of the TI ARM Cortex OMAP and Sitara SoCs). However, simply not using the proprietary MALI 3D GPU does not impact any other functionality in any way.
(update: MALI 400MP is being reverse-engineered)
Yet to be determined is how to program the proprietary 2160p MPEG decoder, but through a preliminary examination of the GPL Source Code it would appear that the drivers are publicly available. However, this CPU does have NEON, so can be used for Software Decode of Open CODECs.
Overall: if this module is not for you, an AM3357 module may be more suitable.
[committments so far:
– 23 as of Dec 12, 2011
– 30 as of Dec 17, 2011
– 141 alpha units as of Mar 01, 2012
large (=5 or more) number of units on preorder after Mar 01:
– 215= 43×5
– 762=9×10+1×15+1×18+3×20+1×30+1×49+2×50+4×100
– 3466=1000+1000+1000+466
– 75000=15000+50000+10000
so the whole project looks quite feasible from the point of view of achieving the $15 unit cost for which 100K units should be on order]
Rhombus-Tech/ allwinner a10/ news
6 Sep 2012: PCB design completed for EOMA-68 CPU Card
Many thanks to Wits Tech for completing the PCB design: the board layout and GERBER files are done. This brings the A10 EOMA-68 CPU Card one step closer to reality. The next stage is to get initial samples made up, the first script.fex created and a first boot completed.
[Wits Tech with products such as: MID and PCBA, e-book, smart MP4, 1080P high-definition MP4, 768P, 1080P harddisk player, IPTV, Google TV-BOX and so on]
Following on very very quickly from this, and driving a rather fast development schedule, is a commission from a client to convert an existing x86 laptop (1280×800) over to using the new A10 EOMA-68 CPU Card, and to provide 25 working prototypes for a Trade Show. Luckily, as the CPU Card is completely independent of the I/O Board, separate teams can focus on the development tasks.
Other news coverage:
…
Marketing Strategy [Rhombus Tech, May 1, 2012]
- TTM – Time to market lead
- Open versatile Common Platform
- EOMA One
Three ways EOMA helps to bring new products to market faster and save money
EOMA – From month to weeks TTM reduction
ODM
One platform, many Distros: Vanilla GNU/Linux, Android etc.
Software comes pre-flashed by default
One module, many applications
Instant upstream compatibility with Linux GIT treeOEM
Need for software expertise is removed from OEM side
BOM reduction X 5
Access to bigger market platform
Readapting the design is as easy as changing one moduleSystem Integrators
Quick access to many ODM designs
Plug and play
LOW TTM and high flexibility
Update process is made trivial and fasterReasoning behind the Marketing Strategy
EOMA is platform for the whole industry that benefits the whole “food chain”.
Its good for ODM because they will have upstream support and they will be able to support their own clients better.
For OEMs the benefit is that they will no longer need to deal with software by themselves, it simplifies production and logistics, lowers production run times thus less cost of capital.
For integrators, the benefit is less obvious, but its also lower time to market, increased ability to reuse existing designs.
In general, the idea is that EOMA uses open source principles to increase efficiency across the industry. EOMA will be doing to computer hardware market the same thing what linux has done to server OS market.
Rhombus Tech Presentation [Rhombus Tech, March 12, 2012]
what is the project.
EOMA is an initiative to separate the platform from the widget
EOMA module is System-On-Module that will come in standardized 68 pin package
It can utilize most of low cost SoC of your choice. At current stage, Allwinner A10 is the favoured chip.
The first EOMA-68 CPU Card is Cortex A8 based design
Module provides I2C, USB, Ethernet, SATA, 8 bit ttl rgb (display), and gpio on remaining pins
At current stage Rhombus plans to reinvest all profits into platform development and improvement
what is the advantage and scenarios.
Rhombus facilitates upstream integration with linux and other major OSS projects.
OEMs receive standard platform that greatly reduces time-to-market.
OEMs no longer need to contract ODMs or have extensive software expertise to make a worthwhile product.
what is the latest status of this project.
Rhombus is in process of getting pre-orders
lkcl [Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton] is working with manufacturers to start production
See also: Embedded Open Modular Architecture This slideshow could not be started. Try refreshing the page or viewing it in another browser.
$50 Nokia Asha 205 QWERTY phones and Nokia 206 feature phones with smartphone like connectivity and web experience but with more convenient keyboard interactions
Or further steps taken by Nokia to defend its enviable position of stabilized 75+ million quarterly unit sales on the “sub-smartphone” market. This is a significant addition to the already successful:
– Smartphone-like Asha Touch from Nokia: targeting the next billion users with superior UX created for ultra low-cost and full touch S40 devices [July 20 – Oct 18, 2012] and
– With Asha Touch starting at $83 and Lumia at $186 Nokia targeting the entry-level and low-end smartphone markets [Nov 1, 2012]
Nokia Asha 205 Price in India is Rs. 2,750/-, i.e. ~$50 at the online Shopping Portals there. The retail store price will be more than this. Since the estimated retail price announced was around $62 for both we could say that for the Nokia 206 the lowest retail price will be the same $50. With this Nokia has a perfect entry barrier against the onslaught of the entry level Android devices as well. I mean:
– $48 Mogu M0 “peoplephone”, i.e. an Android smartphone for everybody to hit the Chinese market on November 15 [Nov 9, 2012]
Nokia Asha 205 Dual SIM: Everyone online now [nokia YouTube channel, Nov 26, 2012]
Nokia 206 Dual SIM: Larger than life [nokia YouTube channel, Nov 26, 2012]
| Most social ever: Nokia Asha 205 | Nokia 206 – reinventing the feature phone |
With its QWERTY keypad, it’s made to make messaging and connecting through social networks quick and easy.The usability of the keyboard is one of the key factors in the success of QWERTY phones, and the Nokia Asha 205 comes with isolated keys and quick-access buttons for superior speed and accuracy. Super-social, the phone even boasts a dedicated button for access to Facebook, for the first time on a Nokia phone. |
The Nokia 206 brings together classic and contemporary, with a traditional keypad married to a stunning design and a generous 2.4-inch screen. Like the Nokia Asha 205, it comes in single and dual-SIM varieties. |
Sharing accelerated with SlamThe Nokia Asha 205 (and the Nokia 206 –also announced today) sees the debut of a brand new sharing technology from Nokia called ‘Slam’. What is it? Let’s say you take a picture, choose ‘Send’ and then ‘Slam’ from the list. This quickly detects the nearest Bluetooth-enabled device and offers that device the file.The other person can accept and download the picture instantly, without any need to pair the two devices, as you have to with regular Bluetooth sharing. The owner of the other device doesn’t even need to have a Nokia phone or Slam installed. You can also share using all the normal options like social networks and email. |
Slam it to meAs with the Nokia Asha 205, owners of the Nokia 206 can take advantage of the new Nokia Slam technology for sharing items on their phone. This uses Bluetooth for transmission, but doesn’t require you to pair the two phones. We’ll be going deeper into how it works and why you want Slam in a forthcoming article. |
Smarter Internet for service savingsThe Nokia Asha 205 is designed to make smarter use of the Internet, sipping data as it’s asked for, rather than guzzling it down unnecessarily. Notably, the latest version of the Nokia Xpress Browser is preinstalled, which uses cloud-based servers to reduce data volumes by 90 per cent, saving owners money. The browser is optimised for social networks and content discovery, making it quick and easy to make updates or read the content you want.Owners will also find Nokia Nearby installed. While the phone doesn’t have GPS, it can make use of cell-tower co-ordinates to present a local map and identify nearby points of interest like cafes or landmarks. The app shares the massive database of places used in Nokia Maps, so they’ll never run out of places to go. |
With the Nokia Xpress Browser installed, owners don’t need to fear running up excessive data charges when browsing the Web on their phone. It calls upon cloud-based servers which cut download sizes by up to 90 per cent, saving the owner money.Where the service is available, the Nokia 206 will ship with Nokia Life. |
King of contentFacebook, Twitter and eBuddy apps are preinstalled to connect with friends and family from the start. There’s also the very popular EA gift pack of 40 free premium games (worth around €75, depending on the market) to download and keep forever.Of course, owners also have access to the Nokia Store and the 1000s of free and paid games and apps available there.In selected markets, the phone will also ship with Nokia Life or the new Nokia Life+. |
AppstravaganzaYou can also share instantly to Facebook, as well as email. WhatsApp ( in the single SIM version) and eBuddy are preinstalled, and there’s a gift pack of ten premium entertainment titles to download. In addition, there are 1000s of free and paid games and apps in the Nokia Store. |
– |
The camera is optimised for content sharing with lower sized files. The 1.3-megapixel resolution can automatically resize pictures to around 700KB. This is great for a Facebook posting. It also offers an ‘intelligent imaging’ feature, which will tell you when self-portraits are in focus, and allows you to take a sequence of shots and choose the best. Video capture is also supported. |
Facebook and Nokia partner to increase connections on-the-go [Nokia press release, Nov 26, 2012]
Facebook and Nokia have today announced an innovation with the introduction of a built-in Facebook button available on the new Nokia Asha 205.
Introduced today, the Nokia Asha 205 is the first Nokia phone that includes a dedicated Facebook button, designed for people who want the fastest, one-click access to popular Facebook features.
“People around the world use Facebook Mobile to connect and share with their friends,” said Javier Olivan, head of growth, engagement and mobile for Facebook. “We are focused on delivering the best Facebook experience to as many people as possible and our partnership with Nokia perfectly complements our strategy of giving people around the world a rich Facebook experience for keeping in touch with their friends.”
“Globally, young consumers have increasingly started using Facebook for socializing, keeping in touch and striking new friendships. The launch of the Nokia Asha 205 responds to this growing demand and gives them a unique option for accessing Facebook while on-the-go,” said Timo Toikkanen, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia. “We have seen that many people who use Nokia Asha devices are hyper-social and we are proud to partner with Facebook to improve the user experience of those consumers further with the introduction of the Facebook button.”
The new Nokia Asha 205 enables people to easily access the Facebook for Every Phone app and use messaging, one of its most popular features. People using the messaging features in Facebook for Every Phone can now:
- See which of their friends are online to start chatting with them right away
- Start messages and group chats fast
- Reach more of the people they know, wherever they are, no matter what device they are using
People using the Nokia Asha 205 can also easily access other Facebook features, such as sharing photos and status updates with their friends, so they can stay close to the people around them with the touch of a button.
Nokia introduces ‘Slam’ on the new Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia 206 [Nokia press release, Nov 26, 2012]
…
Introducing Slam for fast, in the moment content-sharing
The Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia 206 are the first Mobile Phones devices to include Nokia’s exclusive Slam feature. Slam allows consumers to share multimedia content like photos and videos with nearby friends almost instantly. Slam works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones without the need to pair devices, and without the recipient needing to also have Slam*. In just a few clicks, people can ‘Slam’ their content to another device faster than with Bluetooth alone and without consuming Internet data.“The latest Nokia devices give super-social consumers new ways to express their personalities through design, color and innovative new features like Slam,” explains Timo Toikkanen, Executive Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia. “Both devices are built with the trust and quality people have come to expect from Nokia, and offer smarter Internet experiences that help save money today and tomorrow.”
Nokia Asha 205: the ultimate social phone
The expressive Nokia Asha 205 has a pleasingly tactile QWERTY keyboard. It also introduces a new, dedicated Facebook button, making it the perfect device for social people who want the fastest access to their Facebook profile. Combined with eBuddy Chat, Twitter and support for popular email accounts such as Gmail, the Nokia Asha 205 is designed to allow that people are never more than a few clicks away from their social networks.
Other key features of the Nokia Asha 205 include:
– eBuddy screen notifications that keep users up-to-the-minute on new conversations
– The free Nokia Life+ web app, including the Life Skills and Live Healthy services
– A comprehensive mobile entertainment package, including 40 free EA Games available for download, along with tens of thousands of other apps available from the Nokia Store
– Available in single SIM and dual SIM models
– Dual SIM model features Nokia’s exclusive EasySwap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device
– Great standby time: up to 37 days with single SIM and up to 25 days with dual SIMThe Nokia Asha 205 is available in Cyan, Magenta and Orange. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 205 is around USD 62, excluding taxes and subsidies, and it is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Nokia 206: beautifully bold Internet
The Nokia 206 features a classic alphanumeric keypad and a generous 2.4″ display, giving ample room to surf the Internet, play games, or chat with friends. People can also enjoy fast access to Facebook and Twitter right from the home screen. Featuring a vibrant color palette including Cyan, Magenta and Yellow, the Nokia 206 is the ideal phone for those who want familiarity and ease of use, coupled with beautiful design and all the benefits of the mobile Internet.
Other key features of the Nokia 206 include:
– Imaging technology that optimizes photos taken with the 1.3MP camera for sharing on Facebook
– A comprehensive social and mobile entertainment package with eBuddy Chat, WhatsApp** and a gift pack of 10 free, premium content items
– Available in single SIM and dual SIM models
– Dual SIM model features Nokia’s exclusive EasySwap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device
– Impressive standby time: up to 47 days with single SIM and up to 28 days with dual SIMThe estimated retail price for the Nokia 206 is around USD 62, excluding taxes and subsidies, and it is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2012.
The new devices take full advantage of the Nokia Xpress Internet platform, which uses Nokia’s cloud technology to reduce data consumption by up to 90%, helping consumers enjoy more affordable Internet access. They also feature Nokia Nearby, a web app that helps consumers discover points of interest such as restaurants, shopping and ATM machines close to their location.
*’Slam’ currently not compatible with iOS and Windows Phone devices
**Available on single SIM variants only
http://www.developer.nokia.com/Devices/Device_specifications/Comparison.xhtml?dev=Asha_205,Nokia_206
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Nokia Asha 205 the ultimate social phone, with a QWERTY keyboard and new Facebook button |
Nokia 206 reinventing the feature phone, with a traditional keypad married to a stunning design and a generous 2.4-inch screen |
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Technical Specs |
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Developer Platform |
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Operating System |
Nokia OS |
Nokia OS |
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Screen Resolution |
320 x 240 pixels |
240 x 320 pixels |
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General |
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Development Frameworks |
Java |
Java |
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Screen Resolution |
320 x 240 pixels |
240 x 320 pixels |
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Screen Color Depth |
16 bits |
16 bits |
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Screen Size |
2.4 inches |
2.6 inches |
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Display Technology |
LCD transmissive |
LCD transmissive |
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Device Size |
112.8 x 61.1 x 13 mm |
116 x 49.4 x 12.4 mm |
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Volume |
104 cc |
64 cc |
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Weight |
94 g |
91 g |
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Keypad |
QWERTY Keyboard |
Grid Key Mat |
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Other Keys |
2 Labeled Soft Keys |
3 Labeled Soft Keys |
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Frequency Bands |
GSM 1800 |
GSM 1800 |
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Data Bearers |
Dual Transfer Mode (MSC 12) |
Dual Transfer Mode (MSC 12) |
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Regional Availability |
Global |
Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East |
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Consumer Link |
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Developer Page Link |
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Notes |
1Combined call termination and power key |
1Combined Call Termination and Power key. |
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Extra Features |
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Extra Features |
Dual SIM[1] |
Dual SIM[1] |
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Notes |
1with RM-862 |
1with RM-872 |
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APIs |
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Java Runtime |
Java Runtime 1.0.0 for Series 40 |
Java Runtime 1.0.0 for Series 40 |
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Java Technology |
JSR 139 Connected, Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) 1.1JSR 118 MIDP 2.1JSR 75 FileConnection and PIM API 1.0JSR 82 Java™ APIs for Bluetooth 1.1JSR 135 Mobile Media API 1.1JSR 172 J2ME™ Web Services Specification 1.0 (RPC package)JSR 172 J2ME™ Web Services Specification 1.0 (XML Parser package)JSR 177 Security and Trust Services API for J2ME™ 1.0 (SATSA-APDU package)JSR 177 Security and Trust Services API for J2ME™ 1.0 (SATSA-CRYPTO package)JSR 179 Location API for J2ME™ 1.0JSR 184 Mobile 3D Graphics API for J2ME™ 1.1JSR 205 Wireless Messaging API 2.0JSR 211 Content Handler API 1.0JSR 226 Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API for J2ME™ 1.1JSR 234 Advanced Multimedia Supplements 1.1 (audio3d)JSR 234 Advanced Multimedia Supplements 1.1 (camera)JSR 234 Advanced Multimedia Supplements 1.1 (music)Nokia UI API 1.1JSR 248 Mobile Service Architecture Subset 1.1 for CLDC 1.1 |
JSR 139 Connected, Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) 1.1JSR 118 MIDP 2.1JSR 75 FileConnection and PIM API 1.0JSR 82 Java™ APIs for Bluetooth 1.1JSR 172 J2ME™ Web Services Specification 1.0 (RPC package)JSR 172 J2ME™ Web Services Specification 1.0 (XML Parser package)JSR 177 Security and Trust Services API for J2ME™ 1.0 (SATSA-APDU package)JSR 177 Security and Trust Services API for J2ME™ 1.0 (SATSA-CRYPTO package)JSR 179 Location API for J2ME™ 1.0JSR 184 Mobile 3D Graphics API for J2ME™ 1.1JSR 205 Wireless Messaging API 2.0JSR 211 Content Handler API 1.0JSR 226 Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API for J2ME™ 1.1JSR 234 Advanced Multimedia Supplements 1.1 (audio3d)JSR 234 Advanced Multimedia Supplements 1.1 (music)Nokia UI API 1.1JSR 135 Mobile Media API 1.2[1]JSR 248 Mobile Service Architecture Subset 1.1 for CLDC 1.1 |
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Recommended Java SDK |
Nokia SDK 1.0 for Java |
Nokia SDK 1.0 for Java |
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Java API Access Permissions |
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Certificates |
UTI Root |
UTI Root |
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Notes |
– |
1without RTSP |
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Browser, Flash and Web Technologies |
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UAProfile Link |
– |
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Browser Details |
HTML 4.0 |
HTML 4.0 |
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Flash Technology |
Flash Lite 4.0 |
– |
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Flash Lite Features |
Screensaver |
– |
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Multimedia |
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Camera Resolution |
640 x 480 pixels |
1280 x 960 pixels |
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CMOS Sensor |
300000 pixels |
1.3 Megapixels |
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Camera Digital Zoom |
4 x |
4 x |
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Camera F-Stop/Aperture |
f/2.8 |
f/2.8 |
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Camera Focus range |
15 cm to infinity |
15 cm to infinity |
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Camera Image Formats |
JPEG/Exif |
JPEG/Exif |
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Camera Features |
Auto and Manual White Balance, Full Screen Viewfinder, Self Timer, Still Image Editor |
Auto and Manual White Balance, Full Screen Viewfinder, Self Timer, Still Image Editor |
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Video Recording Resolution |
176 x 144 pixels |
640 x 480 pixels |
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Video Recording Frame Rate |
10 fps |
15 fps |
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Video Digital Zoom |
– |
4 x |
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Video Recording Formats |
H.263 |
H.263, MPEG-4 |
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Video Features |
Video Player |
Video Player |
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Video Playback Formats |
3GPP formats (H.263), H.264/AVC, MPEG-4 |
3GPP formats (H.263), ASF, AVI, H.264/AVC, MP4, MPEG-4, WMV |
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Video Playback Frame Rate |
15 fps |
15 fps |
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Graphic Formats |
BMP, GIF87a, GIF89a, JPEG, M3G, PNG, SVG-T, WBMP |
BMP, GIF87a, GIF89a, JPEG, M3G, PNG, SVG-T, WBMP |
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Theme Version |
Series 40 Theme v3.0 |
Series 40 Theme v3.0 |
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Suggested Theme Template |
Series 40 Compact UI |
Series 40 Simple UI |
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Audio Features |
Audio Equalizer |
Audio Recorder AMR |
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Audio Formats |
AAC, AAC LC, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, HE-AAC v2, MIDI Tones (poly 64), Mobile XMF, MP3, MP4, NRT, True tones, WAV, WMA |
AAC, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, MIDI Tones (poly 64), Mobile XMF, MP3, MP4, NRT, True tones, WAV, WMA |
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Speech Codecs |
AMR-NB |
AMR-NB |
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Notes |
1up to 103 phon |
– |
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Memory Functions |
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ROM Memory |
64 MB |
64 MB |
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RAM Memory |
16 MB |
32 MB |
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Memory Card type |
Micro SD |
Micro SD |
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Maximum Memory Card Size |
32 GB |
32 GB |
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Maximum Heap Size |
2 MB |
2 MB |
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Maximum JAR Size |
2 MB |
2 MB |
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Connectivity |
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Local Connectivity |
Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR[1] |
Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR |
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Bluetooth Profiles |
DUN, FTP, GAP, GOEP, HFP, HSP, L2CAP, OPP, PBAP 1.0, SDAP, SPP 1.0 |
DUN, FTP, GAP, GOEP, HFP, HSP, OPP, PBAP 1.0, SAP, SDAP, SPP 1.0 |
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Notes |
1with Slam |
– |
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Messaging |
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Messaging |
AMS, IM, MMS+SMIL, SMS |
AMS, IM, MMS+SMIL, SMS |
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Messaging Features |
OMA Instant Messaging and Presence Service v1.2.1 |
OMA Instant Messaging and Presence Service v1.2.1 |
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Email Solutions |
Gmail: IMAP/SMTP |
Gmail: IMAP/SMTP |
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Supported Email Protocols |
IMAP4, IMAPS, POP3, SMTP |
IMAP4, IMAPS, POP3, SMTP |
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Power Management |
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Power Management |
2.0mm Charger Connector |
2.0mm Charger Connector |
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Battery model |
BL-5C 3.7V 1020mAh |
BL-4U 3.7V 1110 mAh |
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GSM Talk Time up to |
11.0 hours |
20.0 hours |
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GSM Standby Time up to |
891.0 hours |
1132.0 hours |
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Video Playback Time up to |
– |
6.0 hours |
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Video Recording Time up to |
– |
5.0 hours |
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Music Playback Time up to |
31.0 hours |
41.0 hours |
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Other |
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OMA Device Management |
OMA Client Provisioning v1.1 |
OMA Client Provisioning v1.1 |
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Synchronization |
OMA Data Synchronization v1.1.2 |
OMA Data Synchronization v1.1.2 |
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Digital Rights Management |
OMA DRM Forward Lock |
OMA DRM Forward Lock |
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DRM Delivery Method |
HTTP Download |
HTTP Download |
Tune in with Nokia Internet Radio for Series 40 devices [Nokia Conversations blog, Nov 28, 2012]
Listening to the radio feels intimate and personal in a way that’s difficult to replicate when you are watching TV. Unless, of course, you’re only listening to some pop or dance music station while you are doing the washing up.
But isn’t that variety part of radio’s magic? You might be listening to a heart-rending eulogy one minute and then a live sports commentary the next.
Another advantage that radio has traditionally enjoyed over TV is that it’s genuinely portable. Portability certainly lies at the heart of the Nokia Internet Radio app for Series 40 devices.
This great app, which is free to download from the Nokia Store, streams hundreds of radio stations from around the world direct to your mobile phone.
It is one of my favourite apps on my Nokia Asha 311, where it uses the WiFi connection so that it is not using any of my precious data allowance.
Finding the stations
Using Nokia Internet Radio is extremely easy and once you are familiar with how it works then you can also set up quick access to your favourite stations.
To start you will need to select a station to listen to. As you might imagine, there are hundreds of radio stations being streamed online all over the world, so Nokia Internet Radio has created a directory to help you find what you are looking for.
Select the three horizontal lines icon in the top left corner to open the app’s menu and tap on Station Directory.
The directory itself is further divided into these categories:
- Genres
- Languages
- Countries and Regions
There is also a search option if you happen to know the name of the station that you wish to listen to.
For example, if you want to discover which jazz music stations are available then you would select, Genre and scroll down to Jazz.
Selecting this folder will present you with a list of all jazz stations – as a matter of fact there happens to be 707 jazz stations listed in the directory. Pressing on any of these stations will start the stream and you can listen to your heart’s content.
As I am writing this, I happen to have 4U Smooth Jazz, a French station, playing on my Asha 311’s fantastic external speaker. That’s not a station I could have picked up with my old analogue radio!
The player
At any time you can return from the directory to the ‘player’. You do this by again selecting the option in the menu button (or by pressing the back button in the bottom right).
The player gives you further controls such as adjusting the volume, selecting the next station in the directory, or previous station and, where it’s available, the name of the song that is being played will even scroll across your screen.
One thing that may not be immediately obvious is that you can tap on the name of the station in the player and this will give you further information about it.
Saving favourites
Having such a vast directory is fantastic but it can also make navigating through them all rather time consuming.
Thankfully, once you’ve found the station you’re after, or have stumbled upon something that you like, it can be easily saved as a favourite for quick access in the future.
You can do this for any station that is currently playing by bringing up the menu on the player screen and selecting ‘Add to favourites’.
From the menu list – if you select Favourites you will find all your selected stations. After a while you might have a lot of stations stored even in your favourites! However, there is an easy remedy to this problem – you can also create different folders within your favourites to keep them organised.
To create a folder, select the menu button when you are in your Favourites and you will see the ‘Add New Folder’ option appear. You can even name your folders.
Another of my favourite features is the ‘recently played’ list that you can select from the main menu.
This shows you all the songs (where the naming information is available) that you have been listening to across all the radio stations. It’s really handy if you want to get the name of a song.
One final great feature about Nokia Internet Radio is that it continues playing even when you have put the display to sleep and the phone is locked. A minor thing perhaps but it truly turns my Asha 311 into a true Internet Radio.
Nokia Internet Radio is available for a number of Series 40 devices, including Asha. Series 40 devices with a smaller screen than QVGA [320×240] are not supported. [Note, both Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia 206 are QVGA devices]
Amazing fulfillment robots coming to Amazon
Nov 26, 2012: How Amazon’s Largest Distribution Center Works tells us at [00:59] of the video that “Amazon brings in 50 000 seasonal workers here to work in a fulfillment center such as this.”
204 Cyber Monday Items Shipped Per Second Last Year
I got quite impressed by the size of Amazon operations as shown on these Bloomberg videos yesterday. I got also interested more deeply in the technology which is behind of all this, and by searching the relevant YouTube videos, and then relevant articles on the web, I found even more interesting stuff not only about the current level of technology but also the near time future of it.
This is the most important continuation of the whole Amazon story which was excellently presented in the following 25 minutes of video summarizing Jeff Bezos’ successes up to May 2011:
Jeff Bezos Revealed: Game Changers Bloomberg TV
(you can access this video only by clicking on this link, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
If you will read then my Amazon related trend tracking posts on this blog as well you will be pretty up to date on the whole Amazon story.
Now, to understand the importance of the near time future for Amazon fulfillment read first:
Amazon.com to Acquire Kiva Systems, Inc. [Amazon press release, March 19, 2012]
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Kiva Systems, Inc., a leading innovator of material handling technology.
“Amazon has long used automation in its fulfillment centers, and Kiva’s technology is another way to improve productivity by bringing the products directly to employees to pick, pack and stow,” said Dave Clark, vice president, global customer fulfillment, Amazon.com. “Kiva shares our passion for invention, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth.”
“For the past ten years, the Kiva team has been focused on creating innovative material handling technologies,” said Mick Mountz, CEO and founder of Kiva Systems. “I’m delighted that Amazon is supporting our growth so that we can provide even more valuable solutions in the coming years.”
Following the acquisition, Kiva Systems’ headquarters will remain in North Reading, Massachusetts.
Under the terms of the agreement, which has been approved by Kiva’s stockholders, Amazon will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Kiva for approximately $775 million in cash, as adjusted for the assumption of options and other items. Subject to various closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2012.
…
About Kiva Systems
Kiva Systems, Inc. uses material handling technology and sophisticated control software to simplify operations, reduce costs and increase flexibility. Kiva solutions enable extremely fast cycle times, from receiving to order picking to shipping all in a single solution. The result is a building that is quick and low-cost to set up, inexpensive to operate, and easy to change. For more information about Kiva Systems and its solutions, please visit www.kivasystems.com.
More information:
– Amazon Acquires Kiva Systems in Second-Biggest Takeover [Bloomberg, March 20, 2012]
– Amazon buys warehouse robotics start-up Kiva Systems for $775 million [Boston Globe, March 19, 2012]
– Amazon Acquires Kiva Systems for $775 Million [IEEE Spectrum, March 22, 2012]
– Why Kiva Is Worth $775 Million to Amazon [IEEE Spectrum, March 22, 2012]
– The New Amazon Distribution Model [by Steve Banker on Logistics Viewpoints, Aug 6, 2012]
Recently, Kiva Systems told its existing clients how its acquisition by Amazon would affect them. But the news also revealed something about Amazon’s distribution strategy.
So here is the news: Kiva will not be selling any new systems to new customers for the next one and a half to two years. Instead, Amazon will be filling its new one million square foot distribution centers (DCs) with Kiva robots. In its second quarter financial statement, Amazon said that it had opened 6 DCs this year, with 12 more scheduled for the remainder of 2012 (17 were built last year).
I wrote a strategic report in 2009 titled “Warehouse 2025” (available to ARC clients only) that looked at the economics of the new generation of distribution robots.
Amazon appears to practice mainly pick-to-cart. Each cart has multiple totes. Its warehouses have mezzanine levels; workers often have to push their carts onto a lift to change levels. Once a tote has been completely picked, it is placed on a conveyor and transported to pack stations. Amazon’s labor goals are roughly 160 picks per hour.
In contrast, Kiva Systems leads to higher productivity per worker. Workers work at combination pick/pack stations and the Kiva bots deliver the inventory to them to pick. The pick rate will depend on what is picked — if it is small items picked in multiple quantities, you might go as high as 1,500 items per hour; apparel is closer to 200 items per hour. In my report, I used 600 line items per hour as an average for Kiva empowered workers.
So what would this mean in terms of workers? My initial estimate was that Amazon would employ 45 percent fewer workers per DC. But one of the contacts I interviewed for my strategic report told me that number was too high; his warehouse employs 30-40 percent fewer people by using Kiva.
If you conduct a Google search on “Amazon distribution center,” you come across announcements over the past year for DCs in Virginia, New Jersey, and South Carolina. According to these articles, warehouses costing roughly $50-65 million will employ 1,500 to 2,000 workers.
But then I came across an article about a new Indiana DC. This DC is costing $150 million and the company is only promising 1,000 new workers. Could this be one of the new warehouses that will be using Kiva? The employment numbers seem to add up. This DC will employ at least one third fewer workers.
The total cost of the new Indiana warehouse also seems roughly right. Kiva is sold as a system – robots plus their warehouse control system software. But if you take the total cost of the system and divide it by the number of robots, I estimate that the cost per robot is about $20,000-$30,000. There will be about 6 to 9 robots serving each station. With a two shift operation, and the understanding that the great majority of workers will now work pack stations, you can see how the Kiva robots would add $40 million to the cost of the new DC even if Amazon buys the robots for half of the purchase price of the general market.
Let’s tackle that last assumption, that Amazon can buy the robots for half price. Part of that is based on the fact that Kiva Systems sells premium-priced, high-margin product, which Amazon will now buy at cost. But I also see falling unit costs based on a huge increase in production volume. Word on the street is that Kiva did about $100 million in revenues last year. Based on my back of the envelope calculation, one of Amazon’s new DCs will require more than 80 percent of Kiva’s total production from all of last year. If even half of the unbuilt DCs scheduled to come online this year use Kiva robots, we are looking at 5X production ramp.
Again, doing a little rough math, and depending on what you think a fully loaded warehouse worker costs and exactly how many workers become unnecessary, Kiva warehouses could save Amazon more than $20-35 million in wages and benefits per warehouse per year. If it implements Kiva at 6 DCs this year, and 20 more over the following two years, the company will get its payback for the Kiva investment.
There are some other advantages. Without buying Kiva and ramping production volumes, Amazon could never implement Kiva across its network of new DCs. Further, the company’s backlog prevents other e-fulfillment competitors (that are not Kiva’s existing clients) from copying what it is doing for at least a year and a half.
Finally, as Adrian Gonzalez pointed out in a recent posting, Amazon appears to be on a quest for same day deliveries. Kiva robots provide a blend of automation and flexibility that traditional forms of heavy automation cannot match.
What at first glance looked like an absurdly high acquisition price for Kiva Systems becomes completely rational. But the success of this investment will depend on how quickly and successfully Amazon can ramp the production.
And now you can share with me my experience of technology exploration by watching the videos embedded below:
2008: Warehouse Robots at Work
2011: A Day in the Life of a Kiva Robot
And Amazon?
2011: Inside the Amazon Warehouse for Christmas
2012: Amazon Adds That Robotic Touch
Imagine how much Amazon will be transformed as the result of this acquisition as the current process is: Fulfillment by Amazon Tour
and Amazon’s operation is huge as told in 2009 by Mark A. Onetto, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations and Customer Service, Amazon.com
But the current operation needs a lot of people:
2012: Inside Amazon Fulfillment
a lot of people, look at the employees’ aspect in:
2012: Make History with Amazon SDF 4, 6, 7!
Compare this to the Kiva Systems Warehouse Automation at Quiet Logistics
More information:
– Kiva Universal playlist
– Kiva Systems YouTube Channel
Can VIA Technologies save the mobile computing future of the x86 (x64) legacy platform?
Update: The Third x86-based SoC Player: VIA & Centaur’s Isaiah II [PC Perspective, July 11, 2014]
… VIA, through their Centaur Technology division, is expected to announce [on Sept 1, 2014] their own x86-based SoC, too. Called Isaiah II, it is rumored to be a quad core, 64-bit processor with a maximum clock rate of 2.0 GHz. Its GPU is currently unknown. VIA sold their stake S3 Graphics to HTC back in 2011, who then became majority shareholder over the GPU company. That said, HTC and VIA are very close companies. The chairwoman of HTC is the founder of VIA Technologies. The current President and CEO of VIA, who has been in that position since 1992, is her husband. I expect that the GPU architecture will be provided by S3, or will somehow be based on their technology. I could be wrong. Both companies will obviously do what they think is best.
It would make sense, though, especially if it benefits HTC with cheap but effective SoCs for Android and “full” Windows (not Windows RT) devices.
Or this announcement could be larger than it would appear. Three years ago, VIA filed for a patent which described a processor that can read both x86 and ARM machine language and translate it into its own, internal microinstructions. The Centaur Isaiah II could reasonably be based on that technology. If so, this processor would be able to support either version of Android. Or, after Intel built up the Android x86 code base, maybe they shelved that initiative (or just got that patent for legal reasons). …
Update: VIA Isaiah II Gives Intel and AMD Reasons to Worry with Low-power CPUs [techPowerUp, July 7, 2014]
Only the third active licencee of Intel’s x86 machine architecture, VIA Technology, is readying its first x86 processor in years, codenamed Isaiah II. This chip is based on a brand new 64-bit x86 core design by VIA and the engineering team it acquired from Centaur Technology, another erstwhile x86 licencee, and features modern instruction sets such as AVX 2.0. VIA began sampling a quad-core processor based on Isaiah II, which was put to live test by the company, at its InfoComm 2014 booth. It was compared to Intel’s “Bay Trail” Atom and AMD’s “Kabini” Athlon chips. It turns out that the Isaiah II is pretty good, if it comes out soon enough.
The Isaiah II based quad-core chip, featuring 2.00 GHz clock speeds, and 2 MB of L2 cache, was put through SANDRA. The BGA chip was running on a VIA-made motherboard, with its own VIA VX11H chipset. It was compared to AMD Athlon 5350 (quad-core “Jaguar” with 2.05 GHz clocks), and Intel Atom Z3770 (quad-core “Silvermont” with 2.40 GHz clocks). The results are tabulated below. At 2.00 GHz, armed with the latest multimedia and cryptography instruction-sets, VIA’s chip is faster than Intel’s in most tests, despite lower clocks. It trades blows – and wins – against AMD’s chip, in most tests. VIA is expected to launch the first chips based on Isaiah II in late-August, 2014. VIA is hedging its bets with efficient compact PCs, kiosks, and digital signage, with its new chip.
Update: VIA reportedly moving x86 CPU resources to new joint venture in China [DIGITIMES, Feb 19, 2014]
VIA Technologies is rumored to have started shifting its x86 CPU technologies and related personnel to its newly formed IC design joint venture with a China government-owned investment firm, according to market watchers, adding that VIA recently notified clients that it will stop supplying x86 processors temporarily. VIA declined to comment about market rumors and pointed out that its x86 CPU business is still operating. The joint venture was announced in early 2014 with VIA owning a 20% stake in the company. The market watchers pointed out that if the rumor is true, it would mean VIA’s x86 processor platform has officially walked into history, and the China government will be able to get hold x86 technologies to develop related products. VIA has been pushing its CPU products in China for many years, mainly targeting the white-box market. With the new move, VIA may no longer release processors under its name and will instead use the name of the joint venture in the future, the market watchers said. Because VIA’s x86 CPU business is licensed by Intel, moving related resources to a new joint venture is expected to attract Intel’s attention. However, the chip giant may not be able to do much because Intel reached an agreement with the US’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) in 2010 to not interfere with competition in the CPU and chipset markets, and extend its licensing of PCI Express to VIA by at least another six years. Intel is also unlikely to wish to offend the China investment firm, which has support from the China government, the market watchers analyzed.
End of updates
After Urgent search for an Intel savior [this same blog, Nov 21, 2012] this [Can VIA Technologies save … x86 (x64) legacy platform?] is a quite legitimate and important question.
While Intel used the Bonnell microarchitecture for its Atom processors a significantly smaller competitor, VIA Technologies (Via Technologies Inc (2388.TW)) was relying on the processor design and development work of its 100 people subsidiary, Centaur Technology to compete with the giant, using its same time introduced Isaiah microarchitecture. Both microarchitectures were developed BTW for quite a long period of 5 years* and introduced in products in 2008. * The Bonnell story you could read in Intel’s Atom Architecture: The Journey Begins [AnandTech, April 2, 2008]
Note that Atom-powered Windows 8 tablets will use Intel’s new Clover Trail SoC, the follow-up from Medfield. Clover Trail is effectively a dual-core version of Medfield (using Saltwell core, while Saltwell contains a 32 nm shrink of the original Bonnell), but with a souped up GPU (a dual-core SGX 544MP2 rather than a single SGX 540). It’s still 32nm — but next year we’ll see the process-shrunk and rearchitected Silvermont-based [also the code-name of the new micro-architecture after Bonwell] Valleyview SoC, which technologically will be very exciting indeed. The “only” question mark is the price which I would think could not go below $50 as the latest (Q1’12 intro, with the same 32nm litography) traditional Atom model D2550, having price indication publicly available, has a published tray price (i.e. for 1K units) of $47. Intel’s whole business model is standing on those extraordinary high prices by today’s standards, and these will become unsustainable in the year 2013. Here comes VIA Technologies with its x64 foundation as described here.
(As it is a May 17, 2011 Investor Meeting slide we already know that the 22nm “Future Product” in the upper row is “Haswell”, and also that Silvermont will be incorporated into the same “Shark Bay” client platform as Haswell).
Let’s see first how VIA Technologies presented itself one and a half year ago in its VIA Embedded Intro Video [VIAMKT YouTube channel, June 9, 2011]
Then as an update see Where is VIA? An interview with Christian Caldarone [Tom’s Hardware German Edition, Aug 30, 2012]
… My name is Christian Caldarone, born in 1972, and am currently in Germany as a company spokesperson for VIA Embedded. In addition, I am also responsible for the channel business [as Europe Business Account Manager]. TH: Our younger readers may know VIA only as a manufacturer of audio chips or Firewire controllers. So could you briefly introduce the company? CC: VIA was founded in 1987 in California. In 1992 the company moved its headquarters to Taipei, Taiwan. Towards the end of the 1990s it came to the acquisition of the processor manufacturer Cyrix / Centaur, and on the basis of purchased know-how we developed over the following years the C3 CPUs. In 2002 the VIA Embedded Platform Division was established. Since we are focusing increasingly on the embedded market [ VIA EPIA embedded platform, editor’s note]. In terms of the requirements of the future one has to primarily identify VIA for low power, high performance per watt, fanless and quiet design, and miniaturization. The synthesis of these factors from the manufacturer’s perspective can be found in the developed by VIA Mini-, Nano- and Pico-ITXdesigns. … <to be continued after the following short insert explaining these designs>
Embedded Boards [VIA Embedded microsite, Sept 5, 2012]
VIA Embedded Boards enable a new vision for the digital lifestyle, boasting low power consumption and rich integration on ultra compact form factors. Aimed at driving fast-emerging markets for smart connected devices, from stylish digital entertainment systems and feature-rich commercial embedded devices to mobile applications such as robotics and telematics, VIA embedded boards provide the ultimate platform for systems where size, low profile and power efficiency can be combined with a rich entertainment experience.
Embedded Platform Innovative Architecture VIA EPIA® embedded boards are the embodiment of VIA’s feature rich and power efficient platform technologies. EPIA® boards come in a variety of flavors and form factors. A mix of low-power embedded processors, core logic, networking, connectivity and multimedia components make up the wide selection of available Mini-ITX, Nano-ITX, Pico-ITX and Pico-ITXe embedded boards.
Epan Wu discuss the past and future of the [10 years old] Mini-ITX Platform [VIAMKT YouTube channel, Dec 4, 2011]
The Mini-ITX was recognized as an industry open standard for small footprint embedded systems. The Nano-ITX and Pico-ITX received the same popularity for even smaller dimension embedded designs.
| 2002: Mini-ITX VB Series for emerging segment markets | 2002: Mini-ITX Desktop Series for a wide range of uses including home media centers, PCs, and file servers | 2002: EPIA Mini-ITX Series a flexible, cost effective platform for an almost unlimited variety of applications |
| 2004: EPIA Nano-ITX Series the ideal building block for a wide variety of applications requiring even smaller dimensions | March 2009: Em-ITX Series with flexible and easy to extend functionality and I/O ports for a specific vertical application | end of 2009: NOW END OF LIFE EPIA Mobile-ITX Series only 6 cm x 6 cm — enabling x86 processing power in handheld system designs* |
| 2007: EPIA Pico-ITX Series to enable x86 architecture for embedded systems where it was previously impractical for space reasons. | 2012: ARM-based VAB Series ready-to-use platforms based on Pico-ITX form factor which feature ultra low power consumption, easy system integration, rich I/O and flexible software capabilities |
* The EPIA Mobile ITX form factor was the smallest existing COM (Computer-on-module) form factor in the world. The total height of the board-to-board connectors was only 3 mm. It was meant to be used in areas of implementation such as: military, medical, robotics, industrial automation, transportation segments, and handheld devices. 
VIA ITX Mainboards Form Factor Comparison 
A technical drawing of Em-ITX board and expansion module.
now continue with Where is VIA? An interview with Christian Caldarone [Tom’s Hardware German Edition, Aug 30, 2012]
VIA currently employs about 2000 people worldwide. The majority of them work in the Embedded Division and in chipsets/CPUs. TH: For a while, VIA chipsets were considered as viable alternatives to offerings from AMD, Intel and Nvidia. Today the company is no longer represented in this segment away from its own platforms, and also happens rather insignificant when compared to the product cycles of the above competitors. Has VIA been getting nowhere? CC: No, VIA again and again presents innovations as well, such as the recently announced QuadCore processor. It runs at 1.2 GHz, supports 64-bit instruction sets, uses adaptive overclocking, and achieved a TDP of only 27.5 watts thanks to its low-power design. In addition, it is an out-of-order architecture. Unlike the products of some competitors there are four real cores, and systems stuck with QuadCore Processor + Vx11 can handle up to 16 GB of RAM. The Vx11 chipset also includes a DirectX 11-compatible GPU called VIA Chrome 645. TH: Is VIA currently working on new x86 CPUs? The Nano/Nano X2 is now at least 5 years old [NOT TRUE as only the 65nm-based Nano is 5 years old, while the 40nm-based Nano X2 was introduced only in Q1 2011, see later] and is manufactured in 40 nm, and also the QuadCore processor is really just a variation of this design – two Nano X2 on one die. [NOT TRUE as 4 cores on 2 dies with access to the same FSB (Front-Side Bus) are integrated together on a carrier package, see later] CC: Of course, there will be new, further developed and improved processors, which is consequential, but currently there is nothing to announce. Our current products can compete well in their segment. [Note: In the article Skirmishes on the desktop: Nettop platforms compared [Tom’s Hardware German Edition, March 29, 2012] VIA’s Nano X2 beat in fact very well Intel’s current at that time Atom D2700, and in several cases could clearly outpace it.] Our customers appreciate not only our portfolio but also the long product life cycle of five to seven years. Therefore, in order to maintain pin compatibility and to support the appropriate longevity of the platform, it is not possible, for example, to perform a simple die-shrink. It sounds so simple: “The structure size is refined.” But the fact is that a die-shrink would require much reworking of the platforms.
… <to be continued later on>
Now see an Introduction To Centaur [Patrick Roberts YouTube channel, July 30, 2012]
with the very recent Processor Whispers: About Austin powers and patents [Andreas Stiller on “The H”, Nov 5, 2012]
Austin is not only the capital of Texas and home to Dell’s headquarters, but also a hub of processor development. After all, processors from Intel (Atom), AMD and Apple are designed here. But there is another company… It’s been all but forgotten that, next to the big ones mentioned, you will also find a smaller processor company in Austin, the third of the remaining threesome of x86 developers: Centaur Technologies Inc. For 13 years now, the company has belonged to the Taiwanese chip manufacturer VIA technologies. … the chief of the centaurs, Glenn Henry, was expecting me. … In spite of dramatically poor financial figures for VIA – with around $86 million, the numbers for the first three quarters of 2012 are 23 per cent below the ones from last year – the 70-year-old is optimistic: “We don’t cost much, so even a single per cent of the x86 cake is sufficient. Also, we have interesting new markets in China and increasingly in Brazil too.” For years, the number of employees at his company – just below 100 – has remained mostly constant. And, ultimately, VIA boss Wenchi Chen is one of the richest citizens of Taiwan, with sufficiently deep pockets. Currently, work is being done on the CN-R, a small quad-core processor designed for TSMC’s 28nm process. About a year ago, Centaur released a processor called VIA QuadCore, internally referred to as CN-Q, which is divided onto two chips, in a similar way as the Pentium D was. Each single chip is a VIA Nano X2 manufactured in 40nm that was well able to compete with other chips of its class, like the Atom D510 and the AMD E-350. It is compatible with the classic Eden boards and a quad-core solution for mini-ITX boards was released a few weeks ago, the VIA EPIA P910. Centaur still doesn’t have an integrated memory controller, for external communication they are still using the VIA V4 bus with 1333MHz, which is mostly identical to the bus of the Pentium 4. It serves as a link to the much bigger companion chip from VIA with north and south bridge. However, according to Henry, there are plans to integrate the chips into a SoC. But first, the CN-R is supposed to hit the market in the classic format with clock speeds between 1.2 and 2GHz around mid-2013. Which market that’s going to be, Henry doesn’t know yet: tablets seem likely, the netbook market is all but dead, but there’s still a niche market for small desktop PCs [“mini PCs”] and mini-servers as well as the embedded sector. A few highlights could make the chip stand out among the competition: AVX2 and an advanced PadLock unit with new cryptography operations– Atom and Bobcat/Jaguar don’t offer either. In contrast to Intel’s Haswell processor, however, CN-R will neither support fused multiply-add nor offer a transactional memory extension, as the effort would have been too expensive. Just a few hours before I had arrived, another economically motivated cut had been decided: instead of the initially planned central L3 cache with 4MB, Centaur chose to go down to 2MB in order to save space, costs and, above all, energy. Centaur has to work on the latter in particularto be able to compete with the big players in the business. …
And here is the continuation of Where is VIA? An interview with Christian Caldarone [Tom’s Hardware German Edition, Aug 30, 2012]
Chipsets are passé, embedded products are the future … Chipsets in the traditional sense, such as Northbridge, Southbridge, LPC, etc., are now almost extinct. … This development has to do with the current situation. All manufacturers are increasingly focused on the platform. The idea also makes sense: when everything comes from a single source, the individual components ideally suit each other – and demands are implemented as you wish. Eventually AMD has decided with the acquisition of ATI, to develop their own solutions and to focus only on AMD platforms. The goals of AMD and VIA were simply too different: for AMD it was important to keep up in performance, while VIA’s vision was more of energy efficient platforms. VIA currently has no concrete plans for the return to the chipset division. This is however not a complete rejection. A renewed commitment to the chipset segment is possible and also necessary if customer and partner needs are pronounced strongly enough. TH: You repeatedly called the Embedded Division as VIA’s primary area of operation. The term “embedded” is often equated with tablets, industrial PCs and control systems. What is VIA’s definition of “embedded”? CC:That’s right, the term “embedded” in fact can be interpreted very differently. An early definition is that the CPU is directly soldered and a GPU is integrated. TH: According to this definition, even AMD and Intel build “embedded” systems with GPU and other integrated components. What sets VIA apart? CC:VIA has offered such designs earlier. The unique selling proposition was also lower energy consumption, allowing a higher performance per watt. Here comes the platform approach to the game again, and AMD and Intel are just gone in the direction that VIA had already taken. There are products of higher integratin in the future, so there is a change to the name and the approach. One hears again and again: “The desktop is dead.” If you look at the current trends, we can see that everywhere. The classic desktop is ousted, various other devices take over its role. Requirements such as Always on the Move, Cloud Computing and Desktop Virtualization are put forward, thus other devices are needed and also user behavior is changed. In the thin-client area VIA is traditionally represented strong. The reason for not so clearly connecting VIA with this segment is because this is not so strongly coming from the brand. The device (as a platform) must work. … TH: How VIA currently defined (and future) its market. Formerly the most visible products are gone – which wants to make money and grow? What is the strategy? Hurts the discontinuation of Windows / PC market (in the old scale)? CC: This is a regional issue: Europe is an important market, and we are committed to continue in the embedded space. Other countries and regions specially for us are less strong on the radar. Then there is again the BRICS region [Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, note by the editor], where it first comes to ever affordable PCs, namely to provide classical desktops. One element of this is the recently introduced APC [ a mini-PC platform with a 800 MHz ARM CPU from VIA and Android 2.3 operating system, editor’s note ]. In addition to these ARM based devices, of course x86-based Mini-PCs for the desktop market continue to play a role in our strategy. Here our ARTiGO product series is to be specially mentioned. The VIA ARTiGOs are indeed classic Mini-PCs for the desktop market, but they also have some embedded features and are therefore also suitable for the semi-embedded sector. In addition to the combination of ARTiGO with Windows XP and Windows 7, we were also able to test the ARTiGO A1150 and A1200 successfully with Windows Server 2008. Besides the various Windows versions Ubuntu and SuSE are also officially supported by VIA. TH: Where VIA will surprise us in the future? The fields that are particularly prominent? Where does the company see its biggest opportunities?
Published on Sep 13, 2012 by VIAMKT. VIA Embedded was in attendance at the 2012 Digital Signage Workshop in Taipei, showcasing their range of complete package solutions for dynamic digital signage including the latest VIA Magic Box and 3D Holographic display.
CC: Our products will still be much smaller, we will consume even less electric power, and we will put even more features in an even smaller space. We see special opportunities in Digital Signage, Medical Computing and Thin Clients. Here, the thin client must be understood as a device with which to connect to the cloud. … Thin Clients with a VIA CPU offer here a special advantage for security because our own integrated PadLock Security Co-processor can take over the encryption of data. Hardware encryption is classified as 100 times more secure than pure software-based encryption, loading the CPU significantly less, and this saves even more power here. Downright secure on-the-fly encryption can be seen as an essential component of cloud computing, and thus corresponds to the requirement of the customers. … … TH: Tablets are a growing market. Will VIA in this segment offer a suitable (processor) solution? Does VIA has an ARM license? If not, would an x86 design for Win8 tablets be possible? … In China, many manufacturers are already using [ARM] solutions from VIA. Exactly these markets are targeted by our subsidiary Wonder Media with the WonderMedia PRIZM SoC [an ARM-compatible, integrated processor, editor’s note]. … There are other products – medical devices or instruments – based on ARM designs. What they need is often enough to have a well-adjusted SoC. It is not always clear that there is a VIA-solution. As with the display and other components it is subject to special requirements (moisture, shock, heat, etc.). These customers also appreciate the long product life cycles. In the consumer sector, it is the opposite, since latest features require short product life cycles. We will definitely have platforms for Windows 8 in the portfolio, for whatever kind of application. So you see, VIA Technologies could theoretically have both an ARM-based Win8 tablet and one driven on the x86-base. … TH: How VIA stands for low-power servers? After all, AMD has just bought SeaMicro, and HP and other companies are now using ARM chips in servers. CC: This segment is one of the more interesting for VIA, and we expect a good chance. An ARM-based solution here would be particularly attractive and allow the clients to realize an effective and efficient platform. Linux versions and also Android run now everywhere, providing nothing in the way of the usage itself. An ARM-based server solution is limited by the performance and in scope – so to say, the usage is very specific to the application. Therefore x86 is also important for the foreseeable future. And also with our x86 CPUs we see good opportunities. There are efforts to use them as power-saving CPUs in all data centers of the world. We have even more advantages with our quad processor alongside the low power consumption: CPU virtualization, the just mentioned security co-processor, and a large L2 cache by which it can compete quite well in performance with server processors of the competitors. In terms of cache throughput in so-called heavy-lifting tasks, such as database applications, for example, there is only seven percent difference to the Xeon 5110. I had already mentioned another benefit as well: the VX11 chipset and the QuadCore processor can manage up to 16 GB memory. With Intel’s Atom CPUs it is 4 GB. Virtualization is a really exciting skill – not least for the administration. It is possible, for example, to measure the average power consumption per virtual machine and to measure the system accordingly. As the first choice it is advisable to use our platform together with the KVM [Kernel-based Virtual Machine] hypervisor since it is also officially supported by VIA. KVM is a very serious virtualization solution that for some time now is tightly integrated into the Linux kernel. The decision of the major Linux distributions Ubuntu and SuSE, to use KVM as their preferred hypervisor, has once again to be underlined. Another advantage arises also through the availability and development of the appropriate administrative and conversion tools, extensive cloud/IaaS and orchestrator solutions (see http://www.linux-kvm.org/page/Management_Tools), which have also helped to pave the way in professional, commercial use of KVM. The combination of the VIA QuadCore and the KVM hypervisor currently has the best virtualization per watt ratio in the x86 market. Extrapolating 8 virtual machines per VIA QuadCore (27.5 watts TDP), the average per VM incurred is only 3.44 Watt, while for 10 VMs it takes only 2.75 watt. The long product life cycle of the VIA platform also enables a consistently homogeneous landscape, in which, for example, only a single hypervisor OS image is required, which can then be loaded from a central point to any number of platforms. But not everything can be virtualized. A good example are services such as VoIP. So one needs additionally a small server that will work then in the most cost efficient and energy saving way. And in this context, a long product life cycle and high reliability are important. Especially for the latter making electromechanical parts unnecessary is useful as well. An unnecessary fan for VIA Eden just could not fail.
Now look at
the current business situation of the VIA Technologies:
Intel’s market share was 83.3 percent in the third quarter [of 2012], growing from 80.6 percent in the same quarter the previous quarter. AMD’s market share was 16.1 percent, falling from 18.8 percent. VIA Technologies, which largely makes chips for low-cost PCs, had a 0.6 percent market share. [Mercury Research via IDG News Service]
For the full year 2011, Intel earned 80.1% overall worldwide unit market share, a loss of 0.6% compared to 2010. In 2011, AMD earned 19.7%, a gain of 0.7% compared to 2010. VIA Technologies earned 0.2%, a loss of 0.1%. [IDC]
In the full year 2010, Intel earned 80.7% unit market share, a gain of 1.1%, AMD earned 19.0%, a loss of 1.1%, and VIA Technologies earned 0.3%. [IDC]
VIA Announces October Sales Results [VIA Technologies press release, Nov 2, 2012]
Table 1: VIA October Sales Revenue In thousands of US dollars
Net Sales 2012 2011 Y-on-Y Change (%) October 8,816 9,112 -3.25% January through October 97,455 124,510 -21.73%
The company is selling a lot of products to the embedded market, also as boards (see: Nano based, Nano X2 based, Eden X2 based, and Quadcore E based), as well as some of its products are appearing in 3d party end-user products sold in volume globally. Below we could see some volume offerings in the end-user category which came to the market in the last 12 months. Examples of the 3d party thin client/mini PC products: Based on Nano and VX900 chipset (MSP): – Devon IT Launches Dual DVI VIA-Based TC5V Thin Client [Jan 18, 2012] where Devon IT is a U.S. based company with offices in London, Shanghai and Bangalore, selling globally. The TC5VX comes with Windows Embedded Standard 7 and the Devon IT Thin Client – TC5VX – 2 GB RAM – 1.3 GHz – 0 GB HDD is currently sold in 7 stores for $438 and up; while the TC5VL with DeTOS 7 (a Linux based thin client operating system developed by Devon IT and including RDP 7.1 and offering Microsoft RemoteFX functionality for Windows Server 2008 R2) and the Devon IT Thin Client – TC5VL – 1 GB RAM – 1.3 GHz – 0 GB HDD is currently sold in 13 stores for $281 and up. Based on Nano X2 and VX900H chipset (MSP): – ZOTAC Launches Affordable Palm-Sized ZBOX nano VD01 Series mini-PCs [Oct 6, 2011] where ZOTAC is a Macau based manufacturer of graphics cards, mini-ITX motherboards and mini-PCs sold in all continents around the globe, and with over 6,000 workers and a combined 100,000 square-meters of factory space. ZOTAC ZBOX nano – VD01 PLUS – 2 GB RAM – 1.2 GHz – 320 GB HDD with Windows 7 is currently sold in 79 stores for $230 and up or you can buy ZOTAC ZBOX nano – VD01 – 0 MB RAM – 1.2 GHz – 0 GB HDD with Windows 7 selling for $160 and up from 28 stores. Based on Eden X2: – HP Introduces Thin Clients with Unprecedented Security, Exceptional Flexibility and Performance [Feb 13, 2012]: “… the powerful new HP t610 Flexible Series Thin Client and HP t510 Thin Client … The HP t610 features a dual-core AMD G-series processor with integrated discrete-class AMD Radeon graphics … at 1.65 GHz … The HP t510 also features the VIA Eden X2 U4200 1GHz dual-core CPU …”. The HP Flexible Thin Client – T510 – 2 GB RAM – 1 GHz – 0 GB HDD is currently sold in 70 stores for $217 and up or you can the same HP Flexible Thin Client – T510 – 2 GB RAM – 1 GHz – 0 GB HDD for $195 and up from 55 stores. The HP t510 Thin client is pre-configured with one of the following: – Genuine Windows® Embedded Standard 7 – Genuine Windows® Embedded Standard 2009 – HP ThinPro – HP Smart Zero Client Service Example of a 3d party POS terminal: Based on Nano: – Product Launch Notice-KS-6715 series [Dec 7, 2011] from the Taiwanese Posiflex Technology focusing on POS Terminals and peripherals with 350 employees and selling globally through subsidiaries in China, Malaysia, India, Germany, USA and Argentina. The Posiflex Fan-Free – KS6715 – 2 GB RAM – 1.6 GHz – 160 GB HDD (a touch based POS terminal) with Windows Embedded POSReady7 is currently sold in 12 stores for $781 and up. Windows 8: only driver support is available as follows
VIA has released Windows 8 drivers for the VX11 Media System Processor, available through the driver portal. The VX900 drivers for Windows 7 do also support Windows 8 and VIA is working with Microsoft to have them re-classified as Windows 8 drivers. Until then, the VX900 drivers for Windows 7 can be used as a solution for Windows 8, available through the driver portal. Older VIA chipsets (than the VX900 and VX11) can run Windows 8 using the default drivers built into Windows 8, but some graphical features of Windows 8 may not be supported and it is not recommended.
(+ drivers for Windows 8 for the VIA HD audio chips)
Now it is time to have
a deep insight into the latest technology advances
made by VIA Technologies:
VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX Motherboard with a cassette tape for comparison
VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX board (measuring 10 cm x 7.2 cm) combining a 1.0GHz VIA QuadCore E-Series processor (the 2 chips on the “smaller brown” carrier on the right) and the latest VIA VX11H MSP (single chip on the “big brown carrier” on the left) for superior performance and outstanding display capabilities.
The essential block diagram of the VIA EPIA-P910 board from the datasheet
VIA Announces First QuadCore Pico-ITX Board with 3D Display Capabilities [VIA Technologies press release, Sept 6, 2012]
VIA EPIA-P910 features new VIA VX11H media system processor with DX11 support for immersive display environments Taipei, Taiwan, 6th September, 2012 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient computing platforms, today announced the VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX board, the first VIA board to feature the latest VIA VX11H MSP in combination with a VIA QuadCore E-Series processor. Providing superior performance and outstanding display capabilities, the VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX provides the ideal platform for a wide array of next-generation ultra compact devices for applications in health-care, logistics, fleet management and other vertical market segments. The VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX is the first VIA board to include the VIA VX11H MSP which provides the latest in graphic capabilities, including DirectX 11 support, for richer textures as well as 3D stereoscopic display. In combination with a 1.0GHz VIA QuadCore E-Series processor, the VIA EPIA-P910 offers high performance computing in an ultra compact, low power design with today’s latest connectivity options including HDMI and USB 3.0. “The VIA EPIA-P910 features the most advanced technology from VIA with the latest VIA VX11H MSP and VIA QuadCore E-Series processor,” said Epan Wu Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “It provides superior computing performance and the richest display capabilities allowing embedded system designers to innovate for immersive embedded environments.” About VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX Based on the incredibly compact Pico-ITX form factor, measuring 10 cm x 7.2 cm, the VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX combines a 1.0GHz VIA QuadCore E-Series processor and the latest VIA VX11H MSP to offer superior computing performance for ultra compact systems. The VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX supports up 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory, HD audio, HDMI, VGA and LVDS display connectivity as well as a high performance hardware HD video decoder in the shape of the latest VIA Chromotion 5.0 video processor. On board pin headers and an extension board to board connector provide support for an additional 6 USB 2.0 ports, an LPC connector, SMBus connector, PS/2 support, audio jacks, LVDS, 4 pairs of DIO and two UART ports. Rear I/O includes one HDMI port, one VGA port, 2 USB 3.0 ports and 1 GigaLAN port. For more information about the VIA EPIA-P910 please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/boards/1950/1/EPIA-P910.html For more information about the VIA VX11H MSP, please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/processors/1951/1/VX11_(Single-Chip).html
VIA EPIA-P910 Pico-ITX Motherboard 
VIA VX11 (and VX11H) Media System Processor (MSP) [“chipset” on a single chip] block diagram
VIA VX11 Media System Processor: Breathing Life into 3D and High Definition Video Playback [VIA Chipsets, Sept 5, 2012]
The VIA VX11 media system processor (MSP) family is designed for next generation desktop, small form factor and all-in-one PCs, offering a world-class HD multimedia platform for media-intensive applications. The VIA VX11 features the VIA Chrome 640\645, a genuine DirectX11 graphics processor that offers richer visual and 3D contentsfor immersive environments. The VIA VX11 DX11GPU is designed to leverage the power of parallel processing and provides support for sophisticated shading and texturing techniques such as tessellation for smoother 3D animation and more lifelike graphics. Including Shader 5.0 to integrate cohesive post graphic processing, DirectCompute 11 for scalable GPGPU computing, as well as better multithreading and control for parallel computing, the VIA VX11 MSP provides enhanced graphic capabilities for today’s media intensive applications and has been designed to support OpenCL™. The VIA VX11 MSP has received SuperSpeed USB certification fr
om USB-IF and supports up to 3 USB 3.0 ports for data transfer speeds up to ten times faster than USB 2.0 with optimized power efficiency. The VIA VX11 MSP features the high-performance and versatile VIA Chromotion 5.0 video processor, providing ultra smooth decoding of MPEG-4, H.264, MPEG-2, and VC-1. It offers advanced filtering and cutting edge post-processing. Support for the latest connectivity standards includes Display Port, HDMI, DVP, VGA and LVDS. The VIA VX11 MSP supports up to 16GB of the latest DDR3 system memory at speeds of up to 1600MHz and is compatible with the VIA QuadCore, VIA Nano™, and VIA Eden™ processor families. Integrating all the features of a traditional North and South bridge solution into a 33mm x 33mm single chip package and leveraging the 40nm advanced manufacturing process, the VIA VX11 is a single chip solution that reduces overall silicon footprint and lowers system power consumption. VIA VX11 Media System Processor: Key Features
- High Performance Hardware HD Video Decoder:Smooth hardware acceleration for MPEG-4, H.264, MPEG-2, and VC-1 for advanced browser streamed video technologies
- Advanced Display Connectivity:Supports the latest display standards including DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and VGA in multi-display configurations
- DX11 Graphics Performance:TheVIA Chrome 640/645integrated graphics processor is fully DirectX 11 certified and includes a 128-bit 2D engine
- SuperSpeed USB Certification:Has received SuperSpeed USB certification form the USB-IF and supports up to 3 USB 3.0 ports
- HD Audio support:VIA Vinyl HD Audio controller supports up to eight high definition channels with a 192kHz sampling rate, delivering a richer all-round digital media experience
- Memory Support:Memory controller technology supports the lower power, high-bandwidth DDR3 memory modules with speeds up to 1600MHz
- Fully Integrated technology support: Supports the low power device interfaces of SDIO 3.0, UART, SPI, LPC as well as six USB 2.0 ports
VIA Chromotion 5.0 The VIA Chromotion 5.0 is a high performance video processor supports stereoscopic decoding in MVC format bringing 3D content to life. Also boasting hardware acceleration of the H.264 HD encoding technology that is driving today’s advanced online HD video streaming services, the VIA Chromotion 5.0 video processor brings crisp, smooth 1080p HD video contentto life without hogging key system resources or resorting to an additional third party decoder. The Chromotion 5.0 video processor supports the latest video codecsincluding full Blu-ray support at true HD screen resolutions, including dual 1080p HD decode and playback of MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV9, VC-1 and H.264 content. Additional enhancements include H.264 HD encoder, motion compensation, transform, de-blocking, full VLD support, and AVS support. Full frame rate playback of MPEG-2, H.264 and Windows Media Video-based codecs, including VC-1 at full 1080p resolutions, is assisted by hardware acceleration assistance and includes Advanced Profile level 4 support on WMV/VC-1 content and High Profile level 4.1 for H.264-based content. Advanced Display Connectivity Integrated display support includes a dedicated CRT interface, integrated LVDS transmitter, a multiplexed display interface for DisplayPort and HDMI and parallel digital video output port (DVP) to external HMDI/LVDS/DVI transmitter. The VIA VX11 MSP provides multi-monitor extended desktop support where two independent display engines can display different content at different resolutions, pixel depths and refresh rates. VIA Vinyl HD Audio As the PC platform increasingly becomes the central device for home entertainment, the HD Audio codecs provide home theatre quality performance with support for the latest high definition audio content in Blu-ray and other popular HD audio formats. The VIA Vinyl HD audio codec is a low power, high-fidelity 8-channel high definition audio codec designed for desktop PC audio systems, supporting QSound, DTS Connect, Dolby1 Digital Live, Dolby PCEE program, SRS Lab and Creative technologies. HD DVD Audi Content protection is also supported for full-rate lossless DVD audio, and HD DVD audio content playback.
The VIA VX11 chip (the VX11H looks the same) on its carrier 
VIA VX11 internal block diagram Note that it has Windows 8 support and the graphics and video capabilities in the VIA VX11 and VX11H are based on S3 Graphics technology about which we should know that VIA Technologies Announces Sale of Stake in S3 Graphics [VIA Technologies press release, July 6, 2011]:
Taipei, Taiwan, July 6, 2011 – VIA Technologies, Inc. (“VIA”) today announced the signing of definitive agreement to sell all of its shareholding in S3 Graphics Co., Ltd. (“S3 Graphics”) to HTC Corporation (“HTC”). S3 Graphics is a leading provider of innovative graphics visualization technologies used in PCs, game consoles and, more recently, mobile devices.
VIA acquired S3 Graphics in 2001 with the intention to accelerate integration of graphics capabilities with its processor and chipset products. S3 Graphics became undercapitalized in 2005, and VIA introduced WTI Investment International, Ltd. (“WTI”) as a new investor to help fund the operations and R&D initiatives. WTI is a private investment company, in which Cher Wang, Chairman of VIA, is a significant shareholder.
Under terms of the agreement with HTC, total consideration for all outstanding shares of S3 Graphics will be US$300 million. Of which, VIA will receive US$147 million; and WTI will receive US$153 million. VIA will recognize a capital gain of US$ $37 million and paid-in-capital of US$ 115 million in this transaction.
Note that this $300M acquisition of S3 Graphics by HTC was based on an ongoing lawsuit against Apple by S3 Graphics to be used in negotiating with Apple. This was lost in November last year but nevertheless could have figured positively for HTC’s recent settlement with Apple (as only HTC was able to negotiate a settlement with Apple so far) in which Apple To Get $6-$8 Per Phone Fee From HTC, Analyst Says [Forbes, Nov 12, 2012]:
Apple will receive an estimated $6-$8 per phone licensing fee from HTC under the patent litigation settlement the two companies announced on Saturday, Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu said in a research note this morning.
“Financial terms were not disclosed but we believe AAPL is likely getting a net licensing fee due to its much stronger patent portfolio and we think position as undisputed inventor of the modern smart phone with touchscreen,” he writes. “We view this as a positive and the big question is whether Samsung and Motorola will also reach settlement agreements.”
He estimates that at $6-$8 per HTC phone sold, the company will generate an additional $180 million to $200 million annual revenue; he says that is lower than the range that Apple initially proposed. Wu notes that there have been previous reports that HTC pays Microsoft $5 per phone running Android.
The bottom line, he notes, is that the deal is basically immaterial to Apple. “For a lot of companies, $180-280 million in annual licensing revenue from one vendor is material but for AAPL it will likely be immaterial to its financials given its large revenue base of $193 billion and $48 billion in net income that the investment community is forecasting for FY 2013,” he writes.
World’s Smallest x86 Quad Core System, VIA ARTiGO A1250 [VIA Technologies press release, Oct 31, 2012]
Features USB 3.0, stereoscopic 3D and HD video support, for an immersive multimedia experience Taipei, Taiwan, 31st October, 2012 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient computing platforms, today announced the world’s smallest x86 quad core system, the VIA ARTiGO A1250 slim system, featuring a 1.0GHz VIA QuadCore processor and the latest VIA VX11H media system processor (MSP), in chassis the size of a paperback novel. The ultra-compact VIA ARTiGO A1250, is suitable for a myriad of applications in the home or office, including home server, home automation, hotel management, media streaming, digital signage and surveillance as well as medical and healthcare applications. The VIA ARTiGO A1250 leverages the VIA VX11H MSP to deliver an immersive multimedia experience complete with 3D stereoscopic and HD display support in a low power envelope, which a typical power consumption of a mere 32W TDP. The VIA ARTiGO A1200 can fit easily into any environment, whether it is behind a monitor or on the wall with a 10 x 10 cm VESA mount or placed alongside other home media devices. For system developers, VIA provides third party software security through a unique hardware/software design. “By leveraging the ultra compact Pico-ITX form factor, the VIA ARTiGO A1250 is able to deliver a powerful x86 quad core computing experience in the smallest system design on the market,” said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA ARTiGO A1250 boasts the latest technology with 3D stereoscopic display and USB 3.0 support for an unparalleled ultra compact computing experience, making small truly beautiful.” VIA ARTiGO A1250
The VIA ARTiGO A1250 is the slimmest full featured quad core system on the market today with an ultra low-profile design measuring a mere 17.7cm x 12.5cm x 3.0cm (W X D X H), a full ten percent smaller than the VIA ARTiGO A1150 series. A power efficient 1.0GHz VIA QuadCore E-Series processor is combined with the latest highly integrated all-in-one VIA VX11H MSP which features the integrated VIA Chromotion 5.0 video processor with DX11 support for richer textures and 3D stereoscopic display. The VIA ARTiGO A1250 delivers an exceptional multimedia experience with advanced filtering and cutting edge post-processing to perform ultra smooth decoding of H.264, MPEG-2, VC-1, and WMV9 for smooth playback of the most demanding multimedia titles at resolutions up to 1080p without incurring a heavy CPU load. The unique dual-sided I/O coastline interface includes one HDMI and one VGA display port, one GigaLAN Ethernet port, two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, audio jacks (Line-in/out and mic-in) and 12V DC-in power. For more information about the VIA ARTiGO A1250 please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/systems/1990/1/ARTiGO_A1250_(Pico-ITX).html
Here is an introductory video looking at the VIA ARTiGO A1250. The World’s smallest x86 quad core system on the market to date. The size of the new system is compared to the A1150 (as in the press release) and the previous generation A1200 model with fanless slim design.
Current ARTiGO pricing can be checked on E-ITX.com:
– VIA ARTiGO A1250 for $320 with VX11H MSP (for a configuration with 0 GB RAM, 0 ODD, 0 GB HDD, no IEEE802.11b/g/n WiFi Kit, no OS, no system testing and assembly) and up (when the missing things indicated are added), delivery is promised for December – VIA ARTiGO A1150 for $259 with [VX900H MSP] Chrome9 HD DX9 3D/2D Video Processor w/HDMI & VGA Display Outputs (for a configuration with 1 GB RAM, 0 ODD, 0 GB HDD, no 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Module Kit, no Antennas for Wireless LAN Module Kit, no OS, no system testing and assembly) and up (when the missing things indicated are added), next day shipment – VIA ARTiGO A1200 for $319 with VX900 MSP (for a configuration with 0 GB RAM, 0 ODD, 0 GB HDD, no Wireless LAN or 3G WAN Network, no WiFi Antennas, no OS, no system testing and assembly) and up (when the missing things indicated are added), next day shipment – Windows operating system prices (w/OEM License [and DVD]):
- Win7 Home Premium 64-bit: $120
- Win7 Professional 64-bit: $160
- Win7 Ultimate 64-bit: $200
- Win XP Pro 32-bit with OEM License ONLY: $185
CPUs used:
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ARTiGO A1150 (Pico-ITX): Eden™ X2
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ARTiGO A1200: Eden™ X2
VIA Eden X2 Unveiled at Embedded Word 2011, World’s Most Power-Efficient Dual Core Processor [VIA Technologies press release, March 1, 2011]
VIA Eden X2 processors bring unrivalled power efficiency and fanless stability to embedded markets without compromising on performance Taipei, Taiwan, 1 March, 2011 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the new VIA Eden X2 processor, the industry’s lowest power dual-core processor, optimized for fanless implementation in a broad range of industrial and commercial embedded systems. VIA Eden X2 will debut at Embedded World 2011, Nuremberg, Hall 12, Booth No. 574 VIA Eden X2 processors combine VIA’s signature ‘Eden’ fanless design principles, in a highly optimized, power-efficient dual-core architecture. This guarantees rock-solid stability for mission critical embedded systems without compromising on performance or features. With a component longevity guarantee of 7 years, VIA Eden X2 processors are guaranteed to extend the reach of fanless system design for years to come. “Eden X2 shows how once again VIA is setting the pace when it comes to highly optimized, power-efficient processing,” said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Embedded developers will relish the opportunity to integrate a native 64-bit, dual-core processor in passively cooled, ultra stable systems.”
VIA Eden X2 – Dual-Core Processing on a Fanless Power Budget Leveraging the latest 40nm manufacturing process, VIA Eden X2 processors combine two 64-bit, superscalar VIA Eden cores on one die, offering enhanced multi-tasking and superb multimedia performance on a rigidly low power budget. VIA Eden X2 processors are the most power-efficient processors on the market, designed to offer the ideal solution for fanless system design. VIA Eden X2 processors bring additional features that include VIA VT virtualization, a technology that allows legacy software and applications to be used in virtual scenarios without impacting on performance. The unique VIA AES Security Engine offers hardware-based data encryption on the fly, and essential tool in content protection and system security. VIA Eden X2 processors are natively 64-bit compatible, facilitating an essential transition for the future of the embedded industry as 64-bit operating systems such as Windows® Embedded Standard 7 allow for vastly improved data throughput per clock cycle. This makes it easier to manipulate large data sets and improves overall performance. VIA Eden X2 processors are also fully compatible with Windows CE and Linux operating systems. VIA Eden X2 processors are based on the latest 40nm manufacturing process using a VIA NanoBGA2 package of 21mm x 21mm with a die size of 11mm x 6mm. All VIA Eden X2 processors and are fully pin-to-pin compatible with VIA Eden, VIA C7 and VIA Nano E-Series processors. Product Highlights
- Industry-leading power-efficient architecture
- 7 year longevity guarantee
- Advanced multi-core processing
- Native support for 64-bit operating systems
- High-performance superscalar processing
- Out-of-order x86 architecture
- Most efficient speculative floating point algorithm
- Full processor virtualization support
- Advanced power and thermal management
- VIA AES hardware security features
- Pin-to-pin compatibility with VIA processors range
VIA cProcessors are sampling now to project customers. Systems and boards featuring the VIA Eden X2 will be available in Q2 2011. For information about VIA Eden X2 processors, please visit: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/edenX2/
VIA Announces VIA Nano X2 Dual-Core Processor [VIA Technologies press release, Jan 4, 2011]
Brings advanced multi-core performance to energy-efficient PCs without raising the heat Taipei, Taiwan, 4 January 2011 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced its latest VIA Nano X2 processor for mainstream PC markets. Based on a 40 nanometer fabrication process, the VIA Nano X2 delivers better computational performance and improved multi-tasking ability without consuming more power. “The VIA Nano X2 processor arrives at a time when software architectures are now optimized to for multi-thread computing,” commented Richard Brown, VP International Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Improvements in semi-conductor fabrication means we can now double the number of processor cores while maintaining the same low energy consumption levels that our customers are used to.” VIA Nano X2 processors are targeting a range of PC products that include desktop, all-in-one and mobile notebook designs while extending the reach of VIA’s processor portfolio into multitasking and performance-oriented segments. VIA Nano X2 processors offer end-users the most optimized, power-efficient computing experience on the market today. VIA Nano X2 Processor VIA Nano X2 processors are built using the advanced 64-bit, superscalar ‘Isaiah’ architecture that powers previous single-core VIA Nano processors, adopted worldwide for a growing number of market-leading mini-note, small form factor desktop, and energy-efficient server designs. Featuring two out-of-order x86 cores, VIA Nano X2 processors deliver up to double the performance on multi-thread optimized applications and also come with SSE4, native 64-bit support, VT CPU virtualization technology, and VIA PadLock™ hardware security features. VIA Nano X2 processors are also pin-to-pin compatible with previous VIA Nano, VIA C7, VIA C7-M and VIA Eden processors, facilitating easy upgrades of existing designs. Product Highlights
- Advanced multi-core processing
- Power-efficient out-of-order x86 architecture
- Full support for 64-bit operating systems
- High-performance superscalar processing
- Most efficient speculative floating point algorithm
- Full processor virtualization support
- Advanced power and thermal management
- VIA PadLock™ hardware security features
- Pin-to-pin compatibility with other VIA processors
VIA Nano X2 processors are also compatible with all VIA media system processors and digital media chipsets including the latest VIA VX900 and VIA VN1000. VIA Nano X2 Availability VIA Nano X2 processors samples are currently available for OEMs and motherboard vendors, with systems featuring the processors expected to arrive in Q1 2011.
VIA Small Form Factor Solutions in Multi-Core [VIAMKT YouTube channel, Oct 19, 2011]
VIA Nano™ X2 E-Series Dual Core Processors Debut at Embedded System Conference [VIA Technologies press release, April 29, 2011]
VIA Nano X2 E-Series processors deliver highly-optimized power-efficient dual core solution for advanced 64-bit x86 embedded system design applications Taipei, Taiwan, 29 April, 2011 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced that it will unveil its new family of low power dual core VIA Nano X2 Series processors at the Embedded System Conference, held at the McEnery Convention Center, San Jose from 2 – 5 May. The VIA booth is located at No 2032. VIA Nano X2 E-Series processors combine a highly optimized, power-efficient dual-core architecture with advanced performance for the most demanding 86-bit x86 embedded system design applications. Available in two models running at speeds of 1.2+ GHz and 1.6+ GHz, VIA Nano X2 E-Series Processors also come with a component longevity guarantee of 7 years. “The VIA Nano X2 E-Series demonstrates how VIA continues to lead the way in bringing highly optimized, power-efficient 64-bit x86 processors to the embedded market,” said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “With their advanced performance, these processors provide developers with exciting new embedded system design options.” VIA Nano X2 E-Series Leveraging the latest 40nm manufacturing process, VIA Nano X2 E-Series processors combine two 64-bit, superscalar VIA Nano cores on one die, offering enhanced multi-tasking and superb multimedia performance on a low power budget. VIA Nano X2 E-Series processors bring additional features that include VIA VT virtualization, a technology that allows legacy software and applications to be used in virtual scenarios without impacting on performance. The unique VIA AES Security Engine offers hardware-based data encryption on the fly, an essential tool in content protection and system security. VIA Nano X2 E-Series processors are natively 64-bit compatible, facilitating an essential transition for the future of the embedded industry as 64-bit operating systems such as Windows® Embedded Standard 7 allow for vastly improved data throughput per clock cycle. This makes it easier to manipulate large data sets and improves overall performance. VIA Nano X2 E-Series processors are also fully compatible with Windows CE and Linux operating systems. VIA Nano X2 E-Series processors are based on the latest 40nm manufacturing process using a VIA NanoBGA2 package of 21mm x 21mm with a die size of 11mm x 6mm. They are also fully pin-to-pin compatible with VIA Eden, VIA C7 and VIA Nano E-Series, and VIA Eden X2 processors. Product Highlights
- Industry-leading power-efficient architecture
- 7 year longevity guarantee
- Advanced multi-core processing
- Native support for 64-bit operating systems
- High-performance superscalar processing
- Out-of-order x86 architecture
- Most efficient speculative floating point algorithm
- Full processor virtualization support
- Advanced power and thermal management
- VIA AES hardware security features
- Pin-to-pin compatibility with VIA processors range
VIA Nano X2 E-Series Processors are sampling now to project customers. Systems and boards featuring VIA Nano X2 E-Series processors will be available in Q2 2011.
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ARTiGO A1250 (Pico-ITX): QuadCore E
… The VIA EPIA-M900 and VIA EPIA-M910 are the first two Mini-ITX boards to feature the 1.2GHz VIA QuadCore E-Series processor, offering enhanced multi-tasking and superb multimedia performance on the lowest quad core power budget for next generation embedded products. The VIA QuadCore E-Series processor features a highly optimized, energy efficient multi-core architecture, which is natively 64-bit compatible and comes with a host of additional performance features including Adaptive Overclocking. To meet the low power demands of the embedded market, the VIA QuadCore E-Series processor offers industry-leading energy efficiency, with the VIA QuadCore E-Series 1.2+ GHz processor delivering a thermal design power (TDP) of only 27.5W. The distributed power of the VIA QuadCore E-Series processor makes it ideal for handling the most demanding HD video formats for immersive multi-display applications and environments. “The VIA QuadCore E-Series processor delivers world class performance in the industry’s leading power efficient package,” said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The high performance of the VIA QuadCore E-Series processor makes it the perfect platform for the creation of next generation digital signage displays and embedded projects.” … From: VIA Announces World’s First Quad Core Mini-ITX Boards [VIA Technologies press release, Feb 23, 2012]
VIA Announces New VIA QuadCore Processor [VIA Technologies press release, May 12, 2011]
World’s lowest power quad core x86 processor sets the new baseline standard for the next generation of mainstream PCs and notebooks Taipei, Taiwan, 12 May, 2011 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the launch of the VIA QuadCore processor, the lowest power quad core processor on the market today. Featuring a highly optimized, energy-efficient multi-core architecture, the VIA QuadCore processor delivers awesome multi-threaded performance across the board for multi-tasking, multimedia playback, productivity and internet browsing in a low power envelope. The distributed performance of the VIA QuadCore also makes it ideal for making the most of multi-display environments. With a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of only 27.5 watts, the 1.2+ GHz VIA QuadCore processor is 21% more energy efficient than the nearest competitor and ideal for a wide range of desktop PC, notebook, small form factor PC, all-in-one PC, and mini-server system design applications. “As a result of the rapid proliferation of high definition multimedia content and increasingly demanding multithreaded applications, a four core processor is the new baseline for today’s mainstream PC user,” said Epan Wu, Head of Processor Platforms, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA QuadCore processor meets that need with the industry’s most power efficient architecture.” VIA QuadCore Processor VIA QuadCore processors combine four ‘Isaiah’ cores on two dies, offering enhanced multi-tasking and superb multimedia performance on a low power budget. Initially available at a speed of 1.2+GHz, VIA QuadCore processors are natively 64-bit compatible and come with a host of additional performance features including Adaptive Overclocking, 4MB L2 cache, and the 1333MHz V4 Bus. TDP is 27.5 watts. Other advanced features include VIA VT virtualization, a technology that allows legacy software and applications to be used in virtual scenarios without impacting on performance, and VIA PadLock with the Advanced Cryptography Engine which delivers the world’s fastest AES encryption. This hardware-based security feature offers data encryption on the fly, an essential tool in content protection and system security. VIA QuadCore processors are manufactured using the latest 40nm process, and feature a VIA NanoBGA2 package of 21mm x 21mm with a die size of 11mm x 6mm. They are also fully pin-to-pin compatible with VIA Eden, VIA C7 and VIA Nano E-Series, and VIA Eden X2 processors. Product Highlights
- Power-efficient architecture
- High-performance superscalar processing
- Out-of-order x86 architecture
- Efficient floating point unit (2 clock SP multiplies)
- Advanced multi-core processing
- Native support for 64-bit operating systems
- Hardware virtualization support
- Advanced power and thermal management
- AES hardware security features
- Secure Hash Algorithm: SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512
- Pin-to-pin compatibility with VIA processor range
VIA QuadCore processors will be on display at the VIA booth at Computex (Taipei International Convention Center, Room 201D) from May 31st to June 4th, and will begin volume shipments in Q3 2011. To go to the product page for the VIA QuadCore processor, please click here.
Next look at
the preceding technology level with the Isaiah core and the companion MSPs
when they were first born “At the same power we moved the performance up with this architecture … tried to double the performance at the same power”: Glenn Henry Introduces the VIA Isaiah Architecture [VIAMKT YouTube channel, Jan 8, 2008]
and some more details are in the VIA’s New Isaiah / CN Processor [frgmstr YouTube channel, Jan 23, 2008] video:
See also: – the description of the he first silicon version of the new VIA Isaiah Architecture: The VIA Isaiah Architecture [Centaur Technology, Inc., January 2008] – VIA Unveils Next-Generation Isaiah x86 Processor Architecture [VIA Technologies press release, Jan 24, 2008 ]
New architecture provides substantial increases in performance and functionality with leading power efficiency to enable next generation “Small is Beautiful” computing devices Austin, Texas, US, 24 January 2008 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of x86 silicon and platform technologies, today announced details of the VIA Isaiah Architecture, a new x86 processor architecture that will deliver significant boosts to the functionality and performance of desktop, mobile and ultra mobile PCs while minimizing power requirements, saving on battery life and enabling ultra compact system designs. Designed from the ground up by the company’s US-based processor design subsidiary, Centaur Technology Inc., the VIA Isaiah Architecture combines all the latest advances in x86 processor technology, including a 64-bit superscalar speculative out-of-order microarchitecture, high-performance multimedia computation, and a new virtual machine architecture. The first generation of Isaiah-based products will be pin-compatible with the VIA C7 processor family, enabling a smooth transition for system builders and providing them with an easy upgrade path for current designs. The first processors implementing the VIA Isaiah Architecture will use proven 65 nanometer technology for greater power efficiency, which, combined with new enhanced power and thermal management capabilities, will ensure the best performance per watt on the market and help drive the rapidly emerging categories of green, silent and small form factor desktop PCs and home media centers, and ultra thin and light notebooks and mini-notes. “Today is an exciting day for everyone at Centaur,” commented Glenn Henry, President, Centaur Technology Inc. “With a team of less than one hundred first-class engineers, we have created from scratch the world’s most power-efficient x86 processor architecture with state of the art features, outstanding performance, and flexible scalability for the future.” “The introduction of the new VIA Isaiah Architecture is an extremely significant milestone in VIA’s processor business,” commented Wenchi Chen, President and CEO, VIA Technologies, Inc. “In achieving these new levels of functionality and performance, it provides the ideal complement to our industry-leading family of low power VIA C7 processors and will enable us to further extend our growing presence in the global x86 processor market.” Optimized for a World of “Small is Beautiful” Devices With its unique blend of high performance and low power consumption, the VIA Isaiah Architecture has been specifically optimized to meet the rapidly growing demand for smaller, more functional, and more stylish mobile and desktop computing and personal electronics devices that will allow people to fully enjoy the rich media content and interactivity of the broadband Internet lifestyle. These devices range from easily portable slim and light notebooks and pocket-sized Ultra Mobile PCs and Ultra Mobile Devices with rich multimedia and wireless broadband capabilities to Small Form Factor Green PCs and Digital Entertainment Centers that combine space saving designs with minimal energy consumption. VIA Isaiah Architecture Highlights The VIA Isaiah Architecture has been specifically designed to deliver all the performance and features necessary for running the most demanding computing, entertainment, and connectivity applications on today’s and tomorrow’s Internet, including high-definition video, 3D games, imaging, and virtual worlds, within a very low power and thermal envelope that makes it ideal for small form factor mobile devices such as Mini-Notebooks and Ultra Mobile Devices. Its key highlights include the following: – 64-bit Superscalar Speculative Out-Of-Order MicroArchitecture The VIA Isaiah Architecture comprises a host of advanced architectural features, including a superscalar and out of order architecture, macro-fusion and micro-fusion functionality, and sophisticated branch prediction, that significantly improve processor efficiency and performance. In addition, it also features a full and unrestricted 64-bit instruction set with plenty of headroom to support 64-bit operating systems and applications as they become available, and a new virtual machine architecture for running systems more securely and efficiently in virtual environments. – High-Performance Computation and Media Processing As well as support for clock speeds of up to 2GHz in initial products and a high-speed, low power Front Side Bus scalable from 800MHz up to 1333MHz, the VIA Isaiah Architecture also has a highly-efficient cache subsystem with two 64KB L1 caches and 1MB exclusive L2 cache with 16-way associativity for more effective memory optimization. For further enhanced multimedia performance, the VIA Isaiah Architecture also integrates the world’s fastest x86 processor Floating Point Unit (FPU) with the ability to execute four floating point adds and four multiplies per clock and also featuring a new algorithm that minimizes latency. Support for new SSE instructions and a 128-bit wide integer data path further boost multimedia performance. – Advanced Power and Thermal Management To minimize energy consumption and reduce heat, the VIA Isaiah Architecture utilizes new low power circuit techniques and in addition to aggressive management of active power includes support for the new “C6” power state, in which power is turned off to the caches. Extensive Adaptive PowerSaver™ Technology features further reduce power consumption and improve thermal management, including the unique TwinTurbo™ dual-PLL implementation, which acts like automatic transmission in permitting smooth transitions between activity states within one clock cycle, ensuring always-on service and minimize latency, as well as new mechanisms for managing the die temperature. – Scalable Upgrade to VIA C7™ Processor The VIA Isaiah Architecture is pin-to-pin compatible with the current VIA C7 processor family, enabling OEMs and motherboard makers to transition to the new architecture smoothly, and to fulfill a wider range of market segments with a single board or system design. – VIA PadLock™ Hardware Security Features– To enhance the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of electronic data, the VIA Isaiah Architecture incorporates industry-leading on-die hardware cryptographic acceleration features within the VIA PadLock Security Engine, including the world’s best random number generator (RNG), an AES Encryption Engine, SHA-1 and SHA-256 hashing for secure message digests for data integrity, and a new specialized “secure execution mode” that includes features such as a secure on-chip memory area and encrypted instruction fetching. VIA Isaiah Architecture Product Availability Processors implementing the VIA Isaiah Architecture are expected to start shipping in the first half of 2008 and will be manufactured using an advanced, low power 65 nanometer process.
VIA Isaiah Architecture die plot
VIA Launches VIA Nano Processor Family [VIA Technologies press release, May 29, 2008]
Power efficient processors based on ‘Isaiah’ architecture designed for optimized performance for mainstream PC markets and new device types Beijing, China, 29th May 2008 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the new VIA Nano processor family based on the VIA Isaiah Architecture. Building on the market-leading energy efficiency of the VIA C7 processor family, the VIA Nano processor family offers as much as four times the performance within the same power range to extend VIA’s performance per watt leadership, while pin compatibility with VIA C7 processors will ensure a smooth transition for OEMs and motherboard vendors, and provides them with an easy upgrade path for current system or board designs. The first 64-bit, superscalar, speculative out-of-order processors in VIA’s x86 platform portfolio, VIA Nano processors have been specifically designed to revitalize traditional desktop and notebook PC markets, delivering truly optimized performance for the most demanding computing, entertainment and connectivity applications, including Blu-ray Disc™ HD video playback and the latest PC games, such as Crysis™. The VIA Nano processor family leverages Fujitsu’s advanced 65 nanometer process technology for enhanced power efficiency, and augments that with aggressive power and thermal management features within the compact 21mm x 21mm nanoBGA2 package for an idle power as low as 100mW (0.1W), extending the reach of power efficient green and silent PCs, thin and light notebooks and mini-notes around the world. “VIA Nano processors represent the next generation of x86 technology, providing the fundamental building blocks for a new genre of optimized computing solutions,” said Wenchi Chen, President and CEO, VIA Technologies, Inc. “‘Small is Beautiful’ is more than a design strategy; it’s our vision of where the PC market is heading and our new processors will help the market realize that dream.” VIA’s ‘nano’ association also extends to VIA’s signature silicon and platform design characteristics of power efficiency and form factor size reduction, as demonstrated by VIA’s ultra compact Nano-ITX boards and the nanoBGA2 processor packaging used for the current VIA C7 processor family and the first generation of VIA Nano processors. About the VIA Nano Processor Family Initially to be launched in two skus, the VIA Nano L-series processors for mainstream desktop and mobile PC systems and the ultra low voltage U-series for small form factor desktop and ultra mobile devices such as mini-notes:
Product & Model Name Clock Speed VIA V4 Bus Maximum Power (TDP Max) VIA Nano L2100 processor 1.8GHz 800MHz 25W VIA Nano L2200 processor 1.6GHz 800MHz 17W VIA Nano U2400 processor 1.3+GHz 800MHz 8W VIA Nano U2500 processor 1.2GHz 800MHz 6.8W VIA Nano U2300 processor 1.0GHz 800MHz 5W The VIA Nano processor family boasts the highly efficient VIA V4 bus interface and brings a host of technology firsts to VIA’s processor platform line-up, including:
- 64-bit Superscalar Speculative Out-Of-Order MicroArchitecture: Supports a full 64-bit instruction set and provides for macro-fusion and micro-fusion functionality, and sophisticated branch prediction for greater processor efficiency and performance.
- High-Performance Computation and Media Processing: The high-speed, low power VIA V4 Front Side Bus starting at 800MHz, plus a high floating point unit, support for new SSE instructions, and two 64KB L1 caches and 1MB exclusive L2 cache with 16-way associativity gives a big boost to multimedia performance.
- Advanced Power and Thermal Management: Aggressive management of active power includes support for the new “C6” power state, Adaptive PowerSaver™ Technology, new circuit techniques and mechanisms for managing the die temperature, reducing power draw and improving thermal management.
- Scalable Upgrade to VIA C7™ Processor: Pin-to-pin compatibility with current VIA C7 processors enables a smooth transition for OEMs and mainboard vendors, enabling them to offer a wider range of products for different markets with a single board or system design.
- Greener Technology: In addition to full compliance with RoHS and WEEE regulations, product manufacturing will be halogen-free and lead-free at launch, helping to promote a cleaner environment and more sustainable computing.
- Enhanced VIA PadLock™ Security Engine: Industry-leading on-die hardware cryptographic acceleration and security features, including dual quantum random number generators, an AES Encryption Engine, NX-bit, and SHA-1 and SHA-256 hashing.For more detailed information about the VIA Nano processor family, please read the introductory white paper here:http://www.via.com.tw/en/downloads/whitepapers/processors/WP080529VIA_Nano.pdfVIA Nano Processor AvailabilityVIA Nano processors are available now for OEMs and motherboard vendors, while systems featuring VIA Nano processors are expected to market in Q3 2008.For further information on the VIA Nano processor family, please visit the VIA website at: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/nano/
The VIA Isaiah Architecture [VIA Technologies, May 29, 2008]
… Initial production versions of the 1.0 GHz VIA Nano ULV processor will have a maximum Thermal Design Power (TDP) of just 5 watts (and an idle power of just 100mW), scaling up to 25 watts for the 1.8 GHz VIA Nano processor (500mW idle power). …
VIA Introduces New VIA Nano 3000 Series Processors [VIA Technologies press release, Nov 3, 2009]
VIA’s fastest and most power efficient processors yet deliver richest mobile and all-in-one desktop computing experience Taipei, Taiwan, 3 November 2009 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today introduced its new VIA Nano 3000 Series processors, bringing enhanced digital media performance and lower power consumption to Windows 7 thin and light notebook and all-in-one desktop PC markets. Based on the 64-bit superscalar ‘Isaiah’ architecture, VIA Nano 3000 Series processors deliver the most compelling thin and light notebook computing experience with their rich HD entertainment capabilities, including support for flawless playback of high bit-rate 1080p HD video, as well as low power consumption resulting in longer battery life. With a host of advanced features including 64-bit support, advanced CPU virtualization technology, SSE4 for enhanced multimedia processing, and the industry-leading encryption and security capabilities integrated in the VIA PadLock™ Security Engine, VIA Nano 3000 Series processors also provide a secure, high-performance solution for emerging cloud-based computing environments. “With the VIA Nano 3000 Series, we are launching our fastest and most power-efficient processors yet,” commented Richard Brown, VP International Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Coupled with our market-leading digital media chipsets, they enable the richest experience across a broad range of mobile and all-in-one system designs.” VIA Nano 3000 Series VIA Nano 3000 Series processors are built on the successful 64-bit, superscalar architecture that powers the VIA Nano 1000 Series and 2000 Series processors, which have been adopted by leading OEMs worldwide for a growing number of market-leading mini-note, small form factor desktop, and energy-efficient server designs. Available at speeds from 1.0GHz to 2.0GHz, VIA Nano 3000 Series processors deliver up to 20% higher performance using up to 20% less power than current VIA Nano processors and boast a number of new features including support for the SSE4 multimedia instruction set and VIA VT virtualization technology. Fully compatible with all Microsoft operating systems, including the new Windows 7, as well as all popular Linux distributions, the VIA Nano 3000 Series processors use the NanoBGA2 package, making them pin-to-pin compatible with VIA Nano 1000 Series, VIA Nano 2000 Series, VIA C7, VIA C7-M and VIA Eden processors for easy upgrades of existing designs. VIA Nano 3000 Series Availability VIA Nano 3000 Series processor samples are currently available for OEMs and motherboard vendors, and will enter mass production in Q1 2010. VIA Nano 3000 processors will be available in the following product skus:
Product Name Speed VIA V4 FSB Idle Power L3100 2.0GHz 800MHz 500mW L3050 1.8GHz 800MHz 500mW U3200 1.4GHz 800MHz 100mW U3100 1.3+GHz 800MHz 100mW U3300 1.2GHz 800MHz 100mW U3500 1.0GHz 800MHz 100mW
For further information on the VIA Nano processor family, please visit the VIA website at: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/nano/
VIA VN1000/VT8261 Chipset Block Diagram
VIA Brings Enhanced Windows 7 Desktop to Life with World’s Most Power Efficient DX10.1 Chipset [VIA Technologies press release, Dec 10, 2009]
VIA VN1000 boasts Blu-ray playback, DX10.1 graphics and DDR3 memory support and coupled with VIA Nano 3000 Series processors offers the ultimate multimedia experience on next generation all-in-one PCs Taipei, Taiwan, 10 December 2009 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA VN1000 digital media chipset for next generation desktop and all-in-one PCs, offering a world-class HD multimedia entertainment platform compatible with the advanced desktop features of Microsoft Windows 7. The VIA VN1000 is the most power efficient DX10.1 digital media chipset available today, making it the perfect solution for next generation small form factor and all-in-one Windows 7 PCs that focus on entertainment, multimedia and touch screen capabilities. The DirectX 10.1 hardware environment provided by the VIA Chrome 520 IGP means Windows 7 users can enjoy a more fluid and visually enhanced desktop experience as well as the latest gaming titles. The VIA VN1000 digital media chipset features the ChromotionHD 2.0 video processor to guarantee smooth playback of the latest Blu-ray titles with superb hardware acceleration of the most demanding H.264, WM9 and VC1 codecs over the latest display technologies, including Display Port and HDMI. “The VIA VN1000 leverages our optimized VIA Nano 3000 Series processors, creating the most balanced, power-efficient, multimedia-focused desktop platform on the market today,” said Richard Brown, VP International Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Supporting the latest system memory, graphics and entertainment standards, the VIA VN1000 takes the VIA processor platform to new heights of power-efficient visual sophistication.” At the core of the VIA VN1000 lies a DirectX 10.1 graphics engine, a necessary requirement for users who want to enjoy the enhanced features of the Windows 7 desktop environment. The DirectX 10.1 engine means that Windows 7 can employ Microsoft’s advanced Windows Desktop Driver Model 1.1, bringing significant gains in system memory efficiency, overall desktop responsiveness and an improved visual experience compared to WDDM 1.0. VIA VN1000 Product Highlights Paired with the new VIA VT8261 south bridge, the VIA VN1000 represents the most power-efficient DX10.1 compliant digital media chipset on the market, consuming up to 12 watts for both north and south bridges, making it a perfect choice for Windows 7 based mini desktop and all-in-one desktop PCs designs. Offering a feature-rich specification with significant emphasis on graphics and HD video playback, the VIA VN1000 features the VIA Chrome 520 IGP, combining a DirectX 10.1 graphics engine, with support for Shader Model 4, OpenGL 3.0 graphics and OpenCL 1.0 for next-generation GPGPU applications. The high-performance ChromotionHD 2.0 video processor offers advanced filtering and cutting edge post-processing to perform ultra smooth decoding of MPEG-4/AVC, H.264, MPEG-2, VC-1, WMV-HD, and AVS video for Blu-ray content. The home theatre experience also encompasses support for the latest connectivity standards, including dual channel support for Display Port, HDMI, DVP, VGA and LVDS/TMDS. The VIA VN1000 supports DDR3 system memory at speeds of up to 1066MHz, one x8 lane and four x1 lane PCI Express II expansion slots, up to five PCI slots and a VIA Vinyl HD 8 channel audio codec. An IDE controller, support for up to four S-ATA II drives, SD/MMS/MMC card reader support and 12 USB 2.0 ports are supplemented with support for PS/2, SPI, GPIO and LPC technologies. The VIA VN1000 Digital Media IGP Chipset is fully compatible with all VIA Nano, VIA C7, VIA C7-M and VIA Eden processors and supports all Microsoft Windows platforms and popular Linux distributions. For more details regarding the VIA VN1000 digital media chipset, please visit: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/chipsets/v-series/vn1000/index.jsp To learn more about the new VIA VT8261 south bridge, please visit: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/chipsets/southbridge/vt8261/index.jsp
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/nano/ VIA Nano™ Processor [VIA Technologies, Nov 3, 2009]
… Here are some benchmarks comparing VIA Nano, VIA Nano 3000 and Intel Atom.
Atom N270 1.6 GHz
…
VIA Nano DC Platform [VIA product page, Nov 2, 2010] DC = Dual Core, when it came out in January 2011 was renamed into Nano X2
Brings Blu-ray playback, DirectX 10.1 graphics and DDR3 memory support to next-generation small form factor and all-in-one desktop PCs The VIA Nano DC platform is a forthcoming processor platform from VIA – combining the latest dual core VIA Nano DC processor and the VN1000 digital media chipset to create a feature-rich, low power, high performance processor platform highly suited for today’s small form factor, all-in-one, and traditional desktop PCs. The VIA Nano DC Platform is the first truly low power processor platform that offers excellent multitasking performance, great HD media support and a casual 3D gaming experience way beyond that of competing solutions.
VIA Nano DC Processor Twice the cores, twice the performance, same energy efficiency…
The VIA Nano DC processor is the first dual-core processor from VIA and will take advantage of the very latest 40nm fabrication technology to deliver up to twice the performance of VIA Nano 3000 series processors within the same rigid thermal envelope. The VIA Nano DC offers improved application multitasking by doubling the core count, bring a 100% increase in many of today’s applications that are that are now multi-thread optimized. Product Highlights
- Advanced multi-core processing
- Power-efficient out-of-order x86 architecture
- Full support for 64-bit operating systems
- High-performance superscalar processing
- Most efficient speculative floating point algorithm
- Full processor virtualization support
- Advanced power and thermal management
- Leading-edge VIA PadLock™ hardware security features
- Pin-to-pin compatibility provides natural upgrade path from other VIA processors
VIA VN1000 Digital Media Chipset The IGP that casual 3D gamers have been waiting for... As well as delivering a rich suite of network connectivity, storage, HD audio and peripheral support that you would expect from any VIA digital media chipset, the VN1000 offers one crucial element that has eluded mainstream desktop PC users since the inception of the PC itself – true 3D gaming performance. The Chrome 520 Graphics Core The VIA Chrome 520 integrated graphics processor (IGP) is an industry leading, fully programmable DirectX 10.1 graphics engine that makes light of competing IGP solutions, offering playable frame rates for both new and classic 3D games. The VIA Chrome 520 has 32 stream processors and 4 sampling units, supports Shader Model 4, OpenGL 3.0 and OpenCL 1.0 for next-generation GPU applications. The VIA VN1000 has a 128-bit 2D graphics enginewith GDI/GDI+ acceleration, hardware 2D rotation, true color hardware cursor with 256-level blending. Here are some benchmarks that demonstrate the 3D gaming superiority of the VIA Nano DC platform.
With full support for Windows Desktop Driver Model 1.1 in Windows 7, the VIA VN1000 offers a visually superior experience compared to competing IGP platforms. ChromotionHD 2.0 – Effortless HD Video The VIA VN1000 chipset also offers an excellent media playback experience with the ChromotionHD 2.0 video engine, which offers hardware accelerated video playback of the latest video codecs including full Blu-ray support at true HD screen resolutions and HDTV resolution playback of MPEG-2, WMV-HD, VC-1 and H.264 content.
The VIA Nano DC platform will be featured in a variety of desktop systems from Q1 2011. More images related to the VIA Nano DC Platform can be found here. Media Previews Read what the leading PC hardware websites are saying about the VIA Nano DC processor platform: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/chrome-520-nano-dc-vn1000,review-32034.html
Preview: VIA VN1000 And Nano DC Platform: An IGP With Game? [Tom’s Hardware, Oct 29, 2010]
… With a pre-production CPU clocked at 1.80 GHz, the Nano DC (dual-core) platform that arrived in our lab is more a testament to the company’s ingenuity than a representation of production-ready hardware. Yet, VIA is confident in the CPU’s performance as it waits on its manufacturer to supply a die-shrunk version. Moreover, it wanted us to see what it’s doing with IGP graphics. Today’s article isn’t just proof-of-concept for a CPU, but an entire platform with a DX10.1 integrated GPU expected to lay waste to low-energy competitors. … VIA’s chipset might be ready for production, but its new CPU still needs some manufacturing tweaks. Rather than make us wait for the 40 nm part that’ll be included when this platform ships, the company previewed us with a functional 65 nm version of the CPU to show off its finished VN1000 northbridge. … Conclusion We have to admit that we were a little curious about VIA’s re-asserted interest in entry-level gaming from an IGP. After all, it had been a while since we’d tested anything from S3. But our skepticism proved justified when we threw a few of the games in our benchmark suite at it. As the IGP stands right now, many modern games won’t hit playable frame rates, even dialed down to the lowest possible quality/detail settings. Could the Chrome IGP be a viable solution in the most entry-level games? Perhaps. There remains driver work to be done before any sort of 3D is ready for prime time, though. The greater problem (and this is something even Intel will face with its upcoming Sandy Bridge design) is that games evolve at a rate that IGP technology simply can’t match, so that even this latest attempt comes up short. Putting this in historical perspective, the Chrome 520 IGP is probably more powerful than a TNT2, so entry-level gaming could simply be a matter of using older games. Of course, gaming is not what low-energy platforms are designed to do, and the Nano DC does low-energy tasks like media playback and light-duty office work very well. It even outpaces Intel’s Atom clock-for-clock, even when the Atom is complemented by Nvidia’s Next-Generation ION platform. Thus, what we have in the Nano DC is a high-performance, low-power platform that, like all low-power platforms, can’t really compete with mainstream desktop parts, as much as VIA would probably like it to. Nevertheless, it’s much more likely that the even-more-miserly production version of this platform will make a strong showing in media-oriented PCs and netbooks in the coming months. Perhaps the real question for VIA is: when, exactly, might this platform be ready for prime time? The company announced its VN1000 chipset nearly one year ago. It’s still waiting for a process shrink. And then it needs to announce design wins. This would have been a killer little platform back when it was announced (before ION 2 and before Core i3). A year later, we’re still impressed with that the solution can do. Now we just need to button it up, polish the software, and make this platform available.
Finally check
VIA Technologies’ latest embedded product direction which will define its future in the upcoming IoT (Internet of Things) “explosion” of the market:
First a market analyst opinion about the future of VIA Technologies legacy standard for the boards: An xITX Standards Question Answered [VDC Research: Embedded Microprocessor, Board & Systems Market Blog, Aug 13, 2010]
An important question with any standard computer architecture is what comes next? Any standard or family of standards that hopes to remain relevant must continually reinvent itself through new iterations. This can happen in various forms – reducing the board size, adding higher speed interconnects/switch fabrics, reducing power, etc. At the same time some standard families offer multiple paths forward in the form of multiple new standards and not all of these are always well adopted. In these instances where there are multiple iterations there are always question marks about whether all of them will gain enough market traction to be relevant and which ones will be the successful ones.
In the case of Mini-ITX, the extremely successful embedded motherboard form factor first created by VIA Technologies, VIA has done a very good job of providing a future road map for the standard and keeping it relevant by turning out a family of xITX standards. Since Mini-ITX VIA has added Nano-ITX, Pico-ITX, and Mobile-ITX – all smaller versions of Mini-ITX to address the constant need for ever smaller form factors in embedded applications.
However, a big question mark around these smaller xITX form factors was which would become the most successful? Our latest research on the embedded motherboards market seems to provide some insight.
Our numbers indicate that Pico-ITX is gaining the most traction throughout the market and will likely become the next most successful member of the xITX family after Mini-ITX. By 2012 total market dollar volume shipments of Pico-ITX are projected to be nearly double those of the slightly older Nano-ITX standard.
It appears that both Pico-ITX and Nano-ITX will have a place in the embedded motherboards market and both are important in offering customers a range of choices through the xITX family of form factors, but Pico-ITX is becoming more widely adopted in both suppliers’ product portfolios and by customers.
The competitiveness of VIA Technologies” own industry standard Pico-ITX form factor against that of 3d party ones (COM Express, QSeven and ETX) was well proven when just recently came the news that VIA Announces First Embedded ARM Based Pico-ITX Board, VIA VAB-800 [VIA Technologies press release, July 24, 2012]
Ultra low power ruggedized design ideal for a broad range of industrial and in-vehicle applications
VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient computing platforms, today announced the VIA VAB-800 Pico-ITX embedded ARM board. Featuring a choice of an 800MHz or a 1GHz Freescale ARM Cortex-A8 processor, the VIA VAB-800 combines a wide operating temperature range with extremely low power consumption to meet the demands of high-end industrial and in-vehicle fanless embedded applications.
Based on the industry standard 10 cm x 7.2 cm Pico-ITX form factor created by VIA, the VIA VAB-800 Pico-ITX board combines a rich I/O set with superb multimedia performance, supporting playback of the most demanding video formats in resolutions up to 1080p. Leveraging VIA’s hardware design expertise, the VIA VAB-800 delivers the highest I/O integration on the Pico-ITX form factor for an ultra compact yet highly flexible platform for the latest embedded devices.
The extremely ruggedized VIA VAB-800 Pico-ITX supports a wide operating temperature range from -20 to 70 degrees Celsius in an ultra low TDP envelope of only 5W and is backed with a minimum seven years longevity support.
Customers can take advantage of VIA’s worldwide embedded software development expertise to quickly create customized designs for a fast time to market approach and is available as a hardware starter kit with board support packages (BSPs) for the Android, Ubuntu and Windows Embedded Compact 7 operating systems.
“The VIA VAB-800 extends our industry leading range of Pico-ITX embedded platforms,” said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “As a leader in hardware and software support, VIA can tailor our new ARM based offerings for customers to create systems through starter kits, customization support or offering complete systems for different applications.”
VIA VAB-800 Pico-ITX Based on the ultra compact Pico-ITX form factor, measuring 10 cm x 7.2 cm, the VIA VAB-800 combines the choice of an 800MHz or a 1GHz Freescale ARM Cortex-A8 processor with two independent, fully integrated GPUs for a power efficient platform with a max TDP of a mere 5W. The two integrated GPUs provide support for dual independent displays along with 3D/2D graphics acceleration to deliver full HD playback support for the most demanding video formats in resolutions up to 1080p.
Rear I/O includes one Mini HDMI and one VGA display port, two USB ports and one 10/100 Ethernet port. On-board features include up to 64GB eMMC Flash memory, 1GB DDR3 SDRAM, support for one SATA port, two single channel LVDS display ports, two COM ports, CAN Bus, front pin headers for line-in/out and MIC-in, a further two USB 2.0 ports, an SDIO pin header and eight GPIOs.
For more information about the VIA VAB-800 Pico-ITX, please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/boards/1930/1/VAB-800.html
For images related to this release, please visit: http://www.viagallery.com/Products/via-vab-800-pico-itx-board.aspx
Availability
Sample units of the VIA VAB-800 Pico-ITX board are available at the time of this release.
Embedded Computers / Compact: choosing an ARM or x86 processor in a SOC [SiliconNews (Spain), Oct 23, 2012] a raw translation by Google:
Cliff Moon, Senior Director of Product Marketing, VIA Technologies, reflects on the choices and challenges facing embedded systems designers. Embedded system designers are often caught by the CPU design choices they made years ago, since switching costs can be astronomical. The development often involves hardware interface chips plate designs and specific processors. It is possible that the software switching costs are even higher still, since acquiring needed CPU architectures and development tools require custom software. However, some industry trends have opened CPU platforms , and system designers are increasingly able to mix and match CPU providers, or even modify the instruction set of the CPU, to optimize the products in a wider range of applications. As usual, the semiconductor integration technology trends drives, as more functions are included in fewer chips system. While many high-volume markets may end up by having a system on a chip (SOC), most embedded designs have unique requirements to which it responds best, an integrated processor connected to general purpose hardware components specific system design.To enjoy more flexibility in these low volume products, many system designers have turned to computer technology in a Module (COM) that allows a design with a single carrier plate to serve a variety products and facilitate rapid adoption of new technologies by CPU daughter cards based on standards. The trend towards higher levels of integration has advanced peripherals standardized regarding technology high-speed interconnect, allowing COM latest standards including multichannel PCI Express, SATA, Gigabit Ethernet, USB, HDMI and DisplayPort. COM interfaces have broad support from the industry and share technical characteristics for interconnection of packet-based high level, with a hardware abstraction layer above the layer bus architecture physical and link the past. Whether the data is processed with ARM or x86, as COM interfaces are connected to a standard data transferand are compatible with a variety of types of CPU. Most COM standards still include support for E / S for general use and allow some type PC functionality. Future trends point to greater uniformity If these trends continue in the sector in terms of semiconductor integration and abstraction of hardware / software, Where will we end up? Obviously integration possibilities end when the content of silicon is in a single chip.However, history has shown that every market integration peripherals and interfaces need slightly different. Only the highest-volume markets will have their own SOC, leaving most of the designs as currently integrated with a general purpose CPU and application specific hardware. While there may be some attempt by the industry to create a common package and pinout for suppliers of silicon integrated CPU, COM approach offers technical advantages and should have a greater adoption. Even if the silicon content of COM device is reduced to a single chip, the same semiconductor chip can be used for several different COM pinouts (similar to the multiple types of connectors on COM Express). In embedded applications reduced production, it is likely that greater flexibility to reuse designs providing a replaceable module remains the main factor that overcomes most of the advantages provided by a CPU soldered to the motherboard. Since the CPU will continue to be easily replaceable, the costs of change should continue to decline as standard interfaces have greater adoption and continue software abstraction. To avoid uniformity, CPU manufacturers will face increased pressure to develop new essential functions, while trying to beat the competitors in performance and power consumption. For designers of embedded systems, the prospects are excellent, as competition in the CPU sector will drive growth and provide opportunities to create entirely new types of products.
More on that: Computer-on-Modules: new standards allow more CPU options By J. Scott Gardner, Advantage Engineering LLC [Boards & Solutions Magazine, November 2011]
With the broad adoption of new standards, such as COM Express Rev. 2.0, embedded system designers have now been decoupled from the CPU-specific legacy interfaces.
… look no further than Kontron’s announcement of broad support for ARM processors. As the market leader in COM Express, Kontron has primarily supported CPUs from its strategic partner Intel. However, the industry trends have opened an opportunity for this company to supply COM boards incorporating ARM-based CPUs from Texas Instruments. The company has also announced broader support for COM Express boards with AMD CPUs. It will compete with dozens of other COM board suppliers offering standards-based support for CPUs from all three x86 CPU vendors. Many of these COM board suppliers already deliver ARM-based products using the Qseven COM standard to take advantage of a legacy-free architecture for mobile applications. While Intel still covers the widest range of features and performance, the growth of these COM standards allows system designers to tailor each product to incorporate the CPU module that delivers the best optimization of performance, power and cost. Intel will need to accelerate innovation to keep up with these new competitive threats.
With standards-based modules and competitive pressure from AMD, VIA and ARM, Intel has less ability to restrict features to higher-priced CPUs. In the past, an Intel-based embedded systems company would need to move up to a higher-priced Intel CPU (and chipset) to access features like faster memory, 64-bit processing, virtualization, advanced power management, hardware encryption, etc. Most of these features are designed into the CPU and then turned off to allow price separation. As long as most embedded systems companies remain based on Intel, the pricing strategy affects everyone equally. However, the industry trends are opening up every COM Express and Qseven socket to competition, and other CPU vendors may offer high-end features without charging the same premium as Intel. While VIA Technologies has supplied x86 CPUs to embedded markets for over a decade, its Nano architecture should be well-positioned to take advantage of the industry trends that reduce CPU switching costs and allow VIA to compete for COM Express and Qseven sockets. For VIA, the technical advantage stems from the ability to deliver high-performance features that are only available in high-end Intel CPUs.
As an example, Intel uses the Atom architecture to address price-sensitive embedded markets, while reserving Intel Core and Xeon processor families for higher-priced applications. However, the available Atom CPUs are currently limited to only 800 MHz memory, so VIA Nano-based systems have 33% more memory bandwidth using 1066 MHz memory. The Atom comparison is further strained by the difference in the microarchitecture, since Atom dual-issue, in-order architecture puts it at a disadvantage against VIA Nano 3-issue, out of-order design. While Intel has kept VIA Nano at bay by using dual-core and hyper-threading, the newest VIA CPUs offer both dual- and quad-core versions. VIA has published a white paper with SPEC CPU2000 results that show up to a 40% performance difference at the same thermal design power of 13 watts(http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/nanoX2/whitepaper.jsp). To find an Intel based COM Express module that gets better performance than modules based on VIA Nano X2 or VIA QuadCore processors, a system designer would need to move up to Intel Core. However, the power consumption increases dramatically over Atom, unless the number of cores, clock rate and memory speed are constrained – reducing the performance advantage over the VIA-based module.
Hardware encryption has become one of the high-end features that Intel reserves for its premium CPUs. Intel supports encryptionthrough AES NI (new instructions), but the Intel embedded product list appears to only offer this feature for Core i5 and higher. From its earliest CPUs, VIA has promoted hardware encryption as a must-have feature and even had its Padlock implementation validated by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Hopefully, Intel support for hardware encryption will encourage more system designers to improve security features, since software-based techniques have been less secure and consumed too much power. Competitive pressure from VIA may help make hardware encryption a standard feature that Intel enables for all of its CPUs.
VIA System-on-Modules [VIA microsite, June 8, 2012] (SOM which actually is another name for the Computer-on-module concept)
Many products in the VIA Embedded portfolio employ a modular design strategy that allows our customers the freedom to easily customize and modify existing designs creating new and exciting devices in much faster design cycles, using fewer resources.
Features:
- COTS designs that can be tailored to specific requirements and applications
- Full breadth of CPU performance range including multi-core readiness
- Availability of starter kits, embedded APIs, tools, technical documentation and SDKs
- Optimized to address SWaP-C (Space, Weight, Power, and Cost) requirements
- Comprehensive supports of RTOS and GPOS
…
To understand COM Express go to Computer-on-Modules Industrial Group – Welcome to COM-IG! where you find the below illustration for the evolution of standards by this group:
>> nanoETXexpress now automatically redirects to COM Express microsite of PICMG >> COM Express Extension redirects to the same COM Express microsite of PICMG >> ETX Industrial Group to its own home page Note that the leading companies of that standardization were two large embedded companies (much larger that VIA Technologies) from Germany (Kontron) and Taiwan (Advantech), according to Advantech and Kontron unite to transform ETX®-IG into the COM-IG and unveil the COM Express Extension [joint press release, June 5, 2007]. VIA is still not a member of that effort.
Kontron as one of the largest suppliers of embedded computing products has a well defined strategic view introduced in From Modules up to Application Ready Platforms [Boards & Solutions Magazine, November 2011] as:
The automotive industry set the example: vehicle manufacturers no longer have a large number of small suppliers for individual parts, but a small group of suppliers organized in partnerships. These deliver complete functional units and cover a large and growing spectrum of the supply chain. A similar concentration is taking place in outsourcing in the embedded computer industry, a trend that is happening at Kontron too.
According to the customer’s needs, the company offers services in the extended supply chain, i.e. from the module to the customerspecific carrier board right up to the application-ready system, including the necessary hardware-related software. Why are companies choosing to purchase larger and increasingly more valuable functional units from external sources? The answer is to be found in the growing pressure in the market to specialize.
OEMs have to focus on their core competence in order to stay competitive in their specific markets. For example: designing GUIs for HMIs. Neither the hardware running in the background, nor the operating system, reflects the core competence of the OEM. A userfriendly, function-safe operating and display concept are the USP of a company and the key to their economic success. Consequently this is where OEMs need to concentrate their development resources.
Rising end-user demands present a further reason for outsourcing the development of computer hardware, as the latest hardware is required to deliver powerful computing performance, improved energy efficiency, and all this housed in a space-saving form factor. On top of this there are high expectations in quality and price which are essential factors for success.
Companies not specialized in computing technology find it almost impossible to fulfil these demands within justifiable technical and commercial reason. In order to stay competitive, the move for OEMs to efficiently outsource the upstream supply chain processes is more or less inevitable.
…
Read also from that Magazine issue: – Taking the concept behind COM Express to high levels of ruggedization – The benefits of COM-based single board computers
Recent discussions have debated the advantages of COMs, such as COM Express, versus stackable SBCs, such as PC/104. Here’s how to get the benefits of both at the same time.
Before we proceed further we should understand VIA Technologies’ view on that from Embedded Building Blocks – A Modular Approach [VIA Technologies presentation by Cliff Moon, Oct 11, 2011] (excerpts):
SFF (Small Form Factor) Market Trend ~ Modularized Design
Caveats for Stackable Computer
What is Computer-on-Module 
When to useStackable Computer |
COM Express |
|
|
Which approach is better?
- Stackable Computer are optimized for flexibility and I/O expandability
- COMs are optimized for cost, short height, CPU upgradeability, and minimal cabling
- COMs and Stackables will both continue – Very little overlap – distinct choices – ‘Capitalizing’ versus ‘Expensing’ a design (own/rent) – Business cost analysis becomes part of decision
See also head of VIA Embedded interviewed about Why VIA Embedded for COM Express Module [Embedded News TV, April 15, 2012] VIA introduced the externally defined COM form factors very cautiosly and very gradually:
1. COM Express
For background see: COM Express [Wikipedia] First for the COM Express Basic Form Factor:
VIA Moves into COM Express™ Embedded Module Market [VIA Technologies press release, April 14, 2008] which introduced the VIA C7 / VIA Eden based COME7N80 COM Express module:
VIA to introduce first COM Express™ modules with VIA processor platform, enabling cost effective, flexible customization and faster time to market
VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of embedded silicon and platform technologies, today announced the extension of embedded board portfolio to include COM Express™ modules that will be the first to harness the power and thermal advantages of VIA’s processor platforms.
Measuring 95mm x 125 mm, COM Express is an industry standard embedded form factor developed by the PICMG (PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group) to provide greater connectivity and data transfer bandwidth than the original COM (Computer-on-Module) standard. The COM Express specification integrates core CPU, chipset and memory on the module, providing support for extensive connectivity options, including USB, audio, graphics, and Ethernet, through board-to-board connectors to an I/O baseboard.
Leveraging VIA’s signature low heat, power-efficient platform silicon, the new fanless VIA COM Express modules will be powered by VIA Eden™ or VIA C7® processors ranging from 500MHz right up to 2GHz. Support for a comprehensive feature set of I/O implementations through VIA’s versatile digital media IGP chipsets, while the option of onboard system memory provides vibration resistance for in-vehicle or heavy plant environments.
VIA COM Express modules are targeted at industrial PC and large OEM customers focused on dynamic application segments, including gaming, healthcare and industrial automation. Customers can take advantage of a proprietary multi-I/O baseboard for evaluation purposes, or can utilize VIA’s extensive technical support in developing a custom baseboard.
“With over six years of experience in small form factor board design and development, our entry into the embedded module market is a natural evolution for us,” said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Flexible and modular solutions are an essential expansion of VIA’s embedded platform range, strengthening our commitment to all sectors of the embedded industry.”
The first samples of the VIA COM Express modules are available now for industrial PC and larger OEMs only; for more details, please send an email to the VIA Embedded team at: embedded@via.com.tw
The first Nano CPU COM Express module: 
VIA Nano E-Series Processor Powers COM Express™ Module [VIA Technologies press release, Aug 4, 2010] which was the first Nano E-Series based COM Express module, still available in the portfolio
VIA expands COM Express module range with the VIA COME8X80, brings optimized 64-bit performance to COM Express with the VIA Nano E-Series processor
VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of embedded silicon and platform technologies, today announced the addition of the VIA COME8X80 module to its COM Express™ portfolio; the world’s first COM Express type product to take advantage of the high performance, 64-bit VIA Nano E-Series processor.
“The VIA COME8X80 module harnesses the power of VIA Nano platform to offer a uniquely integrated and performance-optimized COM Express product,” said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA COME8X80 also demonstrates our long-term commitment to bringing our leading processor technologies to the COM Express form factor.”
The VIA COME8X80 is targeted at IPC and larger OEM customers in a range of embedded segments including gaming, healthcare and industrial automation. Customers can also take advantage of a specially developed mutli-I/O baseboard for evaluation purposes, as well as VIA’s technical assistance in developing custom baseboard designs.
VIA COME8X80: Optimized Performance and Assured Longevity The VIA COME8X80 is available with a choice of either 1.3+GHz or 800MHz VIA Nano E-Series processors, combining native 64-bit and virtualization support with a high-performance superscalar architecture in a uniquely low power thermal envelope. The VIA COME8X80 also integrates the unified VIA VX800 media system processor, bringing VIA Chrome9 integrated graphics, support for VGA and dual channel LVDS displays, video acceleration for MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV9 and VC1 video formats, plus a VMR capable HD video processor. All VIA components have a guaranteed longevity of seven years. Product Highlights:
- High performance, 64-bit VIA Nano E-Series processor
- 18/24-bit dual channel LVDS plus VGA support
- 3 PCI, and one x4 plus two x1 PCIe slots
- Up to 2GB of DDR2 SO-DIMM memory
- 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet
- Up to six USB 2.0 ports
- Up to two SATA devices plus 1 IDE
The VIA COME8X80 is available to OEM and ODM customers now. For more details including a technical data sheet, please go to: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/embedded/ProductDetail.jsp?productLine=1&id=1271&tabs=1
An image kit related to this product announcement is available here: http://www.viagallery.com/index.php?option=com_flickr4j&Task=sets&Set=72157624643775464&Page=1
About the COM Express Form Factor
Measuring 95mm x 125 mm, COM Express is an industry standard embedded form factor developed by the PICMG (PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group) to provide greater connectivity and data transfer bandwidth than the original COM (Computer-on-Module) standard. The COM Express specification integrates core CPU, chipset and memory on the module, providing support for extensive connectivity options, including USB, audio, video, and Ethernet, through board-to-board connectors to an I/O baseboard.
VIA also offers the VIA C7 / VIA Eden based COME7N80 COM Express module [which is End Of Life already]. For more details please visit: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/embedded/ProductDetail.jsp?productLine=1&id=1270&tabs=1
With Nano X2 E-Series came other COM Express additions: – in the COM Express Basic Form Factor: VIA Announces Latest Computer-on-Module (COM) Express Module, the VIA COMe-8X90 [VIA Technologies press release, Feb 24, 2012]
Join VIA at Embedded World 2012 for the first glimpse of the VIA COMe-8X90 module
VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the latest VIA COMe-8X90 module, featuring a 1.2GHz VIA Nano™ X2 E-Series dual core processor and the VIA VX900H media system processor (MSP). The ruggedized VIA COMe-8X90 module targets industrial PC and large OEM customers focused on dynamic application segments, including medical, advanced gaming, industrial automation and digital signage.
Measuring 95mm x 125mm, COM Express is an industry standard embedded form factor developed and maintained by the PICMG (PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group). COM Express modules integrate core CPU, chipset and memory on the module, providing support for extensive connectivity options, including USB, audio, video, and Ethernet, through board-to-board connectors to an I/O carrier board. The modular approach allows for short time-to market, application-specific customization, simplified development, high stability and long life cycles.
Along with the VIA COMe-8X90 module, VIA offers a comprehensive starter kit, including a multi-I/O carrier board reference design, board support packages (BSPs), display, system monitoring tools/SDKs, and design guide, enabling industrial PC and OEM customers to rapidly customize their solutions.
“Embedded modules are ideal for creating highly tailored solutions with a short time to market approach,” said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA COMe-8X90 module provides customers with an easily customizable platform with power efficient processing and rich I/O options, allowing them to quickly create optimized products for their target markets.”
The VIA COMe-8X90 module will be on display at the VIA Embedded booth in Hall 1 of the Embedded World 2012 Exhibition and Conference, which is being held in Nuremberg, Germany from February 28th to March 1st, 2012. In addition, VIA will be presenting the latest embedded Android and x86 multi-core solutions for next generation embedded applications.
VIA COMe-8X90 Module Available in the industry standard COM Express form factor of 95mm x 125mm, the VIA COMe-8X90 module includes a 1.2GHz VIA Nano X2 E-Series dual core processor and a VIA VX900H MSP, which features the VIA ChromotionHD 2.0 video engine, boasting hardware acceleration of the most demanding video formats, including MPEG-4, H.264, MPEG-2, VC-1, WMV and Blu-ray support, for incredibly smooth playback of multimedia titles at resolutions up to 1080p. The VIA COMe-8X90 module offers support for the latest connectivity standards including 18/24-bit single-channel LVDS, VGA, Display Port and HDMI.
Onboard I/O includes two SATA II ports, one GigaLAN port, one USB client port, four USB 2.0 ports, SDIO, expansion buses for one PCIe X4 and one PCIe x1 and the VIA Labs VL800 USB 3.0 host controller which offers support for four USB 3.0 ports. System memory support includes two slots for up to 8GB of SODIMM DDR3 RAM.
For more information about the VIA COMe-8X90 module please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/boards/productDetail.jsp?productLine=1&id=1571&tabs=1
For images related to this release please visit: http://www.viagallery.com/index.php?option=com_flickr4j&Task=sets&Set=72157629433520789&Page=1
– in the COM Express Compact Form Factor: VIA Announces Two New System-on-Module Solutions to the Growing VIA Modular Solutions Portfolio [VIA Technologies press release, March 22, 2012]
VIA COMe-8X92 and QSM-8Q90 modules allow for rapid development and application-specific customization
Measuring 95mm x 95mm, the VIA COMe-8X92 is based on the industry standard Computer-on-Module (COM) Express Compact form factor, developed and maintained by the PICMG (PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group). The VIA COMe-8X92 module combines a 1.2GHz VIA Nano™ X2 E-Series dual core processor and the VIA VX900H media system processor (MSP) providing a ruggedized solution targeted at industrial PC and large OEM customers focused on dynamic application segments, including medical, advanced gaming, industrial automation and digital signage.
…
“The modular approach offers Embedded customers the ideal platform for creating highly tailored solutions with a short time to market approach,” said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA COMe-8X92 and VIA QSM-8Q90 modules further extend the VIA modular solution portfolio offering VIA customers a wider range of options to quickly create optimized products for their target markets.”
VIA COMe-8X92 Module Available in the industry standard COM Express Compact form factor of 95mm x 95mm, the VIA COMe-8X92 module pairs a 1.2GHz VIA Nano X2 E-Series dual core processor and the VIA VX900H MSP, which features the VIA ChromotionHD 2.0 video engine, boasting hardware acceleration of the most demanding video formats, including MPEG-4, H.264, MPEG-2, VC-1, WMV and Blu-ray support, for incredibly smooth playback of multimedia titles at resolutions up to 1080p. The VIA COMe-8X92 module offers support for the latest connectivity standards including 18/24-bit single-channel LVDS, VGA, Display Port and HDMI.
Onboard I/O includes two SATA II ports, one GigaLAN port, one USB client port (shared with one of four USB 2.0 ports), four USB 2.0 ports, SDIO, expansion buses for one PCIe X4 and one PCIe x1 and the VIA Labs VL800 USB 3.0 host controller which offers support for four USB 3.0 ports. System memory support includes one slot for up to 4GB of SODIMM DDR3 RAM.
For more information about the VIA COMe-8X92 module please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/boards/productDetail.jsp?productLine=1&id=1790&tabs=1
For images related to the VIA COMe-8X92 please visit: http://www.viagallery.com/index.php?option=com_flickr4j&Task=sets&Set=72157629588824145&Page=1
…
– in the COM Express Mini Form Factor: VIA Announces Latest Computer-on-Module Solution, the VIA COMe-8X91 [VIA Technologies press release, May 3, 2012] 
Credit-card sized COM module allows for rapid development of ultra-small customized embedded solutions
VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the latest addition in the growing VIA Modular Solutions portfolio, the VIA COMe-8X91. The modular design approach allows for short time-to market, application-specific customization, simplified development, high stability and long life cycles for customers to rapidly develop new and exciting devices.
Measuring 84mm x 55mm, the VIA COMe-8X91 is based on the industry standard Computer-on-Module (COM) Express Mini form factor with type 10 pin-outs. The VIA COMe-8X91 module combines an 800MHz VIA Eden™ X2 dual core processor and the VIA VX900 media system processor (MSP) providing a ruggedized, ultra compact solution targeted at industrial PC and large OEM customers focused on dynamic application segments, including medical, advanced gaming, test and measurement, industrial (machine vision system) and military applications.
In addition, with the VIA COMe-8X91 module, VIA offers a comprehensive starter kit, including a multi-I/O carrier board reference design, board support packages (BSPs), display, system monitoring tools/SDKs, and design guide, enabling industrial PC and OEM customers to rapidly customize their solutions.
“The COM Express Mini form factor provides embedded customers the ideal platform for creating highly tailored solutions where real estate is at a premium,” said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA COMe-8X91 delivers an extremely ruggedized, power efficient solution for the creation of ultra compact embedded devices with a short time to market approach.”
VIA COMe-8X91 Module Available in the industry standard COM Express Mini form factor of 84mm x 55mm, the VIA COMe-8X91 module pairs an 800MHz VIA Eden X2 dual core processor and the VIA VX900 MSP for a low power, high performance platform. The VIA COMe-8X91 module offers support for the latest connectivity standards including 18/24-bit single-channel LVDS and either one displayport or one HDMI port (without HDCP).
Onboard I/O includes two SATA II ports, one GigaLAN port, eight USB 2.0 ports shared with one USB client port, one HD audio digital interface and two serial ports. System memory includes 1GB of onboard DDR3.
For more information about the VIA COMe-8X91 module please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/boards/productDetail.jsp?productLine=1&id=1710&tabs=1
For images related to the VIA COMe-8X91 please visit: http://www.viagallery.com/Products/via-come-8×91-module.aspx
2. QSeven
Note: QSeven is a new standard that has been released in the past two years. The Q Seven specification is hosted by the independent Q Seven Consortium of which VIA Technologies is a supporting member. It is freely available at the consortium’s web site. Q Seven is a computer-on-module small form factor board that can be used much like an integrated circuit component. It is smaller than other computer-on-module standards such as COM Express, ETX or XTX and is limited to very low power consuming CPUs. The idea here is that processor boards and IO boards would slide into a backplane via edge connectors. This is a smaller footprint than the traditional 3U cPCI.
Seco Q7 OMAP4 dual-core module [Charbax YouTube channel, Jan 6, 2011]
SECO QSeven products: An interview with Gianluca Venere at Embedded World 2012 [SECOEmbedded YouTube channel, March 30, 2012]
QSeven® Series [VIA Technologies sub microsite]
With advantages of its compact size, integrated thermal solution and low cost connectors, VIA QSeven is the ideal for building block for various low power and mobile application. VIA QSeven series is a small form factor standard that is designed for low-power and mobility applications. It supports up to 12W of maximum delivered power and provides legacy free interfaces for embedded applications along with a comprehensive set of graphical interfaces such as DisplayPort, HDMI and dual channel LVDS.
See also: QSeven [Wikipedia] Image of the VIA QSM-8Q90 module on carrier board with QSeven Logo: 
Image of the VIA QSM-8Q90 module with QSeven Logo. VIA Announces Two New System-on-Module Solutions to the Growing VIA Modular Solutions Portfolio [VIA Technologies press release, March 22, 2012]
VIA COMe-8X92 and QSM-8Q90 modules allow for rapid development and application-specific customization
…
The VIA QSM-8Q90 module measures just 70mm x 70mm and is based on the new embedded QSeven™ form factor developed to meet the demands of various low-power and mobile applications. Featuring a VIA 1.0GHz VIA Nano E-Series processor and the VIA VX900 MSP, the VIA QSM-8Q90 module is the ideal building block for power constrained handheld application segments, including medical, advanced gaming, military and test and measurement equipment.
…
“The modular approach offers Embedded customers the ideal platform for creating highly tailored solutions with a short time to market approach,” said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA COMe-8X92 and VIA QSM-8Q90 modules further extend the VIA modular solution portfolio offering VIA customers a wider range of options to quickly create optimized products for their target markets.”
VIA QSM-8Q90 Module Based on the new QSeven embedded form factor of 70mm x 70mm, the VIA QSM-8Q90 module is available with a 1.0GHz VIA Nano E-Series processor and also integrates the unified VIA VX900 media system processor, featuring the VIA ChromotionHD 2.0 video engine which boasts hardware acceleration of the most demanding video formats for incredibly smooth playback. On board system memory includes 1GB of DDR3 RAM as well as support for two 1-lane PCIe expansion and an18/24-bit LVDS connector with resolutions up to 1366 x 768.
For more information about the VIA QSM-8Q90 module, please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/boards/productDetail.jsp?productLine=1&id=1572&tabs=1
For images of the VIA QSM-8Q90 module, please visit: http://www.viagallery.com/index.php?option=com_flickr4j&Task=sets&Set=72157629616539713&Page=1
3. ETX
From ETX-8X90:
Measuring 114mm x 95mm, ETX (Embedded Technology eXtended) is a highly integrated and compact industry standard computer-on-module form factor used in design application much like an integrated circuit component. The ETX specification integrates core CPU, chipset and memory on the module, providing support for extensive connectivity options, including USB, audio, video, and Ethernet, through board-to-board connectors to an I/O baseboard. Targeted at industrial PC and large OEM customers focused on dynamic application segments, including medical, test and measurement, industrial automation and transportation, customers can take advantage of a proprietary start-up kit including a multi-I/O baseboard reference, or can utilize VIA’s extensive technical support in developing a custom baseboard.
IA Announces First ETX® Module, VIA ETX-8X90 [VIA Technologies press release, March 22, 2012]
Industry leading performance and VxWorks RTOS support for embedded applications VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient computing platforms, today announced the VIA ETX-8X90 module which features a 1.2GHz VIA Nano™ X2 E-Series dual core processor and the VIA VX900 media system processor (MSP), providing industry leading performance in a power efficient design. The VIA ETX-8X90 module provides a highly integrated and compact platform for embedded applications in medical, test and measurement, industrial automation and transportation. The modular design approach allows for short time-to market, application-specific customization, simplified development, high stability and long life cycles enabling customers to rapidly develop new and innovative devices. Customers can take advantage of a proprietary start-up kit including a multi-I/O baseboard reference, or can utilize extensive technical support from VIA in developing a custom baseboard. In addition to support for the embedded industry leading VxWorks RTOS, the VIA ETX-8X90 runs a wide range of Windows and Linux based operating systems. “We continue to broaden the range of our Computer-on-Module portfolio with the addition of the ETX legacy form factor,” said Epan Wu Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA ETX-8X90 module provides industry leading processing performance in the shape of the VIA Nano X2 E processor allowing existing ETX customers to quickly scale to today’s requirements.” About the VIA ETX-8X90 Module Measuring 114mm x 95mm, the VIA ETX-8X90 module is based on the industry standard ETX (Embedded Technology eXtended) legacy form factor and combines a 1.2GHz VIA Nano X2 E-Series dual core processor with the VIA VX900 MSP, providing hardware acceleration of the most demanding video formats including VC1, WMV9, MPEG-2 and H.264.
The VIA ETX-8X90 offers support for up to 4GB of DDR3 memory as well as the latest display connectivity standards including 18/24-bit dual-channel LVDS, one VGA port with resolutions up to 2560 x 1600, four USB 2.0 and two mini USB ports, two PCI and one ISA bus, one SATA port, one IDE and two COM ports as well as one 10/100 Ethernet on module.
For more information on the VIA ETX-8X90, please visit: http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/systemonmodules/1970/1/ETX-8X90.html
For images related to this release, please visit: http://www.viagallery.com/Products/via-etx-8×90-module.aspx
For background see: ETX (form factor) [Wikipedia] And finally an Embedded World Report: SGet receives mixed reactions [EmbeddedNews.co.uk, April 18, 2012] is showing how further standardization for ARM-based embedded solutions is proceeding:
As reported in the past three issue of Micro Technology Europe, the new European standards body was formally introduced and dominated the front page of the first show daily. Called the Standardisation Group for Embedded Technologies (SGet), reaction to it was a little mixed. Some felt that they had to be on board, while others were being more cautious and there were those who were not interested at all. In the last of those categories fell Taiwanese board make Aaeon. “We are not involved with SGet yet,” said Volkmar Kaufmann, sales team manager at Aaeon. “In the embedded market there are hundreds of standards, so are they standards really?” On top of that, he said, customers wanted customisation and this meant that the standards were not really standards but more of a reference. “So one reason we haven’t joined is we are talking with our customers to find the best solution and that may be based on a standard or it may not be,” he said. “They will want connectors in different positions and so on. There are so many different requirements from customers who demand their own solutions. They don’t care what the standard is, they just want it to do what they want. They just want the performance.” But Dirk Finstel, chief technology officer for Kontron, one of the founders of SGet, defended the organisation: “It always takes three to four years to make something an official standard,” he said. “Our customers ask why this takes so long. The embedded board vendors are trying to drive technology in the market and with the new body we can do that with less bureaucracy.” Howard Lin, European managing director for Advantech, one of the first companies to join the group, acknowledged that there were a lot of standards already in the market, but said that was a reflection of the speed in which technology was developing. “Yes, there are many standards today, but these follow the new technology,” said Lin. “Some of the older standard can’t follow the changing technology, se we need new standards. The pace is increasing and we need to increase the pace of standards.” He said Advantech decided to join the group because “we are a global leader and so we should work with other vendors to define the standards”. Q Seven will be one of the first form factors to go through the SGet standardisation process and this will be followed by ULP-Com, a form factor for Arm and SoC modules announced by Kontron at the show. Adlink has already shown support for the form factor as have Fortec and Greenbase. ULP-Com uses a 314-pin connector and is 413mm high. There are two planned module footprints of 82 by 50mm and 82 by 80mm. Finstel said he expected it to take two to three months for the standard to be ratified by SGet. “Only a few people will work on the specification to drive it rather than with Picmgwhere you have a lot of people all with their own interests,” he said. “We expect ULP-Com to be ratified by the end of April.” Another founder, Congatec, was also ready to defend the decision. The company’s Christian Eder said: “Why do we need a new consortium when there is Picmg, Vita and what not? With Picmg, things take forever with lots of politics involved and interests. We are trying to freshen that up.” He said ten to 15 companies had signed upby the start of the show and expected that to grow as the show progressed. As to the silicon vendors, he said he wanted them to be involved but did not want them having such an influence that standards would be based on particular products. “It is very important to have the silicon vendors in there,” he said. “They provide the technology. But we don’t want standards that are fixed to one chip vendor. We want it open.” He said that chip vendors, like connector companies, would be on board but would not have voting rights. “Otherwise, they could block directives,” he said. Bernhard Andretzky, product marketing manager for one of the group’s founding companies MSC, said: “We see potential for the new organisation to create the standards that will be successful in the future.” Though not one of the founders, Adlink has become involved with SGet following its joint work with Kontron on the ULP-Com specification. “We were looking for the right form factor for Arm designs,” said Henk van Bremen, Adlink’s product director. “They say you can do Arm and x86 on Q Seven, but it doesn’t really work because of the lack of pins. You can’t do all the native Arm interfaces. The new form factor is going to SGet, which is why we are interested in this and have joined.” As for Via Technologies, assistant vice president Epan Wu said: “We have someone looking at the SGet consortium. We are not one of the original ones but we are looking at it and we do want to comply with industry standards and be involved with what is going on.” And Taylor Chow, managing director of Portwell, said: “We are seriously thinking of joining SGet. We need SGet because of the problems with Q Seven for Arm.”
From more information see: – http://www.sget.org/ and its Facebook site – A New COM Standard and a New Organization to Oversee It [VDC Research: Embedded Microprocessor, Board & Systems Market Blog, Sept 11, 2012] Kontron Low Power Embedded Solutions – EW 2012 [ARMflix YouTube channel, Feb 29, 2012]
Kontron ULP-COM: the new ARM Computer-on-Modules Standard [KontronVideos YouTube channel, Sept 25, 2012]
China: going either for good quality commodities or the premium brands only
This was the major learning for me when I was watching the November roundtable ‘On China’: Chinese Consumerism led by CNN’s Kristie Lu Stout today. It was even mentioned that the wealthy Chinese may have a luxiory car parked on the roads leading to Shanghai airport in order to save the parking fee. I was also struck by the fact that there are around 1 million Chinese who have wealth of US$ 1 million or more, and this number will grow tzo 3-4 million this decade.
All these bode well with the findings in my post with a corresponding title: Boosting both the commodity and premium brand markets in 2013 with much more smartphones and tablets while the Windows notebook shipments will shrink by 2% [this same blog, Nov 20, 2012]. Note that this new kind of consumer computing trend is directly related to China as the leading market for smartphones already (see this, this and this) which will become the case for the tablet market as well in 2013.
Here are the related excerpts I am copying here from the written report about the roundtable. You can watch yourself in full on Nov 24, 25, and Dec 1, 2 on CNN as described in the roundtable announcement.
From: What do Chinese consumers want? Not Barbie [CNN, Nov 21, 2012]
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As China’s ranks of consumers swell — the number of middle class earners is estimated to grow 70% to 600 million by 2020 [from the current 300 million mentioned in the discussion recorded on video] — so too rises the stakes for companies looking to cash into China’s growing consumer market.
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One area where Western brands have some headway against their domestic Chinese competitors is product safety, in the wake of scandals over tainted baby formula, fake eggs and exploding watermelons.
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A dichotomy is growing in Chinese consumer trends between shopping for status and shopping for value.
“What that means is, people don’t buy mid-level brands, which is why you see (brands?) like Marks & Spencer, or Li-Ning, or Gap kind of struggle, because these are branded for middle-class consumers,” Rein said. “What we see is people either shop for the most expensive things they can get, like a Louis Vuitton or Hermes bag, or they go for the cheapest.”
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