Did Huawei and SMIC break the laws of physics? Or are many of the online claims about Kirin 9000 over-exaggerated to serve some other purpose. We think it is unlikely that this new chip really changes anything.
Automotive semis are transitioning from the near-anarchy of dozens of independent vendors selling hundreds of discrete parts to platforms powering cars’ major systems. Great news for the big analog companies, if they can make the leap to digital.
We would love to see more semis start-ups that take a ‘software first’ or at least ‘software really early’ approach.
Apple has a history of relegating its homegrown chips to the Apple Watch. Is that the fate of their future cellular modem?
Every chip company has ambitions to sell software too – but there are very few software models that will work for them.
Moore’s Law has been the low interest rate boost to semis for a long time, but those rates are rising now, and that may reshape many assumptions we take for granted in the market.
Semi companies are going to need to adjust their cost structures to compete in a semi-custom world. This sounds boring but it can become a real source of competitive differentation.
Moore’s Law brings benefits beyond semis. The price and accuracy of sensors are both moving in the right direction allowing for fine-grained pervasive sensor networks, just as advances in AI mean we can make real use of all that data.
The market for base station and RAN silicon is shaping up to one of the most interesting to watch in the new year. And intel seems to have forgotten its long, sorry history in the space, making for some great viewing.
The US has a number of ways to encourage allies to support its semis restrictions on China. These range the “stick” of enforcement to the “carrot” of waivers and targeted expansion of the restrictions.