How to Save Android
Android is a hot mess. Google should make it truly open source. This would relieve them of a major anti-trust vulnerability and infuse a massive amount of energy to the project.
Android is a hot mess. Google should make it truly open source. This would relieve them of a major anti-trust vulnerability and infuse a massive amount of energy to the project.
Nvidia just had a developer event which highlighted all the partners they have, a vision of the verticalized future of semis. In contrast, Qualcomm’s sales structure does not look like that.
Qualcomm does not have an easy path to replacing Apple revenue. Maybe Apple will fail at producing a modem. Or maybe Qualcomm could come up with a compelling RF/modem combo that Apple would find too compelling to ignore. Not easy, but possible.
Just for the sake of argument could Qualcomm buy its way back to near-term revenue growth? We take a not-so-serious look at one option. The point is there are not a lot of good targets left.
We are going to Barcelona for MWC. This is what we plan to learn about:
* Open RAN
* Cellular modem penetration beyond phones
* Cellular connectivity in cars and auto makers’ changing relationships with chip vendors
* The state of the wireless standards
We think there will be a few more legs of semis consolidation. So we compiled a list of 5 semis companies who we think will survive:
1. ADI & TI
2. QCOM
3. NVDA
4. Some chip company from China
5. The smoldering remains of Intel, probably owned by others.
RISC V is going to encounter a lot of software incompatibility problems, but that probably won’t matter, and definitely won’t stop it.
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.
Qualcomm rounded up all the bad news to report this quarter. The bar will now be very low. This will give them breathing room next year, focusing on the Street on macro, which is better than letting them get impatient about autos.
Qualcomm claims Arm wants to shift its business model to charge OEMs rather than chip companies. We think is unlikely, but wow will it be hard if they do try to make that shift.