Study: Outsourced IC design growth slowed in '08

Dylan McGrath, EETimes
(08/17/2009 2:47 PM EDT)

SAN FRANCISCO -- This year will be a make or break year for chip design service providers after the global recession slowed the growth of outsourced chip design starts in 2008, according to a survey by market research firm Gartner Inc.

A survey of 40 vendors offering IC design services showed that outsourced chip designs grew only 6.5 percent in 2008, compared to 34 percent in 2007, Gartner (Stamford, Conn.) said. However, outsourcing of back-end physical design starts at lagging-edge nodes (130 nm and above) grew significantly in 2008.

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