D&R Headline News (February 2014)

Headlines for Friday Feb. 28, 2014

• Onkyo and Imagination announce global collaboration on next-generation wireless audio systems and High Quality Audio
• Validity of New Feature Phone Market
• Spreadtrum Adopts Arteris FlexNoC Interconnect IP for Mobile Phone Processor and Baseband Systems-on-Chip

Headlines for Thursday Feb. 27, 2014

Top Story

UFS 2.0 Will See Rapid Adoption - Fueled by Major Performance and Power Efficiency Improvements to Enable New Multimedia Applications

The Universal Flash Storage (UFS) version 2.0 standard, supported by the mobile industry and published in late 2013 by JEDEC, is projected to experience wide market adoption more quickly than previous storage offerings. UFS v2.0 bandwidth supports up to a 1.2 GB/s data transfer rate using a multi-lane approach, which is three times greater than that of the fastest flash storage chip today – eMMC 5.0.

• The Unlikely Tale of How ARM Came to Rule the World
• DVB-S2X Specification Receives Approval from Steering Board
• ARM University Program and Partners Launch 'Lab-in-a-Box' for Participating Universities Worldwide
• CSR partners with ARM to bring connectivity and GPS to mbed community

Headlines for Wednesday Feb. 26, 2014

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MIPI Alliance Specifications Drive 4K and 2K Displays, High Performance Cameras

The MIPI® Alliance is driving the adoption of leading-edge technologies including 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) in external devices, 2K and 4K mobile displays, and high performance cameras with enhanced interface specifications.

• Cadence Licenses Tensilica ConnX BBE16 DSP to GCT Semiconductor
• Imagination first to show new 3DMark OpenGL ES 3.0 Benchmark from Futuremark
• MulticoreWare Accelerates VP9, Google's Next-Generation Open Video Codec
• JEDEC Announces Publication of Release 6 of the DDR3 Serial Presence Detect Standard
• Synopsys Delivers Industry's Fastest Emulation System
• PLDA announces the availability of a new System-on-Module product, the PLDA SoMZ-7045
• Cadence Redefines Verification Planning and Management with Incisive vManager Solution
• Top 10 Semiconductor R&D Leaders Ranked for 2013
• Advanced VP9 decoder now available for Imagination's PowerVR Series6 GPUs

Headlines for Tuesday Feb. 25, 2014

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S3 Group Launches the Industry's Smallest, Most Efficient High-Speed ADC

S3 Group today launched the industry’s smallest, most-efficient high speed SAR-ADC (successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter). The product is the first in a family of SAR ADCs being developed by the company specifically optimized for consumer SoCs.

• Truechip announces first customer shipment of USB 3.1 and UFS 2.0 VIP to early adoption partners
• Global Navigation Satellite Receiver From Galileo Satellite Navigation Now Available on Cadence Tensilica ConnX DSP IP Cores
• New Embedded GPU Platform for General-Purpose Computing Delivers the Highest Performance per Energy or Area
• New CAST Platforms Enable Graphics Processing and Display IP for the Xilinx Zynq All Programmable SoC
• Imagination's PowerVR Series6 GPU enables GPU leadership in Allwinner UltraOcta A80 processor
• eMemory Offers Mature Full-HD SDDI Solutions In Advanced 55nm High-Voltage Process
• 64-Bit Rush Is On at MWC
• ARM releases MDK for Infineon XMC1000
• Xilinx Introduces UltraScale Multi-Processing Architecture for the Industry's First All Programmable MPSoCs
• Mobileye and Imagination strengthen partnership
• Imagination delivers connectivity and multimedia capability in new Toshiba TZ5000 series applications processors

Headlines for Monday Feb. 24, 2014

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Synopsys Launches DesignWare ARC Software Development Platforms to Accelerate Software Development of ARC Processor-based SoC Designs

Synopsys today announced the new DesignWare® ARC® Software Development Platforms to accelerate software development and debug of ARC processor-based system-on-chip (SoC) designs.

• Brocade Integrates Altera's 120G and 150G Interlaken IP into its Multi-Terabit Core Routers
• Dolphin Integration enrich their Reusable Power Kit Library DELTA with Linear Regulators optimized for noise sensitive applications
• Malaspina Labs VoiceBoost Integrates into NXP's CoolFlux DSP Core
• Nordic Semiconductor Launches World's First ARM mbed Development Platform for Bluetooth Smart Applications
• ARM unveils a new version of CMSIS that adds software deployment methods
• Rubidium Voice Trigger and Speech Recognition Integrates into NXP's CoolFlux DSP Core
• Altair Semiconductor Renews License Agreement for Use Of Sonics’ On-Chip Interconnect IP in its Award-Winning 4g LTE Products
• Xilinx Expands All Programmable Artix-7 FPGA Family with New Automotive Qualified Devices
• InterDigital and imec Target Small Cell Backhaul With Phased Array Technology Agreement
• Aricent Develops High Efficiency Video Codecs by Leveraging ARM Mali GPU Compute Technology
• PRO DESIGN Completes FPGA based Prototyping Portfolio with proFPGA Uno V7 System
• Yamaha Selects CEVA-TeakLite-4 Audio/Voice DSP
• Imagination releases first IP core based on innovative PowerVR Raptor imaging processor architecture
• Imagination launches world's first MCU-class CPU IP cores with hardware virtualization
• Truechip Partners with WWAGO to Market Verification IP Products in China
• Nvidia Has Not Signed a Single Kepler IP Licensing Deal
• Silicon Image Enters Small Cell Wireless Backhaul Market with Industry's First Single-Chip Beam Steering 60GHz RF Tranceivers
• Silicon Image Announces New MHL® Smartphone Reference Designs with MediaTek
• The most versatile and high-performing RTOS yet by Enea for ARM-based architectures
• Linaro Forms Security Working Group
• Imagination's popular Codescape tools now provide MIPS CPU support and extended Linux/RTOS capabilities

Headlines for Friday Feb. 21, 2014

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2014 Semiconductor Growth could be Double 2013 Rate

The fourth quarter 2013 semiconductor market declined 0.8% from the third quarter, according to World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS). Full year 2013 growth was 4.8%. Our most recent 2013 forecast at Semiconductor Intelligence was 6% in November 2013, based on expectations of positive growth in 4Q 2013.

• North American Semiconductor Equipment Industry Posts January 2014 Book-to-Bill Ratio of 1.04
• CEVA and nViso Partner to Bring 3D Facial Imaging and Advanced Emotion Recognition Technology to Mobile Devices

Headlines for Thursday Feb. 20, 2014

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Synopsys Enters Software Quality and Security Market with Coverity Acquisition

Synopsys and Coverity today signed a definitive agreement for Synopsys to acquire Coverity. Coverity products reduce the risk of quality and security defects, which can lead to the catastrophic failures that plague many of today's large software systems.

• Cadence Announces New Tensilica Imaging and Video Processor for Increasingly Complex Signal Processing Functions
• Elliptic Technologies to Unveil tVault PLUS at Mobile World Congress for End-to-End Content Protection on Smart Devices
• Why Would IBM Sell Its Semi Group?
• Realtek Licenses HEVC (H.265) Decoder from Ittiam for Next Generation Consumer Applications
• ViXS Enlists NGCodec to License World's First Silicon Proven 10-bit HEVC Decoder for Ultra HD 4K 60p
• CEVA Enriches its Computer Vision Software Library for Flagship CEVA-MM3101 Imaging and Vision Platform
• SMIC and JCET Establish a Joint Venture to Build China's Local IC Manufacturing Supply Chain
• Synopsys Posts Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal Year 2014
• Alma Technologies announces the immediate availability of its new 12-bit Extended JPEG Decoder Core

Headlines for Wednesday Feb. 19, 2014

Top Story

INSIDE Secure launches a unique and comprehensive mobile security offer

INSIDE Secure today announces the availability of second-generation VaultSEcure(TM) secure element, the market’s first fully comprehensive mobile security chip.

• Cadence Launches Next-Generation Tensilica High-Performance ConnX Baseband DSP Family
• Rubidium Speech Processing Solutions Now Available for Cadence Tensilica HiFi Audio/Voice DSPs
• Cadence and Sensory Reduce Voice Activation Power Dissipation in Mobile Devices to Less than 17 MicroWatts
• Renesas Electronics Develops Industry's First 28nm Embedded Flash Memory Technology for Microcontrollers
• Arteris Announces Freescale's License of Multiple FlexNoC Fabric IP Instances for QorIQ Systems-on-Chip
• GPU market up - Intel and Nvidia graphics winners in Q4, AMD down
• OneSpin Solutions Introduces Unique, Formal-Based Observation Coverage Solution to Magnify Verification Closure Precision
• Cadence Completes Acquisition of Forte Design Systems
• Altera Announces 5 Gbps Microwave Backhaul Solution to Maximize Throughput Capacity and Spectrum Efficiency of 4G Networks
• NGCodec Licenses H.265/HEVC Encoder IP core to Leading Fabless Semiconductor Company

Headlines for Tuesday Feb. 18, 2014

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M31 Technology Announces its USB 3.0 PHY Completed TSMC IP Validation

M31 Technology announced that the company’s USB 3.0 PHY, developed for TSMC’s 55 nanometer (nm) low power process, has successfully completed validation and testing through the TSMC IP Validation Center Program. This IP has been broadly adopted by Taiwanese IC design houses and is expected to accelerate their time to market with low risk IP integration.

• videantis showcases unified video/vision processor solution at Mobile World Congress
• World's First 802.11ah IP Introduced by Antcor
• Xilinx Announces 1.6Gbps Low Power, Low Cost, Small Cell Backhaul Modem SmartCORE IP for Millimeter Wave Applications
• CYIT Licenses CEVA-TeakLite-4 Audio/Voice DSP for Mobile SoCs
• Xilinx Smarter Radio Solutions Address Performance Needs of Next-Generation LTE and MultiCarrier-GSM Platforms
• Apical and NGCodec Announce H.265/HEVC Encoder with Region Of Interest Optimization via Object Tracking
• Movea SmartMotion Technology Now Available on Cadence Tensilica HiFi Audio/Video DSP Family
• Cadence Announces Sensor Platforms as New Tensilica HiFi Audio Partner for Sensor Fusion and Context Awareness Applications
• Semiconductor Unit Shipments To Exceed One Trillion Devices in 2016
• Alizem releases its new Embedded Motor Control Software IP for Critical Applications
• Big blues at IBM India
• STMicroelectronics Reveals Affordable, Extensible Platform for Efficient Prototyping with STM32 Microcontrollers
• Z3 Technology Announces 4K H.264 Video Encoder with Release of Z3-DM8169-4K-RPS System
• M31 Technology USA is established
• Arteris Recruits World-Class Engineering Leadership Team

Headlines for Monday Feb. 17, 2014

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28nm Powers TSMC Forward

TSMC’s financial results for the 4th Quarter of 2013 and for the full year were announced just a few weeks ago, with TSMC stating it had again achieved record sales and profits. TSMC continues to own the 28nm foundry market.

• Xylon Expands Portfolio with the Face Detection and Tracking Computer Vision Technology
• Are Processors Running Out Of Steam?
• SMIC Reports 2013 Fourth Quarter Results
• Dolphin Integration Releases SmartLink, USB adapter for 80x51 Built-in Debugger
• IBM invests in new $5bn chip fab in India, so is chip sale off?
• End of Startup Era: Chips Face Innovation Gap
• How Small Will Apple Inc. Go?

Headlines for Friday Feb. 14, 2014

Top Story

PathPartner Technology Announces HEVC (H.265) Decoder on ARM Cortex-A Family Processors

PathPartner Technology announces the availability of HEVC decoder on ARM Cortex-A family processors. HEVC is the latest international standard for video compression designed for high quality streaming on mobile devices to ultra-high resolution displays.

• Leti and STMicroelectronics Demonstrate Order-of-Magnitude-Faster FD-SOI Ultra-Wide-Voltage Range DSP
• Tabula Announces Availability of Stylus Compiler Version 2.8.2
• CEVA and Sensory Enable Power-Optimized Always-Listening Smart Wearables and Sensor Fusion Solutions via TrulyHandsfree 3.0 for CEVA-TeakLite-4 DSPs
• CEVA and Visidon Partner to Bring Ultra-low Power Always-on Face Activation Technology to Mobile Devices

Headlines for Thursday Feb. 13, 2014

Top Story

Cadence Acquires High Speed Interface IP Assets of TranSwitch Corporation, Further Expanding IP Portfolio for Mobile/Consumer Market

Adding to its rapidly expanding IP portfolio, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CDNS), a leader in global electronic design innovation, today announced that it has acquired the high speed interface IP assets of TranSwitch Corporation and has also hired its experienced IP development team. Included in this transaction are silicon-proven controllers and PHY IP for Ethernet BaseT and display standards including HDMI, DisplayPort and MHL.

• Cadence Tensilica HiFi Audio Tunneling for Android Cuts Audio Processing Power by Up to 14X
• Google Ramps Up Chip Design
• Sital Delivers Mil-Std-1553 IP core with Multi-RT and Error Injection Capabilities
• Xilinx Celebrates 30 Years, 3500 Patents, and 60 Industry Firsts
• CEVA to Showcase a Range of Solutions for the Future of Mobile Computing at Mobile World Congress 2014
• Arteris Featured in World Economic Forum Entrepreneurship Report

Headlines for Wednesday Feb. 12, 2014

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Intel to Cut A Deal with Apple for Fab 42?

Intel has come under attack and is backed into a corner. With shipments of desktop and notebook computers in the doldrums since 2010, Intel’s PC processor business has been in decline. Meanwhile, AMD and others are taking aim at the Intel-dominated server business with ARM-based MPUs. At the same time, Intel has struggled to gain access to the fast-growing market for application processors used in tablet PCs and smartphones.

• Microsoft Employs Cadence Tensilica Processors in Xbox One
• Synopsys, Realtek and UMC Collaborate on Industry's First Single-Chip Ultra High Definition Smart TV SoC
• oViCs names Jess Herrera as Vice President of Worldwide Sales & Marketing
• Ace Thought Announces the Release of H.265/HEVC Video Decoder Software for ARM and x86 Processors
• ISSCC Keynote: No Silicon, Software Silos

Headlines for Tuesday Feb. 11, 2014

Top Story

ARM Enhances IP Suite for 2015 Mid-Range Mobile and Consumer Markets

ARM today announced an enhanced suite of higher performance and more energy-efficient products specifically designed for the rapidly growing mid-range mobile and consumer electronics markets. The suite, comprised of processor, graphics processor and physical IP, is an update to ARM's mid-range IP offering targeting devices for production in 2015 and beyond.

• Allegro DVT unveils its hardware HEVC/H.265 Encoder IP
• 3iLogic-Designs Introduces SimSim, Embedded Speech Recognition IP Core, Enabling Voice-Activated User Interfaces for a Range of Consumer Devices
• MediaTek Announces MT6595, World’s First 4G LTE Octa-Core Smartphone SOC with ARM Cortex-A17 and Ultra HD H.265 Codec Support
• Sonics Receives New Patent For Intelligent Power Controller
• Synopsys and Alango Technologies Deliver Voice Communication Package for DesignWare ARC Audio Processors
• Microsemi Enables FPGA-Based Root-of-Trust Solution for Embedded Systems with Introduction of Secure Boot Reference Design
• Xilinx and Xylon Announce logiADAK Automotive Driver Assistance Kit Enabling Systems with up to Six Cameras
• IBM Chip Unit Sale Would Send Tremor Through Industry
• Silicon Wafer Revenues Decline in 2013
• TSMC January 2014 Revenue Report

Headlines for Monday Feb. 10, 2014

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ARM and SMIC Broaden IP Partnership with 28nm Process for Mobile and Consumer Applications

ARM and SMIC today announced an agreement to offer the ARM® Artisan® physical IP platform for SMIC's 28nm poly SiON (PS) process to provide high-performance, high-density and low-power technologies for SoC designs.

• Gigabit wireless firm Blu Wireless awarded 1m Pounds from the West of England Growth Fund
• Dolphin Integration announces the availability of the new generation of SpRAM generator at 90 nm and 55 nm eFlash
• eMemory Expands NeoFlash's Industrial Applications
• SilabTech awarded the most promising startup in the Indian Hardware Manufacturing sector
• UMC Reports Sales for January 2014
• Sonics Joins EDA Consortium

Headlines for Friday Feb. 07, 2014

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Synopsys Acquires Target Compiler Technologies

Synopsys today announced it has completed the acquisition of Target Compiler Technologies, a privately held company headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, that provides software tools to design and program application-specific instruction-set processors (ASIPs).

• GUC Monthly Sales Report - January 2014

Headlines for Thursday Feb. 06, 2014

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Imagination Technologies extends its multi-year licensing agreement with Apple

Imagination announces that Apple has extended its multi-year, multi-use license agreement, which gives Apple access to Imagination's wide range of current and future PowerVR graphics and video IP cores.

• ARM getting server traction
• 300mm Capacity Dominates, but Life Remains for 200mm Wafer Fabs
• Crocus Technology Licenses ARM SecurCore Processor
• As One ARM Pioneer Closes Another One Opens
• Cadence to Enhance High-Level Synthesis Offering with Acquisition of Forte Design Systems
• Arrow Devices announces world's first USB Power Delivery Verification IP
• PLX Achieves Industry-First Compliance of PCI Express 3.0 Switches on Exclusive PCI-SIG Integrators List

Headlines for Wednesday Feb. 05, 2014

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Allegro DVT increases its turnover by 80% in 2013 and consolidates its leadership on HEVC/H.265 technologies

Allegro DVT takes pride in reporting a significant turnover increase in 2013, as we were able to augment our revenue by more than 80% over the year. This has outmatched initial projections for 2013, and confirms the excellence of Allegro DVT's products portfolio.

• MoSys Announces New Bandwidth Engine Architecture with over 1.5 Tbps Internal Bandwidth
• Altera and Wind River Announce Strategic Partnership to Deliver Operating Systems and Development Tools Tailored for Altera SoC Platform
• Vitesse Reports First Quarter Fiscal Year 2014 Results

Headlines for Tuesday Feb. 04, 2014

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IP Cores, Inc. Announces Shipments of the FPGA Version of Its 100 Gbps MACsec IP Cores

IP Cores has announced shipments of an FPGA version of its MSP10 core that supports line-speed MACsec encryption and decryption for the 100 Gbps Ethernet solutions.

• Imperas Supports Imagination's MIPS Cores With Fastest Ever Processor Model Simulation
• ARM Holdings PLC Reports Results For The Fourth Quarter And Full Year 2013
• Apple Increases Tablet Market Share to 34 percent in Q4 2013, as Global Tablet Market Grows 33 percent in 2013
• XMOS appoints Simon Knowles as Chief Technology Officer
• Bitcoin CPUs Coming, Says Investor
• REX Computing Unveils New Energy-efficient High Performance Computing System

Headlines for Monday Feb. 03, 2014

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Semiconductor Industry Posts Record Sales in 2013

SIA today announced that worldwide semiconductor sales for 2013 reached $305.6 billion, the industry’s highest-ever annual total and an increase of 4.8 percent from the 2012 total of $291.6 billion. Global sales for the month of December 2013 reached $26.6 billion, marking the strongest December on record, while December sales in the Americas increased 17.3 percent year-over-year.

• Imagination and Green Hills Software partner to bring broad compiler and tools support to MIPS CPUs
• Five lessons from Lenovo’s Motorola deal
• Digital Core Design Introduces EEPROM IP Core with configurable SPI parameters
• ARM Support Claimed for Non-Filamentary ReRAM
• GigOptix Offers Its Custom Structured ASIC Solutions for Rapid Productization of Cryptocurrency Bit Mining Chip and Application with Partners