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1.2018 years of AI processor inventory MediaTek said to popularize AI to the thousand machine;
Set of micro-network messages, (Luo/wen) 2017 can be said to be known as AI began the first year, first mobile phone manufacturers in the shouting AI, what AI beauty camera/system built-in AI engine, blowing hype. The consumer is the applause: ' Good, good, good, buy, buy, buy '.
Image source: Huawei Mall
See mobile phone manufacturers marketing offensive so to force, consumers obediently pay the bill, as a chip manufacturers naturally have to follow up quickly, so we saw:
1. Huawei decisively put Npu into their own Kirin 970 chip, even with the third of the Cambrian, but also to win the world's first AI chip reputation, 5.5 billion transistors, far more than Gaotong long 835 3.1 billion, Apple A10 3.3 billion, the complexity comparable to Intel chips.
Image source: China net
Next year may carry Kirin 970 processor mobile phone: Huawei P11, Glory 9
2. Qualcomm also not to be outdone to promote the AI, Qualcomm official said 骁丽 845 is already home to the third generation of AI platform, as early as the 骁丽 Dragon 820 Qualcomm used the technology, but they did not like Huawei as a special independent neural engine, but directly in the kernel optimization, And the AI computing efficiency is three times times the previous generation.
Image source: Weibo
Next year may carry Gaotong Dragon 845 mobile phone: Millet 7/HTC u12/one plus 6/Nokia 10 etc.
Image source: Weibo
3. Apple, at its own iphone x conference, Ai has also been advocated: A11 Bionic chip integrated with the ' neural network engine ', the chip has a maximum number of operations per second up to 600 billion times the neural network engine, can identify tasks, locations and objects, and for the face ID and ' facial expression ' and other innovative functions to provide power.
Image source: Zhongguancun
Next year may carry A11 processor's handset: IPHONE11
4. Although Samsung did not talk about AI as much as the other three vendors, it also made a layout for AI, which, according to media reports, was intended to add a customized neural engine coprocessor to its Exynos phone chip, and Samsung recently invested in a domestic artificial intelligence start-up company, The company has developed a unique neural network chip design and compression technology.
Image source: Weibo
Next year may carry Samsung Exynos Chip's handset: Samsung s9/Samsung note9/the Charm Clan Pro8
Huawei, Samsung, Apple, the three big chip manufacturers are circling AI, the same as the chip manufacturers MediaTek can not be isolated, so we see:
December 27, MediaTek held a media year-end party in Taiwan, general Manager Chen revealed that 2018 is expected to launch two with AI and face recognition characteristics of the Helio P series chip.
Image source: Weibo
It is learned that MediaTek's AI architecture is named Edge AI, which is known as an integrated Cpu/gpu/vpu/dla multi-unit, to achieve the cloud and terminal hybrid AI architecture.
Based on the previous positioning and selling price of MediaTek Helio P series chips, it is not difficult to see next year AI will be exclusive from this year's high-end machine, the next move to the thousand-yuan machine body, and promote AI from the ' Old King Xie Tang before Yan ' to ' fly into ordinary people home ' this transformation of the hero, non-MediaTek Helio P series Chip mo.
Image source: Weibo
Next year may pick up the MediaTek Helio P series Chip mobile phone: The Red Meter series/the Charm Blue Series/The Phantom Family MX series/360n series and so on.
Will you support MediaTek, who vowed to contract the AI for your thousand-dollar machine next year?
Say Han, at present the AI's application scene is limited, only is the mobile phone system acceleration, the photograph beauty, the facial recognition, very few involves other aspects, perhaps to next year, in the smartphone handset manufacturer and the chip manufacturer's resultant force promotion, AI will usher in the big eruption, then AI will truly integrate into our daily life.
2. China's upstream aluminum foil materials in short supply, the Japanese capacitor factory prices;
Set of micro-network news, capacitor market conditions surging. Industry pointed out that, with the upstream aluminum foil materials in short supply, the Japanese capacitor manufacturers delivery time stretch, to provide non-Japanese capacitor manufacturers additional business opportunities.
Observe the capacitance Industry product overview, the industry's high-end executives said that small capacitors are mainly made by Chinese manufacturers; Medium capacitance is mainly used in mobile phone chargers, Wi-Fi communication devices and things networking applications; such as the horn capacitor, such as large capacitors, many applications in the frequency converter and industrial applications.
From the pull time, by the Japanese capacitor manufacturers sales strategy changes, as well as China's upstream aluminum foil materials in short supply and other factors, Japanese capacitor manufacturer delivery time, has been stretching from the original 6 weeks to 12 weeks, some Japanese capacitor manufacturers delivery time even to six months.
Japanese capacitor product delivery elongation, the impact of the system of OEM manufacturers of finished deliveries, non-Japanese capacitor manufacturers order demand is also relatively bullish, to provide non-Japanese capacitor manufacturers more business opportunities.
From the price point of view, the Japanese capacitor manufacturers have increased prices.
Observation of capacitor aluminum foil material price effect on the capacitor industry, industry analysis, the smaller capacitor manufacturers may be excluded from the market, through the rigorous cost test, production and marketing conditions may be relatively healthy, good financial structure of the capacitor manufacturers can continue to foothold.
3. MediaTek 2018 continued to fight three liters of the city accounted for, gross margin, profit three rate ibid;
MediaTek co-CEO Tsai 27th that MediaTek is a unique IC design company, not only a handful of global mobile devices, consumer electronics and PC/NB platforms, but also has a very complete technical support capabilities and IP database, and can highly integrate SOC single chip solutions, At the same time, very respectful of the market and customer demand-oriented, and maintain a good partnership with customers. After MediaTek's short-term renovation program has gradually become effective, the mobile device chip platform business has improved significantly, Tsai for MediaTek 2018 years continued to improve product competitiveness, gross margin and chip market share of confidence. This means that MediaTek's 2018 operating Outlook will still lock in the chip market, chip gross profit margin and the company's target rate of three-rate rise. And in the future to master the layout of key technologies, Tsai said MediaTek will continue to invest in key technologies including AI, 5G, Nb-iot, 802.11ax, and automotive electronics, along with the company's existing intelligent algorithms, wireless and wired communications, wireless links, RF, mobile operations, image processing and multimedia, As well as power management and other chip solutions and IP intellectual property, and continue to deepen the cooperative relationship with customers, at the same time to give full play to product value and service quality of economic benefits. Tsai stressed that 2017, including intelligent voice assistant, IoT, Power management and ASIC business has more than 20% growth, is expected in the next 1-2 years, will continue to maintain a double-digit growth rate of more than a year, I hope that these growth product line after the company's revenue size can reach more than 30%, Bring new business growth momentum to MediaTek. And for MediaTek's increasingly large group, Tsai, the power management chip solution will be paired with the new platform for MediaTek smart phone to increase the proportion of shipments continue to improve, while the customer-made chip part, it is hoped that through the Technical Group technology and IP, with customers to develop other areas of application, as for the key things networking, intelligence networking (Aiot) and other related emerging product market layout, will continue to expand investment. Tsai more clearly point out the group's current expertise and power management chip Chyi, based on the network technology-oriented Transfar information, machine box chip manufacturers of the Morning Star, aiming at the Internet and the development of intelligent networking, and to the data center and switch chip for the main business of the engine communications, will be MediaTek group's future products, Technology and market continue to upgrade the process of important assistants. As for the industry's concern that MediaTek will be a step behind TSMC's 7-nanometer generation, Tsai clearly said that although the company's main products in more than 12 nm process cast, but believe that TSMC 7 nano very economic value, including chip set and power consumption are more prominent competitiveness, so, Within the initial planning will be 3 new generation chip solutions will jump directly to 7 NM process technology, and will not be limited to the smart phone chip solutions, Taiwan's semiconductor industry insiders predict, responsible for high-speed operations, while also want to save power consumption of the MediaTek Netcom chip and server chip solutions, It will become the best dark horse to adopt TSMC's latest 7 NM process technology in 2018. MediaTek General Manager Chen Kuanjo pointed out that the 2018 Helio P series smartphone chip platform will fully support the AI and high-speed computing functions, in addition to providing more accurate face recognition, support AR/VR and 3D sensing and other popular functions, will also be integrated to build support for AI applications of intelligent family-related chips, MediaTek's application of AI will be in a variety of products platform, comprehensive and consistent full implementation of the benefits of AI, while using the integration of a variety of operational units (CPU, GPU, Vpu, DLA) and heterogeneous operations to the terminal chip, with a complete wireless link technology support capabilities, so that the cloud + The end of the hybrid AI application can bring the end consumer a new experience. As for the layout of the Internet of things and the market of automotive electronic applications, MediaTek will also continue to Nb-iot technology, with the mainland, Europe, Japan and other global operators, as for vehicle-borne communication systems and millimeter-wave radar for bus-related electronic chips, then after the completion of the relevant certification work, will start to fight for global brand manufacturers and Foundry industry cooperation opportunities. Digitimes
4. After TSMC, Samsung developed a fan-shaped wafer-level package (FO-WLP) process;
Set of micro-network news, Korean media reported that Samsung Electronics 2018 will develop a new semiconductor packaging process, in an attempt to seize the Apple processor orders from TSMC. In the face of Samsung's strong grab list, TSMC said it does not comment on competitor dynamics, emphasizing that the company continues to maintain a leading edge in the advanced process, and remains confident about the growth of its operations next year.
Samsung and TSMC had previously placed orders for Apple processors, and TSMC was able to pick up all of Apple's orders in 2016, relying on its front wafer manufacturing capabilities and new packaging technology.
TSMC Supply Chain analysis, TSMC 7nm process development ahead of Samsung, and Apple's partnership with a solid, hostage-cheng, the industry's highest capacity, as well as a high degree of customer trust and other three advantages, TSMC will continue to 7nm next year to take the Apple New generation processor orders, The future will also be Apple's most important processor-foundry partner.
The South Korean website Etnews quoted industry sources as saying that Samsung's semiconductor division is investing in the development of a new fan-type wafer-level package (FO-WLP) process, which aims to win back Apple's supply order by building a mass production system for the process 2019 years ago.
According to the disclosure, the project called "Kinchinan" by Samsung's new co-CEO Kinchinan a secret instruction in the first half of this year. Samsung also developed technology with Samsung at the end of last year as director of the Semiconductor Research Institute at Intel's Wu Qingxi semiconductor packaging specialist.
TSMC, the world's first company to use integrated fan-type packaging technology for application processor developers, has also grabbed the 16 nm A10 processor of Apple's iphone 7 and i8 's 10 A11 processor order. While Samsung and TSMC have a comparable competitive advantage in the previous wafer process, experts say the reason for Apple's eventual choice of TSMC is that it is highly certain of TSMC's competitive advantage in encapsulation.
Analysis of semiconductor industry companies Techinsights's new iphone A-series AP dismantling report said: "Thanks to the info technology, AP thickness has been significantly reduced than in the past, we can assume that TSMC is the exclusive Apple supply order by info." 」
Industry insiders say Samsung has until now focused only on the previous process, with less investment in the back-end process. So at the same time as Samsung tries to win back Apple's orders, it also attaches great importance to the development of the latter-stage packaging process technology and the need for substantial investment.
5. Samsung Heidelberg Memory expansion, 2019 raw materials in large stock?
Set of micro-network news, Korean media businesskorea 28th reported that the industry personage said, Samsung Electronic flat Line 1 line of the second floor of the project, SK Hilisnan Hanqing State (Cheongju) plant and the expansion of Wuxi, China will be completed, scheduled 2018, 2019 production. It is estimated that after the second floor of the two-storey factory, the DRAM capacity will be increased from the current monthly 370,000 wafers to 600,000 wafers per month in 2019.
Semiconductor industry expansion, semiconductor cleaning solvent isopropyl alcohol (isopropyl alcohol, IPA) has fallen into insufficient supply, the next year out of stock may be more serious. Medium wafer Generation plant supervisor also said that semiconductor raw materials such as helium (helium), tungsten and ceria grinding fluid, tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) gas may be in short supply. South Korea's Foosung, SK materials have smashed the money to increase the semiconductor raw materials, in preparation for the subsequent supply boom.
6.2017-year Nvidia performance Volta frame constitutes an important milestone
Graphics processor (GPU) manufacturers Nvidia launched a series of products in 2017, not only does it show the company's intention to convert from gaming GPU vendors to data centers, and the attempts by the GPU makers to use artificial intelligence (AI), such as driving and drones, has also been reflected in earnings and boosted the company's share price . In this regard, the commentary that the 2018 Nvidia will still be expected to have a wonderful performance. According to the Motley Fool, in the first 3 quarters of January 2017, Nvidia's revenue, EPS and cash flow, its EPS growth faster than the revenue, on behalf of the company's gross profit margin, in addition to highlighting its pricing capacity, but also the company has a competitive advantage of signs. Nvidia is the only manufacturer of video-game chips, and is the only one currently planning to adopt a GPU-oriented approach to accelerate efficient computing (HPC) and deep learning. Even so, Intel is interested in entering the independent GPU market and is expected to compete with Nvidia in the deep learning market. In addition, Nvidia's cash-flow growth has surpassed that of EPs, which has been stunning because of its recent huge investment in AI-related programs. In 2017, Nvidia completed a Pascal-dominated GPU program for the gaming market starting in 2016, including the launch of GeForce GTX 1080 Ti in March, the April launch of Titan Xp, the May GeForce GT 1030 and November GeForce GTX 1070 Ti. In the 3rd quarter, Nvidia's game revenue grew 25%, accounting for 59% of its total revenue, and its growth was driven by a large number of Pascal-dominated GeForce display cards. In addition, in March, Nvidia launched the Jetson TX2 platform of credit card size, formally bringing the data center's AI computing power to the edge devices of robots, drones and smart cameras. Jetson TX2 platform using Pascal GPU architecture, also launched in 2014, the Jetson third generation, the company also pointed out that its efficiency than the previous generation twice times, so that the marginal device in performing image classification, navigation and speech recognition tasks, with higher accuracy and faster response time. In May, Nvidia announced the next-generation GPU Volta Architecture and Volta accelerator Tesla V100. At present, including Amazon, Facebook, Google, IBM, Microsoft (Microsoft), Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent and other manufacturers have been upgraded from Pascal-dominated systems to Volta, large server manufacturers will also Tesla V100 integrated into its products. The success of Tesla V100 also allowed the company's 3rd-quarter data center revenue to rise 109%, accounting for 19% of total revenue. In May, Nvidia launched the Isaac Robot simulation platform, using advanced video games and image technology to train robots. Jon Peddie said that the independent GPU market grew rapidly, with 3rd-quarter shipments rising 29% from the previous 1, and Nvidia's share of the increase, the 3rd quarter to 72.8%, and the rival Ultra Micro (AMD) 37.2%. October, NVIDIA launched the world's first drive all self-driving AI supercomputer Pegasus. The system expands the company's drive PX AI platform to benefit from driving at level 5. Pegasus will be offered to Nvidia's depot partners in the next half of 2018 years. Nvidia's vehicle platform revenue accounts for 5.5% of its total revenue, but the company is expected to benefit from a drive-by-car rollout, with 225 vehicle manufacturers currently using the drive PX platform and Tesla all car models and Audi 2018 A8. Toyota and Mercedes (Benz) are also expected to launch vehicles in the 5-year period, and Baidu plans to use them in its self-driving cars. The company also points out that TITAN v can turn a PC into a supercomputer and have a 9 times-fold increase in performance over the previous generation of TITAN XP, according to a recent NVIDIA lock AI and HPC developer selling $3,000 worth of TITAN v. The commentary points out that Nvidia's most important milestone in 2017 was the introduction of the Volta GPU architecture, so Volta is expected to appear on more products in 2018, including video-game display cards. Digitimes