According to the latest statistics from Tieyang Industrial Research Institute, a subsidiary of TrendForce, the top 10 IC design companies in the first quarter of 2018 announced their revenues and rankings, except for the decline in revenues of MediaTek and Lucent Technologies. The remaining eight vendors all showed growth. Among them, Broadcom topped the list with US$4.81 billion in revenues, up 15% year-on-year; Qualcomm and NVIDIA were respectively with US$3.897 billion and US$2.79 billion. 2. The camp followed and occupied second and third place.
This was followed by MediaTek ($1.694 billion), AMD ($1.647 billion), Xilinx ($673 million), Marvell ($605 million), Realtek ($362 million), United Technologies ($357 million). ) and Dialog (3.32 billion U.S. dollars).
Qualcomm and MediaTek have not performed well in the first quarter
In response to Qualcomm and MediaTek, who are most concerned about the market, Yao Jiayang, an analyst at Tuoba Industries Research Institute, pointed out that since the end of 2017, due to the unsatisfactory new machine sales and rising channel inventory, the traditional off-season in the first quarter was reported earlier. Big handset manufacturers have a relatively conservative attitude towards the market in 2018, which has affected the order status of the two major mobile phone chip plants in the first quarter of this year.
Among them, although Qualcomm delivered a record of US$3.897 billion in the first quarter of this year, compared with the record of more than US$4 billion for three consecutive quarters in the second quarter of 2017, Qualcomm’s performance was clearly not excellent.
MediaTek’s performance in the first quarter of this year was also not ideal. Revenue has experienced an annual recession for four consecutive quarters. However, observing the revenue performance in the past three quarters, its gross profit margin has gradually stabilized. The gross profit rate in the first quarter reached 38.4%. Part of the reason is that the P60 processor adopts a 12-nanometer process, which has a competitive advantage in the market. In addition, the large-scale plants of OPPO and other manufacturers have adopted the P60 to introduce a new generation of high-end models. Although the initial shipment volume is limited, the overall gross profit rate has increased. Still helpful. However, since the P60 was released in the first quarter of this year, to achieve a significant revenue contribution for MediaTek, the results should be seen as quickly as possible in the second quarter.
As for the development of the two vendors in the second quarter, Yao Jiayang believed that because Qualcomm's new generation of Xiaolong 700 series processors still has no further news, it may affect the development of high-end models of major handset manufacturers in this year. It is possible to strengthen the positive layout of P60 on the client and strengthen technical support to key customers without affecting the gross profit margin. Qualcomm’s financial performance in the second quarter may be affected a little.
AMD and NVIDIA Benefit From Global Mining Enthusiasm
As can be seen from the top ten list, AMD and NVIDIA have performed the best. The revenue of the two companies in the first quarter increased by 67.4% and 50.6% respectively year-on-year.
Yao Jiayang believes that AMD has several reasons for this performance: First, the growth momentum of its computing and mapping business group is very strong, with a year-on-year increase of 88%, which drives overall revenue growth. Second, AMD did not perform well in the same period last year. Finally, as the global demand for mining is still hot, the demand for a new generation of graphics chips has been driven. Not only did AMD's growth rate in the first quarter stand out, but net profit also hit a new high in four years, reaching US$81 million.
NVIDIA has always maintained a high growth performance. Yao Jiayang pointed out that NVIDIA is mainly driven by the game and server market. Among them, game revenue reached US$1.728 billion and servers were US$669 million, a year-on-year increase of 52.4. % with 80.3%.
It is worth mentioning that the latest quarter's financial report shows that there are 289 million US dollars in OEM business revenue from virtual currency, showing that the global mining boom for the graphics chip makers, really benefited a lot.
Looking into the performance of the top 10 IC design companies in the second quarter of 2018, Yao Jiayang believes that the top five should not change much, but the sixth to tenth names may change. It is worth noting that As Marvell has decided to acquire Cavium, it will further improve the completeness of the programs in the Netcom and server sectors. Since the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2016, Cavium's revenue has been in the range of 2 billion to 2.5 billion U.S. dollars. With Cavium's revenue included in the second quarter of this year, Marvell will have the opportunity to overtake Xilinx and win the sixth place. (Proofread / Fan Rong)
2. How to welcome the era of automotive disruptive innovation?
According to a report on May 17th by Micronet, which was promoted by smart, networked, HMI and electrified technologies, the automotive market has entered an era of disruptive innovation and development. Innovation requires the development of the semiconductor industry to be successful, whether it is MCU, memory, or connection chips.
At the recent Cypress conference, Mike Bello, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Applications and Sales at Cypress, detailed in the IoE era, cars, urban infrastructure, occupants, and even each The related services will all realize different levels of networking; the human-machine interface integrating complex information display and control functions and AI technology will also replace the existing instrument and mechanical interaction modes; the automobile's transition from the internal combustion engine drive to the electrification and The evolution from ADAS to fully automated driving technology has significantly driven demand and innovation in semiconductors. At present, the semiconductor devices of a mainstream car model have reached US$300, while the semiconductor devices required for a high-end car are as high as US$1,000. The growth rate will reach 8-12%.
Mike Belo, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Applications and Sales, Cypress
These trends not only require the integration and development convenience of mainstream products, but also need to be dealt with with a high degree of integration of system-level solutions. Cypress has been focusing on the car market, committed to the world's top automotive manufacturers and The supplier collaborates to develop leading automotive systems including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), 3D graphic displays, wireless connectivity, full-featured touchscreens and body electronics. Cypress's automotive-grade product portfolio includes: Three major series of MCUs, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and combo wireless connectivity solutions, automotive-grade NOR Flash and HyperBus memory, power management ICs, and USB solutions for mobile device connectivity and fast charging form an effective combination of system-level solutions.
In the global automotive market, Cypress is in automotive dashboard MCU, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth single-chip wireless combo connectivity solutions, touchscreen and touch-sensing solutions, NOR flash memory for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), and more. All are market leaders. Cypress is also a leader in USB-C connectivity and fast charging solutions and is the first to introduce automotive-grade USB-C products. A rich portfolio of automotive products with zero defects and commitment to providing world-class service. , And the strictest compliance with industry standards, gives Cypress the ability to provide complete automotive electronics solutions.
Driven by the Cypress 3.0 initiative, Cypress’s automotive electronics business achieved impressive results in the first quarter of 2018. Automotive electronics revenue accounted for 34% of the company’s total revenue, which has increased by 15% from the previous year.
For the rapidly growing Chinese market, Cypress is also trying its best to localize. Mike Bellow said: 'The auto market is a key growth driver for the company's future development. In the global market including China, we have A number of top automotive companies and core suppliers have established close cooperative relationships. Cypress will always be customer-centric, providing customers with quality services and long-term support and supply capabilities, and providing the most advanced Chinese market Automotive product portfolio. '
During the same period, Cypress exclusively sponsored SugarTalk's second phase of the Automotive Electronics Forum hosted by TechSugar. Senior Vice President of Cypress Automotive Division Busch Wussion made a speech on the forum about the 'Car in the Wave of Innovation: Change and Invariance. The keynote speech expressed the determination of Cypress to dedicate itself to China and fully contribute to the development of China's automotive electronics market.
Senior Vice President of Cypress Automotive Division Buschows Speaks at SugarTalk Second Automotive Electronics Forum
3.Intel receives big order to provide autopilot technology for 8 million cars
According to Reuters from Beijing on May 17, an Intel executive told Reuters that the company is located in Israel’s Mobileye, which has signed a contract with an automaker in Europe, to the latter’s 8 million. Cars provide automatic driving technology.
The aforementioned Intel executives did not disclose the contract amount and the name of the European car manufacturer.
The deal, which is one of the highest-rated contracts that Mobileye received, is a signal that automakers and parts suppliers are accelerating the use of autonomous driving technology in the absence of fully self-driving cars for several years. .
Erez Dagan, senior vice president of advanced development and strategy at Mobileye, said that this advanced driver assistance system contract will be implemented starting in 2021. At that time, the Intel EyeQ5 chip for completely driverless technology has already been launched. EyeQ5 is An upgraded version of the EyeQ4 chip planned for release in the coming weeks.
Intel and Mobileye’s competitors are several chip and machine vision systems vendors including Nvidia, which mainly provide 'brains' and 'eyes' for self-driving cars.
Mobileye's future system will be used in a variety of models from this European car manufacturer. They all have some of the autopilot features - the car must be kept alive despite the automatic driving.
Mobileye said that currently there are 25 automakers selling about 27 million cars equipped with driver assistance systems, and their market share exceeds 70%. Intel spent USD 15.3 billion last year to acquire Mobileye.
Mobilechem CEO Amnon Shashua stated that 'by the end of 2019, there will be more than 100,000 three-stage self-driving cars with Mobileye technology.'. Level 3 self-driving cars can drive automatically, if the system does not meet In the situation, the driver needs to control the car within 10 seconds.
Mobileye is working with a number of automotive manufacturers, including General Motors, Nissan, Audi, BMW, Honda, Fiat Chrysler and China Weilai, supplying them with Level 3 autopilot technology.
At the company’s headquarters in Jerusalem, Mobileye is also using the Ford Fusion – with 12 cameras and 4 soon-to-be-released EyeQ4 chips – to test more advanced level 4 autopilot technology. In a test witnessed by Reuters reporters, With the intervention of the driver, these cars can drive on the Jerusalem highway in the midday traffic.
Mobileye said that while its 4-stage autopilot system will begin production in 2021, many of its technologies are related to the development of systems that consumers will soon be able to purchase.
Sha Sha Ya said that according to the communication with the car manufacturers, self-driving taxis will start on the road around 2021.
Sha Shuya said that in the next few years, there will be both driver-driven cars and self-driving cars on the road. He said that although 40,000 people in the United States die each year due to car accidents, society will not accept so many people with self-driving cars. Casualties, even if only 40 people were killed or killed by a self-driving car.
Therefore, Shashiya said that self-driving cars cannot rely solely on cameras. To reduce traffic accidents, the autonomous driving system makes the most rational decisions. It needs to be able to handle a wide range of sensors from cameras, high-precision maps, radars, and laser radars. Data. Phoenix Network Technology
4. Xiaolong 845 launch, Qualcomm launches WPA3 security protocol chip this summer
According to MicroNetwork News, Qualcomm today announced that its portfolio of mobile and network infrastructure products will use the latest WiFi security protection measures in the industry. Qualcomm will support the WiFi Alliance's third-generation security suite 'WiFi Protected Access (WPA3)'.
WPA3 is the latest and most secure protocol of the WiFi Alliance. It provides robust user password protection and better privacy in both public and private WiFi networks. The chip is expected to be launched this summer, including 2x2 802.11ax for client devices. Solutions, WCN3998, and IPQ807x AP-side platforms, Qualcomm will support WPA3 to provide password protection and privacy for public and private WiFi network users.
Qualcomm said that with the increasing number of security threats and vulnerabilities, consumers are increasingly concerned about the complexity and possible impact of threats. Previous Key Reinstallation Attack (KRACK) vulnerabilities have bypassed WPA2. The network security protocol, which exposes WiFi users to risk, also allows potential attackers to gain access to unencrypted network traffic and may steal confidential information. Qualcomm Technologies has actively addressed known security vulnerabilities and The mobile and network infrastructure portfolio uses WPA3 to ensure that its products support the latest security standards.
Qualcomm introduced WPA3 encryption to provide a more seamless and smooth WiFi device user experience and more secure wireless access, even if the user's WiFi password security is not as reliable. In addition, users are using random wireless encryption (Opportunistic Wireless privacy (hereinafter referred to as OWE) provides public and public hotspots, but also enjoys the protection of data privacy; OWE not only has the advantage of exposing the ease of use of the Internet, but also provides more convenience than using WPA2 and publicly sharing passwords. More protection.
Qualcomm is expected to launch a chip supporting the WPA3 security protocol in the summer of 2018, starting with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 mobile platform and applying it to all WiFi network infrastructure products. (Proofread/Fan Rong)
5. Enter Quantum Computing Fujitsu Announces Digital Annealer Technology
Fujitsu officially entered the field of quantum computing. In the recently held '2018 Fujitsu Forum', Fujitsu Digital Annealer. Digital Annealer released the latest technology combining traditional computing and quantum computing with quantum computing. The digital circuit structure design based on the concept can be used for high-speed, efficient use of big data for optimal combinatorial calculations. It is expected to be used in many fields including medical research, financial investment, inventory management, and digital marketing in the future.
Fujitsu pointed out that in order to break through the limitations of traditional computing and technology, the industry is expecting more and more quantum operations. However, Quantum Computers, or Quantum Annealing Machines, still have their shortcomings. Department, therefore, the company will launch Digital Annealer technology.
It is reported that Fujitsu Digital Annealer uses Fujitsu's proprietary IC technology architecture and Quantum Computing's 1QBit's quantum algorithm, which has higher computational accuracy than the Quantum annealing currently available in the industry. It also has the advantages of digital circuits. The high flexibility in noise immunity and overall design allows it to operate stably at room temperature without the need for special cooling devices.
In other words, unlike the quantum annealing technology that can only be operated at absolute zero (-273.15°C) at present, the Fujitsu Digital Annealer can operate at normal room temperature to meet the current need for digital transformation or a large number of optimization algorithms. Application areas, such as molecular similarity comparisons in chemical/pharmaceutical research, analysis of financial investment targets, plant inventory management, highly personalized digital marketing campaigns, etc. In addition, Digital Annealer uses a fully connected design, making Elements in the computer, that is, 1,024 independent bits, are free to exchange signals, which in turn can handle complex, large-scale problems.
Fujitsu has already demonstrated the practical application of quantum computing at the forum, including the use of traditional computer operations that require millions of years to complete the best solutions for logistics routes from dozens of locations, using the Digital Annealer Unit (DAU). In a few minutes to complete the operation.
Fujitsu pointed out that the unique feature of quantum computing lies in the ability to find the best solutions in many different solutions, such as managing the inventory of goods at various locations in the convenience store, and finding the shortest logistics route for each distribution car after the goods are sent. Fujitsu Digital Annealer technology is currently available in Japan and is expected to be rolled out to North America, Europe and Asia in the 2018 fiscal year.
In the future, Fujitsu plans to increase the Full-scale Links of Digital Annealer from 1,024 yuan to 8,192 bits, while increasing the precision from 16-bit to 64-bit (18.45 quintillion). Gradations); The DAU chip will use the COMS process for mass production to cope with more complex and larger issues.
6. Creative 7-nanometer volume production this year, is cooperating with TSMC 5/3nm and 3D package
IC Design Services's creative electronics last year recorded record highs in revenue and profit. Chen Chaoqian, general manager of the company, continued to be optimistic about its operating outlook this year. It is expected that there will be good growth this year.
In the morning of the creative meeting, Chen Chaoqian said that the advanced manufacturing process has yielded promising results. Last year, revenue and profit reached a record high. Among them, last year, the proportion of 16-nanometer process revenue reached 28%.
Looking forward to this year, despite the slowdown in the growth of the smart phone market and the trade disputes between the United States and mainland China, affecting the global economy a little slower, Chen Chaoqian said that creativity has drawn on several fast-growing fields such as artificial intelligence, cloud technology, 5G and data centers. This year's operations are still expected to continue to grow.
Chen Chaoqian said that creativity will continue to highlight advanced process technologies. In addition to the 7-nanometer production volume that will be seen this year, the enhanced 7-nanometer process will also be finalized this year. It will also cooperate with TSMC in 5nm, 3nm and 3D packaging.
In the quantum computing part, Chen Chaoqian said that quantum computing will be very rampant in the future and will be the next wave of hot technology. Supercomputer manufacturers will certainly highlight this aspect. There are several super computer customers in the creative industry and they should be able to see the results.
As for talent retention, Chen Chaoqian said that in addition to the salaries provided to enable employees to support families, creativity also provides challenging work to give employees a sense of accomplishment while paying attention to their physical and psychological balance.