There will be a bit to talk about on tonight's podcast as we have seen two big changes in the industry this week. Most recently Jim Anderson, the GM and SVP of AMD's Computing and Graphics section handed in his resignation to become CEO of Lattice Semiconductor. The 35 year old FPGA company has had quite a history, from filing for Chapter 11 to grabbing IP from Silicon Image to having their purchase by a Chinese corporation blocked by the US Government. You may have never heard of them but there is a good chance you have seen or used some of their products. It will be interesting to see what this means for both companies.
The second big change comes from GLOBALFOUNDRIES and is right up Josh's 7nm alley. They will be abandoning their 7nm process to focus on their 14 and 12nm FinFET as their CEO, Tom Caulfield stated that this move makes sense as many companies have no interest in the new and more expensive fabrication process. This argument was undermined by AMD's immediately announced they will be moving the production of their next CPUs and GPUs to TSMC. There are several other companies, one of which being ARM, who are also narrowly focused on moving to 7nm and beyond. Intel has been quiet so far, for fairly obvious reasons.
"Anderson hails from AMD where he was senior veep and GM of the chip flinger's Computing and Graphics Business Group. He joined AMD in May 2015, following stints at Intel, Avago and LSI, and directly replaces Glen Hawk, who was interim boss and will remain as special advisor to the CEO until the end of October."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- Intel boosts ultrabooks and fanless PCs with more eighth-gen CPUs @ The Tech Report
- We've found another problem with IPv6: It's sparked a punch-up between top networks @ The Register
- Yahoo and AOL are scraping your inboxes for data to sell to advertisers @ The Inquirer
- Windows 0-day pops up out of
nowhereTwitter @ The Register - NVIDIA Controls AIB Launch and Driver Distribution @ [H]ard|OCP
- Nest Hello Video Doorbell @ Missing Remote
Just as GF Licensed Samsung’s
Just as GF Licensed Samsung’s 14nm node when GF was haveing issuse of its own that Indenpndent GF ASIC entity will be licensing 7nm if needed for any foundry companies that do have 7nm processes to license(Samsung/Others)
From the Semiconductor Engineering traade journal the very last sentence they state(see fuller context quoted below):
“But at 7nm, the independent ASIC entity will use technology from competitive foundries.”(1)
So for that IBM deal and possibly others GF will be licensing IP. And look at GF’s EUV machines, others could lease that part of GF’s plant capacity, even for IBM’s usage should IBM need EUV for its future processors.
“…
GlobalFoundries will not pursue that course, at least for now. “We will put on hold everything beyond 7,” Patton said.
GlobalFoundries, meanwhile, is also making some changes in the ASIC business. In 2014, the company announced plans to acquire IBM’s chip unit. As part of this deal, which was completed in 2015, GlobalFoundries acquired various technologies from IBM, such as process technology, IP and RF. It also acquired IBM’s ASIC business.
Going forward, GlobalFoundries plans to establish its ASIC business as a wholly-owned subsidiary, which is independent from the foundry business. The independent ASIC entity will continue to provide technologies within GlobalFoundries’ fabs at 14nm/12nm and above. But at 7nm, the independent ASIC entity will use technology from competitive foundries.” (1)
(1)
“GF Puts 7nm On Hold”
https://semiengineering.com/gf-puts-7nm-on-hold/
Once again GlobalFoundries
Once again GlobalFoundries would badly implement the 7 nm process from someone else (probably Samsung) in case TSMC couldn’t provide enough volume which is almost sure since nVidia would prevent its competitor from using TSMC’s capacity.
They did not do so badly with
They did not do so badly with Samsumg’s 14nm for first generation Zen/Ryzen or that 12nm for Zen+/Ryzen 2. And GF will still be in production for a good while for Zen at 14nm and Zen+ at 12nm. Really GF’s SOI process is getting their sales numbers up there.
It’s not that GF’s 7nm is that much of a failure and it’s the timing is just not there compared to TSMC and TSMC’s ramp up at 7nm is way ahead of GF’s.
GF’s 14nm(Licensed from Samsung) and 12nm processes still have customers ready wnd willing. So GF’s ability to finance 7nm is more to blame for AMD going with TSMC/Samsung.
Now for GF’s profitability the sales where going up for all of GF’s FinFet and SOI process sales but is was just the costs related to 7nm that was responsible for GF’s quarter on quarter losses. So GF’s management made the chioce to step away from the bleeding edge foundry business that GF could not afford.
GF/Samsung/IBM/Others are still going to continue that fab process technology sharing partnership that was sarted some years back. And GF will be licensing competing foundry IP for its spun off into an independent unit ASIC business.
“nVidia would prevent its competitor from using TSMC’s capacity.”
Really TSMC’s not an AIB and TSMC’s backed by Apple so Nvidia is small potatoes compared to the Trillion+ Dollar Market cap Apple. Apple could easily buy Intel and AMD with just from cash on hand account. Samsung is bigger than Nvidia also! Apple gits first dibbs and TSMC is building out its capacity as of this very moment!
GF’s fab 7nm lines could be rented out and those uber expensive EUV machines quickly could pay for themselves.
Ah Ha ha ha! Ah ha Ha HA! He He He He, ho ho ho ho he he ha Ha! Ho he ha ha ha…
So this Anderson guy most
So this Anderson guy most likely seen he was at the top of the food chain at AMD and no where to go but down then comes along an offer oh could you be our CEO he looks at where he is at with AMD and says yea sure but lets make sure I can fork in fist fulls of money they say oh yea we have much money you will be happy.
This coming form a company that files Chapter 11 good luck dude and good bye AMD don’t need non loyal people around them..bah bye sucker see you in the unemployment line when the company falls on it’s face. I am mostly joking I do wish him the best of luck but he is going to need it for sure.
Well it’s not like most of
Well it’s not like most of the CEO candidates are found from some random names thrown into a jar atop Mom’s prized mint condition 1950s era fridge.
Look at the entire industry and the same names are always jumping around if the offers are in right ballpark. Hell all upper management types are dreaming of that CEO chair. And the golden parachute is there to protect any CEO in the event of Chapter 7, 11, or we really threw a craps selecting that one let’s just buy out the remainder of his employment contract and send him packing.
Let any company just try in the State of California/others to limit any excutive headhunting via any illegal non poaching clause and see what trouble on the double that brings.
Yes the CEO unemployment line is so harsh with that Fat CEO severance package that’s 100+ times the average worker’s annual salary. It’s so terrible reclining beach side at the tropical resort filling out that UI application online while sipping that Pina Colada.
A CEO’s Loyality is to the ones with the best pay/perks and to no others.
P.S. Hector de Jesus Ruiz Cardenas was chosen Randomly from a Jar in just such a manner by AMD’s founder! But that’s now just a bad dream of way too many billions spent acquiring ATI that’s long since passed.
P.P.S. /S