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June 2008

NAND Market – Where’s Apple?

So far in 2008, the NAND market has not experienced the “Apple effect” seen in previous years, despite the upcoming 3G iPhone (with up to 16GB of storage) and the SSD option for the MacBook Air.  Consumer confidence is low due to the repercussions of the US sub-prime mortgage crisis and consumer disposable income is hampered by rising prices at the gas pumps.  These factors are having a dampening effect on consumer electronics sales.  Despite slower growth in NAND sales this year, the market can still be characterized as a growth market.  NAND unit shipments are expected to reach 3,528.5 million units in 2008 compared to 2,508.6 in 2007.  NAND revenues will grow 13% in 2008 compared to 25% in 2007. 

NAND Market – Where’s Apple?

Phoenix, Arizona June 30, 2008 - Despite the rough start to the year, Semico forecasts 2008 NAND revenues will increase 13%, with unit growth of 35%.

Rambus Asks for Ban on U.S. Sales of Hynix Chips

The legal issues between Rambus and the DRAM manufacturers continues to move through the US court systems. Rambus won a patent infringement lawsuit three months ago against Hynix for the sale of Jedec-standard DRAM.  While Hynix is the first DRAM manufacturer to be addressed, Rambus is also pursuing patent infringement claims against most of the remaining DRAM manufacturers. Yesterday Rambus requested a court-mandated license from Hynix for past shipments of Jedec-standard DRAM sold from 2001 to 2007 and permanent injunction to stop Hynix from shipping DRAM into the US during the appeal process of the patent-infringement verdict.

 

Even if the courts decide to deny or delay this injunction requested by Rambus, the possibility of other disruptions to the US supply of Jedec-standard DRAM still looms on the horizon as other DRAM manufacturers take their turn in the box. 

 

Using Software to Speed up the Internet

There is no such thing as too thin, too rich, too much horsepower or too much data transmission speed.  That is why semiconductor companies spend millions of dollars developing faster ICs, network processors and countless other ways of increasing transmission speed.  But, there might be a less expensive alternative. 

 

On June 23, 2008 NetExÒ, announced its HyperPipe™ bandwidth optimization technology enabling ISPs, phone and cable providers to deliver next-generation wideband services over existing broadband IP networks.  HyperPipe™ is a software solution that accelerates traffic on an IP network.  The software intercepts TCP packets, which are then aggregated and sent over the network optimized to achieve greater throughput.  HyperPipe protects data packets from variations in line quality conditions that cause latency, jitter, and bit errors that constrain the speed of typical IP networks by requiring packets to be re-sent. 

RF Integration: Getting It All Together

The holy grail in wireless ICs is a cost-effective one chip solution.  The challenge has been the integration of all digital and analog functions, including RF, on a single SoC.  To date, this has only been accomplished for relatively low-power, short-range networks.  As the range increases, the amount of transmission power required also increases, requiring separate RF power components (Power Amplifiers, RF Switches and RF Filters).  This determines the level of integration that can be achieved.  Today, most wireless solutions utilize separate RF components to provide the transmission power required.  But things are changing. 

 

Over the next five years, unit shipments for wireless semiconductors for PANs, LANs and WANs will increase at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of more than 20%, much higher than the CAGR for total semiconductor shipments.  According to Semico Research Corp. there will be key segments such as WiMAX that will experience over 90% CAGR.  That growth prospect is attracting new players who are hoping to get a piece of the action with innovative solutions.  These players include large, established manufacturers as well as small, startups. 

 

RF Integration: Getting It All Together

Phoenix, Arizona June 24, 2008 - The holy grail in wireless ICs is a cost-effective one chip solution. The challenge has been the integration of all digital and analog functions, including RF, on a single SoC. To date, this has only been accomplished for relatively low-power, short-range networks. As the range increases, the amount of transmission power required also increases, requiring separate RF power components (Power Amplifiers, RF Switches and RF Filters). This determines the level of integration that can be achieved.

DDR3 and the Rambus Tipping Point

An Amicus Brief was filed by three major OEMs this week in the ongoing legal activities between Rambus and the memory manufacturers.  What would concern these OEM about events that occurred almost 10 years ago?

Semico has neither the legal expertise nor the desire to comment on these ongoing cases.  However some aspects of the settlements could come to a conclusion by the end of this year.  We can comment on the potential impact on the memory supply and demand equilibrium.

Legal issues related to this long-running conflict have occasionally burst into flame and then died down in the intervening years.  Most importantly, no clear path to resolution has yet been suggested that would not place a considerable burden on some of the participating parties. One possible outcome is some level of restriction against unlicensed memory manufacturers shipping JEDEC-standard DDR memory products within the US.  Another is penalties against unlicensed memory manufacturers who had shipped JEDEC -standard SDRAM and DDR memory into the US in the past.

DDR3 and the Rambus Tipping Point

Phoenix, Arizona June 18, 2008 - An Amicus Brief was filed by three major OEMs this week in the ongoing legal activities between Rambus and the memory manufacturers. What would concern these OEM about events that occurred almost 10 years ago?

Semico has neither the legal expertise nor the desire to comment on these ongoing cases. However some aspects of the settlements could come to a conclusion by the end of this year. We can comment on the potential impact on the memory supply and demand equilibrium.

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