Wednesday, 10 September 2008

UMD Silicon Could Outsell PC Semiconductors

A new study has indicated that ultra-mobile computing could far outsell desktop and notebook PCs in the long-run, and is now garnering much attention from semiconductor firms.

According to high-tech market research firm In-Stat, Intel is gearing up to do battle with ARM-the RISC-based, incumbent, intellectual property (IP) company that has dominated the embedded mobile semiconductor market for consumer electronics devices for much of this decade.

"Mobile devices are now performing many more computing-related tasks than in the past, thus, placing additional performance and power demands on processors," says Jim McGregor, In-Stat analyst.

"But battery technology cannot currently keep pace with these ever-increasing demands and, at the same time, consumers want compact mobile devices that they can easily slip into a pocket, thus, precluding the use of a larger battery. Processing solutions that offer high-performance, while limiting power consumption, are needed."

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• Intel's expansion into emerging form factors, such as UMDs and MIDs, with low-power products expands the list of competitors.

• Applications will dictate solutions in the short-run; other factors, such as economies of scale and relationships, will decide solutions in the long-run.

• There will be no clear semiconductor maker "winner" in the short-run.