Analyst: nVidia wins design contract for next iPod

[Titanio]

Searched for "nvidia iPod", hope it's not old:

http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=190500668

Nvidia Corp. has apparently won a major design win for Apple Computer Inc.'s next-generation video iPod product line — at the expense of Broadcom Corp., according to an analyst.

Apple's current video iPod line is said to use an MP3 processor from PortalPlayer Inc. and a multimedia chip from Broadcom. The chip designs have been up for grabs for the next-generation video iPod, which has been delayed and due out in the first half of 2007.

"We believe the Nvidia chip adds 3D graphics functionality in addition to all of the existing features (such as H.264) that Broadcom supported with the existing vPod," he said.

For that reason and others, the analyst has upgraded Nvidia's shares to a "buy" from a "hold" rating. "We are upgrading [Nvidia] because of 1) the next generation vPod win; 2) the G80 graphics chip is on schedule to be released in CY Q3, 3) Sony PS3 royalties will kick in during the October quarter, and finally, 4) valuation is inexpensive."

Might give further credit to the rumours that Apple wants to enter the gaming space also.

[zsouthboy]

Any speculation as to what exactly they might do, then?

Planning on doing downloadable games via iTunes also?

Not that I particularly care, but the industry intrigues me.

[Geo]

Moved to Handheld 3D. . .

[DUALDISASTER]

one of two things could happen...1. Apple could oversaturate their product and it could backfire. 2. People won't buy that version. I talked to people about the ipod and i was told they liked the ablity to take it to the gym or with them to work-outs. I don't see it happening in their favor... I sure hope not...cause, i like my psp.

[Shifty Geezer]

What games would a portable iPod run? Would devs need to develop for yet-another-platform?

[Arun]

Uhm...
NVIDIA isn't only about 3D Games...

Uttar

[breez]

Yeah, what about some slick accelerated vector GUI?

[DUALDISASTER]

Also, cost. How much will it cost? If people were complaining about PSP's price, ohhhh boy! Ipods are expensive!

[Arun]

That's not the point. NVIDIA's GoForces have video, sound and display on a single chip. I'd speculate the number of transistors (gates) used for 3D is much less than for the rest of the chip, unlike on modern NVIDIA PC Designs.

I don't think Apple even cares about the 3D Graphics here. They wouldn't want to add the controls for it to be feasible anyway; the actual vPod design is likely to be big enough already... So it'll be interesting to see whether they use a custom chip or not!

Uttar

[Shifty Geezer]

Would it be more economical to use an existing 3D capable mobile chipset than a smaller mobile chipset without 3D? Even if the 3D components are few, it's adding to unit cost. Unless they're producing these things in insane volumes, I'd have thought the smallest, simplest, cheapest component for the job would be the ideal choice, leaving out any features you're not going to use.

[inefficient]

A hardware accelerated AVS!

Color screen plus a fast graphics chip, they could probably run the same visualizer they have on itunes. Probably will kill battery life, but it would be pretty damn cool.

[Arun]

Unless they're producing these things in insane volumes, I'd have thought the smallest, simplest, cheapest component for the job would be the ideal choice, leaving out any features you're not going to use.Precisely. In fact, the situation is a bit different, considering they currently aren't producing any GoForce 5500 in 'insane volumes', while the vPods very well might require those very same 'insane volumes'.

Another interesting aspect with the GoForce 5500 is the digital/video camera functions. It very easily could encode something @30FPS in realtime, and watching you and your friends you filmed a second ago can be quite cool, especially so on a good screen you'd watch your movies on too!

I still don't see why they'd want to keep the 3D functions though. I mean, even for an interface, it doesn't make much sense, and games on a touchscreen (if that rumor is accurate) would be a tad weird perhaps... So I'd still bet on a new chip just for the vPod (or perhaps for other products too? Would Apple even agree to that?), but we'll see...


Uttar

[Fodder]

games on a touchscreen (if that rumor is accurate) would be a tad weird perhapsNintendo would like to talk to you.

[Arun]

Nintendo would like to talk to you.Fair point, but I was talking about a scheme without button controls, and no second screen. The second screen might not be essantial, so the question would have to be whether they want a pure touchscreen without buttons, or not... And if they want to keep it highly portable while maximizing the screen's size, no buttons would make a lot of sense, imo.

Uttar

[Lazy8s]

Embedding a 3D multimedia core into an SoC raises the chip's price by about $3, on SoCs which use MBX for example.

[Arun]

Frontpaged, along with a more extensive peer-reviewed analysis of the situation from a different angle. I'll close this thread tommorow unless there are any specific points that should rather be continued here.

Uttar