from http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2010/11/intel-shifts-strategy-sells-22nm-fab-capacity.ars
intel starts to sells some 22nm fab capacity
a instresting move
intel starts to sells some 22nm fab capacity
a instresting move
intel starts to sells 22nm fab capacity
- Thread starter argor
- Start date
Very interesting...
Still waiting for the new SSD's though!
Still waiting for the new SSD's though!
It seems like Intel is hedging its bets.
It is essentially the best in the processor process treadmill, but this means exorbitant costs and greater risk.
If it scaled all its fabs in rapid succession (it usually doesn't do this, but 22nm sounds like a significant amount of expansion), its capacity would double every two years, and its R&D and other costs would more than double in the same time period.
At the same time mature markets are not growing anywhere near that rate, and developing markets may not be growing at that rate or may be favoring cheaper, smaller, products or Intel's continued growth may be less than certain in the long run due to regulation or governmental interference.
As others have noted, Intel could be testing the waters for giving a small amount of its capacity to third parties, or it could be interested in testing potential acquisitions that could then become components in its primary product lines, allowing them charge more for the product because it assimilates more of the independent parts of a full device.
It is essentially the best in the processor process treadmill, but this means exorbitant costs and greater risk.
If it scaled all its fabs in rapid succession (it usually doesn't do this, but 22nm sounds like a significant amount of expansion), its capacity would double every two years, and its R&D and other costs would more than double in the same time period.
At the same time mature markets are not growing anywhere near that rate, and developing markets may not be growing at that rate or may be favoring cheaper, smaller, products or Intel's continued growth may be less than certain in the long run due to regulation or governmental interference.
As others have noted, Intel could be testing the waters for giving a small amount of its capacity to third parties, or it could be interested in testing potential acquisitions that could then become components in its primary product lines, allowing them charge more for the product because it assimilates more of the independent parts of a full device.
I was thinking that it might be part of an advanced qualification program. Instead of producing giant SRAMs as are normally done to qualify new process nodes, they are producing a 3rd party FPGA. What are FPGA anyways ? Mostly SRAM and muxes, right ? I'd imagine them being quite high margin too.
Cheers
I suppose the high-end FPGAs can be be high-margin, but they must be low-volume enough for Intel to consider allocating wafers for it on a leading edge process.
It would be helpful early in the life of the process, but as a fab customer, the FPGA company is going to be requesting wafers long after the process has matured.
It would be helpful early in the life of the process, but as a fab customer, the FPGA company is going to be requesting wafers long after the process has matured.
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