Editor’s Note: Related tickers: QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM), Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM)
Last week, we discussed MediaTek’s plans for an octa-core processor that would leverage ARM’s big.LITTLE MP technology and allow up to eight CPU cores to be active at the same time, rather than limiting a smartphone or tablet to four high-speed or four low-speed cores. When asked during QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM)’s conference call if his own company might do such a thing, senior vice president Anand Chandrasekher derisively dismissed the possibility, first saying: “You can’t take eight lawnmower engines, put them together and now claim you have an eight-cylinder Ferrari.” When pushed harder, he elaborated. “We don’t do dumb things.”
Leaked prices for future Intel Ivy Bridge-E chips surface online (ITProPortal)
A leaked spec sheet purporting to show prices for Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s upcoming lineup of “Ivy Bridge-E” processors could give us a hint at what to expect from the chip giant’s next release of high-end desktop PC parts. The leaked specs for seven next-generation multi-core Core i7 chips were posted on the Chinese-language site VR-Zone this week. AnandTech found the listed prices and specs to be plausible, but noted that there seem to be some discrepancies between the Turbo Boost clock frequencies for the upcoming enthusiast desktop parts and the Turbo Boost speeds it had earlier predicted for Ivy Bridge-E.
You tweet it, we trade it (CNBC)
Qualcomm might ditch TSMC, embrace GloFo (TechEye)
QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) is rumoured to be thinking about shifting SoC production from TSMC to other foundries, namely Globalfoundries. The company allegedly believes the move would improve its competitiveness and allow it to grow market share. With Qualcomm’s mobile SoC business booming, there should be no shortage of interested foundries. As Seeking Alpha recently put it, QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) is selling shovels in a goldmine, but it doesn’t build the shovels – TSMC takes care of that. Now that TSMC has apparently landed a lucrative high-volume deal with Apple, Qualcomm might want to look for preferential treatment elsewhere. The report comes from Digitimes, so it’s flavoured with a pinch of salt.
Broadcom Corporation (BRCM): Wireless Risks May Limit Upside (iStockAnalyst)
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM) could face risks in its wireless business due to slowing smartphone growth at the high-end that could limit upside in connectivity growth. It now appears that Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM)’s Mobile & Wireless roadmap will undergo challenges including the pushout and subsequent sales of its LTE system on a chip (SoC) roadmap, which is at-risk of being late to market versus newer competitors such as Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:MRVL) and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC). Though the company has garnered design wins in China, units have been less than expected given the lack of high-volume sockets.
Intel expected to reveal first Bay Trail-T Atom processors on September 11 (The Tech Report, LLC)
In May, we told you all about the Silvermont architecture that will underpin Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s next-generation Atom processors. The new chips are expected to fuel a wave of Windows 8 tablets and convertibles, and they could arrive as early as next month. VR-Zone says Intel will unveil a handful of tablet-focused Atom processors on September 11. The date makes sense, since the Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) Developer Forum runs from September 10-12 in San Francisco. The new Atom chips will fall under the Bay Trail-T codename, according to VR-Zone, and four models will be offered. All of them will be built on 22-nm process technology and will feature four cores.
