Hardware Podcasts

Episode 2: The Business of Going Vertical

The Circuit · 28 Dec 2022 · 33m · Episode 2

What this episode covers

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the strategic drivers behind technology companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon designing their own silicon, arguing that vertical integration is driven by competitive advantage and roadmap control rather than simple cost savings. They highlight how semiconductor giants like Broadcom, AMD, and MediaTek are responding by offering semi-custom services to retain these high-value customers, while noting that Chinese automotive companies are aggressively pursuing in-house chip design for autonomy due to US sanctions. The conversation explores the shift from commodity merchant silicon to specialized, high-ASP custom chips, emphasizing the role of software-defined hardware and the democratization of chip design tools.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Apple, Google, Broadcom, AMD, MediaTek, Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx, John Deere, TP-Link, NVIDIA, Alibaba
Products
M1, A series, VCU
Also
CHIPS Act

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • EE Times Current · 29m

    How Much is Enough for Hyperscale Companies?

    Brian Santo hosts a discussion on how hyperscale companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft are reshaping the semiconductor industry by demanding extreme power efficiency and designing custom AI accelerators. Experts Rick Merritt, Gary Hilson, and Dylan McGrath explain that these giants are pushing beyond standard roadmaps, collaborating directly with equipment vendors like Applied Materials, and leveraging their vast capital to drive innovation in memory and process technology. The episode concludes with Wally Rhines' insight that these companies' ultimate goal is owning the data and systems rather than just selling silicon, raising concerns about their growing societal power.

    Chips, FPGAs & semiconductorsSourcing & supply chain
    6 chapters

  • EE Times Current · 34m

    Whither Semiconductors? The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round and ‘Round

    Jim McGregor, co-founder of Tirias Research, discusses the evolving competitive landscape of the semiconductor industry, identifying Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA (following its potential acquisition of Arm) as the new dominant trio. He explains how the convergence of computing, connectivity, and intelligence is blurring traditional boundaries, with companies like Qualcomm, Samsung, and MediaTek competing across smartphones, servers, and automotive sectors. McGregor highlights the shift toward heterogeneous computing, specialized accelerators like DPUs, and the move away from monolithic dies toward multi-chip modules and advanced packaging to overcome Moore's Law limitations.

    Chips, FPGAs & semiconductorsMechanical engineering
    8 chapters

  • EE Times Current · 15m

    Silicon 100: Startups Worth Watching in 2023

    Peter Clark, curator of EE Times' Silicon 100, analyzes the 2023 list with Embedded.com editor Nitin Dahad, highlighting a surge in AI startups, significant Chinese activity, and a shift toward full-stack offerings. They discuss the transition from data center AI to edge applications, the persistent semiconductor talent shortage, and the geopolitical challenges facing Chinese chipmakers like Byton Technology who are denied access to leading-edge foundries like TSMC. The conversation also covers the rise of custom silicon, the maturity of quantum computing, and the broadening wavefront of startup activity across power semiconductors and displays.

    Chips, FPGAs & semiconductorsAI & machine learning
    5 chapters

  • EE Times Current · 18m

    Infineon’s $10B Gambit |Wally Rhines at DAC | IEEE ‘Reviewgate’

    Junko Yoshida and Dylan McGrath report on Infineon's $10 billion acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor, noting it makes Infineon the world's largest automotive chip supplier by combining connectivity, microcontrollers, and memory. At the Design Automation Conference (DAC), attendees discussed the shadow of the US-China trade war and Huawei's entity list, while Wally Rhines, CEO Emeritus of Mentor, explained how hyperscalers like Google and Amazon are driving demand for EDA tools by designing custom silicon for IoT and autonomous vehicles.

    Chips, FPGAs & semiconductorsEDA & CAD tools
    5 chapters

  • EE Times Current · 32m

    Making Cars and Going ‘Fabless’ | Next-Gen EV & AV

    Colin Barnden, an analyst at Semicast Research, argues that new automotive entrants like Apple, Fisker, and Sony will adopt a 'fabless' model, designing vehicles while relying on contract manufacturers like Magna and Foxconn for production, mirroring the semiconductor industry's shift away from owned fabs. He suggests that the commoditization of EV 'skateboard' architectures lowers the barrier to entry, allowing companies with strong purchasing power, such as Apple, to bypass traditional manufacturing infrastructure and secure critical semiconductor supply. The discussion also covers the technical distinctions between EVs and autonomous vehicles (AVs), highlighting the roles of wide bandgap semiconductors like GaN and SiC, and promotes an upcoming EE Times conference on Next-Gen EV and AV technologies.

    Scaling productionSourcing & supply chain
    6 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Circuit. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.