中國瑞芯微(Rockchip)即將推出采用Globalfoundries 28nm制程的應用處理器，該公司的下一個任務，就是在激烈的平板電腦戰(zhàn)火中抓住客戶。 不過九個月以前，為平板電腦提供應用處理器的福州瑞芯微電子看起來還幾乎是不可挑戰(zhàn)的。該公司在美國消費電子展(CES)上以中國下一個搖滾巨星之姿現(xiàn)身?！拔覀儧]有極限，”瑞芯微在一份新聞稿中如是說。 然而，自那時起到現(xiàn)在， Android平板市場的競爭急劇拉高。瑞芯微副總裁陳鋒(Feng Chen)表示，以市場量計算， Android平板電腦已成長至8,000萬部之，超過蘋果(Apple) iPad迄今為止的7,500萬部銷售量。當所有應用處理器供貨商共同競逐 Android 平板后，激烈的競爭便隨之展開。 瑞芯微面臨著激烈的競爭，包括三星電子(Samsung Electronics)等跨國公司和臺灣的聯(lián)發(fā)科(MediaTek)。同時，中國芯片領域也充滿著后起之秀，不斷以低價、功能整合等優(yōu)勢加入角逐。 2012 年初，采用Cortex-A8的7英寸電容式觸控屏幕平板電腦售價是99美元。今天，這個價格已下降至65美元左右，這主要是由于一家中國無晶圓廠半導體公司──全志科技(Allwinner)，他們以turnkey system打亂了平板電腦市場。一位深圳的產(chǎn)業(yè)觀察家指出，“對整個產(chǎn)業(yè)來說，這無疑是一個壞消息?！? 瑞芯微面臨的情況，生動地說明了中國無晶圓廠今天面臨的挑戰(zhàn)。

瑞芯微副總裁陳鋒

在《EE Times》最近一次采訪中，瑞芯微的陳鋒說，“我們正在打一場全新的全球性戰(zhàn)爭?！标愪h指出，“仗很難打。但至少未來我能有故事說給我的孫子聽?！? 事實上，幾乎每一家應用處理器供貨商都無法精雕細琢后再推出產(chǎn)品，因為“上市周期愈來愈短，”他說?！案愕氖?，在這樣的市場周期下，要能如期推出產(chǎn)品也變得更加困難了。” 瑞芯微已經(jīng)在取得授權或購買IP核心方面做了投資。為了平攤這些投資，該公司已開發(fā)多達六款使用這些IP核心的芯片?！斑^去，我們的做法可能是只為一線廠商開發(fā)一款芯片，”陳鋒說。 “但 現(xiàn)在，隨著終端產(chǎn)品生命周期不斷縮短，我們從芯片設計到開發(fā)板和軟件、周邊硬件等開發(fā)工作，甚至要在兩個月內(nèi)完成。例如，今年三月份，瑞芯微開始設計內(nèi)含 雙核心Cortex A9和四核心Mali-400 GPU的 RK3066 芯片。四月該公司便在香港電子展上展示樣品。五月份便向客戶推出新的應用處理器。 本文授權編譯自EE Times，版權所有，謝絕轉載 本文下一頁：下注在Globalfoundries

相關閱讀：
• 智能手機芯片戰(zhàn)升級，得中國市場得天下
• 2012年，中國白牌平板電腦出貨量將遠低于預期
• RK3066平板6月量產(chǎn)，“2+4”架構性能拔群88Desmc

{pagination} 下注在Globalfoundries 在這樣激烈的應用處理器競爭環(huán)境下，瑞芯微的問題，是如何才能脫穎而出？ 陳鋒表示，和高通(Qualcomm)和三星等大型應用處理器供貨商相比，該公司的產(chǎn)品推出時程可能會晚個一年左右。瑞芯微的新策略是“壓縮”產(chǎn)品周期來填補技術空白。因此，該公司現(xiàn)在將賭注押在 Globalfoundries 28nm high-k 金屬閘極SoC平臺上，即將推出的RK31xx芯片將采用此一新制程。 RF31xx 是專為平板電腦和智能手機設計的雙核心Cortex A9產(chǎn)品。 Globalfoundries的28nm high-k制程“能讓我們降低成本、提高性能，但最重要的是，我們將降低平板電腦的功耗，”陳鋒說?！斑@給了我們更好的機會和聯(lián)發(fā)科競爭”，后者采用臺積電(TSMC)較為保守的制程。 當我們在九月初和陳鋒見面時，他才剛從倫敦回來，他也去了Globalfoundries在德國德累斯頓(Dresden) 的28nm晶圓制造廠。陳鋒表示，他等不及新的芯片運送到中國了?！拔覀儗⒃俣瓤s短到產(chǎn)品上市周期?！?。 比 較瑞芯微的RK31xx和聯(lián)發(fā)科在六月下旬推出的智能手機平臺MT6577：聯(lián)發(fā)科的應用處理器采用了類似的雙核心Cortex-A9，但GPU部份采用 了Imagination Technologies的PowerVR Series5 SGX。 MT6577采用TSMC的40nm制程，最近三個月正積極進入客戶設計階段。 陳認為，瑞芯微可藉由Globalfoundries的28nm HKMG制程幫助說服客戶留在該公司，而非切換到聯(lián)發(fā)科。

全球平板電腦出貨量及滲透率預測
Source：Display Search 88Desmc

全球平板電腦爭奪戰(zhàn)持續(xù)升溫。預計2016年平板銷售額將超過筆電。 (單位：百萬 / 2012年)
88Desmc

本文授權編譯自EE Times，版權所有，謝絕轉載 本文下一頁：瑞芯微的背景

相關閱讀：
• 智能手機芯片戰(zhàn)升級，得中國市場得天下
• 2012年，中國白牌平板電腦出貨量將遠低于預期
• RK3066平板6月量產(chǎn)，“2+4”架構性能拔群88Desmc

{pagination} 瑞芯微的背景 瑞芯微并不是一家專門追逐流行的新創(chuàng)公司。瑞芯微成立于2001年，這家私人公司從基于可編程MCU的數(shù)字IC起家，主打語言教育市場用的數(shù)字磁帶播放器。瑞芯微的專利軟件可讓磁帶播放器以不同速度重復播放聲音而不改變音調。目前瑞芯微在數(shù)字音頻磁帶播放機教育市場仍占有70%市場。 在成立瑞芯微以前，這家公司的兩位創(chuàng)辦人既不是芯片設計人員，也沒有所謂的“海歸”背景。該公司的首款數(shù)字IC三星設計、中芯國際 (SMIC)制造。當時，瑞芯微是頗為知名的MP3播放器芯片供貨商，該公司在很大程度上仰賴新思科技(Synopsys)的前端芯片設計和中芯國際的術 端制造。 瑞芯微認為，當前的平板電腦市場是可攜式媒體播放器熱潮的延伸。盡管受到愈來愈多像Allwinner等新進者的競爭，但愛可視(Archos)的觸控式平板網(wǎng)絡媒體播放器采用的就是瑞芯微的CPU；瑞芯微也為泰國的“一個兒童一部平板”計劃供貨。其它中國制造商也采用瑞芯微產(chǎn)品設計平板。 瑞芯微現(xiàn)擁有近500名員工，其中一半是軟件工程師。該公司正正專注于使用自有IP設計芯片，并參與后段作業(yè)。 在北京清華大學畢業(yè)后，陳鋒繼續(xù)到美國賓州里海大學(Lehigh University)就讀。陳鋒曾在朗訊工作超過6年，在2008年4月加入瑞芯微之前也曾在中芯國際工作五年。他稱自己是瑞芯微“唯一”一個海歸派。 和其它新創(chuàng)公司不同，瑞芯微從一開始就獲利。但隨著平板電腦競爭不斷升溫，該公司也必須向前邁進?！拔覀冋诖蛞粓鋈蛐缘膽?zhàn)爭。我們需要最頂尖的人才?！? 該公司還需要獲得更多資金，以便為未來的合并或收購做打算。采取自然成長路線顯然很難達到新的水平。陳鋒表示，他希望能讓中國的芯片設計產(chǎn)業(yè)更加團結，但“沒有中國公司想要放棄?！? 最后，陳鋒表示，“我們在市場必須有明確定位”，所以，瑞芯微可以選擇自己的戰(zhàn)場。

中國制造的平板電腦究竟有多少呢，而中國市場又有多大呢？ 有80%的平板電腦在中國制造及出口?！?單位：百萬部 )
Source：中國業(yè)界人士預估88Desmc

本文授權編譯自EE Times，版權所有，謝絕轉載 編譯：Joy Teng 參考英文原文：China Fabless: Rockchip rattled by Android tablet wars，by Junko Yoshida

相關閱讀：
• 智能手機芯片戰(zhàn)升級，得中國市場得天下
• 2012年，中國白牌平板電腦出貨量將遠低于預期
• RK3066平板6月量產(chǎn)，“2+4”架構性能拔群88Desmc

{pagination} China Fabless: Rockchip rattled by Android tablet wars Junko Yoshida China's Rockchip is betting the house on Globalfoundries' 28-nm process technology for its upcoming apps processor. It's next task will be hanging on to its customers as the tablet wars heat up. SHANGHAI – China fabless chip company Rockchip is caught between a rock and a hard place. Just nine months ago, Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics, a developer of apps processor for tablets, looked almost invincible. The company introduced itself at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas as China’s next rock star. “The sky is the limit,” Rockchip’s proclaimed in a press release. [Get ready for the China Fabless Summit 2013, our Spring forum where Chinese startups will showcase their plans for the future of the electronics industry.] While the sky hasn't exactly fallen on Rockchip since then, the Android-based media tablet market has gotten far more competitive. By volume, the Android tablet sector has grown to an estimated 80 million units, outpacing the 75 million iPads sold by Apple thus far, according to estimates by Rockchip vice president Feng Chen. But an equal explosion has occurred among suppliers of apps processors for Android-based tablets, with everyone chasing the same market. Allwinner changes the landscape Rockchip faces stiff competition from multinational chip companies like Samsung Electronics and Taiwanese behemoth MediaTek. Meanwhile, a host of Chinese chip suppliers are coming after Rockchip, undercutting it on price, features and integration plans. At the beginning of 2012, the target price of a 7-inch capacitive screen media tablet featuring Cortex-A8 was $99. That price has since dropped to around $65, due largely to Allwinner, a red-hot Chinese fabless company that has flooded the tablet market with its own turnkey system. Speaking of the trend, one industry observer in Shenzhen noted, “It’s a bad news for the whole industry.” Rockchip's situation vividly illustrates the challenges most Chinese fabless chip companies now face. During a recent interview with EE Times here, Rockchip’s Chen (right) said, “This is a new world war we’re fighting.” Gazing at the breakfast table, Chen added, “It’s tough. But at least I’ll have a story to tell my grandchild someday.” Indeed, nearly every apps processor vendor here is in a rough spot because “the time-to-market requirement has gotten much shorter," he noted. "Worse, catching the market rhythm or cycle -- at the right time – has become much harder.” Rockchip has invested in licensing or purchasing IP cores. In an effort to amortize its investment, the company has been developing as many as six chips a year using those IP cores. “Previously, we may have developed one chip for Tier-One customer,” said Chen. “But now, as end-product cycles get shorter, we do everything from designing a chip to developing a board and software that goes around the hardware -- literally within a couple of months,” he explained. In March, for example, Rockchip started to design its RK3066, a dual-core Cortex A9 chip with a quad-core Mali-400 GPU. By April, it hustled to showcase sample tablets based on the chip at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair. By May, the company began shipping the new apps processor to its customers. Betting on Globalfoundries As the apps processor competition intensifies, the question is how Rockchip can differentiate itself? Chen said the company may at times have been “a year behind in our prodcut offerings, when compared to apps processors from big guys" like Qualcomm and Samsung. Rockchip’s new strategy is focused on “contracting” the product cycle to fill technology gaps. Hence, it is betting on Globalfoundries’ industry-leading 28-nm SoC platform based on high-k metal gate technology for its upcoming RK31xx chip. Wafer pick up The RK31xx is a dual core Cortex A9 product designed for tablets and smartphones. Using Globalfoundries' high-k 28-nm process, “we can reduce cost, gain performance, but most importantly, we will reduce power consumption for tablets,” said Chen. “This gives us a better chance for competing against MediaTek,” which uses TSMC's more conservative process node. When we met Chen in early September, he had just returned from London, where he picked up 28-nm wafers fabricated at Globalfoundries in Dresden, Germany, and hand-delivered hurriedly to Chen at Heathrow airport. Chen said couldn’t afford to wait for the wafers to be shipped to China. “We’re driven to ‘narrow’ the time-to-market cycle,” Chen explained. Compare Rockchip’s RK31xx to MediaTek’s MT6577, a smartphone platform launched in late June: MediaTek’s apps processor uses a similar dual-core Cortex-A9, but features a PowerVR Series5 SGX GPU from Imagination Technologies. The MT6577, fabricated by using TSMC's 40-nm process technology, has been in the active design-in phase with lead customers for almost three months. Chen is betting that Rockchip can leverage Globalfoundries' 28-nm HKMG process to help persuade customers to stay with the company and not switch to MediaTek. Global tablet shipment, penetration forecast The global battle over media tablets continues to heat up. Tablets sales are expected to surpass notebook PCs at 2016. Units: Millions Source: Display Search, 2012 Rockchip’s genesis Rockchip is not a new company specifically created to chase the popular market. Founded in 2001, the privately-held company started as a developer of digital ICs based on a programmable MCU for digital cassette players used in language training. Rockchip patented software that allows a cassette player to play back voice and repeat it at different speeds without changing tone. Rockchip still holds a 70 percent share of that digital audio cassette player educational market. Prior to establishing Rockchip, its two founders were neither chip designers nor so-called “sea turtles” returning from the U.S. The company's first digital ICs were designed by Samsung and manufactured by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) here. By the time Rockchip became known as a MP3 player chip supplier, the company relied heavily on Synopsys for front-end chip design and worked with SMIC on the back-end. Design wins Rockchip, which views the current media tablet market as an extension of the portable media player boom, has logged a host of notable design wins. The Archos touch tablet Internet media player was driven by Rockchip’s CPU. Rockchip also scored a win with Thailand’s “One Tablet Per Child” initiative. Other Chinese manufacturers are also building tablets based on Rockchip designs, although they’re increasingly under attack from newcomers like Allwinner. Rockchip now employs close to 500 people. Half its employees are software engineers. It is now focused on using its own IP in designing chips and is more heavily involved in back-end works, according to Chen. After earning his BS at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Chen studied at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Chen’s worked more than six years at Lucent Technologies, then five years at SMIC before joining Rockchip in April 2008. He calls himself Rockchip's “only ‘overseas’ guy.” Unlike other startups here, Rockchip has been profitable from the start. But as the tablet battle heats up, it also needs to find a way to move to the next level. “We are fighting a world war. We need the world’s top talent.” The company also needs access to capital. Without it, Rockchip can’t even think about mergers or acquisitions. Organic growth alone won’t get it to the next level, Chen acknowledge, saying he expects consolidation in the Chinese fabless sector but “no Chinese companies want to give up.” Lastly, Chen said, “We need to be clear on the market” so that Rockchip can choose its battles. How many tablets does China make, how big is the Chinese market? 80 percent of media tablets made in China are exported Unit: Million of units Source: Chinese industry estimates