Date: 13/05/2012

Processor IP biz: 10 Billion cores shipped with 25% growth in 2011, according to Linley

Linley Group has reported more than 10 billion chips containing CPU/processor IP cores shipped in 201.The research finding reported includes:

The most popular IP blocks are programmable processors such as CPUs and DSPs, but as system designers place more emphasis on differentiation through sophisticated user interfaces, there is a surging interest in graphics processor units (GPUs) as well.

The CPU IP business increased 25 percent in 2011 driven by growth in smartphones and microcontrollers while the shipments of merchant DSP IP grew by 44 percent in 2011 because of increasing adoption in cellular-baseband processors. The GPU IP market is still in its infancy but exceeded 300 million units.

Companies covered extensively in the report include: ARM, CEVA, IBM, Imagination Technologies, MIPS, Synopsys (ARC), Tensilica and Vivante. Also covered are Adapteva, Aeroflex Gaisler, Beyond Semiconductor, Cognovo, Coresonic, Cortus, Digital Media Professionals (DMP), EnSilica, NXP and VeriSilicon.