From ASIC to SoC: A Paradigm Shift

The scope of this study encompasses the major traditional ASIC categories. Discussions encompass:

The basic ASIC segment, featuring standard cell ICs, gate arrays and bipolar arrays

Field-Programmable Gate Arrays/Programmable Logic Devices (FPGA/PLDs), and ASIC cost effectiveness.

While traditional ASICs have been core drivers of semiconductor consumption, in recent times, the significance of this segment has been even more enhanced due to a paradigm shift in chip design and technological innovation, leading to the evolution of the SoC. Driven by the rapid growth of the Internet, communication technologies, pervasive computing, and consumer electronics, chips have moved from stand-alone ASICs to integrated, multifeature SoCs. As such, after the traditional ASIC market, this study focuses on the SoC domain, including:

Worldwide SoC market, Embedded systems like Microprocessors Units (MPUs), memory, analog, Microcontroller Units (MCUs), and Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) in SoC, and

Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and foundries as SoC enablers.

As an important topic, the industry transition from traditional ASICs to SoCs has lead to new challenges in design methods, automation, manufacturing, technology, and testing. And this makes a discussion around EDA and foundries significant, even though the two areas do not contribute directly to the ASIC or SoC market as far as market numbers are concerned.

The last part of the study explores primary end-use applications ¾ consumer, computing, communications, automotive, military and government, and industrial. This is followed by market share information and detailed profiles of companies and suppliers that play in the ASIC/SoC realm.

The discussions incorporate notes on new developments and newsworthy items of relevance. BCC analyzes each technology, determines its current market status, examines its impact on future markets, and presents forecasts of growth over the next 5 years. Technological issues, including the latest trends, are discussed. Other influential factors, such as end-use consumption, the growth of various global regions, and the expanded use of integrated components and services, are also reviewed. A key point to note is that the term IP in the report refers to Intellectual Property, and not to Internet Protocols, as it is commonly used. For the reader's convenience, a list of industry acronyms and terms used in this report are provided in the Appendix.