Sam Shueh
Realty One Group
Silicon Valley, CA
The annual Semiconductor West Exhibition & Convention was held in San Francisco's Mascone Convention Center last week. I had the best day to attend. In Silicon Valley temperature registered in the low 90s while in San Francisco I enjoyed the 74 deg breeze.
Unlike past years, Moore's law, road map for processor design, 5-7 nm IC 300mm wafers were the norms. This year, I did not see a single major manufacturer like Intel, AMD, Texas Instrument which bought National Semiconductor at the show. One reason is today's iPad has the computing power of a room size Gray super-computer that uses to do calculations for nuclear fission. We got plenty of computing computer on our cellphone and laptops. The need for faster processor seems to be not as urgent as previous generation of computers. How often you buy a new PC that has an Intel inside? I have upgraded my phone more and keep my old laptop.
Intel, AMD are not supplying components on iPhones. Qualcom & Intel are the suppliers to Android phone and often are fabricated in Korea. iPad processor is made by Samsung and TSMC. A today's iphone is more sophisticated than a superfast work station that was enjoyed by a single Intel processor inside.
The A9 inside a iPhone features an Apple designed 64-bit 1.85 GHz ARMv8-A dual-core CPU called Twister. It has 2 billions of transistors using 10 nm process and is energy (battery) efficient. It is rumored Apple is done with Samsung as a vendor after the legal battle on patent infringement with its Galaxy series. iPhone processor will be handled in Taiwan by TSMC, and Taiwan's Foxconn with its China facilities. There will be over 1 million employees handle the fab and assemble iPhone production.
Mascone Center, San Francisco, CA
I saw fewer visitors from Japan or Korea than in the past. I am sure I went to both Mascone convention centers on Wednesday.
I saw some package companies, wafer probing like Advantest, optical scanning equipment using Nikon, Zeiss optics. There is a lot MEMS technology possibly affect how things will be looked at. But that was what they said in the 1990s. I saw some countries looking for transferring more jobs to cheaper place like Saigon Silicon Park in Ho Chi-Minh City or even in Saudi Arabia.
EthernetCAT -Ethernet protocol Optical inspection equipment
This is not surprising as every US company uses offshore wafer foundry like Taiwan and Korea for wafer production. All devices and packaging seems to be all made elsewhere. US is just research development and sales. We do not grow Sillycorn much anymore.
This makes Silicon Valley more dependent on other innovations to stay busy. That is exactly what is happening right now. As I was walking out my old friend Victor Uribe grabbed me. He decided to go into business for himself is in wafer measurement equipment service. I told him I also service clients.
Sam Shueh-realtor and Victor Uribe Teksoli Inc, Santa Clara, CA
Sources:
2016 Semi conductor Convention (Semi West shows)
2016 Solar Exhibit (Solar Show)
Shueh, Sam How is my Silicon Valley home worth? (Silicon Valley Home Values)
Silicon Valley Real Estate July 2016 (San Jose area real estate update)
Shueh, Sam (Real EstateBlogs)
Sam Shueh Realtor
I've called San Francisco South Bay home for over 30 years. We love this area and all it has to offer, and I enjoy sharing what I know about homes. I documented in several books about Silicon Valley history. I have much expertise in real estate...please give me a call. SamshuehRealtor@gmail.com
(Four-O-Eight) 425-1601
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