( ESNUG 547 Item 7 ) -------------------------------------------- [03/09/15]
Subject: Engineering comments point to SNPS vs. CDNS PNR shakeout at Apple
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Three weeks ago I asked the DeepChip readers this...
Four months ago during the CDNS 3rd quarter 2014 earnings call,
Lip-Bu Tan boasted (on record):
"I think this large contract we referred to is a marquee
global company. We cannot say more than that. But
clearly it's a very big contract for us and clearly
across product line and you know, clearly, digital is
a very good portion of that and then also our
verification, our IP business."
- Lip-Bu Tan, CDNS CEO (3Q14 Earnings 10/20/14)
I'd love it if anon sources told me who this "marquee company" is.
(Hint! Hint!)
- from http://www.deepchip.com/items/0547-04.html
Out of the 36 engineering replies that I got back, 34 (94%) of them said
that Lip-Bu's 5 year big secret contract "marquee company" was Apple; and
two said it was Intel.
But what caught my eye were 4 engineering comments indirectly alluding to
an secret internal Apple P&R benchmark where Cadence had beat Synopsys. In
addition one engineer pointed me to a Wall Street analysts who said:
"Our checks indicate that CDNS has leap frogged SNPS who has long
dominated synthesis and timing. This positions the company well
for 14 nm and 10 nm nodes for the next 5 years, we believe."
- Gus Richard of Northland Capital (12/24/14)
Clearly where there's smoke, there's fire -- but these hints give me more
questions than answers. Apple has 3 different ARM-based processor families
under constant development:
iPhone: A7, A8, A9, A10, etc.
iPad: A7X, A8X, A9X, A10X, etc.
new Apple Watch: A??? -- it's 28nm Samsung
Let's say Apple bought a mess of Encounter Digital and/or "Project Novus"
licenses; plus the usual Denali memory models, and Palladium boxes. So
some Apple design groups are using Cadence EDI for P&R. Does this mean
that Aart's IC Compiler -- and his new IC Compiler II -- has lost out?
On which processors? Which specific chips? Which nodes? Which fabs?
And since Lip-Bu is saying on record that this "marquee company" contract
is the biggest deal he's seen in the 5 years that he's been with Cadence;
it's clearly NOT your usual AAPL-CDNS contract renewal -- otherwise the SEC
would have Lip-Bu up on charges for grossly misleading investors...
So my gut says that there's been a disturbance in the force. That is, CDNS
has probably scored a highly embarrassing digital P&R win over SNPS, but due
to AAPL R&D's paranoid corporate culture, we won't know the whole scope of
this win until many years later down the road.
Anyway, here's the 36 responses that started all this...
"I'd love it if anon sources told me who this
marquee company is. (Hint! Hint!)"
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
A10 is being designed on Cadence EDI in TSMC 16FF.
A9 trying early yields now. Process issues. A10 might go Samsung 14
if TSMC can't fix this.
A10X is to be on Samsung 10 nm.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
My buddies say Apple is using Cadence digital for 16/14 nm.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
I heard at Mobile World that Synopsys lost the digital PPA shootout
at Apple to Cadence. EDI is Apple's nex gen digital layout.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
AAPL is to use Cadence PNR going forward.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Gus Richard of Northland Capital Markets says his checks confirm
that it's Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL).
Richard says it's for digital PNR, verification, and IP.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
It's Apple.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Eight-ball says "Apple".
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Jeez, John, this was 4 months ago. It's Apple. Try to keep up.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Lunch guys agree it's Apple.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
I believe Lip-Bu is talking about Apple.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
The iFruit company
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
AAPL
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
It's that Cupertino company that Steve and Woz started.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
They're in the iPhone 7.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
4150 504C 4521
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
My Sand Hill contacts tell me that Lip-Bu is using code to say
that Cadence got a massive Apple order.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
It's either:
- Intel
- Samsung
- Apple
They're all equally paranoid companies. I'd say Apple.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
I already knew Apple uses Cadence Encounter and Denali VIP.
Looks like Apple is using Cadence hard IP now, too.
You owe an apology to Martin Lund, Cooley.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple uses everyone.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Tell Woz that I want to buy his vacuum tube watch.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
"signed the largest deal in 5 years at a marquee global brand"
Is Apple marquee?
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
AAPL
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Now if Lip-Bu could get iOS 8.0 updates to under 5 gig, that would
be news.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
In the valley everyone says it's AAPL.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Apple
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
StreetInsider.com says Apple.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
My money is on Intel. Not the ICF group. They're idiots.
Greater Intel itself.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Trust me. It's Intel.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
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