Yazılar

Nvidia CEO Teases Future Plans for Desktop Chip Developed with MediaTek

/in /tarafından

At CES 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed that the company has plans for a new desktop central processor (CPU) co-designed with MediaTek. The CPU was unveiled as part of Nvidia’s “Project DIGITS” desktop, which features Nvidia’s latest “Blackwell” AI chip and is priced at $3,000. While the desktop is currently targeting AI developers and is not yet a mass-market product, the collaboration with MediaTek aims to bring an energy-efficient CPU to a broader market.

Huang emphasized that MediaTek would be able to sell the CPU to other markets, and Nvidia’s collaboration is mutually beneficial. “They could provide that to us, and they could keep that for themselves and serve the market. It was a great win-win,” Huang explained. The CPU is designed to challenge the dominance of Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Qualcomm in the consumer and business computer markets.

Nvidia is currently targeting AI developers with Project DIGITS, which runs a Linux-based operating system designed for AI workloads. Huang also hinted at future plans for the desktop CPU but did not disclose specifics. However, he mentioned Nvidia’s strategy to bridge the gap between the Linux OS commonly used by AI developers and Windows, the widely used consumer OS, through the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

“We’re going to make that a mainstream product,” Huang said, noting that Nvidia would support it with professional-grade software, and PC manufacturers would bring the product to end users.

Samsung’s Q4 Profit Misses Expectations as Chip Issues and Rising Costs Weigh on Earnings

/in /tarafından

Samsung Electronics has reported a significant shortfall in its preliminary fourth-quarter operating profit, primarily due to challenges in its semiconductor business. The South Korean tech giant estimates an operating profit of 6.5 trillion won ($4.5 billion) for the three months ending Dec. 31, well below analyst expectations of 7.7 trillion won. Although the expected profit represents a 131% year-on-year increase, it marks a 29% decline compared to the previous quarter.

The company’s earnings were affected by rising research and development (R&D) costs and the ramp-up of manufacturing capacity for advanced semiconductors. Additionally, weak demand for conventional memory chips used in PCs and mobile phones further contributed to the dip in profits.

Samsung’s efforts to provide high-end chips to Nvidia have also posed challenges. Unlike its rival SK Hynix, which is Nvidia’s main supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI GPUs, Samsung has struggled to meet the tech giant’s chip requirements. Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, mentioned that Samsung needs to “engineer a new design” to supply HBM chips, although he expressed confidence in Samsung’s ability to meet this challenge.

The disappointing earnings also extended to Samsung’s logic chip division, which designs and manufactures chips for mobile phones. Analysts estimate losses could have widened to about $1.5 billion in the fourth quarter due to lower production yields and reduced demand for mobile devices, including Samsung’s premium foldable phones.

Despite the weak earnings, Samsung’s shares saw a slight uptick, with analysts noting that the company’s woes were already factored into stock prices. Competition in the chip and mobile sectors remains intense, and analysts are cautiously optimistic that chip demand may have bottomed out.

 

Quantum Computing Stocks Drop After Nvidia CEO’s Dismal Outlook

/in /tarafından

Quantum computing stocks experienced a significant decline on Wednesday, halting a year-long rally, after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicted that practical quantum computers are still two decades away. This stark timeline casts doubt on the future of the sector, which had seen optimism due to early-stage breakthroughs but is still far from achieving widespread commercial success.

Huang suggested that while the technology shows potential, “very useful quantum computers” are likely 15 to 30 years away, with 20 years being the most plausible estimate. This forecast contrasts with the rapid growth of the quantum computing industry in recent years, driven by high-profile developments like Google’s December breakthrough in the field.

Stocks of companies like Rigetti Computing, D-Wave Quantum, Quantum Computing, and IonQ plunged by more than 40%, collectively losing over $8 billion in market value. The decline reflects the industry’s current struggle with niche applications and the massive investment needed for future progress. Despite the steep drop, Ivana Delevska, chief investment officer of Spear Invest, which holds shares in Rigetti and IonQ, stated that the 15 to 20-year timeline seems realistic, mirroring the trajectory Nvidia followed in developing accelerated computing.

Despite the long road ahead, quantum computing remains a key area for national security, with governments counting on its potential for military applications, particularly in decryption technology. However, the current revenues of these companies are minimal, with IonQ, valued at over $10 billion, projecting $41.6 million in revenue for fiscal 2024, and Rigetti, valued at $4.4 billion, expected to generate just $11 million in the same period.

Analysts, like Richard Shannon from Craig-Hallum, suggest that while these companies are far from profitable, their future revenue growth, particularly from government contracts, is crucial to their long-term potential. Shannon also noted that while quantum computing may disrupt traditional computing, it could ultimately benefit Nvidia, a major player in the accelerated computing space.