PowerPC chips for embedded markets.........
news.com
Motorola, IBM have big PowerPC plans
By Jim Davis
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
May 5, 1999, 1:20 p.m. PT
Motorola and IBM are writing a new chapter in the book on PowerPC architecture
that the companies hope will make forthcoming products a bestseller in the
market for embedded processors.
Motorola and IBM said the new architecture, code-named "Book E," will help standardize
certain basic elements of PowerPC chips in both companies' product lines, while
simultaneously increasing the ease for each to customize chips.
The changes pave the way for the two to go head-to-head in the market for low-cost
embedded processors, which are used in everything from set-top boxes for satellite and
cable TV, networking equipment, automotive engine-control systems, and more. The
announcement also highlights how Apple Computer--the only company using the PowerPC
chip in a desktop computer--has a different, and some might say reduced, role in the
development of the guts of its computers.
"From a technology perspective, this is good news for the embedded market. Basically,
Motorola and IBM are competitors, and companies can have more than one parts
supplier," said Jim Turley, senior analyst with MicroDesign Resources.
IBM and Motorola noted that one of the main advantages of the new "Book E" architecture
will make it easier for customers to migrate from 32-bit to 64-bit PowerPC designs,
executives said. Applications designed for the current PowerPC architecture will run on
64-bit versions of the chip, although no specific products have been announced yet.
Another advantage, said Tom Sartorius, senior engineer for PowerPC products at IBM, is
that the new design allows for the easy addition of what he calls "application-specific
processing units." These can act as specialized co-processors such as a digital signal
processor or multimedia playback accelerator, but are on the same piece of silicon.
Improvements aside, if customers want to stay with the older design, they can: Executives
say that there is no plan to force a migration to the updated design.
Door opens up for Apple
The new design opens up the door for Apple to easily transition to 64-bit processors in its
computers, but the work was done at the request of IBM and Motorola customers who are
looking at putting more powerful chips in products such as telecommunications equipment,
or routers that guide Internet traffic along to its proper destination. In essence, the desktop
PC market isn't the driving force behind the changes.
"While Book E addresses some needs of Apple, it was done at the request of embedded
customers," said Will Swearingen, director of PowerPC marketing for Motorola. "They
wanted to see a combined development [the PowerPC] roadmap, and flexibility in how they
do business," he noted.
"Apple was out of the loop on this," Turley opined. "They
used to have to agree to changes," he said, because they
were part owners of the design, along with IBM and Motorola.
Motorola said Apple, as a major customer of PowerPC chips,
was kept up to date on the changes and had input in the
process.
That is a marked difference from PowerPC's roots as a joint
venture between the three companies to unseat Intel as the
dominant computer-chip architecture, but just one of many
changes of late. IBM and Motorola had jointly operated the
Somerset design facility for PowerPC development in Austin,
Texas, but IBM handed control of the facility over to Motorola
last year.
Since that time, there have been questions from customers
about the future of the PowerPC architecture, executives
said. The new design is intended to provide customers a
clearer roadmap for the future, said Swearingen.
"Both IBM and Motorola are committed to working together, and we are very much
committed to PowerPC," said Elliott Newcombe, a product marketing manager for IBM's
Microelectronics division. However, the two companies are developing products separately,
and will offer products based on this core architecture on their own, independent timeline,
he added. |
