Bits and Bytes

Bits and Bytes is a newsletter focused on the semiconductor industry, examining the transition of chip technology and its impact on computing. It explores themes like the shift towards SoC, the evolution of semiconductor manufacturing, strategic decisions by industry leaders, and the future trajectory of computing advancements.

Semiconductor Industry Dynamics System on Chip (SoC) Technology Computing Evolution Silicon Manufacturing and Security Innovations in Computing Hardware The Impact of Software on Hardware Leadership in Technology Companies Custom Silicon Solutions Transistor Density and Moore's Law IoT and Computing Integration

The hottest Substack posts of Bits and Bytes

And their main takeaways

The Relentless Pursuit of Moore's Law

5 HN points • 16 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Computing Innovation Abstraction Complexity Chip Design
  1. Moore's Law has driven progress in computing for decades by doubling transistor counts every 2 years.
  2. The management of complexity in computing has been achieved through abstraction and refactoring across multiple disciplines.
  3. Future advances in computing will likely involve raising the level of abstraction and introducing new tools to handle increasing transistor counts.

How Apple Disrupted the US Semiconductor Industry

10 implied HN points • 23 Jan 22
  1. Apple's decision to manufacture iPhone chips in Asia shifted the semiconductor industry dynamics.
  2. Intel's choice to not be the SoC supplier for the iPhone led to TSMC and Samsung gaining semiconductor manufacturing leadership.
  3. The shift in semiconductor manufacturing to Asia poses challenges for US national interests and security.

The Relentless Pursuit of Moore’s Law

1 HN point • 24 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Innovation Semiconductor AI
  1. Innovations in the pursuit of Moore's Law evolved individually until high-volume semiconductor manufacturing adopted them.
  2. Advancements in transistor density and computer design followed an S-curve pattern with periods of rapid progress followed by diminishing returns.
  3. Architectural innovations, like wider instruction widths and core-level parallelism, drove the evolution of computers with each 10X increase in transistor count.

On the Origins of AWS Custom Silicon

1 HN point • 30 Nov 22
  1. AWS developed custom silicon to meet customer needs and improve data center efficiency.
  2. Starting with customer problems led AWS to create successful ventures like AWS and Alexa.
  3. Investing in custom silicon was a strategic, long-term decision for AWS, driving innovation and growth.
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A Changing Silicon Landscape

3 implied HN points • 14 Feb 21
  1. Newsletter about global silicon technology and semiconductor landscape
  2. Focus on evolution in next wave of computing
  3. Encouragement to sign up and share with friends

How Will Silicon Platforms Evolve?

1 implied HN point • 20 Feb 21
  1. Silicon platforms will continue to provide same performance for less cost in the post-mobile era.
  2. Semiconductor industry growth will focus on compute, connectivity, sensing, and storage.
  3. MEMS technology and heterogeneous integration will play significant roles in semiconductor development.

How Will the Chip Wars be Won?

6 implied HN points • 28 Oct 15
  1. Intel dominated the PC era with x86 architecture but fell behind in mobile computing to ARM's SoC ecosystem.
  2. In the semiconductor industry today, SoCs are dominating total silicon volume and ARM's ecosystem is challenging Intel.
  3. In the chip wars, the battle is on three fronts: SoC integration, CPU architecture, and foundry technology.

How the SoC is Displacing the CPU

4 implied HN points • 12 Nov 15
  1. The shift from performance-centric to power-constrained chips in the semiconductor industry has led to the rise of System on Chip (SoC) technology.
  2. SoC technology, heavily utilized in mobile devices, has disrupted the traditional CPU landscape by offering lower cost, enhanced system integration, and improved power efficiency.
  3. The future trajectory of the semiconductor industry is likely to be driven by SoC technology, with a focus on mobile SoCs shaping transistor technology and GPU-centric designs becoming pivotal.

Is Software Eating Silicon?

4 implied HN points • 04 Nov 15
  1. Software companies are disrupting traditional businesses like taxis and hotels by using digital solutions.
  2. The semiconductor industry is experiencing a transformation with the rise of programmable hardware like FPGAs and GPUs.
  3. Programmable hardware, paired with CPUs, can deliver significant performance gains and is poised to become a major computing platform in the future.

“Making Things Smaller Doesn’t Help Anymore”

1 implied HN point • 26 Oct 15
  1. According to Gordon Moore, making things smaller won't be as helpful in the future.
  2. Despite the physical limit, advancements in technology will still be possible with the increasing complexity of chips.
  3. Engineers will have great potential for innovation with the billion transistors on a logic chip.

History (and future) of Computing in One Chart

1 implied HN point • 15 Oct 15
  1. Advances in computing have driven down costs and shaped semiconductor industry
  2. New wave of computing powered by IoT will integrate chips into physical objects around us
  3. Semiconductor industry adapting to support a $10 unit price point for ubiquitous computing

Computing Transitions

0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 15
  1. Mainframe to PC transition ($1000 Price Point) in early 1980s enabled by aggressive transistor scaling and focus on increasing performance.
  2. PC to Mobile transition ($100 Price Point) showcased dominance of SoC integration and cheaper software ecosystems like iOS and Android.
  3. Mobile to IoT transition ($10 Price Point) requires higher on-chip integration and focus on total power envelope for sensor hubs.

Computer on a Chip

0 implied HN points • 20 Oct 15
  1. The Internet of Things (IoT) needs a new integrated silicon platform called System-in-Package (SiP) for front-end devices.
  2. Front-end IoT devices require a variety of performance and power levels depending on their application, like fitness trackers and wearable technologies.
  3. For IoT and wearable technologies, cost-effective transistor technology is key, and 40/55/65nm technologies are currently best suited for these devices.