ARM to Open CPU R&D Lab in Taiwan

The silicon IP licensor ARM Ltd. announced it will open a CPU R&D center in the Hsinchu Science Park, a major ICT hub in Taiwan, to design, develop and verify ARM Cortex M processors for use in embedded applications, Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable gears.

This is the fourth CPU laboratory worldwide and the first in Asia for ARM, which commands over 95% of the world market for mobile-computing processors.

Projected to open by the end of this year, the lab will be staffed with around 40-50 specialists initially and at least 100 eventually.

The announcement came only one day before the June 3 opening of Computex Taipei, which is the Asia's largest and the world's second-largest information-communications technology (ICT) trade show.

Taiwan's industry executives highly appreciate the ARM decision, which they say will help complete the crucial building block of Taiwan's mobile-device industry chain. They noted that Taiwan's chip industry remains deficient in CPU structural development despite being a world leader in foundry and design.

ARM reportedly also evaluated Israel, China and Taiwan before finalizing its decision on the R&D laboratory. In a prepared press release, ARM Chief Executive Officer Simon Segars said the close proximity to key semiconductor and ecosystem partners and high-caliber local engineering talent makes Taiwan an ideal location for ARM to expand its CPU design activities, without disclosing the sum of the investment.

The laboratory will help sharpen Taiwan's competitiveness in mobile-computing device market in addition to increasing the opportunity for the island's leading chipmakers in winning business in IoT and wearable-gear markets.

ARM Chief Marketing Officer Ian Drew pointed out that IoT is already a very popular term and there are many devices on the market capable of connecting to the Internet, including automobiles, motors, laundries, wearable gears, and medical equipment.

Silicon foundry giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is also optimistic about market outlook of IoT, projecting the market revenue at US$1.9 trillion over the next few years. The company plans to roll out a high-end process technology called InFO that can integrate several chips into a package for IoT applications in 2015.

United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), another world leading foundry supplier, is developing presence in seven IoT sectors including wearable, intelligent architecture, intelligent energy. (KL)