Arm is canceling Qualcomm's chip design license

This "cancellation" is likely to be paused until the lawsuit is resolved so it's hard to say what this means. Presumably this is a part of the negotiations going on behind the scenes.

Re: Arm is canceling Qualcomm's chip design license

#6

Post by dietr1ch » Wed, Oct 23, 2024, 1:01 AM UTC

talldayo wrote: post #2

Could be the best thing that's ever happened for RISC-V!

I think it's already a great thing for RISC-V, imagine things somehow go well for Qualcomm, do you really think they wouldn't prepare a plan B given ARM tried to get them out of the market?

Re: Arm is canceling Qualcomm's chip design license

#7

Post by nahnahno » Wed, Oct 23, 2024, 1:07 AM UTC

dietr1ch wrote: post #6

talldayo wrote: post #2

Could be the best thing that's ever happened for RISC-V!

I think it's already a great thing for RISC-V, imagine things somehow go well for Qualcomm, do you really think they wouldn't prepare a plan B given ARM tried to get them out of the market?

I don’t think they have a plan B. Architectures take half a decade of work. Porting from risc-v to arm is not a matter of a backup plan, it’s that of a very costly pivot.

Re: Arm is canceling Qualcomm's chip design license

#8

Post by gjsman-1000 » Wed, Oct 23, 2024, 1:15 AM UTC

nahnahno wrote: post #7

dietr1ch wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's already a great thing for RISC-V, imagine things somehow go well for Qualcomm, do you really think they wouldn't prepare a plan B given ARM tried to get them out of the market?

I don’t think they have a plan B. Architectures take half a decade of work. Porting from risc-v to arm is not a matter of a backup plan, it’s that of a very costly pivot.

No kidding; and while RISC-V is a massive improvement, I hate to be the wet blanket, but RISC-V will not change signed boot, bootloader restrictions, messy or closed source drivers, carrier requirements, DRM implementation, or other painful day to day paper cuts. Open source architecture != Open source software and certainly != Open source hardware; no matter what the YouTubers think.

Re: Arm is canceling Qualcomm's chip design license

#9

Post by betaby » Wed, Oct 23, 2024, 1:16 AM UTC

nahnahno wrote: post #7

dietr1ch wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's already a great thing for RISC-V, imagine things somehow go well for Qualcomm, do you really think they wouldn't prepare a plan B given ARM tried to get them out of the market?

I don’t think they have a plan B. Architectures take half a decade of work. Porting from risc-v to arm is not a matter of a backup plan, it’s that of a very costly pivot.

I suppose Google ( + Samsung ) can bear that cost in the context of Android Arm -> Android RISC-V.

Re: Arm is canceling Qualcomm's chip design license

#10

Post by MBCook » Wed, Oct 23, 2024, 1:18 AM UTC

Let’s just assume this happens for a moment.

What do Android OEMs do? They can’t use Apple chips, or now Qualcomm chips. Switching to another architecture is a big deal.

Would this basically hand the Android market to Samsung and their Exynos chips? Or does another short term viable competitor exist?