SuperH formed by Hitachi and STMicroelectronics to boost µP core proliferation
9 May 2001
News
STMicroelectronics and Hitachi recently announced an agreement to establish an independent company, named SuperH. The company will develop and license RISC microprocessor cores of the SuperH family. According to the companies, SuperH will license the SH-4 core and all subsequent SuperH cores to the open market, making it easier for customers worldwide to create powerful, cost-effective system-on-chip embedded microprocessor designs. SuperH will also complete final development of the 64 bit SH-5 processor and take over the development of the future SH-6 and SH-7 cores.
Hitachi and STMicroelectronics, both of which are world top-10 semiconductor companies that manufacture and market a broad portfolio of devices, believe that an independently managed entity concentrating on developing and licensing the SuperH family of processor cores will provide significant benefits for systems manufacturers and semiconductor firms.
The success of SuperH will enlarge the already extensive user base for the SuperH architecture and make it an even more compelling embedded system design choice, said the companies, and in particular, for microprocessor-based application-specific products. The potential gains are significant; according to market research firm Gartner Dataquest, the worldwide market for such MPU-based application-specific products should increase by 33% this year and reach 1,4 billion units within four years.
SuperH will have its headquarters in San Jose, California, with operations in Bristol, UK and Tokyo, Japan. The Chief Executive Officer of the new company will be Toshimasa Kihara, formerly General Manager of Microcomputer & ASIC Product Operation at Hitachi, and the Chief Operating Officer will be Jean-Marie Rolland, currently R&D Director for MicroCore Development at STMicroelectronics. Initially, around 100 people will be employed by SuperH, the majority of whom will transfer from Hitachi and STMicroelectronics, said the companies.
Further reading:
From the editor's desk: AI – a double-edged sword
Technews Publishing
News
As with any powerful tool, AI presents challenges, some of which, if not carefully managed, threaten to undo the potential that it can offer.
Read more...
Global semiconductor sales increase
News
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has announced global semiconductor sales were $57,0 billion during the month of April 2025, an increase of 2,5% compared to the March 2025.
Read more...
Avnet Abacus announced new president
Avnet Abacus
News
Avnet Abacus has announced that Mario Merino will succeed Rudy Van Parijs as president of Avnet Abacus, effective 1 July 2025.
Read more...
Avnet Abacus wins multiple prestigious awards
Avnet Abacus
News
The awards from Molex recognise outstanding performance, collaboration, and significant growth in the challenging market conditions of 2024.
Read more...
Components distribution slowdown Q1 2025
News
European components distribution (DMASS) experienced a continued slowdown in the first quarter 2025.
Read more...
Semiconductor sales increase 17% YoY
News
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) recently announced global semiconductor sales were $54,9 billion during the month of February 2025, an increase of 17,1% compared to the February 2024 total.
Read more...
Silicon Labs – Q1 results
News
Silicon Labs, a leading innovator in low-power wireless, recently reported financial results for the first quarter, which ended April 5, 2025.
Read more...
Strengthening industry through strategic partnerships at KITE 2025
Specialised Exhibitions
News
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition is not just an exhibition, it is a powerhouse of industry collaboration where visitors and exhibitors gain access to authoritative insights, technical expertise, and high-impact networking opportunities.
Read more...
Solar Youth Project calls on industry to step up
News
With the second cohort completed training and the first cohort returning for their final module, host companies are urgently needed to turn the training into a long-term opportunity.
Read more...
Conlog powers SA’s future with national smart meter rollout
News
Conlog recently secured the RT29-2024 contract from National Treasury, which is seen to be a major milestone towards modernising SA’s utility infrastructure.
Read more...
printer friendly version