TI going Rogue !

Fantastic announcement today from IMG:

Imagination Technologies Group plc (LSE: IMG; "Imagination"), a leader in System-on-Chip Intellectual Property ("SoC IP"), has signed multi-use license agreements with Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) for new Imagination Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) IP cores from both the latest POWERVR Series5XT  family and the next generation POWERVR Series6 family, codenamed 'Rogue'.

TI will deploy both POWERVR Series5XT and 'Rogue' technology, which are ideal for various multi-core configurations, in future OMAP™ platform-based SoC designs.  These SoC devices will target the highly-significant smartphone market, as well as the fast-emerging mobile computing and tablet markets supporting key operating systems, including Android and Windows on ARM.

The new agreements are the latest milestone in a collaborative relationship that spans five generations of the OMAP platform and enables the broad, growing ecosystem of developers supporting POWERVR and OMAP technology with advanced graphics applications. This ecosystem will continue to move forward as a result of this extended relationship, taking advantage of new levels of performance and new features such as OpenCL GP-GPU computing.

Remi El-Ouazzane, Vice President and General Manager, OMAP Platform Business Unit, TI says:

"The complex, multimedia-rich mobile computing environment calls for a sophisticated yet low-power processing architecture that balances every nuance from high performance to intense graphic capabilities. TI is pleased to once again deploy Imagination's market-leading POWERVR cores into the next generation of OMAP platforms which will be a key driving force in shaping such future applications like augmented reality, OpenCL and, of course, gaming in mobile phone and mobile computing spaces."

Hossein Yassaie, CEO, Imagination says:

"We are delighted that our well-established relationship will continue into the new generations of POWERVR and OMAP. This will make five generations during which the combined efforts of Imagination and TI are the cornerstone of innovation in mobile and embedded graphics.

"These agreements will help Imagination continue to deliver, across several key markets, outstanding POWERVR graphics technologies to device manufacturers, developers and consumers for years to come."

Under the terms of its licensing arrangements Imagination receives licence fees and royalty revenues on shipment of chips incorporating Imagination's IP.

END

TI management have said many times they are a 'technology-led' company, meaning they go for the best in class graphics (PowerVR), best ecosystem and engineering support. The results are that OMAP continues to do great business , fighting off newcomers like Nvidia (in the shape of Tegra) as well as remaining pretty much the only stand-alone application processor supplier (others have all gone the integrated apps/baseband route).

Various analysts had spread the rumour of ARM Mali winning over TI in the past year - so much for that.

Well done all at IMG.

(Do the right thing Qualcomm, you know it makes sense !)

New agreement with Renesas

Another day of good news for IMG. Long-time partner and global semiconductor giant Renesas has taken a multi-use agreement for more SGX-5XT cores. They already use the SGX 543MP2 in the AG5 chip (for DoCoMo handsets H2 this year). It is also suspected that they are a 'Rogue' partner.

Renesas Electronics licenses further high-performance graphics processor cores from Imagination Technologies

Imagination Technologies Group plc (LSE: IMG; "Imagination"), a leader in System-on-Chip Intellectual Property ("SoC IP"), has signed further multi-use licence and extension agreements with Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSX: 6723), a premiere supplier of advanced semiconductors, for graphics technologies from Imagination's POWERVR SGX Series5XT IP core family.

Renesas Electronics will deploy these technologies in future system-on-chip (SoC) designs for the mobile, consumer and automotive markets.

Under the terms of its licensing arrangements Imagination receives license fees and royalty revenues on shipment of SoCs incorporating Imagination's IP.

Strategic License deal with Fujitsu

More great news today - 3 in a row!
Further to the license deal (no details) with Fujitsu announced at the interims , IMG today announced a 'strategic license' deal:

Fujitsu Licenses Imagination Graphics and Multimedia IP Cores

Fujitsu Semiconductor Europe will be one of the first groups to take advantage of the extended partnership in products targeting the automotive sector

Imagination Technologies Group plc - a leader in System-on-Chip Intellectual Property (SoC IP") - has signed a strategic license agreement with Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited for Imagination's POWERVR SGX graphics and POWERVR video technologies.

The agreement provides Fujitsu with access to a range of Imagination's technologies targeting the consumer and embedded electronics space. Fujitsu Semiconductor Europe will be one of the first groups to take advantage of the extended partnership in products targeting the automotive market.

Tony King-Smith, VP marketing, Imagination says: "We are delighted that our relationship with Fujitsu has extended in terms of using additional IP cores and targeting new markets. This new agreement will help Imagination and Fujitsu to deliver outstanding POWERVR graphics technologies that will enable innovation initially in the car market and followed by other markets in the future."

Markus Mierse, Director Graphic Competence Center, Fujitsu Semiconductor Europe, says: "Using POWERVR, Fujitsu will deliver the pinnacle of performance and efficiency for in-car systems, meeting the challenges of navigation, user interface, dashboard display and entertainment.  We will deliver both superior graphics capabilities and low power consumption to developers of graphically-rich automotive devices and sophisticated applications."
END

'Strategic' license deals usually imply multi-year, multiple IP and a greater level of commitment. They are also worth more in terms of license fees of course.

PowerVR - when 'just good enough' won't do !

Another great license announced today by IMG:

LG Electronics licenses Imagination Technologies' POWERVR graphics IP technologies

Imagination Technologies Group plc (LSE: IMG; "Imagination"), a leader in System-on-Chip Intellectual Property ("SoC IP"), has signed a license agreement with LG Electronics Inc., a leading supplier of solutions for the mobile and consumer markets, for IP cores from Imagination's POWERVR graphics family.

LG Electronics will deploy Imagination's technologies in SoCs targeting mobile and consumer markets.

Under the terms of the licence agreement Imagination receives licence fees and royalty revenues based on shipments of semiconductor products incorporating Imagination's IP.

END

Recently ARM announced LG had licensed the latest Cortex (A15 and A9) cores in an agreement which gave it 'access' to its Mali T-604 graphics. Some analysts, foolishly, saw this as evidence of the growing threat to IMG's graphics dominance.

Yet again though, today's rns proves the top semis/OEMs are well able to differentiate between 'just good enough' and 'best in class' - they cannot risk being left behind in the ultra-fast moving world of smartphones/tablets (sorry Nokia).

Well done IMG !

Mediatek licenses Rogue and 5-XT

Great announcement from IMG this morning:

Imagination Technologies licenses further high-performance graphics processor cores to MediaTek

Imagination Technologies Group plc (LSE: IMG; "Imagination"), a leader in System-on-Chip Intellectual Property ("SoC IP"), has signed a license agreement with MediaTek Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor company, for both the latest member of Imagination's POWERVR SGX graphics processor family and for Imagination's POWERVR Series6 multimedia family, codenamed Rogue.

MediaTek will deploy the technology in its future SoC devices.

Under the terms of its licensing arrangements Imagination receives license fees, and royalty revenues on shipment of SoCs incorporating Imagination's IP.

 END

Of course, there are undisclosed Rogue licensees, in addition to STM and Mediatek.

IMG just keep (quietly) doing the business whilst other players like to engage in PR tricks.

Well done HY and Co.

Intel Cedarview using SGX545

(Thanks to Rob Evans)
An exclusive from the team over at VR-Zone:

http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-intel-s-cedarview-atom-to-sport-powervr-graphics/12117.html#

Some have suspected this to be the case for a while but great to have it confirmed.
Cedarview is the follow-on from Pineview (hence most thought it would be Intel in-house graphics) but features such as DirectX 10.1 , together with the original SGX 545 announcement in January 2010 (@CES) made some folks think IMG were in with a shout here. An important milestone has been achieved with this win.
Cedarview is for netbooks/basic desktops.
Hopefully IMG will also be inside the upcoming Cloverview and Medfield cores......

CFO Trevor Selby to step down

This from IMG today:

The Board of Imagination Technologies Group plc (LSE: IMG, "Imagination" or "the Group"), a leading multimedia, communications and embedded processor technology company, announces that Trevor Selby, Chief Financial Officer, has informed the Board of his intention to step down as a director of the Group as at 30 June 2011, after serving on the Board for over 15 years. He has agreed to continue with the Group for the remainder of 2011, in order to effect a smooth transition and provide support to the business before pursuing personal interests in due course. 

The Board is pleased to announce that Richard Smith is joining the Group today and with effect from 1 July 2011 will take over from Trevor as Chief Financial Officer and will join the Board.

Until March 2011 Richard was Chief Financial Officer of ACIS, a leading provider of technology solutions to the transport sector which was acquired by Vix Technology in August 2010, having previously been a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group.

From 2006 to 2008 Richard was Finance Director of RFI Global Services, a company backed by Close Ventures that provides testing and consultancy services to the cellular, electronics and smartcard industries.  From 2000 to 2006 Richard worked in the finance team at Vodafone, becoming Head of Finance for the Enterprise Business Unit in 2004.  Prior to this he spent three years as Financial Controller for Porsche Cars Great Britain.

Richard qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in 1995 and holds an MA in Economics from Cambridge University.

Geoff Shingles, Chairman of Imagination, said:

"Trevor has made a huge contribution to the growth, development and success of Imagination since he joined us in 1996.  We thank him for all his efforts.  The Group has become a leading technology company with worldwide market reach and he played a vital part in this evolution. 

"When a team member who has been so deeply involved leaves they are inevitably missed, but we are delighted that we have found such a strong replacement as Richard Smith and that Trevor will be working closely with him for the rest of the year to create a seamless handover."

Hossein Yassaie, CEO of Imagination, said:

"Trevor has been a great CFO and supportive colleague for the many years that we have worked together in developing Imagination.  He has become a good friend and will certainly be missed. I wish him the best for the future and I am sure he will remain both a friend to Imagination and personally. 

"I welcome Richard, who brings the right experience and comes with similar values and culture to Imagination and look forward to working with him as we take the Group through its next stage of development and growth." 

END

Trevor has been an excellent CFO, steering IMG through difficult times in the past, when royalties were low and cashburn high. Finances are now on a very steady footing, with growing cash levels. He also made important contributions to deals/contracts.

At AGMs Trevor helped  IMGers understand more about the business model, factors affecting SoC royalty rates, hedging, licensing, volume estimates etc.

Trevor will leave on a high .

A big thanks to him for all his efforts ,and best wishes in his future endeavours from the Imagineers.