From Facebook's rebranding in October last year to a comprehensive layout of the metaverse, to Microsoft's $68.7 billion cash acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard in January this year, and in the near future, Apple will launch an MR helmet. The metaverse has obviously officially stepped onto the stage of the technology world and has become the most eye-catching "rising star" on this stage.
Computing and storage are two important pillars that underpin the development of the metaverse. While the new stars of the metaverse in the computing field have begun to be revealed, major storage forces have also begun to deploy the metaverse. In the second half of last year, Taiwanese manufacturers benefited from the rise of the metaverse and shined in the ** market, and received the attention of the capital market.
Since Taiwan's storage manufacturers entered the stage of self-developed DRAM last year, will the arrival of the metaverse help Taiwan's storage manufacturers to reach a new level?
The metaverse brings opportunities to storage vendors
According to PwC's estimates, there will be more than 1$5 trillion. Among them, semiconductors are one of the core driving forces supporting the development of the metaverse. It is foreseeable that with the growth of the metaverse market, the semiconductor industry will also usher in a new round of growth opportunities. The key to the development of the metaverse market is semiconductor products related to computing power, and improving computing power is inseparable from memory, so memory chips play an extremely important role in the development of the metaverse.
Just as computers and mobile phones have contributed to the prosperity of the Internet era, the progress of key terminal equipment is also related to the growth of the metaverse market. As a pioneer in expanding the metaverse market, terminal equipment has attracted the attention of the industry due to its huge base. Therefore, the first outbreak of memory chips in the metaverse terminal equipment market may bring new development opportunities to storage manufacturers.
The need for flash chips
In terms of the terminal sector, the hardware of the metaverse is mainly AR and VR devices. And a simple AR VR device,At least two Flash chips will be used to support the display and communication functionsWhen the performance requirements are higher, more MCUs or ASICs and corresponding flash memory will be used to meet these requirements. Because AR VR products have stricter size restrictions, some Flash chips use KGD technology to coexist with ASICs in a package.
The need for DRAM chips
In addition to flash,DRAM is bound to be used in the main computing chip, while coprocessors need to be developed according to specifications. Because AR VR devices are still evolving at a rapid pace, there are still a lot of ideas to be implemented on the client, so this opens up endless possibilities for how much DRAM can be used in AR VR devices.
The need for secure flash memory chips
It is more important to note that due to the increasing number of security regulations, the demand for security in the metaverse is gradually increasing. All the MCUs or SoCs in an AR VR device need to be fully equipped with the relevant cybersecurity requirements, which also means:Several secure flash memory chips are also required in the AR VR device
The metaverse provides storage vendors with a "time of day".
Why is this an opportunity for Taiwanese manufacturers?
The application of memory chips in metaverse terminal equipment provides a new competitive track for major storage manufacturers. Among them, Taiwan's storage manufacturers are a force to be reckoned with.
In the DRAM field, two of the top five DRAM vendors in the world are from Taiwan. Taiwanese manufacturers, represented by Winbond Electronics, are recognized by the market as niche DRAM. With a focus on low to medium density, niche DRAM is used in a wide range of applications such as consumer electronics, communications, industrial, and automotive with high performance and speed. The terminal equipment used in the metaverse is also a type of consumer electronics, so with the explosion of the metaverse market, there will be greater opportunities for Taiwanese manufacturers.
From a technical point of view, the DRAM required for the metaverse has higher requirements in terms of immediacy and low latency, which means that it must be usedOnly high-bandwidth DRAM can meet the needs of the metaverse。Global storage vendors are also competing around high-bandwidth DRAM, and in the face of this new demand, storage vendors need not only to have the experience base, but also to have the corresponding capabilities.
Manufacturer strength
In terms of strength, since last year, all Taiwanese storage manufacturers have begun to adopt their own technology to produce DRAM. With this milestone reached, grabbing a larger market share became their next goal. The birth of a new track represents the emergence of new needs, which is more conducive to them to find opportunities for breakthroughs in new fields and further expand their market share, which is also the significance of the development of the metaverse in Taiwan, China. Taiwanese manufacturers represented by Winbond have long been preparing to seize a larger marketWinbond's expertise in high-performance and low-power memory core design technology combined with the production advantages of its own 12-inch wafer fab, has begun to set foot in the metaverse market.
In addition, in the Flash market, especially in the NOR Flash market, Taiwanese manufacturers have a good strength. The top two vendors are both Taiwanese storage vendors, and account for more than 50% of the entire market.
Market demand
From the perspective of market demand, the metaverse focuses on the human body to experience real and virtual interactions through sensory systems. As a result, low-latency, high-flow data exchange allows for smoother images, and lighter, more sensitive, and longer-lasting sensors reduce user inconvenience and resistance. So, for these devices,Energy-efficient, stable, and secure flash memory was the focus of the choice。This is also what Taiwanese storage manufacturers are good at.
On the other hand, in response to emerging security regulatory requirements, metaverse applications, like other IoT devices, need to meet cybersecurity regulations. In this regard, Taiwan, China's storage manufacturers are not lagging behindWinbond launches the industry's first TrustMe Secure Flash MemoryThe product has passed the Common Criteria EAL5+ certification of the international security organization, which is suitable for applications to improve system security.
Plus,Taiwanese storage vendors have a better advantage in terms of costThis is also an important factor for terminal equipment to choose Taiwanese storage products with a high probability. Based on the above information, Taiwan, China provides a "geographical advantage" for the development of the metaverse terminal equipment market.
Winbond's advantages in the metaverse terminal equipment market
Winbond Electronics is an important force for Taiwan's storage manufacturers. In response to the arrival of the metaverse terminal equipment market, they have launched a layout in the fields of DRAM, Flash, and secure flash memory chips.
High-performance DRAM flash
The hardware of the metaverse is mainly AR and VR devices, and Winbond's memory products are mainly used to cooperate with processors, such as independent image processing chips that require small-capacity memory, in addition, eye tracking and ultra-high-definition analysis display functions will require small-capacity, high-bandwidth, and low-power DRAM products.
DRAM is responsible for the main chip and the buffer that the co-chip computes, or stores some AI models and OS. Winbond currently offers small-capacity, low-power, high-bandwidth products, such as 1GB 2GB DDR3 LPDDR3 LPDDR4.
However, the metaverse is not only composed of these end products, but also the high-speed and low-latency network, the AI-assisted environment supported by edge computing, and the cloud platform that provides a large amount of storage and operation of the entire virtual environment are the important factors behind the quiet help of the metaverse concept to be realized.
Comprehensive product layout
Both end devices and cloud platforms rely on flash memory to sustain their systems, but there are many differences in flash memory, such as different capacities, different operating temperatures, different package sizes, and even different considerations for system security. Meet different system requirements and help customers optimize overall performanceIt is also a major focus of Winbond's product planning.
In terms of the flash memory required for end devices, VR AR not only needs to be connected to a high-speed network to ensure that high-quality, AI-assisted images can be presented smoothly, but also to be able to monitor changes in the user. Lightweight while maintaining performanceDefinitely the way these devices are headed.
Today, Winbond offers a complete line of products to the market, both in terms of operating voltage and product capacity, to meet the needs of different ASICs within the system. What's more,Winbond also offers a variety of packaging options, and the innovative Spistack,Make VR AR devices more options for miniaturization and lightweighting.
Winbond debuts the industry's first 12v serial nor flash, which can help systems using high-performance ASICs effectively reduce overall cost and power consumption.
Certified secure flash memory
When it comes to secure flash memory, secure storage is the core of hardware security and the foundation of network security. In this field, low-power and high-performance memory products (NVM and DRAM) will be the future development trend to meet the needs of the metaverse. To this end, Winbond has launched:TrustMe Security FlashStorage, enabling a root of trust and scalability。More specifically, TrustME Secure Flash includes the W76S, W75F, and W77Q family of products that meet multiple security certifications, helping customers save effort and accelerate time to market.
Judging from Winbond's active layout in the metaverse market, he has become a "human" in the development of the metaverse terminal equipment market. It is believed that with the continuous progress of the metaverse market, Winbond Electronics can also ride the wind and step to a new level.