> You probably weren't expecting this:
> IBM Licenses ARM for Custom Networking, Comms Chips

Indeed. Let's see what the implications will be for IBM's PPC4xx and PPC A2 business(es). IBM's move is probably not very encouraging for existing and potential PPC4xx core licensees.
Any idea what IBM's customers will need the Mali GPU for in their routers, switches and base stations?

Edit: An attempt to explain:

""This deal makes a lot of sense, and saves IBM the trouble of maintaining its own CPU cores," said Linley Gwennap, senior analyst of the Linley Group. "IBM has been offering PowerPC cores (e.g., 405, 440) through their ASIC business, but it has not updated these cores for years, so they are getting stale [meanwhile] ARM has become quite popular," he said in an email exchange. "IBM also does ASICs for set-top boxes which is probably why they picked up a Mali license," he added."
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1319884

This would answer my Mali question. And indeed, the PPC4xx core series has last been updated in 2009. And the most recent chip they sell with PPC A2 cores (PowerEN) has been introduced in early 2010.

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 25.10.2013 - 11:28 ]