O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: Department of Commerce

  • Intel looking for lion’s share of $52 billion in CHIPS Act funding, TSMC, others may receive smaller shares

    Intel looking for lion’s share of $52 billion in CHIPS Act funding, TSMC, others may receive smaller shares

    While it looks like the $52 billion CHIPS Act will go far, it looks like Intel might take the largest chunk of the government subsidies while processor manufacturer TSMC’s share won’t go as far.

    TSMC has previously said that the subsidy for American chip manufacturing was “vital” to its Arizona plant, which has been expected to begin US production of Apple’s A-series and M-series chips from 2024 … 

    In 2021, the Senate approved $52 billion in funding to boost US chip production, the House adding its support as of February of this year. The effort sought to address the global chip shortage which arose during the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure US stability against China in the chip marketplace.

    The CHIPS Act turned into the CHIPS and Science Act, after additional funding was added for broader scientific, education, and defense spending.

    According to the Financial Times, the funding is pretty much secure, and the next stage will be to decide which companies are allocated given resources:

    The financial support from Washington is unlikely to stretch across all the giant projects already under construction or on the drawing board in the US.

    “It’s not as big as everyone thinks,” said Pat Moorhead, a US chips analyst. With advanced chip manufacturing plants costing more than $10bn, the Department of Commerce, which will be responsible for deciding who gets the money, will face some difficult choices, he said.

    Intel is apparently trying to get the largest allocation, and seems to be reaching for almost a third of the $52 billion in question:

    Intel alone hopes to secure […] nearly a third of the total, for two fabs under construction in Arizona – and two more for which it is close to breaking ground in Ohio […]

    Although Congress has agreed to make the grants available to foreign companies, domestic chipmakers are lobbying hard to make sure the lion’s share of the money goes to American companies. An executive at one US chipmaker said that the commerce department should favour companies that carry out their R&D in the US and employ the largest number of workers there things that would clearly favour American companies.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and the Financial Times

  • Apple applies for FCC license to begin installing GPS testing equipment at Apple Park

    This could imply a few different things.

    According to recent filings with the FCC, Apple has requested permission for a special license to install GPS equipment. This both indicates that Apple is planning to increase its GPS testing, and marks the first time Apple has requested such a license.

    For the purposes of licensing, GPS transmitters are included in radio broadcasting legislation, and enforced jointly by the FCC and the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is part of the Department of Commerce.

    Firms wishing to use transmitters must apply for an Experimental License Filing, which Apple did on January 23, 2020.

    The application has not yet been granted, but it has been made by Apple systems design engineer, Harsha Hanumanthaiah. 

    The application specifically covers the installation of GPS equipment, listed as a “new or modified radio station” within the FCC’s definition, and operate it initially for a period of up to two years.

    According to the application, there are two core objectives:

    In the application, Apple says that there are two objectives.

    “[First] illumination of the part of the facility, located at 1 Apple Parkway, Cupertino, CA,with a GPS signal to allow for the testing and experimentation indoors for continued exploration of utilizing GPS technologies within their devices to provide innovative applications and continue to provide safe products.

    [Second] further design, development and enhancement of existing GPS applications to provide greater efficiency and more effective means of utilizing GPS derived information.”

    Such an application means that Apple would be installing a GPS transmitter or repeater within Apple Park to better control and test its own GPS devices. Apple plans to use one GPS repeater called a Metro GNSS —where GNSS is the global term for all GPS-like systems.

    Companies applying for such a license must specify where the device will be used. Once installed, the device cannot be moved without the license being re-applied for.

    While this appears to be the first GPS-related application, Apple has previously applied three times for licenses to conduct tests regarding cellular and consumer radios. It was successful each time, with the applications being approved after between one and two months.

    Finally, Apple has recently advised users of its iPhone 5 handset to update their iOS version to accommodate a scheduled upgrade to the worldwide GPS network.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and FCC Report