ARM

ARM. ARM Holdings, originally Acorn RISC Machine, is a British semiconductor and software design company renowned for its reduced instruction set computer (RISC) architectures. Its business model revolves around licensing its intellectual property cores and architectures to partners like Apple Inc., Qualcomm, and Samsung Electronics, which then manufacture the central processing units. This approach has made ARM designs the dominant architecture in mobile computing and embedded systems, powering billions of devices from smartphones to Internet of things sensors.

History

The company's origins trace back to a collaboration between Acorn Computers and Apple Inc. in the late 1980s, leading to the formation of Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. in 1990. Key early figures included Hermann Hauser and Steve Furber, who designed the original ARM1 processor. A pivotal moment came in 1993 with the launch of the ARM7 core, which was adopted by Texas Instruments for use in Nokia mobile phones, cementing its role in the burgeoning cellular industry. The company underwent a name change to ARM Holdings and completed an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange and NASDAQ in 1998. In 2016, the SoftBank Group acquired the company in a landmark deal, and later, a significant stake was sold to the Vision Fund. A planned acquisition by NVIDIA was terminated in 2022 due to regulatory challenges from bodies like the Federal Trade Commission and the Competition and Markets Authority.

Architecture

ARM architectures are defined by their RISC principles, emphasizing simplicity, high performance, and exceptional energy efficiency. The instruction set architecture has evolved through numerous versions, from early designs like ARMv4T to the modern ARMv9. A hallmark is the Thumb instruction set, which provides improved code density. The big.LITTLE heterogeneous computing architecture combines high-performance and high-efficiency cores for optimal power management. Security features are integral, with TrustZone technology providing a hardware-isolated secure environment. The architectures support multiple operating systems, including Android (operating system), various Linux distributions, and iOS.

Product range

The company's portfolio is segmented into distinct product lines. The Cortex-A series comprises high-performance application processors for devices like the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones. The Cortex-R series offers real-time processors for critical embedded systems in automotive and storage controllers. The Cortex-M series provides ultra-low-power microcontrollers for the vast Internet of things market. Beyond CPUs, the Mali (GPU) series delivers graphics processing units, while the Ethos (NPU) series provides neural processing units for machine learning tasks. The company also licenses physical IP for chip fabrication processes and foundational system IP for on-chip communication.

Market impact and applications

ARM's impact on global technology is profound, with over 250 billion chips shipped based on its designs. Its dominance is absolute in the smartphone market, with processors from Apple (Apple silicon), MediaTek, and Google's Tensor SoCs all utilizing ARM architectures. The architecture is foundational in tablets, smartwatches like the Apple Watch, and digital televisions. In the automotive sector, ARM cores are essential in advanced driver-assistance systems and infotainment. The architecture is also pivotal in cloud computing, with Amazon Web Services deploying Graviton servers and Microsoft Azure using Ampere Computing processors. Emerging applications include metaverse devices and next-generation data center infrastructure.

Licensing model

The company operates a unique licensing-only model, creating and licensing IP rather than manufacturing chips itself. This fosters a vast ecosystem of over 1,000 partners. Licenses are offered at multiple levels: an architectural license allows partners like Apple Inc. and Qualcomm to design their own compliant CPUs, while a core license grants the right to integrate a pre-designed Cortex or Neoverse core into a system on a chip. The model also includes POP IP for optimized physical implementation and technical support packages. This strategy has enabled rapid innovation and widespread adoption across diverse markets, from consumer electronics to enterprise infrastructure.

Category:Companies based in Cambridge Category:Semiconductor companies Category:Computer-related introductions in 1990