The software revolution at the heart of the chip industry

At the heart of our era’s digital transformation – powering everything from satellites in the sky to consumer devices in our hands – it all comes down to tiny, intricate semiconductor chips.

Today, the chip industry is undergoing a quiet evolution that will profoundly affect the digital world. Softwarization is coming to chip manufacturers. What can chip companies – and the rest of the industries – expect?

A point of view for softwarization for semiconductors

Traditionally, the semiconductor industry’s opportunities are met primarily with a hardware-centric approach. The focus is on creating a product that meets the industry’s unique hardware needs first, and the primary value lies in the physical chip capabilities. Software plays a ‘supporting role,’ developed to complement and support the hardware after its specifications have been established.

Of course, even in a hardware-centric approach, the software is essential to exploit a chip’s full potential. The software makes the hardware accessible and valuable to the end-user by providing the necessary interfaces, controls, and customizations.