Audio Chips & Technologies: Divided And Conquered?

29 March 1999

Audio Chips & Technologies: Divided And Conquered?

    PHOENIX--March 29, 1999--Don't look now, but your personal computer's "latest and greatest" new sound card may be an endangered species.
    As PC microprocessor manufacturers cram ever more functionality into their products, the trend is to progressively integrate more tasks once performed by separate chips into the host processor.
    As explained in a just published Semico Research Corp. study, Audio Chips & Technologies: Divided And Conquered?, several big name sound card and audio chip-makers are now directly involved in helping this migration. Why are they doing this? Talk about a way for the MPU manufacturers to stick it to their competition!

Several questions become crucial in this time of transition:

1. Where is the sound card market going? Is it time to get out,
    or just to refocus? 2. Among those in the PC audio market for the long term, who seems
    most likely to thrive? 3. What new markets might emerge? What will be the impact of the
    sub-$1000 PC?

    Audio Chips & Technologies: Divided And Conquered? describes the events that led the audio chip market to its present state, right up to the very latest technologies. Six key players are analyzed in depth, with their capabilities examined and the likelihood of their success spelled out.
    The market for audio chips is analyzed across the full range of PC (Servers, Workstations, Desktops, Notebooks and Sub-Notebooks). Finally, a worldwide forecast for audio chips is provided to the year 2003.
    This forecast incorporates impact analyses for factors such as the forces of integration, Intel's plans and initiatives, and the future of special purpose PC audio market segments (gamers, etc.).
    Audio Chips & Technologies: Divided And Conquered? is available for immediate shipment. The list price is $3,500. Any company that has a stake in the audio chip market, or even an interest in the PC market, would benefit from obtaining this report. As audio chips go, so might go the world.
    Semico Research Corp., is a leader in providing semiconductor market analysis, research and custom consulting. Its headquarters are in Phoenix, with offices in northern California and Boston as well as in Europe and in Japan. Other products and services are available at the Semico Research Corp. web site at www.semico.com.
    Contact: Morry Marshall, 602/997-0337 ext. 108, morrym@semico.com Semico Research Corp. 7419 N. 16th Street No. 202, Phoenix, AZ 85020.