Source: South China Morning Post
The parent company of TikTok, ByteDance is reportedly exploring the designing of its own chips. This would mark it joining the range of internet companies from China that revolve around semiconductors. Notably, this is as Beijing attempts to facilitate self-sufficiency in the upcoming tech industry.
The TikTok owner, which is also responsible for several gaming successes is looking into design of chips for their own use in specialised sectors. A spokesperson from the tech giant stated how this was owing to the fact they have not met any supplier that can meet its needs currently.
Reports specify how these chips would be particularly customised to match the workload connected to the several business fields on ByteDance. The spokesperson concerned stated how these fields include entertainment and information applications, along with video platforms.
Notably, the Chinese tech giant will not take part in making chips for its sale to any other company. ByteDance noted how it has several job vacancies on it site for positions essentially connected to design of these chips. Its focus on designing conductor focusses on a couple of significant themes. These include the growing focus from firms to make chips for particular needs. Along with it, the government’s focus to pushing to emerge stronger in this field.
Other companies already joining the country’s goals:
In the past few years, companies such as cloud titan Alibaba, along with search giant Baidu have come up with their own self-designed chips.This is despite them not having an essentially focussed background in semiconductors. This is due to custom-designed chips is a way for companies to make particular products for what their work calls for. Clearly, this is better than purchasing one off-the-shelf from another concerned firm.
Despite this, Chinese companies still need contract chipmakers, mainly foreign companies, to adequately make the specific parts for it. This appears rather identical to what Apple Inc does for its devices such as the iPhones. Clearly, semiconductors are pretty much necessary for various products from phones to automobiles. Hence, it is viewed as a significant battleground between China and the US in the middle of a wider tech war.
For years now, China has broadly invested into ramping up its domestic chip industry, but struggling to keep with its rivals. Though China stills depends widely on foreign tech, it has recently stepped up its emphasis on self-sufficiency in semiconductors.
