From bit-tech:

Creative Technology, best known for its audio-related products, has announced the sale of a chunk of its ZiiLabs subsidiary to Intel – bringing the latter company’s decision to abandon its partnership with Imagination Technology and its PowerVR GPUs into sharp focus. The deal is split across the two product areas: the UK engineering resources of ZiiLabs are being purchased for $30 million, while Creative’s GPU technology is being licensed – not purchased – for $20 million.

Anyone remember 3Dlabs? 3DLABS was an early pioneer that brought 3D graphics to the PC, which became ZiiLabs later and changed their phones from PC graphics chipsets to mobile applications processors.

Here’s a quick overview of companies that have engineering team that develop their own 3D graphic subsystems:

  • Imagination Tech
  • PowerVR
  • IP provider
  • Customers: Apple, Samsung, TI, Intel
  • ARM
  • Mali
  • IP provider
  • Customers: Samsung, ST-Ericsson, ST
  • Intel
  • x86 SOCs
  • Internal dev, then licensed Imagination, now acquired Ziilabs
  • Customers: PC mfrs
  • AMD
  • x86 SOCs
  • Internal dev, acquired ATI
  • Customers: PC mfrs
  • NVIDIA
  • Tegra, GeForce, Tesla
  • Internal dev
  • Customers: PC mfrs, mobiles/tablets
  • Qualcomm
  • Snapdragon
  • Imagination licensee, now internal dev
  • Customers: Many mobiles/tablets
  • Vivante
  • GPU
  • IP Provider
  • Customers: Marvell, Freescale

That’s all the important players that license their GPU technology, or do significant development in-house. Did I miss someone? Let me know in the comments.