AMD reconfirmed Zen on track for 2016

[tenks]

"When questioned about the health of Zen on the quarterly conference call yesterday AMD’s CEO responded directly saying, “Zen is on schedule for availability in 2016 and a first full-year of revenue, ramp, in 2017.” This statement is consistent with what AMD has stated prior to the call.

When asked if Jim Keller’s departure would have any impact on AMD’s roadmap Dr. Su responded, “In terms of the long-term roadmap we are extremely committed to high performance x86 CPUs and there should be no confusion on that point.” This is a stronger statement than we’re used to seeing from AMD about their commitment to the x86 market especially given the move away from the high performance x86 market under AMD’s prior CEO Rory Read."

http://semiaccurate.com/2015/10/16/amd-reiterates-its-confidence-in-zen/


Wow, pretty bold words. I'll believe it when it happens.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Yea just like she said they were definitely shipping 20 nm products this year? We will see, but "availability" can mean a lot of things. Availability to the server market, to OEMs to start building products, to consumers in good supply or what? I mean look at Intel 14 nm, or Carrizo. There can be six months easily between when a product technically "available"
And when it is really available to the consumer in good supply. I will be very surprised if we see anything besides token availability until 2017.

 

[Arachnotronic]

What else are they going to say to investors?

 

[Puffnstuff]

What else are they going to say to investors?

I would imagine that the conversation goes kind of like this "geez fellas, if you'll keep supporting us we'll eventually generate some service revenue and increase owners' equity". This is all tongue in cheek as their market share continues to dwindle and I can only imagine what their current ratios look like. :awe:

 

[dark zero]

Yea just like she said they were definitely shipping 20 nm products this year? We will see, but "availability" can mean a lot of things. Availability to the server market, to OEMs to start building products, to consumers in good supply or what? I mean look at Intel 14 nm, or Carrizo. There can be six months easily between when a product technically "available"
And when it is really available to the consumer in good supply. I will be very surprised if we see anything besides token availability until 2017.

Maybe they are ready for servers by 2016 and at 2017 we might see their first FX.

 

[Phynaz]

Yea just like she said they were definitely shipping 20 nm products this year? We will see, but "availability" can mean a lot of things. Availability to the server market, to OEMs to start building products, to consumers in good supply or what? I mean look at Intel 14 nm, or Carrizo. There can be six months easily between when a product technically "available"
And when it is really available to the consumer in good supply. I will be very surprised if we see anything besides token availability until 2017.

The key isn't in what they said, it's in what they didn't say - the word revenue. Zen isn't going to be available to purchase in 2016.

 

[jpiniero]

The key isn't in what they said, it's in what they didn't say - the word revenue. Zen isn't going to be available to purchase in 2016.

The wording makes me think it will be a paper launch of the FX models at the end of 2016. Kind of like what Intel did with Broadwell last year.

 

[tenks]

The key isn't in what they said, it's in what they didn't say - the word revenue. Zen isn't going to be available to purchase in 2016.

Totally agree.

 

[waffleironhead]

The key isn't in what they said, it's in what they didn't say - the word revenue. Zen isn't going to be available to purchase in 2016.

Does "full year of revenue" just require some revenue anywhere in the first quarter? So revenue can come in on last day of q1 and still technically fulfill the "full year"?

 

[Tuna-Fish]

Does "full year of revenue" just require some revenue anywhere in the first quarter? So revenue can come in on last day of q1 and still technically fulfill the "full year"?

"Full year of revenue" means that they intend to have them available for sale from the first day of the year to the last day of the year. It specifically refers to having sales "in steady state", in that they begin before the accounting period and end after the accounting period. A year during which a product becomes available for sale is not a full year of revenue for that product.

Their fiscal year begins in Dec 28, so first batch of product shipping in the last week of 2016 would have them stick to this timetable.

 

[frozentundra123456]

"Full year of revenue" means that they intend to have them available for sale from the first day of the year to the last day of the year. It specifically refers to having sales "in steady state", in that they begin before the accounting period and end after the accounting period. A year during which a product becomes available for sale is not a full year of revenue for that product.

Their fiscal year begins in Dec 28, so first batch of product shipping in the last week of 2016 would have them stick to this timetable.

Do you have inside information from AMD that this is in fact what they mean? Logically your reasoning is correct, but accounting wise, if revenue is reported in all 4 quarters, it could be a full year of revenue.

It certainly does not imply full availability for the entire year.

 

[ThatBuzzkiller]

Yeesh, some people here have a hard time believing AMD even if it's from top executives ...

 

[Boze]

Yeesh, some people here have a hard time believing AMD even if it's from top executives ...

Because they're the ones you should least trust, that's why.

They're hired to bring value to the company. Not shipping product and not generating revenue brings no value, and gives ammunition to the BOD to toss your butt out on the street.

I'd be more apt to believe this if it were from mid-level managers, honestly.

 

[mahoshojo]

Because they're the ones you should least trust, that's why.

They're hired to bring value to the company. Not shipping product and not generating revenue brings no value, and gives ammunition to the BOD to toss your butt out on the street.

I'd be more apt to believe this if it were from mid-level managers, honestly.

Because people don't really understand what AMD was and is focusing on.
When they were focusing on game consoles, were they able to deliver on time?
Now they do mention Zen is the highest priority.