RISC-V is generating a new wave of enthusiasm among developers due to its open source nature, versatile instruction set architecture (ISA), and contributions from participating RISC-V Foundation members. According to a new report from Tractica, the RISC-V movement is experiencing a dynamic period of growth, with many announcements regarding companies that are adopting RISC-V or introducing new tools for the architecture. The versatility and open source nature of RISC-V are allowing the architecture to be used in a wide range of applications spanning artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), computers, communications, and others.
Tractica forecasts that global revenue for RISC-V-based IP and software and tools will increase to $1.1 billion in 2025, up from $52 million in 2018.
“It is difficult to develop a successful and viable product in a market that caters to a fundamental component such as a processor,” says principal analyst Anand Joshi. “There have been many architecture failures over the past several years. However, there is significant interest in RISC-V from both software and hardware developers. Many well-known semiconductor companies have started using RISC-V in their chipsets and prominent tool vendors have started offering development tools.”
Tractica’s report, “RISC-V Processors”, examines the global RISC-V market trends, drivers, barriers, and technology issues. The study assesses the emerging business models, applications, and ecosystem related to the development of RISC-V. Global market forecasts, broken out by segment, region, application, bit width, and component, extend through 2025. The report also explores the limitations of RISC-V, compares it to ARM, and provides profiles of key industry players. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.