Sony's CELL Yields "Horrible"
The Inquirer reports this morning that their sources are indicating the yields for Sony's upcoming CELL processor are "horrible". Serving as the foundation for the highly anticipated Playstation 3 gaming console, these rumors of poor yields are disconcerting to say the least. With an estimated arrival of November and tens, if not hundreds of thousands of gamers waiting in line to purchase it, the Playstation 3 could be in serious trouble. Then again, this could just be an ugly rumor meant to strike fear in the hearts of Sony fans worldwide. Per usual, time will tell.
The problem is that IBM and Sony designed the chip for some very aggressive process technologies that did not materialise in the way the fab boys were expecting. Because of this, we are told Sony is scrambling to get yields up before it has to make them for real, a fast approaching deadline.
