TikTok operator ByteDance now developing its own chips

The trend to develop chips yourself is now also reaching the providers of internet platforms. TikTok operator ByteDance wants to develop its own architectures, otherwise, you won’t find chips on the market that meet your own requirements. This is, of course, about SoCs that will be used in servers, according to a report by CNBC appears. Own developments offer the possibility to map specific functions specifically in hardware, for example, video encoders.

This is much more efficient than using the associated software codecs, which is evident in the resources of a major video platform like TikTok. ByteDance is a company from China. In any case, the latter has problems accessing certain components offered by American companies and required in the data centers. This also applies to processors. In this respect, the initiative for own developments is also driven by the embargo against China, but ultimately also has the positive side effect that the own infrastructure could be set up much more efficiently.

No marketing

ByteDance makes it clear that it has no intention of offering its proprietary processors to other companies for sale. That wouldn’t make much sense either. Because the SoCs are specially adapted to the application purpose of the video platform and would only work with a direct competitor – and of course, you don’t necessarily want to equip them with technology developed in-house at a high cost.

The chips, which are based on ARM designs with a high degree of certainty, would then be manufactured by a classic contract manufacturer. Here you should probably fall back on the Chinese providers. These are currently unable to deliver the same quality and technology as the major OEMs TSMC and Samsung.