Shares of video and pixel processing company Pixelworks have climbed over 40 percent after the company revealed a strategic relationship with Apple that contributed significantly to the company's revenue in 2013 (Via SeekingAlpha).

pixelwork-logo
Pixelworks confirmed in a recent Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that Apple, along with Hitachi and NEC, each accounted for more than 10 percent of the company's revenue in 2013.

Revenue attributable to our top five end customers represented 57%, 53% and 51% of revenue in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. End customers include customers who purchase directly from us as well as customers who purchase products indirectly through distributors. Sales to Hitachi Ltd. represented more than 10% of revenue in each of 2013, 2012 and 2011. Sales to each of Apple Inc. and NEC Corporation represented more than 10% of revenue in 2013. Sales to Panasonic Corporation represented more than 10% of revenue in each of 2012 and 2011. Sales to Seiko Epson Corporation represented more than 10% of revenue in 2011. No other end customer accounted for more than 10% of revenue in 2013, 2012 or 2011.

It's not clear what Pixelworks is providing to Apple, but it likely involves Apple's high-resolution retina displays, which are noted in the company's 10-K filing.

Recent advancements in display manufacturing technology have allowed display manufacturers to pack an increasing number of pixels into tighter spaces. This transition was led by the mobile segment, and in particular by Apple’s “Retina” display, which set the standard for smaller screens. The resolution on display devices in all segments is increasing.

Pixelworks is known for its video display processing technology and holds over 120 patents that cover the display and processing of digital image data. The company provides display technology for digital projection systems, flat panel displays and mobile displays.

Top Rated Comments

MattJessop Avatar
139 months ago
07/03/2014 - Pixelworks acquired by Google
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Garsun Avatar
139 months ago
Wow, I guess it's time for me to buy something that adds a black sticker to my collection. :D :apple::apple::apple::apple::apple:

After you take out the stickers, could you send me what's in the rest of the box:D
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dBeats Avatar
139 months ago
07/03/2014 - Pixelworks acquired by Google

Nah, Facebook will buy them for eleventy billion dollars and then realize they have no use for them...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrmjenkins Avatar
139 months ago
After reading about their technologies and knowing what GPU IP they're using, it sounds like they're likely investigating framebuffer techniques to minimize display updating (in addition to advanced compression techniques afforded to ImgTec GPUs and reduce any artifacts that are resultant from that to the user) in order to minimize display power consumption. There has been a lot of effort by other companies to reduce power consumption by having things like GRAM where the display has its own local storage to redisplay the same frame buffer rather than have the GPU burn electrons to output the same image over again.

http://www.pixelworks.com/technology.php

Some of our core Video Display Processing technologies include:

Halo Free MEMC.

Our proprietary Halo Free MEMC technology significantly improves the performance and viewing experience of any screen by addressing problems such as judder and motion blur. Unlike competitive solutions it also reduces halo effects that are a byproduct of MEMC. Halos are objectionable blurred regions that surround moving objects as the MEMC algorithms try to reconstruct missing image data caused by the concealing and revealing of objects as they pass over or behind one another. Removing halos drastically improves image quality and is of particular importance on high-resolution displays where artifacts become more visible.

Advanced Scaling.

As display resolutions continue to increase there is a need to convert lower resolution content to higher resolution in order to display it properly. With the latest wave of high-resolution displays, the quality and quantity demands of scaling have increased significantly. Artifacts become more noticeable on these types of displays as they distract from the realism effect. In addition, with the availability of 4K content lagging the availability of 4K displays, high-quality scaling is required to ensure 4K displays do not suffer when compared to Full-HD displays of the same size. Pixelworks advanced scaling ensures that up-conversion of lower resolution content is of the highest quality in maintaining the fidelity of image.

Mobile Video Display Processing.

Pixelworks has developed innovative, power optimized Video Display Processing solutions for mobile devices. Beyond MEMC and Advanced Scaling, these mobile solutions provide the kind of improvements in color, contrast, sharpness and de-blur that are only found in high quality televisions today. Furthermore, this technology can save system power and extend battery life.

VueMagic and Networked Displays.

With the advent of mobile devices being used in business, educational and consumer environments there is a growing need to connect to displays wireless for sharing and collaboration. VueMagic uses our networking technology to enable the same video stream to be networked across multiple displays for applications such as connected video projection and digital signage. VueMagic provides interactive features for annotation and display control, and unlike other solutions, is device and operating system independent.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2457282 Avatar
139 months ago
07/03/2014 - Pixelworks acquired by Google

And on 3/08/2014 (in the US we reverse the month and day, so my date is just 1 day after yours), Samsung signs an agreement with Pixelworks :D
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
esskay Avatar
139 months ago
It's only software companies with simple products that go for billions of dollars. Hardware companies solving difficult problems are usually a few million.

Lol
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Mass Production Timeframe Revealed as Launch Gets Closer

Wednesday October 23, 2024 9:38 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin mass production of the fourth-generation iPhone SE in December, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a blog post. The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM...
airpods pro 2 pink

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro, AirPods, and AirPods Max Firmware

Tuesday October 22, 2024 11:39 am PDT by
Apple today released a new firmware update for the original AirPods Pro, the AirPods 2, the AirPods 3, and the Lightning version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 6F21, up from the prior 6A326 firmware that these devices were previously running. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but given that these are all older models, it is likely that the new...
M4 Mac mini Silver Perspective

5 Reasons to Get Excited About the New Mac Mini

Wednesday October 23, 2024 6:55 am PDT by
Apple's Mac mini has long been a powerhouse in a compact form, offering impressive performance in a small package. With rumors swirling about a completely overhauled new model that is likely just days away from being announced, anticipation is building for what Apple has in store. From enhanced connectivity to major hardware upgrades, the upcoming Mac mini promises to bring significant...
apple vision pro orange

Report: Apple May Stop Producing Vision Pro by the End of 2024

Wednesday October 23, 2024 6:11 am PDT by
Apple has abruptly reduced production of the Vision Pro headset and could stop making the current version of the device completely by the end of 2024, The Information reports. Citing multiple people "directly involved" in making components for the headset, the report says that the scaling back of production began in the early summer. This indicates that Apple now has a sufficient number of...
15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.1

Monday October 21, 2024 1:44 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.1 on Monday, October 28, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks the first significant step forward in Apple's AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a ...
Tim Cook Vision Pro

Tim Cook Admits Truth About Vision Pro Following Lackluster Sales

Monday October 21, 2024 8:21 am PDT by
The Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen this summer interviewed Apple CEO Tim Cook about the Vision Pro, innovation, Apple Intelligence, and more. Image Credit: Vanity Fair Cook admitted that the Vision Pro headset is not a mass-market product due to its high price. "At $3,500, it's not a mass-market product," said Cook. "Right now, it's an early-adopter product. People who want to have...
M4 Mac mini Ortho Black Cooler

Gurman: 'M4 Mac Launch' is 'Next Week'

Tuesday October 22, 2024 10:29 am PDT by
Just a few hours after claiming that the first Macs with M4 chips are launching "very soon," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has followed up with a slightly more specific timeframe. In his latest social media post today, he said an "M4 Mac launch" is on Apple's schedule for next week, but he did not mention a specific day. A concept of a smaller Mac mini with front-facing USB-C ports "Busy week for...
apple oct 2024 mac tease

Apple Teases M4 Mac Announcements Next Week

Thursday October 24, 2024 9:19 am PDT by
Apple's Greg Joswiak today made it clear that Apple plans to reveal new products next week, teasing refreshed Macs. In a social media post, Joswiak said to "Mac your calendars" because there's an exciting week of announcements that start on Monday morning. With Joswiak's announcement, it appears that there will not be a dedicated October event for Macs this year, with Apple instead...
m3 mbp space black

Gurman: New MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Mini Models With M4 Chips Launching 'Very Soon'

Tuesday October 22, 2024 7:11 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch its first Macs with the M4 series of chips "very soon," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a social media post today, Gurman said these Macs will include new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models specifically. He continues to expect the next Mac mini to feature a "revamped" design, in line with his previous reporting that said the new model will be nearly...