Zilog has officially completed the production of its iconic Z80 microprocessor, marking the end of its 48-year presence in the market. Interested buyers now have only a few months left to place orders, as the production partner, Wafer Foundry Manufacturer (WFM), will continue to support the technology.
The Z80 chip, developed by Federico Fagin, was created as a program and compatible expansion of the Intel 8080 processor in July 1976. Originally designed for embedded systems, the Z80 quickly gained popularity, allowing Zilog to expand its workforce to a thousand employees within two years. The Z80 became a key component in gaming equipment from the 1970s to the mid-1980s.
Various home computers and game consoles, including the Sega Master System, SG-1000, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color, utilized the Z80. Classic arcade games like PAC-Man also relied on this processor. Additionally, it found applications in military technology, musical synthesizers like the Roland Jupiter-8, and other electronic devices.
Zilog licensed the Z80 technology to American companies SynerTek and MOSTEK, as well as to the European manufacturer SGS/Stmicroelectronics. Japanese, East European, and Soviet manufacturers reproduced the chip design, with corporations like NEC, Toshiba, Sharp, and Hitachi releasing their versions.
In recent years, Zilog shifted its focus to producing microcontrollers for embedded systems while maintaining compatibility with the original Z80 and Z180 projects. However, the decision has been made to cease Z80 sales in mid-June 2024. Until then, applications will be processed based on customer needs, with final delivery dates contingent on the total volume of orders.