The usual expected design life was 3-5 years. What makes you so sure that Cygnal are going to be around in that time frame let alone that product. Going to a fpga is not going to solve your problem as they're most likely to be obsoleted. Nowadays, most fabless semiconductor companies are driven by their fabrication companies. Most fab companies update their process often, so products using an old process get obsoleted. Unfortunately, this is the way the industry is going. The way around this is to use agile design methods so that when a redesign is necessary, major code rework etc is minimised. This is a compelling reason to write in 'C' and modularise your code.

Try finding CPLDs and FPGAs in 5volts - if you do they will be EXPENSIVE. Compare the price with 3v and lower parts. Also a lot of the new micros are 3v only due to the fabrication process.


So, your reason for designing your own board to ensure continuity of supply is probably negated. The only way to ensure this is to purchase the parts in advance.