Microchip announced two new 8-bit PIC families with integrated Configurable Logic Blocks (CLB): the PIC16F132 (32 Basic Logic Elements, 32MHz) and the higher-density PIC18-Q35 (128 BLEs, 64MHz). Both families ship with MPLAB X IDE and a CLB Synthesizer tool featuring a drag-and-drop graphical interface that generates the logic configuration without requiring HDL.
Why this is architecturally interesting:
The classic problem with 8-bit MCUs is that you end up burning CPU cycles on deterministic glue logic -- debouncing, PWM blending, event sequencing -- that should be in hardware. An FPGA or CPLD solves this but adds cost, board area, power, and a separate toolchain. The CLB approach integrates that logic fabric directly on-die, priced at $0.32-$0.62 in volume. That's a different trade-off than a $3 FPGA.
The detail worth noting:
The PIC18-Q35 adds Multi-Voltage I/O, which means mixed-voltage designs (3.3V logic, 5V legacy sensors) become a one-chip problem. In industrial and automotive sensing applications, that's a real bill-of-materials reduction, not a marketing feature.
The counterpoint:
128 BLEs is modest -- enough for signal conditioning and simple state machines, not enough for anything you'd normally route to an FPGA. Microchip is occupying the space between "add a 74-series chip" and "buy a CPLD." Whether that's useful depends entirely on your specific glue logic budget. For developers already in the PIC ecosystem, this is straightforward. For everyone else, the toolchain switching cost may outweigh the benefit.