In a 2021 interview with Make:, Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton described a year of rapid product expansion and unusually high demand. Raspberry Pi moved into its own microcontroller silicon with RP2040 and Pico, saw strong adoption of Compute Module 4, and introduced Zero 2 W. The sales, production, market-size and launch-price figures below are Upton’s historical statements in that interview, not current figures or independently verified results.
What made Raspberry Pi’s year “wild”?
Upton’s account combined product development with a sharp increase in scale. He said Raspberry Pi had sold about 42 million computers by its nine-year mark, including roughly 7 million in the year preceding the interview. During the year discussed, production ran at about 600,000 to 800,000 units a month, while demand was estimated to be 20 to 30 percent above expectations.
Those were interview-era figures, not a present-day company update. Upton also described 7.5 million units as a possible total for that year and said the company had missed a 9 million-unit year. These were projections and a retrospective estimate in the 2021 conversation, rather than audited or independently checked numbers.
How did Raspberry Pi move into microcontrollers?
Raspberry Pi began producing its RP2040 microcontroller and launched it in the Pico board. That represented a second business line alongside the company’s established single-board computers and related products: the chip itself could also reach users through third-party RP2040 boards.
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- The Raspberry Pi Pico is a beginner-friendly microcontroller board that uses MicroPython to give you a taste of the Internet of Things and microcontrollers. The RP2040 is a well-designed microprocessor that can be utilized in almost any Internet of Things project. It has enough power to complete the task quickly.
- 【Raspberry Pi RP2040 Microcontroller】Raspberry Pi Pico features Dual-core ARM Cortex M0+ processor, flexible clock running up to 133 MHz. With 264KB of SRAM, and 2MB of on-board Flash memory.Supports up to 16 MB of off chip flash memory via a dedicated QSPI bus
- 【Multiple Software Support】Pico has rich and complete software support, it comes with a complete Rasberry Pi official C/C++ SDK, Micropython SDK.The programming and burning of Pico need to be carried out on the computer. Supported operating systems and computers include:Raspberry Pie with Raspberry Pi OS,Other platforms equipped with Debian based Linux system Computer with MacOS, Computers with Windows, etc.
- 【Rich Hardware Interface】Raspberry Pi Pico has 30 GPIO pins, 4 pins for analog signal input and 26 × multi-function GPIO pins, 2 × SPI, 2 × I2C, 2 × UART, 3 × 12-bit ADC, 16 × controllable PWM channels.USB 1.1 supported by host and device, The installation mode can be flexibly selected by users to facilitate welding with other development boards.
- 【Build Project in Tiny Size】Only 2.1cm*5.1cm ( as small as your thumb). Pico has been designed to use either soldered 0.1" pin-headers or can be used as a surface-mountable 'module'.
Upton characterized the microcontroller market as 28 billion units and $18 billion per year. The interview does not identify an underlying market study, so both figures should be read as his description of the opportunity at the time, not as independently established market statistics. He framed the unexpected response as a sign that a community and demand were already waiting: “The surprise is that there was a community there waiting and there was demand waiting.”
Why did Compute Module 4 find commercial traction?
Upton said Compute Module 4 was adopted faster than earlier Compute Modules. He credited two design choices: optional onboard wireless and a simpler power arrangement. Rather than requiring the integrator to provide multiple rails, the module could receive 5 volts and generate its own rails.
Rank #2
- Raspberry Pi Pico: A tiny, fast, and versatile board built using dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ processor (Comes with pinout card and stickers)
- Detailed Tutorial: Provides step-by-step guide with MicroPython, C and Processing (Java) Code (The download link can be found on the product box) (No paper tutorial)
- Example Projects: Each project has schematics, wiring diagrams, complete code and detailed explanations (Need extra items)
- Easy to Use: Just connect the board to your computer (installed IDE) with the USB cable to program it
- Get Support: Our technical support team is always ready to answer your questions
That approach made integration easier for commercial users, in Upton’s view, and he described strong orders during the period. The interview does not establish current order levels or availability.
What was different about Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W?
Zero 2 W was the interview’s featured announcement. Its system-in-package design put a BCM2710-family processor die and memory into the compact Zero form factor. Upton described it as a reduced-clock, lower-memory design in the Raspberry Pi 3 class, aiming to preserve software compatibility close to Raspberry Pi 3 while fitting a smaller board.
Rank #3
- Latest Version: Higher core clock speed, double memory, more powerful Arm cores, optional RISC-V cores (compared to the 1 series) (This W version has onboard wireless LAN and Bluetooth)
- Switchable Cores: Allows users to choose between dual industry-standard Arm Cortex-M33 cores and dual open-hardware Hazard3 cores
- Compatibility: Delivers a significant performance boost, while retaining software- and hardware-compatible with the 1 series
- Detailed Tutorial: Provides step-by-step guide with MicroPython, C and Processing (Java) Code (The download link can be found on the product box) (No paper tutorial)
- Example Projects: Each project has schematics, wiring diagrams, complete code and detailed explanations (Need extra items)
Upton gave a $15 launch price and cited a multithreaded benchmark result of roughly ten times the original Zero’s performance. Both are launch-era claims from the 2021 interview: the price is not current pricing, and the benchmark was not an independent test reported by the interview.
Zero 2 W or Pico: what is the distinction?
They address different kinds of projects. Zero 2 W is a Linux-capable single-board computer intended to run Raspberry Pi software. Pico is a microcontroller board built around RP2040. The interview emphasizes that Zero 2 W prioritizes compatibility with Raspberry Pi software, while it does not provide Pico-specific microcontroller features such as PIO state machines and analog input.
Rank #4
- This breakout board is specially made for Raspberry Pi Pico, with additional pin headers, which are fully compatible with the board
- The product needs to be soldered by itself, and the pico can be inserted after successful welding
- The breakout board is gold-plated on both sides and holes are plated, and the material of the PCB board is excellent
- The breakout board is equipped with Raspberry Pi pico, which is convenient for users to develop and integrate flexibly
- Note: The package does not include Raspberry Pi pico. This product needs to be soldered and assembled by yourself
| Product | Category and role | Design emphasis described in the interview | Historical price in the interview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W | Compact, Linux-capable single-board computer | Raspberry Pi 3-class architecture in a Zero-sized system-in-package, with reduced clock and memory; close software compatibility to Raspberry Pi 3 | $15 launch price, stated by Upton in 2021; not a current price |
| Raspberry Pi Pico | Microcontroller board using RP2040 | Microcontroller functions, including PIO state machines and analog input, which Zero 2 W does not include | Not stated in the interview |
| Compute Module 4 | Module for integration into commercial products and systems | Optional onboard wireless and a 5-volt power input, with the module generating its own rails | Not stated in the interview |
This is a distinction of purpose, not a current buying recommendation. Choose based on whether a project needs a Linux computer, microcontroller control, or an integration-oriented module; the interview does not establish current prices, stock or regional availability.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What product philosophy did Upton describe?
Upton said the team starts with products it wants to make rather than averaging a list of customer requests: “We make the things we want.” He also stressed the time required to develop and scale hardware—“All of these things take a long time.”—and connected the work to enjoyment: “And if it wasn’t fun, I’d stop doing it.”
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- RPi Pico 2 W Microcontroller Board (pre-soldered header (color-coded)), Based on Official RP2350 Chip, Dual-core & Dual-architecture Design. Upgraded hardware from Pico 2 with wireless communication, onboard antenna, features 2.4GHz 802.11n WIFI and Bluetooth 5.2.
- Adopts unique dual-core and dual-architecture design: dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 processor and dual-core Hazard3 RISC-V processor, flexible clock running up to 150 MHz.
- Onboard Infineon CYW43439 wireless chip, supports WIFI 4 wireless and Bluetooth 5.2.
- 520KB of SRAM, and 4MB of on-board Flash memory.
- Castellated module allows soldering direct to carrier boards. USB 1.1 with device and host support. Low-power sleep and dormant modes. Drag-and-drop programming using mass storage over USB.
In that account, the year’s expansion was not simply a reaction to demand. It reflected long-running engineering work that opened a new silicon and microcontroller line while extending Raspberry Pi’s established computer range.
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