That's only if you want to do it externally. The claim was: > There's no easy way to soft-update an FPGA except for expensive tools to do so. If the implement

That's only if you want to do it externally. The claim was: > There's no easy way to soft-update an FPGA except for expensive tools to do so. If the implementation wants to support updating the FPGA then the programming can be wired in the device itself and accessible fully in software. Or even the attached SoC can reprogram it with IAP. (https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/aemDocuments/documents/FPGA/ApplicationNotes/ApplicationNotes/microsemi_polarfire_fpga_auto_update_and_in_application_programming_application_note_ac466_v7.pdf https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/aemDocuments/documents/F...) Basically it's not a technology limitation. It's the choice of the people implementing it - they can make it anywhere from trivial to almost impossible to reprogram.