Total revenue for the first quarter of 2023 was $28.7 million, a 16% decrease compared to $34.4 million reported for the first quarter of 2022. First quarter 2023 licensing, non-recurring engineering (NRE) and related revenue was $20.7 million, a decrease of 7% when compared to $22.4 million reported for the same quarter a year ago. Royalty revenue for the first quarter of 2023 was $8.0 million, a decrease of 33% when compared to $12.0 million reported for the first quarter of 2022.
Amir Panush, Chief Executive Officer of CEVA, stated: "Our licensing business continued to show resilience in the first quarter, underpinned by strategic agreements for our 5G DSPs with a leading Android smartphone OEM and a wireless semiconductor company, and for our Wi-Fi 6 platform with a global leader of Wi-Fi access points. Royalties were impacted by customer inventory adjustments and prolonged weak demand for smartphones and PCs. Beyond these verticals, we are excited by record high royalty revenue contributions from our cellular IoT and Wi-Fi customers in the quarter."
Mr. Panush added, "With the acquisition of the VisiSonics 3D spatial audio business announced today, we have taken an additional step in building our future strategy, bolstering our OEM application software licensing business with a best-in-class solution that expands our offerings in the high-volume hearable and consumer IoT markets including earbuds, headphones, gaming headsets and beyond."
During the quarter, thirteen IP license and NRE agreements were concluded, targeting a wide variety of end markets and applications, including 5G for smartphones and broadband IoT, Wi-Fi 6 for access points and mesh networks, Bluetooth connectivity for TWS earbuds, consumer IoT and industrial devices, sensor fusion for robot vacuum cleaners and AI for automotive ADAS. Five agreements were with first-time customers.
GAAP gross margin for the first quarter of 2023 was 82%, as compared to GAAP gross margin of 81% for the same period in 2022. GAAP operating loss for the first quarter of 2023 was $4.8 million, as compared to a GAAP operating income of $0.5 million for the same period in 2022. GAAP net loss for the first quarter of 2023 was $4.9 million, as compared to a GAAP net loss of $1.7 million reported for the same period in 2022. GAAP diluted losses per share for the first quarter of 2023 was $0.21, as compared to a GAAP diluted losses per share of $0.07 for the same period in 2022.
Non-GAAP gross margin for the first quarters of 2023 and 2022 was both 84%. Non-GAAP operating income for the first quarter of 2023 was $0.07 million, as compared to $5.5 million reported for the first quarter of 2022. Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2023 were $0.1 million and $0.0, respectively, compared with $4.2 million and $0.18, respectively, reported for the first quarter of 2022.
Non-GAAP gross margin for the first quarter of 2023 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $0.4 million and, (b) amortization of acquired intangibles of $0.3 million. Non-GAAP gross margin for the first quarter of 2022 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $0.3 million and (b) amortization of acquired intangibles of $0.5 million.
Non-GAAP operating income for the first quarter of 2023 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $3.9 million, (b) the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles of $0.7 million associated with the acquisition of the Intrinsix and Hillcrest Labs businesses and investments in NB-IoT technologies and (c) $0.3 million of costs associated with the Intrinsix acquisition. Non-GAAP operating income for the first quarter of 2022 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $3.4 million, (b) the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles of $1.3 million associated with the acquisition of the Intrinsix and Hillcrest Labs business and investments in NB-IoT and Immervision technologies and (c) $0.3 million of costs associated with the Intrinsix acquisition.
Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2023 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $3.9 million, (b) the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles of $0.7 million associated with the acquisition of the Intrinsix and Hillcrest Labs businesses and investments in NB-IoT technologies, (c) $0.3 million of costs associated with the Intrinsix acquisition and (d) $0.1 million associated with the reevaluation of an investment in another company. Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2022 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $3.4 million , (b) the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles of $1.3 million associated with the acquisition of the Intrinsix and Hillcrest Labs businesses and investments in NB-IoT and Immervision technologies, (c) $0.3 million of costs associated with the Intrinsix acquisition and (d) $0.9 million loss, net of taxes, associated with the reevaluation of an investment in another company.
