Author page description
October 26
- Taiwan Telcos Compete for Amazon's Kuiper Satellite Partnership
➀ Amazon's Project Kuiper may soon be introduced in Taiwan, with Far EasTone Telecom holding an early advantage due to its control of 28 GHz spectrum bands compatible with Kuiper's technology.
➁ Chunghwa Telecom Chairman Alex C. C. Chien confirmed the company's active pursuit of the Kuiper partnership and questioned the legality of using 28 GHz frequencies for satellite communications.
➂ Chunghwa Telecom is also seeking to participate in the Taiwan Space Agency's indigenous satellite program, aiming to play a larger role in the satellite supply chain.
- TSIA Chair Discusses US Challenges for Taiwan Chipmakers and Uncertainty of 50-50 Chip Production
➀ Amid the AI era and geopolitical influence, Taiwan's semiconductor industry remains a global hub.
➁ TSIA's chairman and TSMC's senior vice president discuss strategies to strengthen Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain.
➂ Expansion domestically and bringing in foreign companies are the two main strategies outlined.
- Intel Reaffirms 14A, Deepens Nvidia Alliance
➀ Intel Corporation dispels speculation about discontinuing its 14A process technology;
➁ Affirms the importance of 14A node development for its long-term manufacturing strategy;
➂ Strengthens partnership with Nvidia, aiming for further collaboration in technology development.
➃ Intel's progress on 14A is supported by the recruitment of specialized engineering talent in process technology;
➄ Intel's renewed focus on 14A reflects its improving financial position and broader effort to rebuild execution credibility;
➅ Intel continues to advance its 18A process technology, which anchors its next-generation product lineup;
➆ Intel and Nvidia are jointly defining a new platform, codenamed Crescent Island, for advanced artificial intelligence inference workloads;
➇ The collaboration with Nvidia represents incremental growth potential for Intel, opening new revenue streams without overlapping existing business segments;
➈ Intel's financial strategy remains disciplined, with a focus on verified customer demand and return potential.
October 25
- SK On's Answer to China's Battery Sector Ascent: High-Nickel, High-Voltage
➀ SK On is reinforcing its high-nickel cathode technology to enhance EV performance, fast-charging, and safety;
➁ The company is diversifying its product mix with high-voltage mid-nickel, cylindrical, and prismatic cells to compete with China's battery industry;
<>➂ SK On developed a high-nickel cathode with 90% nickel content and has optimized it for durability and performance;➃ The company has developed a high-voltage mid-nickel battery that balances cost, performance, lifetime, and safety;
➄ SK On aims to reduce EV fast-charging times to 10 minutes by 2030 through innovative charging technologies;
➅ SK On emphasizes system-level safety and thermal management to prevent thermal runaway in batteries;
➆ The company expects medium to long-term growth in EV demand, driven by China's high EV penetration and increasing power requirements for AI-driven vehicles.
- TSMC's Hou Confident Rare Earth Reserves Stable in Short Term, Moves to Reduce Reliance on China
➀ TSMC's Chairman Hou expects rare earth reserves to remain stable in the short term;
➁ TSMC is taking steps to reduce its reliance on China for rare earth materials;
➂ The shift reflects broader geopolitical concerns in the semiconductor industry.
➃ Hou emphasizes the importance of securing adequate green energy supply and power stability for the semiconductor industry;
➄ He highlights the role of EUV equipment in energy efficiency and the need for expanding Taiwan's talent pool.
May 1
- China Breaks EUV Light Source Barrier, Builds New Experimental Platform
➀ China has achieved a breakthrough in semiconductor research by establishing a fully functional EUV light source experimental platform;
➁ The Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics has reached a peak energy conversion efficiency of 3.42% in their EUV development efforts;
➂ This progress underscores China's commitment to technological independence despite increasing US export restrictions;
➃ China has become ASML's largest single market, accounting for 36.1% of total sales.
- Samsung Exits HBM2E Market, Focuses on HBM3E and HBM4
➀ Samsung Electronics is reducing production of DDR4 memory and scaling back its HBM2E business to focus on HBM3E and HBM4 products.
➁ Analysts believe this move is a response to the rise of Chinese firms in mature-process memory, forcing Samsung to retreat from segments with intense low-cost competition.
➂ Samsung is aiming to pass Nvidia's HBM3E certification to boost production and gain early leadership in the emerging HBM4 market.
October 17
- ASML Launches 2025 EUV Pricing Offensive and Defensive War, Tightens TSMC's Only Weakness and Reverse Increases
➀ ASML's order book and outlook have been revised downwards, primarily due to cuts in orders from Samsung Electronics and Intel.
➁ ASML and TSMC are expected to begin negotiating the 2025 equipment procurement prices, with ASML possibly adjusting prices in reverse.
➂ The negotiation results between the two companies will not only affect ASML's future performance growth but also affect the pricing of equipment manufacturers in Europe, America, and Japan.
August 20
- Intel's Layoffs vs Samsung's Labor Disputes: Shaping Future Semiconductor Competition➀ Intel announces plans to cut 15% of its workforce, aiming to save US$10 billion by 2025 due to underwhelming financial results. ➁ CEO Pat Gelsinger cites high-cost, low-margin structure and inability to capitalize on AI trends as reasons for restructuring. ➂ Samsung's semiconductor division faces ongoing labor strikes despite similar revenue declines, highlighting the rigidity of South Korea's labor market.
August 19
- Daxin Develops Chipmaking Materials for 2nm, CoWoS➀ Daxin Materials has developed chipmaking materials supporting advanced 2nm manufacturing processes and CoWoS packaging. ➁ The company provides specialty chemicals for semiconductor, display, and key raw materials. ➂ Daxin continues to increase revenue generated from these advanced materials.
May 9
- 2024年中國晶圓代工業營收估回溫 然成長率將遜於全球水準DIGITIMES Research統計，2023年中國晶圓代工產業營收達114億美元，年減16%，減幅低於全球晶圓代工產業平均水準(-13%)；展望2024年，DIGITIMES Research預估中.......
April 21
- 2024年全球晶圓代工業營收將成長17% 生成式AI應用為帶動成長主因
- 2024年全球晶圓代工業營收將成長17% 生成式AI應用為帶動成長主因DIGITIMES Research觀察，2023年總體經濟成長動能較2022年疲軟，且電子產業庫存調整期程較預期更長的背景下，2023年全球晶圓代工產業營收下滑至1,224億美元，較2......