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July 4
- House of Lords Space Committee to work on UK strategy
➀ The UK House of Lords Space Committee is holding a session with experts to address the UK's evolving space strategy amid political changes;
➁ Key focus areas include evaluating government space policy, potential sovereign space programs, and international partnerships with the EU, Australia, and Japan;
➂ The committee's report, due in autumn, will incorporate testimonies from industry leaders and experts to shape future decisions.
- SiC’s growth opportunities
➀ Yole predicts the SiC market will grow at a 20% CAGR through 2030 to reach $10.3 billion, driven by automotive electrification and industrial diversification despite a short-term EV slowdown;
➁ Automotive remains the dominant sector (70% demand), while SiC adoption in 800V EV platforms and datacenters ($200M opportunity) accelerates;
➂ Transition to 8″ wafers progresses with Infineon and Wolfspeed leading, while global SiC investments exceed $30B, focusing on supply chain resilience and China's domestic production.
- UK tenders for Active Debris Removal mission
➀ The UK Space Agency launched a £75.6 million tender for an Active Debris Removal mission to capture and de-orbit two defunct satellites using robotic and autonomous spacecraft technology;
➁ The initiative marks a shift from grants to competitive contracts, aiming to stimulate private investment in space sustainability;
➂ The mission addresses the growing threat of space debris, which endangers critical satellite infrastructure supporting GPS, weather forecasting, and national security.
- Social Media’s Threat To Teenagers
➀ A 2024 Pew Research survey reveals 48% of U.S. teens believe social media has a mostly negative impact, up from 32% in 2022, with mental health as a key concern;
➁ 55% of parents express extreme concern about teen mental health, while 35% of teens share similar worries for their generation;
➂ Social media is cited as the top threat to mental health by 44% of parents and 22% of teens, with bullying and societal pressures also highlighted in personal accounts.
July 3
- Driverless Cars Not Yet Ready For Mass Adoption
➀ GM's Cruise suspended driverless testing in San Francisco after a 2023 pedestrian accident, highlighting safety concerns;
➁ California AVs drove 9 million miles in 2023 with a crash rate of 14.6 per million miles—over 7x higher than the U.S. average of 1.9 crashes;
➂ Despite improvements, autonomous vehicles' collision rates remain substantially higher than human-operated cars, delaying mass adoption.
- 650V GaN from Renesas in TOLT, TO-247 and TOLL
➀ Renesas launched three 650V GaN power transistors (TP65H030G4PRS/WS/QS) in TOLT, TO-247, and TOLL packages for server power supplies and e-mobility chargers, featuring silicon-compatible gate drive and enhanced thermal management;
➁ The Gen IV plus cascode design combines depletion-mode GaN HEMT and Si MOSFET, achieving 30mΩ on-resistance, a 4V threshold voltage, and 20% improvement in RDS(on)·Coss product;
➂ A 4.2kW totem-pole PFC evaluation kit (RTDTTP4200W066A-KIT) is provided, following Navitas Semiconductor's recent motor drive-focused GaN solution.
July 2
- ESD protection diodes for 48V vehicles
➀ Nexperia launched ESD protection diodes designed for 48V automotive communication networks, addressing a previous market gap where manufacturers relied on workarounds;
➁ The diodes protect CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, FlexRay, and SENT buses, featuring SOT-23 packages with bidirectional protection and multiple voltage variants (54V/60V/72V) balancing capacitance and surge current;
➂ Models like PESD2CANFD72VT-Q offer 72V working voltage, 1.9A pulse handling, and 15kV ESD protection, with AEC-Q101 qualification for automotive reliability.
- Where Can You Order A Robotxai?
➀ Tesla, Waymo, and Baidu's Apollo Go are expanding robotaxi services in cities like Austin, Atlanta, and multiple Chinese locations;
➁ Challenges include safety regulations, fare disputes with traditional taxi drivers, and operational constraints like geofencing and remote safety operators;
➂ Trials such as GM’s Cruise in San Francisco and Motional in Las Vegas were suspended due to accidents, reflecting safety and scalability issues.
- Mouser signs Ampleon
➀ Mouser Electronics signed a global distribution agreement with Ampleon, a Dutch RF specialist, to supply advanced RF power devices including GaN and LDMOS ICs;
➁ Key products include ART-series LDMOS transistors (1600W-2000W, 1-425MHz) for broadcast/communications, BLF981/BLF981S for rugged applications up to 1400MHz, and CLP24H4S30P GaN-SiC HEMT (30W) for industrial/medical systems;
➂ Ampleon's portfolio targets 5G infrastructure, industrial, medical, and broadcast sectors with high-efficiency, thermally stable solutions in compact packages.
- Intel may stop marketing 18A to foundry customers
➀ Intel may halt marketing its 18A process to foundry customers, focusing instead on 14A, which could leverage high-NA EUV advantages to compete with TSMC;
➁ TSMC dominates the 2nm foundry market with high yields and significant planned capacity (50k wpm by 2025, 120-130k wpm by 2026), securing major clients like Apple and AMD;
➂ Existing 18A contracts with Microsoft and Amazon will continue, though Intel’s strategic shift aims to prioritize 14A for future competitiveness.
- Codasip looking for a quick sale
➀ Codasip, a RISC-V architecture developer, is actively seeking buyers for either the entire company or specific divisions, aiming to finalize the sale within three months starting from July 1st;
➁ The company highlights €119 million in pending EU and national grants/equity funding, with potential follow-on phases totaling €210 million and additional consortium-backed financing up to €51 million;
➂ With annual revenues around $89 million and a workforce dominated by hardware (57%) and software (30%) engineers, Codasip faces challenges in disrupting entrenched CPU architectures like x86 and ARM in competitive markets.
- Q1 server market up 134% y-o-y
➀ The Q1 2025 server market reached a record $95.2 billion, a 134.1% year-over-year increase, with full-year 2025 projections at $366 billion.
➁ Servers with embedded GPUs grew 46.7% YoY, accounting for nearly 50% of market value, driven by adoption from hyperscalers and cloud providers.
➂ Arm-based servers surged 70% YoY, capturing 21.1% of shipments, fueled by AI advancements requiring significantly increased processing capacity for inferencing.
- Skynopy raises €15m Series A for real-time space network
➀ Skynopy, an end-to-end ground station service startup, secured €15 million in Series A funding involving the French government and CNES to deploy a global high-throughput ground station network;
➁ The funds will accelerate its AKAR project (S/X/Ka bands), targeting real-time satellite data downlink by 2028, especially for Earth observation, with a goal of sub-20-minute revisit time and doubled data per satellite pass;
➂ The company’s 'as-a-service' model integrates third-party infrastructure and proprietary antennas, supported by partnerships (AWS, Kinéis), while expanding technical and marketing teams.
- Q5D to double resources
➀ Q5D is doubling resources at its Bristol Technical Assessment Centre by adding three robots and hiring staff to meet growing demand for its automated wiring technology;
➁ The company's robotic process embeds wiring directly into products, replacing manual harnesses in automotive and aerospace industries, reducing costs, errors, and reliance on offshore labor;
➂ Backed by $13.5 million funding from Lockheed Martin Ventures, the expansion aims to streamline supply chains, with potential savings of $200 per compact vehicle in automotive applications.
- Top Ten EV Vendors In Q1
➀ The article lists the top ten electric vehicle (EV) vendors in Q1 2025, based on data from TrendForce;
➀ Authored by David Manners, a veteran journalist with over 40 years of experience covering the electronics industry;
➂ Part of the "Mannerisms" blog series on Electronics Weekly, featuring market insights and industry trends.
July 1
- Raspberry Pi Radio Module 2 available for custom boards
➀ Raspberry Pi's Radio Module 2 (RM2), previously used in Pico W and Pico 2 W microcontrollers, is now available for purchase separately;
➁ The module targets developers creating custom boards, enabling integration into personalized hardware designs;
➂ This availability supports IoT and embedded system innovations by providing flexible wireless connectivity solutions.
- Chinese EVs Nearly Matching ICE On Price
➀ In 2025, 45% of ICE cars and 39% of EVs in China were priced under $25,000, with high-end models ($50k+) showing similar price parity;
➁ Europe and the U.S. had minimal affordable EV options (3% under $25k in Europe, none in the U.S.), while Chinese EVs accounted for 8% of EU production;
➂ Strict U.S. laws effectively barred Chinese EV imports and domestic manufacturing.
- TE adopts lower-CO2 plating for connector contacts
➀ TE Connectivity introduces nickel-phosphorus coating 'Econidur' to reduce CO₂ emissions by over 44% in connector contact plating compared to precious metals;
➁ The coating supports high-speed signal transmission (up to multiple Gbit/s) and demonstrates reliability in industrial applications like automation control and motor systems;
➂ TE claims it matches precious metal plating in performance while improving resistance to vibration, gas exposure, and micro-friction, though full technical details remain undisclosed.
- June 2025 – Most flaming Gadget Master posts
➀ June 2025's top Gadget Master posts, analyzed via Google Analytics, highlight trending tech topics;
➁ Featured content includes PocketBeagle boards, holographic trucks, deep learning, drone teardowns, and novel airships;
➂ Registration is required to access detailed articles, reflecting a focus on exclusive tech insights.
- Makimoto’s Wave extended to ‘at least’ 2037
➀ Future Horizons CEO Malcolm Penn asserts that Makimoto’s Wave, tracking the semiconductor industry’s cyclical shifts between standardization and customization, remains valid until at least 2037;
➁ Dr. Makimoto, the theory’s originator, highlights its unexpected 80-year relevance and recognition among foundational computing laws like Moore’s Law;
➂ The article revisits the theory’s 1991 publication in Electronics Weekly and its ongoing impact on industry analysis.
- UMC looking at regaining leading edge process capability
➀ UMC plans to re-enter advanced semiconductor process development after a decade-long gap, seeking partners to share costs;
➁ Potential collaborators include Intel (existing mature-tech partner), private equity firms, or government entities;
➂ Chinese competition intensifies: SMIC surpasses UMC in foundry rankings as customers shift to local suppliers amid geopolitical pressures
- Wolfspeed files for bankruptcy
➀ Wolfspeed filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, restructuring $6.5B debt by reducing $4.6B with creditor agreements and announcing a 60% cut in interest payments;
➁ The company maintains $1.3B cash reserves, secured $275M from creditors, and saw a 64.5% stock surge post-announcement;
➂ CEO emphasized leveraging automated 200mm SiC manufacturing to retain market leadership while continuing operations and customer deliveries
- IQE, Quinas complete UltraRAM industrialisation project for AI
➀ IQE and Quinas Technology announced the completion of a £1.1m UltraRAM industrialisation project, developing scalable GaSb epitaxy for memory devices;
➁ ULTRARAM integrates non-volatility of flash storage with the speed and efficiency of DRAM, targeting AI, quantum computing, and space/defense applications;
➂ The project leveraged Innovate UK funding and IQE's industrial capabilities, advancing sovereign memory technology in the UK semiconductor sector.
- Nippon Transmitter
➀ The article revisits a 1960 Electronics Weekly piece discussing historical technological advancements;
➁ It references the UK's former dominance in computers and business perspectives on the space program;
➂ Highlights the significance of GEC Semiconductors and reflects on past semiconductor industry developments.
June 30
- Anglia: ‘Lead times likely to move out rapidly’ as market picks up
➀ Anglia Components warns of rapidly extending lead times as the electronics market rebounds, urging customers to secure orders;
➁ Texas Instruments announced price increases for over 3,300 analog products, with Bernstein analysts predicting hikes ranging up to 100% for high-precision ADCs/DACs;
➂ Excess industry inventory from the past two years has largely been absorbed, signaling market recovery.
- Siemens applies AI across chip and PCB design portfolio
➀ Siemens introduced generative and agentic AI capabilities across its EDA portfolio, enhancing semiconductor and PCB design tools including Aprisa, Calibre, and Solido.
➁ Aprisa AI improves productivity by 10x, speeds tapeout time by 3x, and boosts PPA metrics by 10%, while Calibre Vision AI halves violation resolution time with intelligent clustering.
➂ The AI system offers open, customizable workflows with multi-LLM support, prioritizing data control for users, and is now available for early access across Siemens' EDA tools.
- Advanced fab capacity to grow 69% 2024-28
➀ Semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry is projected to grow at a 7% CAGR, reaching 11.1 million wafers per month (wpm) by 2028, driven by a 69% expansion in advanced process capacity (7nm and below) to 1.4 million wpm.
➁ 2nm-and-below capacity is expected to surge from 200k wpm in 2025 to 500k wpm by 2028, with equipment investment skyrocketing 120% CAGR to $43 billion, supporting mass production of 2nm chips by 2026 and 1.4nm by 2028.
➂ AI-driven demand for powerful computing (training, VR/AR, humanoid robots) is fueling investments across the semiconductor ecosystem, highlighting the industry's role in tech innovation and chip demand.
- UK Space Agency funds public services using satellite data
➀ The UK Space Agency allocated £2.5 million to five projects using satellite data to enhance public services, including infrastructure safety monitoring and biodiversity protection;
➁ Projects include CORE (structural movement tracking), THICKET (agricultural biodiversity mapping), GHGSat (methane emissions monitoring), FANTOM (environmental analytics), and EO4Biodiversity (habitat improvement support);
➂ An additional £300,000 climate fund will support early-stage initiatives leveraging satellite data for climate action and sustainable decision-making.
- GaN-on-SiC MMIC amplifier for 13.75 – 14.5 GHz Satcom band.
➀ Qorvo's QPA1314 is a high-power MMIC amplifier for 13.75–14.5 GHz satellite communications, built on 0.15μm GaN-on-SiC technology;
➁ It delivers 46 dBm output power, 30% efficiency, and supports extended frequencies up to 15.35 GHz in compact packaging with advanced thermal management;
➂ Designed for commercial/military radar and communication systems, the device is fully tested and RoHS compliant.
- Q1 AR/VR headset market up 18.1%
➀ The Q1 2025 AR/VR headset market grew 18.1% year-over-year, with Meta dominating (50.8% share) and emerging brands like XREAL, Viture (268.4% growth), and TCL driving competition;
➀ Shift toward Mixed Reality (MR) and Extended Reality (ER) is reshaping the market, with MR/ER shipments projected to reach 15.2 million and 8.6 million units by 2029, respectively;
➀ Despite a temporary 12% shipment decline in 2025, the market is expected to rebound with a 38.6% CAGR through 2029, with traditional leaders like Sony and Apple absent from top rankings due to inventory management.