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October 30
- [News] Innolux Denies Plant Sale Plans in Southern Taiwan amid TSMC’s Purchase Rumors➀ Innolux denies plans to sell its plant in southern Taiwan amidst rumors of TSMC's potential purchase. ➁ The AI boom has increased demand for advanced packaging production capacity, driving industry growth. ➂ The situation highlights the strategic importance of semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Taiwan.
- [News] TSMC Reportedly Cuts Off Chip Clients Over Huawei Links; Bitmain Supply at Risk➀ TSMC has reportedly stopped shipments to at least two chip developers; ➁ The move is suspected to be due to their attempts to bypass U.S. export restrictions; ➂ Bitmain's supply is reportedly at risk due to this action.
- [News] What Are Chinese Enterprise SSD Manufacturers Competing For?➀ The demand for high-performance, reliable storage products is growing with the rise of AI applications; ➁ This trend is attracting unprecedented attention to Chinese enterprise SSD manufacturers; ➂ The competition revolves around factors such as performance, reliability, and innovation.
October 29
- [News] Apple is Reportedly Developing M5 Chips, Boosting Orders for TSMC’s Advanced Processes➀ Apple is reportedly developing M5 chips; ➁ The move is boosting orders for TSMC's advanced processes; ➂ The industry is focusing on the launch of Apple's new products featuring the self-developed M4 chip.
- [News] NVIDIA Hires Ex-Intel Staff in Israel with 33% Higher Salaries Amid Layoffs➀ NVIDIA is hiring former Intel staff in Israel; ➁ Salaries are 33% higher than Intel; ➂ The move follows significant layoffs at Intel.
- [New] TSMC and SPIL Unveil New Advanced Node and CoWoS Expansion Efforts in Taiwan➀ TSMC and SPIL are advancing their semiconductor manufacturing capabilities in Taiwan; ➁ The new 2nm fab in Kaohsiung will be a key facility for these efforts; ➂ The expansion focuses on advanced node and CoWoS packaging technologies.
- [News] Samsung Reportedly Plans 400-layer Vertical NAND by 2026, Targeting 1,000-layer NAND by 2030➀ Samsung is reportedly planning to introduce 400-layer vertical NAND by 2026; ➁ The company aims to reach a 1,000-layer NAND target by 2030; ➂ This move is part of the competition in the memory market, especially with HBM becoming a crucial battlefield in the AI era.
- [News] Huawei’s Proxy Tactics for Advanced Chips Expose New U.S. Sanctions Loophole➀ Huawei's proxy tactics for advanced chips come to light, revealing a new U.S. sanctions loophole; ➁ The issue involves Huawei's Ascend 910B chip, reportedly manufactured by TSMC; ➂ The controversy highlights the complexities of international trade and technology regulations.
- [News] Qualcomm Dispute Highlights Arm’s Challenge Posed by Tech Giants’ Custom Silicon Designs➀ Qualcomm's dispute with Arm Holdings is highlighted; ➁ Arm's architectural license agreement with Qualcomm is terminated; ➂ The dispute reflects the challenges posed by tech giants' custom silicon designs to Arm.
October 28
- [News] White House Instructs Pentagon to Boost AI Usage to Counter Competition from China➀ The White House has instructed the Pentagon to accelerate the use of AI to counter the competition from China; ➁ This move is in response to the increasing pressure to speed up AI development; ➂ The strategy aims to leverage the power of AI for national security and technological advancement.
- [News] TSMC Reportedly Halts Shipments to Chinese Firm Sophgo After Chip Found in Huawei Processor➀ TSMC has reportedly stopped shipments to Sophgo; ➁ A chip manufactured by TSMC was found in a Huawei AI processor; ➂ The halt in shipments is likely due to the chip's presence in the Huawei processor
- [News] Rapidus Plans Second Plant for 1.4nm Process if 2nm Mass Production Proceeds Smoothly➀ Rapidus is planning to build a second factory for 1.4nm process wafers; ➁ The first factory is being constructed in Chitose City, Hokkaido; ➂ The goal is to mass-produce 2nm wafers in 2027.
- [News] Construction of Multiple Semiconductor Plants in Germany Faces Setbacks➀ The construction of multiple semiconductor plants in Germany is facing setbacks; ➁ German automotive parts supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG is planning to withdraw from a 3 billion USD joint project; ➂ The joint project involved U.S. companies and was intended to invest in German semiconductor manufacturing.
October 25
- [Insights] First, Sveck, and Betterial Dominate the TOP 3; 2024 H1 Global PV Encapsulation Film Shipment Rankings Released➀ The global demand for solar PV installations is on the rise due to the momentum of dual carbon targets; ➁ The report highlights the shipment rankings of global PV encapsulation film in the first half of 2024, with Sveck and Betterial leading the top three; ➂ The analysis emphasizes the growing demand for encapsulation films in the solar PV industry.
October 24
- [News] ASML CEO: China Might be Able to Produce 5nm and 3nm Chips amid U.S. Export Restrictions➀ ASML, the Dutch chip equipment manufacturer, has announced a reduction in its 2025 order forecast, causing a significant drop in its share price. ➁ The CEO of ASML suggests that despite U.S. export restrictions, China may still be capable of producing 5nm and 3nm chips. ➂ The situation reflects the ongoing competition and technological advancements in the semiconductor industry.
- [News] Google Reportedly Adopts TSMC’s N3P Process instead of 2nm for Tensor G6➀ Google is rumored to switch to TSMC's N3E process for Tensor G5; ➁ The report also clarifies that Google has chosen not to use 2nm technology for Tensor G6; ➂ The move could impact the competition in the AI and smartphone chip markets.
- [News] Samsung Electronics Exits LED Business➀ Samsung Electronics has recently started restructuring its business; ➁ The restructuring includes exiting the LED business; ➂ The decision was announced in a report by China's CCTV Finance.
October 22
- NVIDIA Reportedly to Partner with India for Chip Tailored for Local Market
➀ U.S. AI giant NVIDIA is reportedly planning to collaborate with India to develop AI chips;
➁ NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang proposed the idea during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi;
➂ The Economic Times reports that India is in discussions with NVIDIA about jointly developing an AI chip.
- NVIDIA Renames Blackwell Ultra to B300 Series; CoWoS-L Expected to See Growth by 2025, Says TrendForce
➀ NVIDIA has rebranded all its Blackwell Ultra products to the B300 series.
➁ The B300 series is expected to launch between the second and third quarters of 2025.
➂ NVIDIA is focusing on AI models that promise greater revenue in 2025.
October 21
- TSMC Reports Strong Demand for 2nm Nodes, A16 Attractive for AI Server Clients
➀ TSMC reports a strong demand for 2nm nodes over 3nm, with A16 attracting AI server clients.
➁ TSMC's 3nm shipments accounted for 20% of total wafer revenue in Q3 2024.
➃ TSMC's 2nm is expected to enter volume production in 2025.
➄ TSMC plans to expand its 2nm capacity to meet strong demand.
➅ TSMC's A16 process is highly attractive for AI server applications.
- TSMC's CoWoS Capacity Doubles for Two Years, Still Insufficient—Positive Outlook for Suppliers
➀ TSMC's CoWoS capacity will double in 2024 and 2025, but demand will continue to exceed supply;
➁ The CoWoS expansion wave is expected to extend into 2026, benefiting equipment suppliers for the next two to three years;
➂ Advanced packaging currently accounts for 7-9% of TSMC's revenue, with expected growth to outpace the company's average over the next five years;
➃ TSMC's CoWoS monthly production capacity is expected to reach 35,000 to 40,000 wafers this year, and surge to 80,000 wafers per month next year;
➄ Strong demand from major AI customers is driving capacity needs, potentially reaching 140,000 to 150,000 wafers per month by 2026.
October 19
- SK Hynix Shifts Focus to HBM Amid CIS Operations Reduction
➀ SK Hynix is scaling back its less profitable CMOS image sensor (CIS) and foundry businesses.
➁ The company has reduced R&D investment in CIS and cut production capacity by over half compared to last year.
➂ SK Hynix is reallocating resources to focus on high-margin HBM and AI memory.
October 15
- Global Expansion of 8-inch Silicon Carbide Wafer Fabs
➀ Over the past few years, major companies have been investing in 8-inch SiC production lines, with 14 new factories being planned globally.
➁ STMicroelectronics is constructing a new 8-inch SiC plant in Italy and a joint venture in China, with production expected in 2026.
➂ Wolfspeed has the world's first and largest 8-inch SiC plant, with plans for a new factory in Germany.
October 1
- China's First Photonic Chip Pilot Line Launched, Along with Various Pioneering Research Achievements➀ The first domestic photonic chip pilot line in China is launched in Wuxi; ➁ Jinan achieves the world's first 12-inch lithium niobate crystal; ➃ Chinese scientists develop mass-produced new 'optical silicon' chips; ➄ Tsinghua University team releases AI photonic chip; ➅ Chinese team successfully develops fully programmable topological photonic chip.
September 3
- 8-Inch SiC Wafer Fab Co-Built by San’an and ST to Start Production Soon➀ The San’an-ST project, with a total investment of approximately CNY 30 billion, is close to completion and is expected to start production soon. ➁ The project includes a chip factory and a substrate factory, focusing on the production of SiC power chips and substrates. ➂ The substrate factory, fully funded by San’an Semiconductor, is set to produce 480,000 8-inch SiC substrates annually, while the chip factory aims for an annual production capacity of 480,000 automotive-grade SiC MOSFET power chips.
August 22
- Memory Spot Price Update: DDR4’s Price Hike Momentum Deterred by the Ample Supply of Reball Chips➀ No significant rebound in demand in the DRAM spot market; ➁ DDR4 spot prices could weaken further due to passive buyer behavior; ➂ Ample supply of reball DDR4 chips prevents price hikes; ➃ NAND flash spot prices drop as traders anticipate demand revival in Q3 2024.
August 21
- Samsung Reportedly Reduces Procurement of ASML’s Next-Generation EUV Lithography Equipment➀ Samsung Electronics plans to reduce its procurement of ASML's next-generation EUV lithography equipment. ➁ The company initially planned to purchase multiple units of EXE:5200, EXE:5400, and EXE:5600, but now will only introduce the EXE:5200. ➂ The decision follows a review by the new head of the DS division, Jun Young-hyun, and impacts the joint R&D center plans with ASML.
August 19
- Samsung Reportedly to Tape out HBM4 with 1c DRAM by Year-end➀ Samsung has formed a new HBM development team and is targeting to tape-out HBM4 by the end of the year. ➁ The HBM4 will use Samsung's 4nm foundry process for the logic die and 10nm 6th-generation (1c) DRAM for the memory chip. ➂ Samsung's HBM4 test products are expected to be released next year, with mass production slated for the end of 2025.
- Samsung to Introduce High-NA EUV Machine by Year-End, SK Hynix Targets 2026➀ Samsung plans to introduce its first High-NA EUV equipment, ASML’s EXE:5000, by the end of 2024 or early 2025, primarily for foundry operations. ➁ The company aims for full commercialization of High-NA EUV technology by 2027, collaborating with EDA companies to develop new mask designs. ➂ SK hynix is set to bring in ASML’s next-generation High-NA EUV machine, the EXE:5200, in 2026, with plans to apply it to advanced DRAM production.