When Masayoshi Son made a surprise appearance at Mar-a-Lago alongside Donald Trump last week, the founder of Japan's SoftBank Group vowed to invest a stunning US$100 billion in the US over the next four years. The president-elect joked that perhaps SoftBank would like to double that target to US$200 billion. Not to be outdone, Son replied with a wide smile, "I will really try."
Security chip demand has remained subdued in 2024, falling short of pandemic-era peaks, with customers showing reluctance in inventory replenishment. Industry sources indicate that Taiwanese IC design firms face mounting pressure from Chinese competitors, who are now making inroads not only in core optical sensing technologies but also in peripheral chips.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) faces a projected budget cut of NT$29.7 billion (US$907.08 million) in 2025 following the Legislative Yuan's passage of amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures. According to Economics Minister Jyh-Huei Kuo, the reduction will impact subsidies promised to foreign companies like Nvidia, Micron, and AMD for their Taiwan investments.
The US government's new Section 301 investigation into China's mature semiconductor manufacturing processes signals potential expansion of trade restrictions, according to industry sources familiar with the matter. This development comes amid expectations of stricter sanctions under the incoming Trump administration.
According to Silicon Motion Technology, a specialist in memory device controllers, the NAND flash industry is expected to reach a supply-demand balance or experience a slight shortage in the second half of 2025.
Intel Corporation will deliver insights into next-generation AI PC technology through a keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2025.
As major cloud service providers (CSP) and cloud AI-related companies launch new projects, Taiwanese IC designers are positioning themselves to benefit. Industry observers expect the cloud AI and ASIC markets to experience explosive growth in the next three years. During this period, the need for custom chip development will extend beyond CSPs, tech companies, and cloud AI developers to encompass all major industry groups developing their own chips.
Taiwan's successful track record of attracting major tech investments from companies like Nvidia, Micron, and AMD faces potential headwinds as lawmakers pass a new act that could reduce government subsidies by billions. The development comes despite the nation's significant achievements in fostering research and development, talent acquisition, and supply chain localization through existing programs.
While Samsung Electronics (Samsung) can breathe a sigh of relief as Qualcomm's close collaborator following the US semiconductor manufacturer's victory in its lawsuit against UK semiconductor IP firm Arm, concerns are mounting over the company's overreliance on Qualcomm.
Qualcomm is doubling down on smart terminals, eyeing the automotive and Internet of Things (IoT) sectors to fuel its next growth phase. At two events in November, the company revealed its goal to triple revenue from these divisions to $22 billion by fiscal 2029, up from US$8.3 billion in FY24.
A report by Nikkei Asia reveals that Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing, operating mainly from four factories in Kyushu, Japan, has shipped over 20 billion image sensors. To enhance its production capabilities and sustain its dominant market position, the company is currently building a new facility in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Following Qualcomm's recent victory in its patent dispute with Arm, industry analysts are examining the broader implications for semiconductor licensing practices. The US jury verdict, which validated Qualcomm's use of technology acquired through its US$1.4 billion Nuvia purchase, could set precedents for future acquisitions in the chip industry and influence how intellectual property rights are transferred during mergers.
Faced with challenging market conditions, system-on-chip (SoC) and private Wi-Fi (pWi-Fi) specialist Mars Semiconductor is streamlining operational expenses to maintain profitability, according to the company's latest earnings call. Prior to 2023, Mars has consistently generated more than NT$300 million (US$9.2 million) in annual revenue since its founding, yet the past two years have marked a historical low point for the company.
Synopsys, the leading electronic design automation company in the US, has launched its fourth office in Vietnam, located in Hanoi. The company already operates two offices in Ho Chi Minh City and one in Danang.
Mindgrove Technologies, an India-based IC design house, has secured US$8 million in funding, positioning the startup to commercialize its RISC-V products amid the Indian government's design-in-India initiative.
MediaTek held a Dimensity product launch event in Beijing, China, on the 23rd, with Xiaomi executives attending as partners and Vivo and Oppo showing support through videos. Xiaomi's subsidiary Redmi will launch the Turbo 4 in 2025, becoming the first partner with MediaTek to introduce the Dimensity 8400 chipset in their products.
The legal standoff between Qualcomm and Arm reached an interim resolution last week when a US District Court for the District of Delaware jury ruled that Qualcomm's acquisition of Nuvia and the subsequent development of the Oryon processor did not breach the company's existing chip design licensing agreement with Arm, eliminating the need for additional licensing fees.
A Delaware jury has ruled that Qualcomm did not breach its agreement with Arm, allowing the company to retain its Nuvia-based intellectual property designs. This verdict comes at a crucial time as Arm-based AI personal computers begin gaining market traction.
IC distributor Sunnic Technology & Merchandise is expanding its CMOS image sensor (CIS) business in India while diversifying into service businesses focused on unmanned automation and smart healthcare solutions.
While Samsung Electronics has integrated its own Exynos 2400 chip in some models of the Galaxy S24 series, the foldable Galaxy Z Flip6 and Fold6 series are still entirely equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. Currently, Samsung's competitiveness in the application processor (AP) sector remains relatively weak, and whether the upcoming Exynos 2500 can reverse this trend is closely watched.
The Biden administration is reportedly ramping up scrutiny of China's mature process chips during its transition period, potentially paving the way for tighter regulatory measures. Market analysts suggest the US could impose sweeping bans on electronic products utilizing chips made in China, intensifying geopolitical tensions in the tech sector.
MediaTek has introduced its new Dimensity 8400 SoC series for light flagship smartphones, with Redmi being the first to release a model featuring this processor.
The US trade deficit with Taiwan is projected to grow to US$59 billion in 2024, an increase only ranking behind Mexico and Vietnam. However, although US President-elect Donald Trump is now certain to target trade with Mexico, Taiwan should remain safe from restrictions for a number of reasons.
The PC market, traditionally dominated by x86 processors from Intel and AMD, is now abuzz with rumors about Nvidia's entry into the AI PC processor market. The company is reportedly preparing to challenge Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD with its upcoming solutions.
