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NEWS & VIEWS |
Taipei,
Sunday, October 12, 2008
11:22 (GMT+8)
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Subject: Bits + chips > Memory |
Shrunken 65nm process is more competitive: Q&A with Kumi Higuchi, vice president of Elpida Memory Oct 9, 14:14 Japan-based Elpida Memory has recently come out with a shrunken 65nm process for the production of DRAM chips, which the company claims will be able to compete effectively with the 50nm-class processes currently being developed by rivals in South Korea. Elpida vice president for investment and public relations, Kumi Higuchi, discussed the company's deployment plans for the shrunken 65nm node, as well as her view of the prospects for the DRAM industry in a recent interview with Digitimes. Read more |
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Nanya Technology and Inotera revenues down in September on sagging DRAM prices Oct 9, 13:09 Nanya Technology and Inotera Memories both saw their revenues drop in September amid declining memory chip prices, according to data provided the companies. Read more |
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Transcend and A-Data revenues up slightly in September despite weak chip prices Oct 8, 12:22 Two Taiwan leading memory module makers - Transcend Information and A-Data Technology - saw their net sales increase slightly in September despite weak prices for DRAM and NAND flash chips, according to data provided by the companies. Read more |
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Winbond September sales down 40% on year Oct 7, 16:00 Winbond Electronics reported September revenues of NT$1.677 billion, a decrease of approximately 9.25% compared with NT$1.848 billion in the previous month. September's sales were also down more than 40% from the same period one year earlier. Read more |
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Synnex Technology hits record consolidated revenues in September Oct 7, 14:12 Synnex Technology International, the largest IT channel distributor in Taiwan, on October 6 reported consolidated revenues of NT$19.35 billion (US$605 million) for September 2008, the highest monthly level recorded by the company. Read more |
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Etron September sales and shipments up sequentially Oct 7, 01:00 Etron Technology announced that its net sales for September 2008 were NT$700 million (US$22 million), up 6.8% from NT$656 million (US$21 million) for August 2008. Revenues from July through September totaled NT$1,997 million (US$64.3 million), up 3.5% from NT$1,930 million (US$63.5 million) for the second quarter in 2008. Read more |
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Elpida completes 65nm DRAM shrink Oct 6, 17:05 Japan-based DRAM maker Elpida Memory has announced today that it has developed a shrunken version of its 1Gb DDR2 SDRAM that delivers 20% more chips from a single 65nnm-processed 300mm wafer, or a 60% increase compared with wafers for 70nm process products. Read more |
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PTI to have record September sales with Kingston's strong orders; expects flat or increasing sales in 4Q Oct 6, 15:23 Powertech Technology (PTI) has reported September sales of NT$2.7 billion (US$83.5 million), a company record, thanks to support from its largest shareholder Kingston Technology, and despite the current weak memory market, according to the company. Read more |
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Second-tier memory vendors laying off workers to cut operating costs Oct 6, 14:40 A number of Taiwan-based second-tier memory vendors have begun to lay off employees working at production lines and backup units as a means to reduce operating costs in order to tide over the current slump in the industry, according to industry sources. Read more |
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DRAM maker Powerchip sees revenues drop to 3-year low in September Oct 6, 12:02 Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC) saw its revenues drop to a three-and-a-year low in September 2008 resulting from sliding DRAM prices and a reduction in output, according to company data. Read more |
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TSMC reaches settlement with UniRAM Technology Stockwatch - Oct 6, 11:43 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has reached a settlement agreement with UniRAM Technology to settle a dispute regarding trade secrets alleged by UniRAM, according to a TSMC filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE). No financial details were disclosed. Read more |
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Credit crisis crunches DRAM suppliers, says iSuppli Oct 6, 11:06 Already reeling from a major downturn in business conditions, DRAM suppliers now face another challenge: raising money for servicing debt and for funding capital spending, according to iSuppli. Read more |
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ProMOS to cut DRAM output 10-15% in 4Q Oct 3, 16:57 ProMOS Technologies indicated today that since it has already successfully migrated all foundry products, as well as its own proprietary legacy products, from the 8-inch wafer fab (FAB 1) to the 12-inch wafer fab (FAB 2), it will now commence to shut down the 8-inch wafer fab, as originally planned. Read more |
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Through August, semiconductor sales up 4.5% this year, says SIA Oct 3, 12:10 Worldwide sales of semiconductors grew by 5.5% on year to US$22.7 billion in August, up from August 2007 sales of US$21.5 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). Sales grew by 2.4% from July when sales were US$22.2 billion. Read more |
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Micron-Qimonda acquisition almost official; battle of DRAM giants continues Oct 3, 01:20 Micron's acquisition of Qimonda is almost official, according to market sources. Read more |
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Capex spending for MeiYa on hold for near-term, says Micron Oct 3, 01:10 With the DRAM industry remaining in the doldrums, business conditions are dictating that capital purchases for MeiYa Technology, Micron's joint venture with Nanya Technology, be put on hold for the near term, while the company works with Nanya to reassess its business plans, according to Micron CFO Ronald Foster speaking during a recent Micron investors conference. Read more |
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Powerchip Semiconductor to expand branded DRAM sales as eTT market shrinks Oct 2, 12:20 DRAM maker Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC) plans to expand its sales of branded finished memory chips to PC OEM makers on a contract basis, instead of its previous strategy to focus mainly on the spot market, according to industry watchers. Read more |
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DRAM makers to see higher on-month revenues drops in September Oct 2, 01:10 Market watchers originally expected Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC), Nanya Technology and ProMOS Technologies to see on-month revenues drops of around 10% in September, however, due to the continued weakening of spot market and contract prices, the watchers are now preparing for drops reaching up to 20%. Read more |
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DDR2 eTT 1Gb chip pricing falls to historic low Oct 1, 14:08 The recent drastic decline of branded 1Gb DDR2 prices has pushed the price of DDR2 1Gb eTT chips to an historic low, according to sources at Taiwan DRAM makers. Read more |
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Transcend launches new SSD drives Sep 26, 20:32 With the ever-increasing popularity of compact notebooks and high-end portable devices, demand for solid-state disks (SSD) is increasing and Transcend is at the forefront of market, offering a new high-speed range of SSD products this September with a fresh new look and double the read/write speeds of previous models. Read more |
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DRAM market rating lowered as fundamentals remain in the dumps Sep 26, 14:30 The fundamentals of the DRAM market remain in the dumps with no prospects to stage a turnaround before the end of 2008, according to sources at Taiwan DRAM makers who made the remarks after market research firm iSuppli recently downgraded its rating for near-term conditions for the market. Read more |
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Hynix to cut capex for 2009, say industry sources Sep 25, 14:29 Hynix Semiconductor will reduce its capital expenditure (capex) for 2009 following the recently announced DRAM production cuts, according to sources at Taiwan DRAM makers. Read more |
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Toshiba to fully advance NAND flash to 43nm in 1Q09 Sep 25, 01:05 Toshiba is planning to advance all its NAND flash process technology to the 43nm node in the first quarter of 2009 and will phase out the current 56nm process in a bid to counter falling prices, according to industry sources. Read more |
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Apacer launches SSD+ Optimizer in cooperation with Diskeeper Sep 24, 12:09 Taiwan-based DRAM module maker Apacer Technology has launched a new SSD (solid state drive), the SSD+ Optimizer, featuring built-in defragmentation software from Diskeeper, the company said. Read more |
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Phison integrates smart card and memory card functionality Sep 23, 16:16 Phison Electronics has launched a new smart card based on an SD interface that also combines smart card and memory card functionality, with the company indicating the device can expand the scope of smart card applications by utilizing microSD or SD slots currently available in notebooks, handsets and PDAs. Read more |
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NAND flash spot prices up slightly this week Sep 23, 15:01 The NAND flash spot market has been active so far this week, with more orders than before, on higher prices, according to InSpectrum. Compared with closing prices on Friday, September 18, the ASPs of 16Gb MLC and 32Gb MLC increased this week more than 1% to US$2.42 and US$5.86, respectively, the research firm noted. Read more |
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Micron-Qimonda deal likely to happen, says analyst Sep 23, 12:33 Micron's investigation into acquiring Qimonda has progressed and a deal is likely to happen, according to a note from analyst Doug Freedman of American Technology Research. Read more |
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DRAM contract quotes drop sharply for 2H September Sep 23, 11:59 Contract prices of DRAM chips for the second half of September fell sharply as orders for memory chips from PC OEMs continued to dwindle, according to data available from DRAMeXchange. Read more |
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More DRAM production cuts needed despite Hynix reductions, says DRAMeXchange Sep 22, 12:26 Despite the latest cut in production announced by Hynix Semiconductor, more reductions are needed to help the global DRAM industry recover from its current slump, according to DRAMeXchange. Read more |
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DRAM module maker Apacer to sign SSD cooperation pact with Diskeeper Sep 19, 15:29 Apacer Technology is expected to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with Diskeeper for the joint development of solid-state drive (SSD) solutions next week, according to sources at Taiwan DRAM module makers. Read more |
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SMIC and Wuhan city government to kick off operations of 12-inch fab on September 22 Sep 19, 15:21 Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) and Wuhan city government (Hubei province, China) will jointly kick off official operation of the 12-inch wafer fab built in Wuhan on September 22. Read more |
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Nanya unveils Elixir DDR3 1066 SODIMM Sep 19, 12:33 Leading DRAM maker Nanya Technology is debuting its retail brand Elixir DDR3 1066 SODIMM to support the Intel Centrino 2 Montevina mobile platform. Elixir DDR3 1066 is now available in 1GB and higher density 2GB to fulfill the notebook enthusiasts' needs for high performance and low power consumption. Read more |
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In a weak NAND flash market, Samsung stands out Sep 19, 12:00 Due to intense competition and slowdown of the economy, the NAND flash market has been experiencing a sharp downturn since the beginning of 2008. iSuppli early this year warned that the NAND market would experience a challenging 2008. iSuppli now has cut its 2008 NAND annual flash revenue growth forecast from 9% to negative 3%. Read more |
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North American semiconductor equipment market posts August book-to-bill ratio of 0.83 Sep 19, 10:52 North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted US$884 million in orders in August 2008 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.83 according to the August 2008 Book-to-Bill Report published by SEMI. A book-to-bill of 0.83 means that US$83 worth of orders were received for every US$100 of product billed for the month. Read more |
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Hynix to accelerate retirement of 200mm fabs, to reduce capacity by 30% by early 2009 Sep 18, 16:12 Hynix Semiconductor said that the company will retire its 200mm wafer fabrication plants, which are less efficient than 300mm fabs earlier than planned in order to improve its financial stability and focus on profitability. Hynix has total five 200mm fabs, including M7 in Icheon, M8 and M9 in Cheongju, E1 in Eugene, United States and HC1 in Wuxi, China. Read more |
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ITRI to collaborate with IBM on Racetrack Memory development Sep 18, 12:35 IBM announced that it has entered into a joint development agreement with Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to further explore "Racetrack Memory," an entirely new approach to solid state memory. Read more |
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Semiconductor market becoming less forgiving, says iSuppli Sep 18, 10:42 Facing dwindling profits, fewer opportunities to expand by taking market share from competitors and a shrinking roster of star performers, the semiconductor industry has entered a period of lowered expectations and diminishing options, forcing chip suppliers to rethink their basic strategies for success, according to iSuppli. Read more |
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SanDisk rejects Samsung buyout bid, Samsung reiterates offer Sep 17, 11:59 After SanDisk announced that its board of directors rejected an unsolicited proposal from Samsung Electronics to acquire SanDisk for US$26 per share in cash, or about US$5.85 billion in total, Samsung responded by reiterating its offer to SanDisk, indicating that it believes SanDisk is clinging to unrealistic expectations on both its standalone market value and an appropriate merger price. Read more |
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Fake NAND flash spreading China, undermining market Sep 17, 11:26 While the global memory chip market is experiencing a slump currently, a large quantity of fake NAND flash is showing up in the China market with the bulk available as Samsung-branded chips, according to sources with Taiwan memory chipmakers. Read more |
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Commentary: Elpida-He Jian joint venture could deal a serious blow to Taiwan DRAM makers Sep 16, 14:23 The latest news from Nikkei saying that Elpida Memory is going to build a 12-inch wafer fab in Suchou, China in cooperation with He Jian Technology could deal a serious blow to Taiwan DRAM makers who are currently facing the most severe industry slump they have ever met. Read more |
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Micron reportedly to cut capex for 2009, say sources Sep 15, 14:42 Following the announcement of DRAM production cuts by Elpida Memory and Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC) last week, Micron Technology also reportedly plans to slash its capital expenditure (capex) for 2009 to help stabilize the sagging DRAM market, industrial observers in Taiwan quoted sources at international institutional investors as saying. Read more |
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The Taiwan DRAM game, it's best played with others Sep 12, 16:32 While it is true global DRAM makers may be glum about the state of the DRAM industry, the current market situation also represents a time of great opportunity for Taiwan makers to even the field against their more well-established international rivals. Read more |
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Probe card shipments decline 30% in 3Q08; MJC Probe to become dealer in memory sector Sep 12, 16:15 Some probe card makers estimate orders in the third quarter are to decline 30% on year, and will maintain level in the forth quarter due to weakening demand for LCD driver ICs. In order to fill capacity, industry players are turning to develop applications for low-end products or memory. Read more |
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eMemory and MagnaChip partner to offer non-volatile memory logic and high voltage processes Sep 12, 12:06 eMemory Technology, provider of intellectual property for logic embedded non-volatile memory (NVM), and MagnaChip Semiconductor, an Asia-based designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products for high volume consumer applications, have announced that the Neobit-embedded NVM intellectual property has received final verification to be applied in CMOS logic and high-voltage processes. Read more |
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Taiwan and restrictions on China-bound investments Sep 12, 10:29 Since Taiwan's new president took office in May this year, the government has promised to relax various restrictions on its ties and exchanges with China. Taiwan's semiconductor and flat panel industries are now eagerly awaiting changes to the investment rules that have prevented companies from setting up operations involving advanced technologies in China. Read more |
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Transcend ships 6.76 million memory products in August Sep 12, 01:10 Memory module maker Transcend Information has estimated that its DRAM module and NAND flash product shipments in August reached 6.76 million units. The company expects to earn a profit in the third quarter. Read more |
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China DRAM market tries to shake off Olympic blues, says iSuppli Sep 11, 15:57 China was hoping for an economic boost from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, but for the nation's DRAM market, the event actually had the opposite effect, plowing a trough in demand right before the all-important holiday season, according to iSuppli. Read more |
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DRAM production cuts not helping, says A-Data Sep 11, 01:00 The consistent DRAM trough has grown increasingly bleak even though some players have announced production cuts, according to A-Data Technology chairman Simon Chen, adding that he believes an improvement is only likely if someone exits the market. This also applies to the NAND flash market, Chen added. Read more |
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Pay to play: DRAM transition to 50nm will not be cheap Sep 10, 02:00 With leading DRAM players expected to migrate to 50nm-class production starting in the second half of 2008, cash flows among players will be the judging factor to see whether a transition will be smooth or not, as a set of required immersion lithography equipment costs over NT$1 billion (US$31.5 million). Read more |
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SPIL said to be adding more wirebonders Sep 10, 01:25 The semiconductor industry trough is not weighing on Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) with sources at equipment vendors indicating that SPIL will add more wirebonders during the next few month on new orders from Qualcomm. Read more |
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Notes and corrections |
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Due to a holiday in Taiwan, there will be no new news posted or email issued on October 10. |
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