DDR4 memory is experiencing a sharp rise in both price and volume due to tight supply, driving strong inventory replenishment momentum. This has rapidly heated up orders across the supply chain, boosting operational performance broadly.
On October 2, Meta announced the acquisition of US-based IC design company Rivos, which develops high-performance computing chips and solutions based on the RISC-V architecture. Interestingly, at the beginning of 2025, Meta also set its sights on South Korean chip startup FuriosaAI, a company gaining attention for its unique Tensor Contraction Processor (TCP) chip architecture and dedicated to enhancing AI performance through the efficiency of TCP design.
Recent market developments—such as Nvidia's capital infusion into Intel and AMD's approach to Intel for packaging deals—have yet to rock the current PC processor market. But they're already expanding the contours of what's possible.
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has approved the establishment of the NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar, a move aimed at strengthening India's talent base in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and packaging.
Semiconductor intelligence firm TechInsights has concluded, following a teardown of Huawei Technologies' Ascend 910C chip, that some of the components still come from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix. The analysis showed that the chip die for the Ascend 910C was produced by TSMC and used high-bandwidth memory 2 enhanced (HBM2E) supplied by Samsung and SK Hynix.
As the global semiconductor industry eyes the rise of 12-inch silicon carbide (SiC) wafers as potential game-changers in advanced packaging, a surprising development is reshaping the conversation. A Chinese startup has reportedly discovered a high-value application for large-diameter SiC substrates—one that directly aligns with the supply chain of tech giant Meta's AI-powered smart glasses.
Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of September 29–October 5.
AMD has entered into a multi-year, multi-generation AI chip supply agreement with OpenAI that could generate the chipmaker hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue. The deal also grants OpenAI the right to acquire about a 10% equity stake in AMD through stock warrants tied to AI GPU deployment milestones and AMD's stock performance.
Facing continuing growth in precious metal costs, IC packaging lead frame manufacturer Chang Wah Technology has revealed plans to raise prices on its LED lead frames starting January 1, 2026. The company informed customers that shipment order prices for its entire LED lead frame range will increase by 15% to 25%, depending on product type and design specifications.
Due to global tariffs and inflation, the consumer market outlook for the second half of 2025 remains pessimistic. Taiwanese PCB industry players believe that overall industry growth momentum still relies on demand from AI servers and low-orbit satellites.
According to the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA), the PCB manufacturing output value of Taiwanese companies in the second quarter of 2025 reached NT$218.2 billion (US$7.2 billion), a 14.4% increase compared to the same period in 2024; cumulative output value in the first half of 2025 hit NT$423.6 billion, up 13.8% year-over-year, demonstrating strong growth despite the usual off-season.
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