Taiwan's status as a global powerhouse in the semiconductor industry could be undermined by labor shortages, but talent from India could provide a solution.

In October 2024, South Korean media reported that Intel's CEO, Pat Gelsinger, aimed to meet Samsung's chairman, Lee Jae-Yong, to discuss a foundry alliance that would involve sharing resources in manufacturing, R&D, and technology processes. This information is deemed credible.

Dirk Beljaarts. Economy Minister of Netherlands and Peter Wennink, former CEO of ASML, visited Samsung Electronics' semiconductor facility in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, drawing significant industry attention regarding potential future collaborations.

Statistics from the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) indicate that Taiwan's overseas production ratio in January was 44.8%, a year-over-year decrease of 4.2pp. If Taiwan's major server ODMs relocate abroad or if TSMC increases its investments in the US, this indicator will certainly reverse and rise.

Apple has officially unveiled the iPhone 16e, marking a significant shift in the company's strategy as it also announces the discontinuation of the iPhone SE product line. The iPhone 16e is now positioned as Apple's entry-level iPhone, offering a more affordable option without compromising on key performance features.

According to Infineon's press release, the European Commission has approved funding for Infineon's Smart Power Fab in Dresden under the European Chips Act, with expected approval from Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in the coming months. The fab also benefits from the European Commission's IPCEI ME/CT program, totaling about EUR1 billion (approx. US$1.05 billion) in funding. Construction began in March 2023, and the facility is set to open in 2026.

If two competitive strategies within an industry can both become dominant at different times, it is natural for these strategies to shift as industry conditions change.

With geopolitical tensions reshaping the semiconductor landscape, Intel's future hinges on decisions made by its board, the Trump administration, and Wall Street investors eyeing its assets. But inside Intel, engineers are pushing back against the company's current course.

Forcera Materials is set to be listed on the stock exchange in late March. As one of the few Taiwanese companies with fully integrated capabilities in advanced ceramic material R&D, manufacturing, surface processing, and cleaning, Forcera Materials specializes in three key product categories: ceramics, quartz, and silicon. Many leading global semiconductor manufacturers are among its major clients.

There is a growing sense of unease in Taiwan, driven by what is perceived as a transactional approach from US President Donald Trump. Trump's reported interest in acquiring 50% of Ukraine's rare earth minerals in exchange for security assurances has drawn parallels to Taiwan's situation, particularly regarding its advanced chip manufacturing capabilities.

Reports indicate that TSMC is contemplating acquiring a stake in Intel's foundry business, a development that could significantly impact Samsung Electronics. This speculation arises amid ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to revitalize the US semiconductor manufacturing sector.

Over the past 70 years of semiconductor industry development, there has been a significant shift towards deconstructing the industrial value chain into individual value chain nodes.

Force-MOS Technology, currently involved in litigation with Asus, saw its profitability impacted by substantial legal fees in 2024. According to market analysts, the company needs monthly revenue of NT$100 million (US$3.05 million) to achieve break-even in 2025 if costs remain at current levels.

As US President Donald Trump continues to make statements about Taiwan's semiconductor industry, concerns are rising that the US might replicate its past tactics of undermining Japan's semiconductor sector—this time targeting Taiwan. Such fears have sparked debates over whether Taiwan is overly concentrating its talent and resources in semiconductors, potentially putting all its economic eggs in one basket.

US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on auto imports, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals starting as early as April 2, with potential increases over time. This follows his recent 10% tariff on Chinese goods and 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI) is pushing TSMC to expand its advanced packaging capacity. As a key testing partner, Xintec—a TSMC-affiliated outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) provider—handles testing for application processors (APs) and other products.

China plans to prohibit non-state companies from mining rare earths, further tightening its control over a strategic sector that has emerged as a battleground in its trade war with the US.

The advent of DeepSeek and other factors are contributing to the current shortage of Nvidia's GPUs, as Taiwan's AI industry supply chain is on the brink of entering its third wave of strong growth momentum.

Siemens Digital Industries Software announced the readiness of an automated and certified workflow for TSMC's InFO packaging technology, leveraging Siemens' advanced packaging integration solutions.

SMIC is advancing the second phase of its Beijing wafer fab, set to break ground in early 2025. The project, expected to be the city's largest logic IC foundry, comes with a total investment of at least CNY50 billion (approx. US$6.86 billion).

The rapid rise of AI-driven applications in smart healthcare, semiconductors, and data storage has pushed many Taiwanese companies traditionally focused on automotive components to undergo strategic transformations in recent years, achieving significant milestones along the way.

Young Optics' consolidated revenue declined by 14.6% year over year in 2024 to NT$2.572 billion (US$78.7 million), largely due to competition from Chinese mid-range single-panel LCD products. In response, the company plans to strategically pivot toward non-China and non-consumer markets, emphasizing new applications in home security and logistics projection.

Kaynes SemiCon is strengthening its position in the outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) market, moving closer to securing new customers from Japan and the US as part of its global expansion strategy.

Xintec, a TSMC-affiliated semiconductor packaging house, anticipates that increased geopolitical uncertainties, declining market demand, and shifts in customer-supplier strategies will have an impact on its future operations. Revenue in the first half of 2025 is expected to remain stagnant.

Apple is ramping up efforts to develop its own wireless connectivity chips, signaling a shift away from suppliers. The company is advancing in modem, Wi-Fi, and RF chip development, with plans for gradual integration into new devices.