In 2025, LitePoint, a global leader in wireless testing solutions, hosted its "Smart Connectivity Unbounded · Testing Drives the Future" Innovative Testing Technology Seminar in Hsinchu and Taipei on September 23 and 24. This year’s event spotlighted cutting-edge testing and verification methods for diverse wireless communication technologies, setting new benchmarks for user experience and underscoring the transformative impact of wireless innovation.The seminar opened with a keynote address by Glenn Farris, LitePoint's Vice President of Global Sales, who warmly welcomed attendees and shared an overview of the latest advancements in testing technology. As a pioneer in wireless testing, LitePoint continues to deliver solutions that are fully connected, highly intelligent, and strongly compatible, enabling enterprises to overcome complex testing challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities.Following this, Adam Smith, LitePoint's Vice President of Marketing, outlined the seminar's core themes. He emphasized that the rapid evolution of AI applications is accelerating the growth of wireless technologies. Today's diverse usage scenarios demand high bandwidth, robust stability, and ultra-low latency for seamless connectivity and data transmission. No single wireless technology can dominate the market, making multi-technology integration-including 5G RedCap, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and UWB-essential. Coupled with enhanced security measures, these innovations are critical to meeting the ever-increasing expectations of end-users.Adam Smith, Vice President of Marketing, LitePoint. Credit: LitePointRapid Progress in Multi-Technology Wireless Integration in the AI EraAdam Smith began by examining the current state of the 5G market. Drawing insights from Mobile World Congress (MWC), he noted that telecom operators remain cautious about 6G adoption, largely due to the slow return on investment from 5G. However, the global 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) market has emerged as a game-changer, delivering fast and cost-effective high-speed network deployment solutions. This trend continues to gain traction among service providers, driving growth in the 5G FWA Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) segment, which is projected to achieve a 31.5% CAGR from 2024 to 2032.Meanwhile, the rise of Wi-Fi 7 and the upgrade cycle for mid-to-high-end networking equipment are fueling demand. With its significantly improved transmission speed and spectral efficiency, Wi-Fi 7 is accelerating the adoption of high-end routers in both residential and commercial environments. Market penetration is expected to exceed 10% in 2025, setting the stage for strong growth in 2026 and sparking anticipation for the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard.In addition, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is creating new opportunities through the convergence of low-speed, long-range wireless technologies with Wi-Fi. Solutions such as 5G RedCap, Bluetooth, and UWB are experiencing heightened demand, serving as the true engine behind the dynamic wireless communication market. To ensure seamless integration and performance, verification and testing of these technologies are critical. LitePoint’s advanced testing solutions play a pivotal role in enabling continuous AI-driven innovation and delivering exceptional user experiences.Wi-Fi 8: Ushering in an Era of "Ultra-High Reliability" Wireless ConnectivityJames Lin, Deputy General Manager of the Connectivity Technology Development Division at MediaTek, was invited to share the technical highlights of Wi-Fi 8. Reflecting on the 25-year evolution of Wi-Fi technology, he noted that transmission speeds have increased thousands of times. However, Wi-Fi 8's focus has shifted beyond mere speed to "Ultra-High Reliability" and multi-device connectivity, aiming to deliver a more stable and lower-latency wireless network environment, providing users with a tangible upgrade.James Lin, Deputy General Manager, Connectivity Technology Development Division, MediaTek. Credit: LitePointJames Lin highlighted four major innovations driving Wi-Fi 8:Enhanced Long Range (ELR): ELR addresses the asymmetry in transmission power between routers and end devices, eliminating the “visible but unreachable” issue. MediaTek has integrated its proprietary MediaTek Long Range (MLR) technology into Filogic Wi-Fi 7 chips, achieving the extended coverage promised by ELR. This advancement enables the Dimensity 9400 mobile chip to maintain connectivity up to 30 meters on the 2.4GHz band.Coordinated Spatial Reuse (Co-SR): By coordinating transmission power among routers, Co-SR optimizes time reuse and significantly improves Mesh network performance. MediaTek was first to implement Co-SR in its Filogic Wi-Fi 7 chips. In real-world Mesh topology tests, download speeds improved by 48%, while file download times dropped by 37.5%.Dynamic Sub-Channel Operation (DSO): Addressing the mismatch between large bandwidth support in routers (5GHz or 6GHz bands) and smaller bandwidth support in most end devices, DSO optimizes router bandwidth efficiency through frequency hopping techniques. Simulation results show up to an 80% increase in overall network speed.Non-Primary Channel Access (NPCA): NPCA leverages primary channel hopping to increase channel access opportunities, improving interference resistance and connection stability while maintaining compatibility with surrounding routers. Simulations show peak-hour speeds up by 67% and latency reduced by up to 92%.James Lin emphasized: "Wi-Fi 8 aims to create a harmonious, high-performance network environment for multiple devices-offering speed, stability, and reliability. MediaTek remains committed to innovation, standard-setting, and delivering products aligned with the latest specifications. Our upcoming Filogic Wi-Fi 8 solution targets Wi-Fi 8 certification, streamlining partner product approvals and accelerating the industry’s transition to ultra-reliable connectivity."As a global leader in wireless testing, LitePoint is dedicated to delivering precise RF testing solutions. The company will continue collaborating closely with MediaTek to validate Wi-Fi 8 technologies, ensuring exceptional chip quality and performance. Together, they aim to help the industry embrace a new era of ultra-reliable wireless connectivity-unlocking innovative applications and limitless possibilities.The Importance of Deploying Silicon Photonics and CPO Packaging Communication Chips with Multi-Channel Parallel TestingAlex Zhang, Asia Technical Sales Manager at Quantifi Photonics-a Teradyne subsidiary headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand-shared insights on multi-channel parallel testing solutions for silicon photonics chips and Co-Packaged Optics (CPO). With the industry anticipating significant growth in cloud data centers, demand for 800Gbps optical modules is expected to surge from 2026, with 1.6Tbps modules poised to become the next standard. However, as this market accelerates, the primary challenge lies in developing efficient testing solutions for optical modules from wafer to final assembly.Alex Zhang, Asia Technical Sales Manager, Quantifi Photonics. Credit: LitePointQuantifi Photonics specializes in testing Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), leveraging the PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation) platform to integrate high-frequency signal generators, high-speed sampling oscilloscopes, spectral analyzers, and other instruments for wafer-level PIC testing. Automated testing through high-speed optical-to-electrical I/O interfaces ensures accurate verification of optical interconnect performance.During his presentation, Alex demonstrated testing of CPO chip samples, showcasing the process from wafer-level packaging to PCBA assembly and optical fiber channel integration, forming a complete optical communication module test sample. The module under test featured 512 optical channel connections-a scale that would require several days if tested sequentially. This underscores the critical role of parallel testing design and verification in transforming CPO and silicon photonics module testing methodologies.Teradyne has successfully expanded its expertise from chip and wireless communication testing into optical communication systems, marking a strategic evolution in its technology roadmap.Wi-Fi 8 RF Performance Verified by the IQxel-MX Series for Real-World ReliabilityYoung Huang, Associate Director of Applications Engineering at LitePoint, discussed RF performance verification for Wi-Fi 8. He noted that Wi-Fi 8 builds upon Wi-Fi 7's architecture, retaining many RF specifications while introducing enhancements in spectrum utilization and interference mitigation-necessitating comprehensive RF testing coverage.Young Huang, Associate Director of Applications Engineering, LitePoint. Credit: LitePointCurrent verification focuses on coexistence with other wireless technologies across the 2.4GHz–6GHz bands, particularly optimizing the 6GHz spectrum, which supports 320MHz bandwidth and 4096-QAM modulation. Accurate simulation and interference testing are essential to validate real-world performance.Additionally, ensuring multi-device connectivity and low-latency performance requires analyzing spectrum conflicts and coordinated operations among multiple Access Points (APs). Wi-Fi 8 introduces new technical challenges, including Data Rate and Unequal Modulation techniques and dRU subcarrier testing, all supported by LitePoint's advanced Wi-Fi 8 testing systems.LitePoint has already begun initial preparations for Wi-Fi 8 sample testing, with physical chip testing expected in 2026 and Wi-Fi Alliance certification targeted for 2028. To address these challenges, LitePoint has deployed its IQxel series, led by the IQxel-MX platform, integrated with IQfact+ automated testing software. Customers will need to update their compliance frameworks to meet full RF performance requirements.Unleashing the Full Potential of 5G RedCap and eRedCapJohnson Li, Software Engineer, explored the growing adoption of the RedCap standard. The 3GPP Release 17 (R17) version targets wearable devices, industrial sensors, and security cameras, while the enhanced Release 18 (eRedCap) standard takes aim at broader IoT connectivity. By reducing bandwidth from 100MHz to 10MHz and adopting 1T1R/1T2R antenna configurations, eRedCap lowers costs by 40-60%, positioning RedCap as a major growth driver for 5G devices-particularly in the Asia-Pacific market, which is outpacing Europe and North America. This trend also accelerates 5G Standalone (SA) network deployment and lays the groundwork for 6G development.Johnson Li, Software Engineer, LitePoint. Credit: LitePointCurrently, operators in the U.S. and China have deployed RedCap networks, with strong government and industry support fueling market momentum. LitePoint's testing solutions, including Signaling (IQcell-5G) and Non-Signaling platforms, enable rapid advancement of 5G SA architectures and ensure seamless integration of RedCap technology.Next-Generation Bluetooth: Features, Testing Requirements, and Market OutlookJerry Chien, LitePoint Applications Engineer, analyzed the capabilities of Bluetooth 6.0, launched in 2024, highlighting its Channel Sounding positioning function, which achieves sub-meter accuracy -a critical feature for object-finding applications and enhanced personal item tracking.Jerry Chien, Applications Engineer, LitePoint. Credit: LitePointBluetooth has expanded beyond the 2.4GHz band, now leveraging 5GHz and 6GHz for improved anti-interference performance via spectrum switching. With market growth projected to triple between 2024 and 2028, Bluetooth 6.1 introduces new testing requirements to support Channel Sounding, creating significant market opportunities.LitePoint's testing of Channel Sounding positioning focused on PBR (phase-based ranging) along with Time of Flight (ToF). The IQxel-MW 7G and IQxel-MX platforms provide comprehensive testing for Bluetooth's Channel Sounding feature, helping clients accelerate next-generation product development.UWB 802.15.4.ab: Precision Ranging Gains MomentumChih Wei Huang, Associate Director of Applications Engineering, discussed Ultra-Wideband (UWB) micro-positioning technology and the testing challenges of the IEEE 802.15.4.ab standard. 802.15.4ab introduces a new narrowband signal, which is deployed at is lower frequency and higher power, to assist the UWB transmission. This enables the UWB positioning to operate at longer distances.Chih Wei Huang, Associate Director of Applications Engineering, LitePoint. Credit: LitePointTesting must address long-range performance, dynamic data rates, and RSF/RIF requirements. Narrowband signals' strong anti-noise capability enhances synchronization accuracy and stability between UWB devices. LitePoint offers the IQgig-UWB+ One-Box solution, along with FiRa 3.0 certification and CCC PHY compliance testing. Recent collaboration between the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) and FiRa further strengthens UWB's future prospects.Collaborative Efforts in IIoT and Edge AI: Unlocking New OpportunitiesThe seminar concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Eric Huang, Deputy General Manager of DIGITIMES, featuring Glenn Farris (LitePoint VP of Global Sales), Adam Smith (LitePoint VP of Marketing), Jerry Chiang (Advantech Embedded IoT Business Group), and Bruce Chen (Qualcomm Staff Product Manager).The discussion focused on Edge AI opportunities in Industrial IoT (IIoT), highlighting applications in robotics, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), smart healthcare, smart manufacturing, and smart cities. Key wireless technologies-Wi-Fi 7, GNSS, RedCap, and long-range low-speed protocols-will play pivotal roles. Integrating 5G and Wi-Fi to balance cost and performance is critical for smart mining and warehousing. The panel emphasized ecosystem collaboration to build next-generation industrial-grade wireless networks for Edge AI, accelerating deployment and unlocking transformative potential.(All photos in this article are provided by the LitePoint event.)

SK hynix Inc. (or "the company", www.skhynix.com) announced on December 7, 2025, that it has been named the winner of the Best Financially Managed Semiconductor Company Award(Achieving Greater than $1 Billion in Annual Sales) and the Outstanding Asia-Pacific Semiconductor Company Award at the Global Semiconductor Alliance(GSA) Awards 2025, held on December 4 PST in Santa Clara, California.The GSA Awards, organized annually since 1996, are regarded as the most prestigious honors in the global semiconductor sector, recognizing outstanding performance in leadership, financial results and industry reputation. SK hynix secured its second win in the financial management category following 2017, and its first recognition as the top Asia-Pacific semiconductor company. The dual achievement reinforces the company's reputation as a leading global technology innovator.While the semiconductor industry faced a severe downturn just two years ago, the company has been the fastest to rebound thanks to its advanced AI memory technologies including HBM. This performance has resulted in global recognition for its operational excellence and financial execution. SK hynix plans to continue building sustainable growth with its dominant leadership in the AI memory market.The awards reflect the company's proactive delivery of groundbreaking HBM solutions and its steadfast commitment to customer-centric performance in surging global AI demand. SK Chairman Chey Tae-won has consistently emphasized that securing technological competitiveness must remain unwavering, especially during challenging times. This long-term focus on technology investment and global cooperation network has contributed to the company's improved performance and reinforced financial health.Driven by this strategy, SK hynix has recorded historic performance throughout 2025. For the first three quarters, the company reported revenue of 64 trillion won and operating profit of 28 trillion won in total, positioning it well to surpass its previous full-year earnings record set in 2024(66 trillion won in revenue and 23 trillion won in operating profit).Financial health has also significantly strengthened. As of the end of the third quarter, cash and cash equivalents reached 27.9 trillion won, up 10.9 trillion won quarter-over-quarter, while interest bearing debt decreased to 24.1 trillion won— successfully transitioning into a net cash position of approximately 4 trillion won.To secure long-term leadership in AI memory, SK hynix is accelerating major investments. The Cheongju M15X fab, which opened its cleanroom earlier than planned in October, is on track to begin HBM mass production in the first half of next year. Construction of the first fab in the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, launched in February, is also progressing ahead of schedule.With its recent financial achievements and continued expansion, SK hynix is expected to further solidify its AI memory leadership going forward.SK hynix was represented at the ceremony by Justin Kim, President & Head of AI Infra at SK hynix, and Sungsoo Ryu, President of SK hynix America. "It is a great honor to receive this award." Kim said, "We will continue to lead the market and create new value for customers as a Full-Stack AI Memory Creator, driving growth across the global AI ecosystem."

At NewPower Worldwide, we are closely monitoring the accelerating shifts in the semiconductor market as global demand surges to unprecedented levels. Procurement professionals across every industry are preparing for 2026, a year that is shaping up to be fiercely competitive as demand continues to soar while supply remains limited.The semiconductor market is surging to unprecedented levels, with global demand intensifying across nearly every product category. As we look ahead to 2026, it's clear that the industry is entering a fiercely competitive phase characterized by high demand and a finite supply.The demand for semiconductors continues to increase at a rapid pace, driven by transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, electric and autonomous vehicles, and next-generation consumer electronics. The market is expected to grow by over 8% in 2026, hitting a staggering $760 billion in global sales. For buyers and procurement teams, this rapid growth reinforces the value of partnering with NewPower Worldwide to secure reliable access to components during sustained market expansion.However, this growth comes with significant constraints. Semiconductor supply remains limited, especially for mature-node components that power a broad range of applications. The combination of exploding demand and constrained supply has created intense competition within the market - a fight to secure the necessary components ahead of rivals. This environment underscores the importance of NewPower Worldwide’s global sourcing capabilities, which help procurement teams stay ahead of shortages and market disruptions.As these dynamics evolve, this perspective remains consistent with our communication over the past several years. At NewPower Worldwide, we have long believed that global demand significantly outpaces supply across semiconductors, memory, and related segments, and recent data underscore that this imbalance is not only persisting but deepening. As new technologies emerge and applications accelerate, this gap is expected to continue well into 2026 and beyond, impacting multiple product categories and geographies.In this environment, companies that anticipate and act early to secure supply chains, manage inventory wisely, and maintain operational agility will emerge as leaders. Getting in front of these challenges is no longer optional - it is the defining factor for success. NewPower Worldwide supports procurement teams in building proactive strategies that mitigate shortages and reduce operational risk.At NewPower Worldwide, we have positioned ourselves to help customers thrive in this complex environment. Our global sourcing strength spans multiple continents and leverages a vast network of suppliers to quickly identify alternative routes and hard-to-find parts. Managing over $1 billion in inventory, we provide access to critical components while minimizing excess stock and lead times.We have invested heavily in our proprietary technology, EMPOWER, which delivers real-time pricing transparency, market intelligence, and transactional analytics, enabling customers to optimize their purchasing decisions and mitigate risk.Our proactive obsolescence management helps clients navigate end-of-life product challenges before they disrupt operations, while our certified quality assurance protocols ensure authenticity and reliability. Furthermore, we maintain stringent cybersecurity measures, including ISO 27001 certification, to safeguard customer data and supply chains against emerging cyber threats.Finally, our 24/7 worldwide customer support team works closely with clients to deliver tailored solutions and maintain clear communication, helping them stay ahead of supply uncertainties. The market pressures of 2026 will be intense, but with the right partner, they can be managed. NewPower's integrated approach - combining global reach, innovative technology, and committed service - is designed to protect our customers and empower their success in this rapidly evolving semiconductor landscape, please visit offcial webiste.