The overall semiconductor market may be weak, but TSMC has seen strong demand for its 7nm manufacturing capacity, with orders, particularly those from Chinese clients, already extending to the first half of 2020, despite uncertainties arising from the US-China trade war. One of its major clients is Huawei, who is said to be releasing its Kirin 990 chip with an integrated 5G modem built using TSMC's 7nm FinFET Plus EUV process. While TSMC sits comfortably at the top of the foundry sector, the DRAM sector mostly sees a three-horse race between Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology. And it is no surprise that a recent meeting reportedly between Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and executives from China's Tsinghua Unigroup - which is keen to develop its own DRAM prowess - has sparked some speculation.
TSMC to see 7nm chip demand remain robust through 1H20: TSMC has enjoyed a pull-in of chip orders demanding advanced 7nm node manufacturing, with order visibility stretching through the first half of 2020, according to sources in Taiwan's IC design sector.
Huawei to unveil 5G SoC built using 7nm EUV process: Huawei is to unveil its latest mobile processor, the Kirin 990, at a product event at IFA 2019 tradefair.
Micron CEO visit to China sparks speculation: Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra has paid a visit to China to meet executives at Tsinghua Unigroup, raising speculation about potential cooperation between the two companies.