These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories in the week of July 1 – July 5.
Qualcomm and MediaTek Face Pressure from Huawei's Resurgence in Chinese Handset Market
Chinese smartphone brands' international sales performance will be crucial in easing the pressure smartphone SoC suppliers Qualcomm and MediaTek are experiencing from Huawei's revival in China's market. Huawei, which had been nearly obliterated from the market until last year due to US trade sanctions, has now garnered a 15% share in the domestic Chinese market. Qualcomm is the major chip supplier for Samsung's premium smartphones, while MediaTek relies heavily on shipments to Chinese smartphone brands.
Micron Cautions About Over-Capacity Amid Global Semiconductor Investment Wave
Sumit Sadana, CBO at Micron, said the company's production capacity is fully booked through the end of 2025 thanks to AI, highlighting strong market demand for its high-performance memory solutions. However, Sadana also expressed concerns about potential over-capacity amid the semiconductor investment frenzy across many countries, stating that careful management is needed to balance global supply and demand.
Chinese Chipmakers Halt Trading or Retract Listing Plans
Tightening control in China's capital market is ending an era of unrestrained growth for Chinese semiconductor companies, forcing many to delist or abandon IPO plans. Over 30 Chinese companies terminated their IPO plans during the first half of 2024, with many others that went public during the IPO bubble expected to end trading on the stock markets soon. Among the delisted companies is Beijing Zuojiang Tech, once touted as "China's Nvidia."
Largan and GSEO Set to Supply Periscope Lenses for New iPhones
Apple is set to expand the use of periscope lenses in its upcoming iPhone series, with Taiwanese lens module manufacturers Largan Precision and Genius Electronic Optical (GSEO) expected to be the primary suppliers. Largan already supplied periscope lenses for the premium iPhone 15 Pro Max, launched in 2023. In 2024, more models in the upcoming iPhone lineup will feature periscope lenses, hence the addition of GSEO as a new supplier.
Intel Unveils New 4nm Flagship GPU Made by TSMC
Intel recently announced its flagship "Battlemage" GPUs, with the highest-end BMG-G31 reportedly featuring 32 Xe2 cores. Manufactured using TSMC's 4nm process, these GPUs will hit the market as early as the first half of 2025. This marks Intel's latest attempt in its persistent GPU ambitions since 2017. However, it still needs to significantly improve its technical capacity and marketing efforts to attract consumers away from Nvidia and AMD.
TSMC Reportedly Completes Tape-Out for Next-Gen Google Tensor SoC
TSMC has reportedly completed the tape-out for the next-generation Google Tensor SoC using the foundry's 3nm process technology. Google Pixel smartphone shipments have been low, partly due to its lack of standout features compared to competition from other major brands and partly due to its weaker chip performance. According to industry sources, the switch to TSMC from Samsung for foundry support for the Tensor G5 will greatly enhance the competitiveness of Google's in-house developed smartphone chips.
China Downplays Importance of Lithography Tools in Semiconductor Challenges
China seems to be deliberately downplaying the importance of lithography equipment, as it is conspicuously missing from a list published by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) regarding the challenges facing the country's science, engineering, and technology sectors in 2024. Observers surmise that the omission is likely due to political considerations, trying to avoid drawing attention to the country's activities amid US trade sanctions.
