Intel is grappling with an operational crisis as its IDM 2.0 transformation plan has yet to yield results, casting doubt on when its foundry business might finally become profitable. This raises the question of whether Intel should consider abandoning its IDM model and separating its product design and manufacturing divisions—a move with both potential advantages and drawbacks. Industry leaders, including former board members, are offering advice in hopes of helping Intel find a viable path forward. However, the conflicting nature of their advice highlights the complexity of the company's dilemma
Taiwanese President Ching-te Lai remarked that the US takes 80% of semiconductor profits. While TSMC leads in manufacturing, US firms dominate IC design. The US seeks a balanced production split with Taiwan, but Taiwan hesitates amid US-China tensions
Larry Ellison, the 81-year-old head of long-standing Silicon Valley tech giant Oracle, has surpassed Elon Musk to become the world's richest person. Ellison transformed the company overnight from a declining database business into an AI powerhouse and potentially the biggest winner in the future TikTok equity deal
China's development of through glass via (TGV) technology, crucial for advanced semiconductor packaging in AI and high-performance computing chips, encounters significant hurdles, including high process complexity, reliance on imported equipment, cost-yield balance issues, fragmented supply chains, patent barriers dominated by Japan, South Korea, and the US, and long research and development cycles
AMD has a multibillion-dollar AI chip deal with OpenAI to boost its presence against Nvidia and Intel, but concerns about leverage and market demand persist. The partnership highlights both growth potential and risks in the evolving AI landscape
Global PC giant Hewlett-Packard (HP), the world's second-largest PC brand, is undergoing a major leadership upheaval that has sent ripples through its extensive Taiwan supply chain. Reports indicate that Alex Cho, president of HP's Personal Systems Group (PSG), will step down, with senior vice president Ketan Patel set to take over
United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) is demanding its upstream materials suppliers cut prices by at least 15%, a rare and aggressive move that has sent shockwaves through the semiconductor industry. The chipmaker issued a formal notice requiring partners to submit cost-reduction plans within one month. The new pricing is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026
The 2025 Tokyo Game Show (TGS) set new records in both attendance and exhibition scale, marking a clear shift from a consumer showcase to a business-focused platform. Taiwanese gaming hardware and content companies were prominently present, with top executives leading efforts to secure cross-border partnerships
Huatie's CNY3.69 billion (US$518.3 million) computing contract ended without delivery, indicating potential cancellations in China's computing market. Speculative contracts amid rising AI demand and US GPU restrictions have led to supply shortages and financial risks, possibly benefiting Taiwan's server and cloud sectors
The Trump administration's investigation into semiconductor imports has unleashed deep uncertainty across the global tech industry—and the fallout may hit American companies the hardest, instead of their Taiwanese counterparts
At Xiaomi's 2025 annual conference, founder Lei Jun spoke with calm restraint about the company's self-developed Xring O1 chip. Yet beneath that composure were moments of risk and suspense: the US$20 million bill for the first TSMC 3nm tape-out, engineers guarding chip samples in an unmarked paper bag at the airport, and the late-night message, "system lit up." When Lei answered his first call powered by the Xring O1, the wave of emotion was indescribable, the kind only insiders could fully understand
Following Nvidia’s plan to invest up to US$100 billion in OpenAI, six of the seven major US tech giants—excluding Tesla—have either partnered with or are potential collaborators with OpenAI. It is not an exaggeration to describe OpenAI as the "lifeline" of the AI industry
On September 24, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun confessed on Weibo that launching both cars and chips at once was like "supporting two children through college." The pressure, he said, was immense, with Xiaomi staking the financial reserves it had accumulated over its first decade
Nvidia and Intel are collaborating to enhance CPU-GPU integration, with Nvidia supplying GPUs for Intel PCs and acquiring customized CPUs, addressing Nvidia's x86 gap and opening new markets for Intel
Over a decade ago, China's IT industry still heavily relied on imported chips and displays, but as of today, influenced by China-US geopolitical tensions, while the chips still depend on imports, the issue of the panel has effectively disappeared
Nvidia's US$5 billion move to acquire a 4% stake in Intel isn't about the money — it's about survival strategy. The real issue is how Intel, struggling to regain relevance in AI, can leverage this partnership with the GPU powerhouse to sharpen its AI play
