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Thursday 2 October 2025
Analysis: Trump's chip probe threatens to backfire on America
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
Tuesday 30 September 2025
Commentary: How a US$20M TSMC tape-out led to Xiaomi's 3nm breakthrough
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
Sunday 28 September 2025
Commentary: OpenAI faces two major challenges after cash infusion
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
Friday 26 September 2025
Commentary: Huawei's EV blitz tests Xiaomi's viability
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
Wednesday 24 September 2025
Analysis: Nvidia-Intel partnership to integrate x86 with GPU for AI growth
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
Tuesday 23 September 2025
Commentary: China’s display push challenges Taiwan’s panel makers
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
Tuesday 23 September 2025
Commentary: Why Intel is joining Nvidia's NVLink camp and what it means for AI chips
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
Tuesday 23 September 2025
Commentary: How did Intel go from AMD ally to Nvidia partner?
On September 18, 2025, local time in the US, Intel announced a US$5 billion investment from Nvidia and the start of deep collaboration between the two companies. Shortly after, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan stated on social media that he would be joining Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang for a joint live broadcast to clarify details about their partnership
Tuesday 23 September 2025
Commentary: Xiaomi recall highlights global carmakers' divide on auto driving
Xiaomi Auto's sweeping recall in China has shaken the market, exposing more than a technical glitch. Beneath the surface lies a widening strategic rift in the global auto industry. Legacy giants from Europe, the US, Japan, and South Korea are locked in a race against China's new-energy insurgents led by companies like Xiaomi Auto. It's a tortoise-and-hare contest in autonomous driving, with each camp following sharply divergent strategies
Monday 22 September 2025
Commentary: Lip-Bu Tan gambles on AI as Intel's last chip shot
Nvidia's US$5 billion stake in Intel breathes new life into a decades-old rescue strategy once championed by Craig Barrett — only now, it's Silicon Valley's AI kingpin, not Intel's customers, footing the bill. The deal could unleash a wave of fresh backing for the once-unshakable symbol of "Made in USA.
Friday 19 September 2025
Analysis: After Nvidia invests in Intel, who's next?
Intel has secured another high-profile backer. Following earlier commitments from SoftBank and the US government, Nvidia has announced a US$5 billion investment in Intel, buying shares at US$23.28 each. The move directly contradicts CEO Jensen Huang's dismissal in March of rumors that his company might take a stake in Intel
Thursday 18 September 2025
Commentary: China's tech industry eyes global expansion at homegrown expos
A pair of major technology expositions in China has concluded, offering a look into the country's tech supply chain, which is navigating US trade tensions with a firm commitment to self-reliance. The China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE) and the SEMI-e Shenzhen International Semiconductor Exhibition underscored both the ambition and inherent challenges facing the industry
Thursday 18 September 2025
Commentary: Jack Ma returns to steer Alibaba Cloud and AI strategy toward 'China's Oracle' vision
Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma has stepped back into the spotlight, reclaiming a central role in the company's strategy after years of relative absence since his 2019 exit as chairman. Multiple reports suggest Ma is once again actively steering key decisions, with a sharpened focus on artificial intelligence and Alibaba Cloud — areas critical to the company's long-term competitiveness
Wednesday 17 September 2025
Commentary: Handcuffing workers shocks South Korea; MAGA strategy risks backfiring
On July 30, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced that the US would reduce the "reciprocal tariff" rate imposed on South Korea from 25% to 15%. In return, South Korea pledged to invest US$350 billion in the US, with 90% of the investment profits returning to America. However, by mid-September, hundreds of South Korean workers were handcuffed and detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to visa violations. Could this incident severely damage Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) agenda
Wednesday 17 September 2025
Commentary: Smartphone chipmakers rebrand as Qualcomm, Apple, MediaTek, and Xiaomi refresh product names to stay competitive
Qualcomm will unveil its latest Snapdragon flagship mobile platform next week and has officially confirmed the chip will be called Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The move comes as part of a wider trend in the smartphone supply chain, where companies from Apple to MediaTek and Xiaomi have embraced renaming strategies across software, chip platforms, and flagship devices. The wave has fueled speculation that a lack of innovation is prompting the industry to turn to rebranding in search of renewed consumer attention