Device makers may be heading towards inventory correction next quarter, as they revisit their production plans amid weakenig demand in some major markets. Taiwan-based chipmakers have seen some clients slow down the pace of orders. But...

Major Taiwan-based OSATs including ASE Technology, Powertech Technology (PTI), Chipbond Technology and ChipMOS Technologies have seen their order preparation times extended to three months from 1-2 months, as upstream raw materials shortages intensify, according to industry sources.

Taiwan-based IC design houses have seen terminal customers start slowing down their pace of orders, and are aware that downstream device makers will be revisiting their production plans and closely monitoring chip inventories they hold over the next quarter, according to industry sources.

Smartphone-use antenna makers are gearing up for a likely boom in demand for 5G AiP (antenna in package) modules that they expect will be triggered by Apple's release of new mmWave-enabled iPhones in the second half of 2021, according to industry sources.

Tight capacity and strong demand have been sending foundry service quotes rising. UMC has plans to raise its 28nm process quotes by almost 13% in July, and will adjust them upwards again in first-quarter 2022. MediaTek has received sufficient...

Pure-play foundries TSMC, United Microelectronics (UMC) and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) have reported sequential decreases in April revenues of 13.8%, 1.4% and 11.5%, respectively.

MediaTek is developing new flagship handset SoCs with performance specs comparable to Apple's A series APs for iPhones, and may also adopt TSMC's advanced InFO_PoP packaging technology for the new chips, according to industry sources.

Taiwan recorded exports of US$34.96 in April 2021, the second highest-ever monthly level with on-year growth of 38.7%, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

United Microelectronics (UMC) plans to raise its 12-inch foundry quotes for 28nm process technology by about 13% starting July, according to industry sources.

Jiangsu Changjiang Electronics Technology (JCET) has raised an additional CNY5 billion (US$777.4 million) in paid-in capital through private placement, according to the largest China-based OSAT.

Because of worsening shortages of ICs and components, downstream ICT product makers are expected to decelerate their paces in specs upgrades for their new products as their upstream partners will not have enough capacity to support them...

As shortages of ICs and other components are expected to worsen further in the peak season, downstream system makers are expected to slow down specs upgrades for their new offerings set for launch in the second half of the year, according to industry sources.

Taiwan's MCU vendors will see their revenue growth momentum constrained in the short term by extended delivery lead times at foundry and backend houses, although they have abundant orders in hands, according to industry sources.

Worldwide semiconductor revenues are forecast to surge 12.5% to US$522 billion in 2021, driven by continued-robust growth in consumer, computing, 5G and automotive semiconductors, according to IDC.

Semiconductor equipment vendors ASML and Applied Materials have been hiring talent for their local operations in Taiwan.

EMS giant Foxconn, taking a step further in its transformation, has formed a joint venture with passive component maker Yageo for the development and sales of what they call "small ICs" - semiconductor chips with ASP lower than US$2.00...

Bitmain, a vendor of bitcoin mining ASICs and equipment, has placed 5nm chip orders with TSMC with production slated to kick off starting the third quarter, according to industry sources.

Foxconn (Hon Hai) Technology Group and Yageo have announced plans to form a joint venture for the development and sale of semiconductors.

Suppliers including foundry TSMC are expected to kick off production for the redesign of Sony's PlayStation 5 (PS5) games console between the second and third quarters of 2022, according to industry sources.

Driven by a resurgent memory market and relatively flat sales results from Intel, IC Insights believes that Samsung will again replace Intel as the leading semiconductor producer beginning in the second quarter of this year.

Demand for white-box servers from datacenter operators has been growing fast, with Taiwanese ODM's shipments already accounting for more than one third of the world's total server shipments in 2020, according to Digitimes Research's latest...

Display driver IC (DDI) backend specialists Chipbond Technology and ChipMOS Technologies have seen unstable capacity utilization for processing small- to medium-size applications due mainly to unstable wafer shipments from chip designers, according to industry sources.

GaAs foundry Advanced Wireless Semiconductor Company (AWSC) is expected to enjoy sequential revenue increases through June, and will see further revenue growth after new production capacity comes online in the third quarter at the earliest, according to industry sources.

Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) has raised its capex budget for 2021 by 70% to NT$8.5 billion (US$303.8 million), with plans to purchase more fab equipment supporting its long-term expansion projects.

Taiwan-based GlobalWafers has reported sequential growths in first-quarter shipments for silicon wafers of all sizes, and expects sales momentum to stay strong through 2023.