DIGITIMES Semiconductors news

Mar 27

In-depth: Google TurboQuant cuts LLM memory 6x, resets AI inference cost curve

Google has introduced TurboQuant, a compression algorithm that reduces large language model (LLM) memory usage by at least 6x while boosting performance, targeting one of AI's most persistent bottlenecks: memory. The breakthrough lowers inference costs and expands deployment across cloud and edge environments.

CXMT revenue doubles on AI-driven memory boom ahead of major China IPO

Mar 27

Innolux sells Fab 2 to SPIL

Mar 27

TSMC prioritises AI, core clients; 3nm capacity remains constrained

Mar 27

UPS and Applied Materials boost Taiwan semiconductor logistics with new Taoyuan hub

Mar 27

MORE NEWS

MEMORY CHIPSSK Hynix CEO expected to meet Microsoft executive on memory supply

Mar 27

SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung is expected to meet Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Cloud and AI at Microsoft, in Seoul this week to discuss memory supply, according to Maeil Business Newspaper, citing industry sources.

IC DESIGN, DISTRIBUTIONIntel confirms CPU price rises amid supply constraints, raising global hardware costs

Mar 27

Intel has confirmed it has begun raising CPU prices for OEM customers in response to ongoing supply constraints and rising raw material costs. According to Nikkei Asia, both Intel and AMD have notified clients of planned price increases in March and April 2026. The report notes that AI-driven global memory shortages are pushing hardware costs higher and extending delivery times, placing unprecedented margin pressure on channel partners.

IC MANUFACTURINGTaiwan machine tools emerge as key in US-Taiwan economic 'Golden Era,' says AIT

Mar 27

The 2026 Taiwan International Machine Tool Show (TMTS), an annual machine tool industry exhibition, has returned to Taichung this year, a move seen as particularly significant given the city's role as a central hub for the machine tool industry cluster. Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), attended the opening ceremony to show support.

PASSIVE, PCB, OTHER IC COMPONENTSPCB material shortages intensify as CCL lead times hit 6 months, quota system imposed

Mar 27

The surge in AI applications driving PCB material upgrades is exacerbating upstream raw material supply shortages. Notably, besides ongoing price hikes, some IC substrate makers report that limited production capacity for glass fiber cloth and copper foil has tightened supply of copper-clad laminates (CCL) for months. This shortage has extended product lead times to as long as 6 months, forcing related companies to implement a "quota system."

IC DESIGN, DISTRIBUTIONTaiwan's ALi bets on custom chips for 2026 turnaround

Mar 27

At a series of year-end gatherings in Hsinchu and Taipei this week, Star Fusion and its affiliated companies outlined their business outlook for 2026, pointing to a shift toward higher-value chip design as a key growth driver.

IC MANUFACTURINGNexchip revenue rises 17.7% to US$1.58bn, foundry capacity stays tight

Mar 27

Nexchip reported 2025 revenue of CNY10.89 billion (approx. US$1.58 billion), up 17.69% year-over-year, with net profit rising 32.16% to CNY704 million and earnings per share increasing 33.33% to CNY0.36. Growth was driven by higher shipment volumes, expanding revenue scale, and gains from the transfer of photomask-related technologies.

IC MANUFACTURINGC SUN invests in Contrel, cementing role in G2C+ semiconductor alliance

Mar 27

C SUN and Contrel have announced a significant equity partnership, as C SUN agreed to invest approximately NT$1.02 billion (approx. US$32 million) as a strategic investor to acquire 20,000 private placement shares in Contrel, becoming its largest single shareholder with a 10.82% stake. The deal also formally brings Contrel into the G2C+ alliance, a growing consortium focused on advanced semiconductor equipment.

IC MANUFACTURINGMitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, Rohm open power semiconductor merger talks

Mar 27

Japan's power semiconductor sector is moving toward consolidation, with Rohm, Toshiba, and Mitsubishi Electric entering negotiations to integrate their power chip businesses, according to Yomiuri Shimbun and Nikkei. The talks target scale in electric vehicles, AI data centers, and power infrastructure, where demand for power control semiconductors is rising.

MEMORY CHIPSDRAM ASPs surged up to 80% QoQ in 1Q26, fueling US$1 trillion chip boom and supply squeeze, says Omdia analyst

Mar 27

The global semiconductor industry is set to surpass the US$1 trillion revenue mark in 2026, driven by accelerating artificial intelligence demand, but the milestone comes with mounting structural pressures—particularly in memory—that are beginning to ripple across the broader electronics ecosystem.

IC MANUFACTURINGGlobalFoundries sues Tower Semiconductor over chip manufacturing patents

Mar 27

GlobalFoundries has filed multiple lawsuits against rival Tower Semiconductor, alleging infringement of 11 patents related to chip manufacturing technologies used in smartphones and other electronic devices.

MEMORY CHIPSSK Hynix targets KRW100 trillion net cash as AI demand surges, eyes US listing

Mar 27

SK Hynix plans to build more than KRW100 trillion (approx. US$66 billion) in net cash to support long-term investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, as surging demand reshapes the memory industry and drives a new round of capital spending.

More coverage

Lumotive makes optical breakthrough, targets 10,000-port data centers

As Nvidia and Coherent signal a shift toward all-optical networking to solve the AI power crisis, Redmond-based Lumotive has announced a milestone that could redefine data center scalability. In an interview with DIGITIMES Asia, Gleb Akselrod, Co-founder and CTO of Lumotive, detailed the success of the world's first programmable 2D optical beamforming chip.

SPECIAL REPORTS