Output value for the global NAND flash memory industry will register a sequential decrease in the fourth quarter of 2020 following a mere 0.3% growth in the prior quarter, according to TrendForce.

The combined memory output value of South Korean vendors Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are expected to register a sequential decrease of 9.5% in fourth-quarter 2020 after falling in the third quarter, but may pick up significantly in 2021, according to Digitimes Research.

Taiwan-based memory backend houses have raised their quotes for wire bonding to reflect rising raw materials costs, according to industry sources.

Tight capacity has already sent pure-play foundries raising quotes for the 8-inch segment by 10-15% in fourth-quarter 2020, and further rises are expected in 2021. Demand for 8-inch and smaller silicon...

The supply of ABF substrate has been tight, which has also pushed up BT substrate production lead times, according to industry sources.

The world's top-15 semiconductor companies are forecast to see their combined sales increase 13% in 2020, slightly more than twice the expected total worldwide semiconductor industry growth of 6%, according to IC Insights.

October billings among North American manufacturers of semiconductor production equipment slipped 3.7% sequentially but stayed above US$2 billion, according to SEMI.

IC capacity for leading-edge (sub-10nm) processes is expected to grow and become the largest portion of monthly installed capacity across the industry beginning in 2024, according to IC Insights.

Specialty DRAM and flash memory maker Winbond Electronics has reported net profits fell 53.3% sequentially and 44% on year to NT$331 million (US$11.6 million) in the third quarter of 2020, while revenue increased 25.8% on quarter and 19.5% from a year earlier.

Memory module house Team Group swung to net loss of approximately NT$70 million (US$2.46 million) in the third quarter, due mainly to an around 10% fall in memory ASPs, as well as unfavorable currency exchange rates, according to the Taiwan-based company.

Flash memory controller supplier Phison Electronics has reported net profits surged 55% sequentially to NT$1.83 billion (US$64.3 million) in the third quarter, with EPS reaching NT$9.30.

To expand presence in the automotive memory market, Macronix International has disclosed plans to enter volume production of 96-layer 3D NAND memory for automotive applications in late 2021 or early 2022, and fellow company Winbond Electronics is ready to ship its high-speed OctalNAND flash chips to...

Memory module maker Transcend Information has seen end-market demand start picking up in the fourth quarter of 2020, and expects market conditions next year to be favorable to the company.

Phison Electronics has disclosed shipments of its PCIe SSD controllers surged nearly 94% on year in the first 10 months of 2020, with shipments for October alone rising 55% to a monthly high.

Micron Technology has begun volume shipments of what the company claims is the world's first 176-layer 3D NAND flash memory.

Flash device controller developers, including Silicon Motion Technology, have seen their foundry partners encounter tight capacity particularly at 8-inch fabs, which may persist through the end of 2021, according to Silicon Motion president and CEO Wallace Kou.

Memory module makers Apacer Technology and Innodisk, which focus more on industrial applications than mass-market market segments, both saw profits decline in the third quarter of 2020.

Developing and strengthening technology associated with artificial intelligence (AI) will be critical for Taiwan-based chipmakers in their pursuit of the next growth engine, and may be the key to enhancing the future competitiveness of Taiwan's semiconductor industry against counterparts in China and...

NAND flash device controller specialist Silicon Motion Technology expects to post revenues of between US$130 million and US$139 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, up 3-10% sequentially, with gross margin reaching 48-50% compared with 49.1% in the prior quarter.

Memory spot price rally that had started in September slowed down in October amid growing COVID-19 worries and sluggish demand from the data center sector. Despite a pick-up in demand for consumer electronics applications, the overall memory...

SK Hynix has reported operating profits surged over 100% sequentially to KRW1.3 trillion (US$1.14 billion) in the third quarter of 2020, when revenue grew 19% on year to KRW8.13 trillion.

SEMI has forecast that 300mm fab investments will grow by 13% in 2020 to eclipse the previous record high set in 2018 and log another banner year for the semiconductor industry in 2023.

Memory spot market prices have stopped rising since November, probably an indication of demand weakness as a whole, according to sources at memory module makers.

The new iPhone 12 series that comes in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB options will consume 5-6% of the overall NAND flash memory produced in 2021, according to industry sources.

Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments contracted 0.5% to 3.135 billion square inches in the third quarter of 2020 compared to the second quarter, but registered a 6.9% increase from the 2.93 billion square inches shipped during the same period a year ago, according to SEMI.