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Thursday 16 April 2026

Samsung pushes HBM4 yields as advanced testing and cutting technologies emerge

Samsung Electronics is accelerating efforts to improve yields for its sixth-generation high bandwidth memory (HBM4), as it seeks to narrow the gap with market leader SK hynix. According to Chosun Biz, yields for Samsung's latest 10nm-class 1c DRAM have surpassed the industry's "mature yield" threshold of around 80%, indicating meaningful progress at the wafer level.

Thursday 16 April 2026

Mobile manufacturers adapt to soaring key component prices with strategic measures

Memory and component cost surges may curb global phone sales growth in 2026, prompting firms worldwide to adjust prices, marketing, and retail approaches to protect margins. Brands and channel operators are repositioning products, expanding premium offerings, and boosting AI-focused retail education to counter tighter supply, higher costs, and shifting consumer demand.

Thursday 16 April 2026

Memory suppliers post record 1Q26 revenue as AI demand defies seasonal slowdown

The global memory industry delivered its strongest first-quarter performance on record in 2026, defying the traditional seasonal slowdown as strong AI demand drove supply shortages and accelerated an upcycle. Revenue across the supply chain rose sharply year over year, with many upstream and downstream players reporting growth that doubled or more.

Thursday 16 April 2026

Renesas reports accelerated MRDIMM adoption in China

As AI servers rapidly increase demand for high bandwidth and large-capacity memory, Renesas Electronics noted that, driven by strong demand in China and expanding capacity, its Memory Interface Division (MID) business in China is expected to achieve 100% growth in 2026.

Thursday 16 April 2026

Samsung targets May HBM4E samples for Nvidia after validation

Samsung Electronics is aiming to produce its first samples of next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4E) as early as May, with plans to deliver the chips to Nvidia after internal validation, according to Chosun Biz.

Thursday 16 April 2026

YMTC to ramp Wuhan fab in 2026, new capacity unlikely before 2028, oversupply risks seen limited

China-based Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC) is advancing an aggressive expansion plan that could become the world's third-largest NAND maker by 2026. The company is set to begin volume production at its third fabrication plant in Wuhan in the second half of 2026.

Thursday 16 April 2026

Falling margins and memory crisis causing spec downgrades on TV panels

Since the fourth quarter of 2025, memory prices have risen rapidly, driving up overall storage costs and placing significant pressure on TV manufacturers. Sharp changes in cost structures and concerns over weakening end-market demand have also intensified among brands. As a result, cost control has become a top priority in product strategy, further accelerating a trend toward downgraded panel specifications.

Wednesday 15 April 2026

YMTC to more than double capacity with new fabs amid China chip push

Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC) plans to build two additional fabrication plants, alongside a third facility nearing completion — a move that would more than double its production capacity once all three sites are operational, according to people familiar with the matter.

Wednesday 15 April 2026

SK Hynix may cut Nvidia HBM4 shipments as Rubin ramp reportedly faces delays

SK Hynix is reportedly considering reducing its planned 2026 shipments of high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) to Nvidia by about 20-30%, amid delays in ramping up Nvidia's next-generation Vera Rubin platform, according to ZDNet Korea.

Wednesday 15 April 2026

Samsung tipped to lead global chip profits as AI elevates memory, veteran exec predicts

Yoon-woo Lee, a semiconductor expert and former vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, believes Samsung may become the world's most profitable company by 2027–2028, driven by structural changes in the semiconductor value chain brought on by the rapid expansion of AI.

Wednesday 15 April 2026

Nanya Technology predicts DRAM price surge in 2Q26 as private equity boosts growth

Despite recent softening in the DRAM spot market, Nanya Technology president Pei-Ing Lee said DRAM prices will rise by the "tens of percentage points" in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter. He expects strong gross margins to continue through the end of the year amid robust demand that will remain unmet into 2027.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Samsung begins P4 equipment orders as 1c DRAM investment enters execution

Samsung Electronics has begun procuring semiconductor equipment for its P4 facility in Pyeongtaek, marking the transition of its planned 1c nanometer DRAM investment into the execution phase, according to South Korean media reports.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

AI infrastructure boom triggers NAND shortage, memory profits seen rising 2–3x, Silicon Motion says

Silicon Motion's president, Wallace Kou, said the memory industry is undergoing an irreversible structural shift driven by AI infrastructure growth. Since August 2025, NAND flash prices have surged 4–10x, and module makers' profits are expected to grow 2–3x in 2026 as this becomes the new normal.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Silicon Motion breaks ground on Taipei HQ, targets 2030 opening to anchor dual-site operations

Silicon Motion Technology held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 13 for its new corporate headquarters in Taipei, marking a key step toward expanding its operational footprint. The company plans to connect its two major sites — in Taipei and Zhubei, a major tech hub in northern Taiwan — through the new Taipei facility, which is expected to open by 2030.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Nanya Technology posts NT$26 billion profit in 1Q26 as DRAM prices surge over 70%

Nanya Technology reported strong financial results for the first quarter of 2026, driven by a significant rise in DRAM prices and artificial intelligence (AI)-fueled demand across key market segments.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Phison eyes US$1.4B fundraising to tackle severe NAND shortage in 4Q26

Phison Electronics founder and CEO Pua Khein-Seng warned that the current NAND Flash shortage will worsen significantly in the second half of 2026, with an acute supply crunch expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, where "even money can't buy stock." To secure inventory amid this tight market, Phison has broken its no-debt tradition by launching a syndicated loan in March and plans to issue US$800 million in Euro-convertible bonds (ECB), targeting over NT$43 billion (US$1.4 billion) in total fundraising for 2026.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Samsung boosts Galaxy S26 production by 600,000 units in April

Samsung Electronics has raised its production plans for the Galaxy S26 series in April 2026 from 2.4 million to 3 million units, driven mainly by strong demand for its top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra model, which accounts for 60-70% of sales and serves as a key growth driver.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

DDR5 dethrones HBM as memory's top profit engine

The AI boom has reshuffled memory industry priorities. DDR5 modules have overtaken high-bandwidth memory (HBM) as the primary profit source for manufacturers — a reversal few anticipated. Once hailed as the core product of the AI era, HBM is now weighed down by yield difficulties and capacity constraints. DDR5, meanwhile, has quietly become the margin champion.

Monday 13 April 2026

Qualcomm moves into custom DRAM with CXMT for smartphones

Qualcomm is reportedly exploring a partnership with China's Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT) to develop custom DRAM tailored for smartphones, a move that reflects mounting pressure across the mobile supply chain as memory shortages and rising costs reshape industry dynamics.

Monday 13 April 2026

Taiwan's monthly exports top US$80 billion for first time, fueled by AI demand

Taiwan's exports rose to a record high in March, supported by demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and memory-related products, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Monday 13 April 2026

Weekly news roundup: Shortages spread to MLCCs; SK Hynix reportedly in talks with Microsoft and Google

Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of April 6-April 13, 2026:

Monday 13 April 2026

AI memory crunch revives DDR3 in PC market

AI demand is squeezing global DRAM supply to the point where the PC market is turning back to decade-old technology. Shortages in DDR5 and DDR4 have pushed prices high enough to revive DDR3 platforms, with Fnnews reporting that Colorful Yugong Technology (formerly Seethru Co.) will restart limited production of Intel H81 motherboards in May to target low-cost PC builds.

Saturday 11 April 2026

Catcher adopts cautious outlook, citing supply chain bottlenecks and cost pressures

Despite revenue growth in March 2026, Catcher Technology is maintaining a prudent outlook for 2026, citing supply chain bottlenecks, cost pressures, and uncertain end-market demand.

Friday 10 April 2026

SK Hynix M15X reportedly ramps early production

SK Hynix's M15X is widely viewed as the company's next-generation DRAM manufacturing hub in Cheongju, South Korea. Designed primarily to support high-bandwidth memory (HBM) output and advanced 1b DRAM production, the facility is built for AI-era workloads. Its exact status remains partially unconfirmed, but recent media reports point to early production activity and faster-than-expected equipment installation.

Friday 10 April 2026

Ampak cites DDR price swings disrupting orders, sees industrial control demand support

Ampak Technology's focus on Wi-Fi 7, 5G RedCap, SoM modules, AIoT, and Edge AI signals strategic shifts with global implications: customers worldwide may see delayed consumer shipments amid DDR memory price volatility, while industrial control demand offers clearer near-term opportunities, affecting supply chains and product rollouts through 2026 and beyond.

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