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Jul 3
How TSMC quietly turned its supply chain into a 'second fleet'

TSMC has accelerated efforts to localize its supply chain in recent years, using joint development, joint validation, and long-term partnerships to help Taiwanese equipment, materials, and chemical suppliers enter the advanced semiconductor supply chain. The move is steadily building a more resilient and complete local supply system, with both CoWoS and panel-level advanced packaging (CoPoS) now spawning a "second fleet."

Applied Materials announced a new equipment platform aimed at addressing the memory bandwidth and energy-efficiency bottleneck confronting AI computing, unveiling tools across DRAM, advanced packaging, and process control to help chipmakers boost yields and accelerate mass production. The company said the platform combines materials engineering with process integration to support high-bandwidth memory (HBM), chiplet architectures, and multi-layer 3D stacking on advanced production lines.
Surging demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI servers has driven shortages and sharp price increases for conventional memory, while microcontroller (MCU) suppliers have also begun passing higher costs on to customers. Apple raised prices for certain Mac and iPad models in late June, and market rumors suggest the upcoming iPhone 18 could see price increases of as much as 30%.

Test interface supplier Chunghwa Precision Test Tech. Co., Ltd. (CHPT) reported its June 2026 revenue, marking its sixth consecutive monthly revenue record as demand from the market remained strong. The company also posted record quarterly revenue in both the first and second quarters of 2026, underscoring its sustained growth momentum.

Advantest said it has partnered with OpenLight to develop a scalable silicon photonics (SiPh) test solution for mass production environments. The announcement comes as artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing workloads increase demand for silicon photonics and co-packaged optics in data centers.
Germany's District Court Munich I ruled on July 3 that Innoscience infringed Infineon Technologies' gallium nitride (GaN) patents, barring the Chinese chipmaker from importing, selling, or marketing the affected products in Germany and ordering it to pay damages.
Machvision posted another record monthly revenue in June 2026, as surging demand for AI servers, high-performance computing (HPC), and advanced packaging continued to lift orders for the semiconductor and PCB inspection equipment maker. The company said the biggest challenge has now shifted from winning orders to managing supply chains and expanding capacity.

Fabless chip designers dominate the upper ranks of Taiwan's newly disclosed non-managerial employee pay data for fiscal year 2025, with only two capital-intensive manufacturers — TSMC and memory-testing equipment maker Phison — breaking into the top tier typically reserved for asset-light IC design houses.

China Resources Microelectronics (CR Micro), a Chinese power semiconductor integrated device manufacturer, has notified customers and partners that it will raise prices across its entire product lineup starting July 1, with increases beginning at 15%.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are reportedly pressing South Korean semiconductor substrate suppliers to lower prices for the second half of 2026, even as memory demand remains in a Super Cycle. According to ET News, the talks have intensified pressure across the supply chain as raw material costs stay high and substrate makers warn of margin erosion.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix have announced the country's largest-ever semiconductor expansion plan, while soaring memory prices have opened a separate fight between Micron and Apple.

Volatile precious metal prices weighed heavily on passive component suppliers in early 2026, but the cost pressures have also created unexpected order-transfer opportunities for Taiwanese manufacturers.