Qualcomm is unlikely to pursue any transactions with Intel, a decision that aligns with industry expectations. Sources close to the semiconductor supply chain suggest Qualcomm never seriously considered the move, doubting the potential for mutual benefit.
As inventory stockpiling of midrange and entry-level smartphone panels increases, the demand outlook for LCD TDDI chips shows promise, according to industry sources.
Amid global economic uncertainty and shifting geopolitics, multinational corporations face tough strategic decisions. STMicroelectronics has made a striking move, announcing plans to collaborate with Hua Hong Semiconductor, China's second-largest foundry, to produce 40nm microcontroller units (MCUs) locally by 2025. Hua Hong confirmed the partnership, as reported by China Electronics News.
Micron has intensified its recruitment efforts in South Korea, targeting university campuses with "on-the-spot hiring" initiatives. Previously focused on hiring experienced engineers from companies like Samsung Electronics, the company is now pivoting to fresh graduates amid a growing global talent shortage.
India's Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has launched the ChipIN Centre as a central hub for semiconductor design, providing comprehensive tools and resources to support the country's chip design community.
US President-elect Donald Trump's latest announcement of a 10% tariff on Chinese imports has created waves in international markets. While the relationship between this new tariff and his previous statements about imposing a 60% tariff on all Chinese goods remains unclear, analysts view this move as an opening gambit, marking the administration's first concrete trade action since his election victory.
When the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) announced the Qi2 wireless charging standard in 2023, attention was on its integration progress into smartphones. Supply chain members, however, believe the real growth lies in its application to wearables like earphones. Unlike the saturated smartphone market, the wearables segment shows significant momentum for expansion, which would boost demand for related chips.
In 2024, major Chinese semiconductor businesses continue to announce closures or severe layoffs, according to industry sources. Xiangdixian Computing Technology, commonly referred to as China's Nvidia, has opted to cease operations. Huaxia Smartchip, an intellectual property firm, declared bankruptcy in early 2024, while Smarter Microelectronics, a key communications chip producer, reportedly will cut its R&D personnel by 40%.
Since unveiling Apple Silicon in 2020, Apple has redefined Mac chip technology through three transformative shifts. While the company initially planned a two-year transition from Intel processors, it is only now—four years later—that modern AI-capable PCs provide the stage to fully showcase the power of its custom processors.
Onsemi's leadership has been increasing its presence in China recently. After Felicity Carson, SVP of global operations at Onsemi, attended PCIM Asia 2024 in Shenzhen at the end of August 2024, company president and CEO Hassane El-Khoury made a subsequent visit to Shanghai to meet with local media.
Due to restrictions on accessing Nvidia's most advanced GPUs, China's top 500 supercomputing systems rely exclusively on earlier-generation Nvidia accelerators, according to data from Top500.org.
Mitsubishi Electric is ramping up its power semiconductor production in Japan to meet the surging demand fueled by the EV revolution and global climate change initiatives.
Having emerged from its financial report turmoil, Supermicro is back in action, intensifying competition in the AI server market. Industry sources indicate that while other ODM manufacturers are rushing to ship GB200 server cabinets, Supermicro will concentrate on the B300 for the second half of 2025, initially focusing on the H200 and B200 series AI servers.
Potens Semiconductor, known for its power semiconductors, is actively entering the automotive sector despite the current inventory adjustments in the industry.
Wi-Fi 7 shipments have accelerated significantly in the second half of 2024, and industry experts expect Wi-Fi 7 penetration rates to grow in 2025, with upgrades to consumer devices, routers, and even basic infrastructure picking up pace even amid sluggishness in the general economy.
A series of meetings between Chinese officials and US tech executives signals potential warming ties, with senior representatives from Nvidia and Apple holding discussions in Beijing this month.
Recent market speculation suggests that AMD has developed an AI processor (APU/NPU) suitable for mobile devices. With its exclusive GPU technology, it is expected to compete in the handset chip business. Despite that, industry insiders have expressed skepticism over this information.
The US trade ban has prevented Huawei from competing with other smartphone vendors in 5G mobile chip performance, but the Chinese tech giant is still staying in the smartphone sector, committing resources to the development of operating systems and chips.
Market speculation suggests that the US may impose stricter restrictions on China. On November 28, it is anticipated that 200 Chinese semiconductor companies will be added to a trade blacklist, with further limitations on high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips set to be announced in December.
While Xiaomi prepares to launch its first self-developed smartphone system on chip (SoC) in 2025, major chipmakers Qualcomm and MediaTek maintain their composure, expressing confidence in their market positions despite the Chinese manufacturer's entry into the semiconductor space.
South Korean media report that SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics have reduced their reliance on China over the past seven quarters. SK Hynix's China revenue dropped from 30% to 24%, while Samsung's equipment assets in China fell from 8% to under 5%, signaling ongoing decoupling efforts among South Korea's semiconductor giants.
AMD inaugurated an R&D center in India while affirming its commitment to invest the US$400 million announced in 2023. The company is building two supercomputers in India specifically for weather forecasting, emphasizing India's position as a critical hub with 25% of the company's global workforce based there.
Nvidia's next-gen Blackwell chips, launched in November, are gearing up for a production surge starting in early 2025. Strong demand for Hopper and GB200 models has already outstripped supply, signaling unprecedented market appetite. Reuters notes Nvidia expects Blackwell sales to surpass initial projections.
The US is reportedly poised to implement new restrictions on semiconductor exports to China, potentially affecting around 200 Chinese chip firms. The move could strengthen Taiwan's IC design sector against Chinese competition.
