These are the most-read articles on DIGITIMES Asia in the week of October 23-27:
More than half of the world's SiC wafers might come from China in 2024
In 2023, China's compound semiconductor industry achieved a historic breakthrough. In the field of silicon carbide (SiC) crystal growth, the country especially received recognition from international IDMs, leading to a significant increase in production capacity by Chinese manufacturers. Previously, SiC materials from China accounted for only 5% of the global market. However, by 2024, it is expected to grab a substantial market share.
Huawei takes first step in smartphone OS autonomy, followed by Xiaomi and Vivo
Huawei has successfully stimulated the long-slumping consumer electronics market. Besides securing the top spot in Chinese market smartphone sales in September, its self-developed HarmonyOS ecosystem has also surpassed 700 million users. This has led competitors like Xiaomi and Vivo to follow suit. In the future, it may become normal for Chinese smartphone brands to launch their own self-developed OS.
Yangtze Memory develops 120-layer NAND flash, sources say
Yangtze Memory Technology Corp (YMTC) has developed 120-layer NAND flash memory as a "secret weapon" to circumvent US restrictions on the sales of 3D NAND with 128 layers or more to China, according to industry sources. This memory is based on Yangtze Memory's enhanced Xtacking chip architecture. According to the sources, Yangtze Memory has upgraded the Xtacking structure for its newly produced 120-layer NAND flash; as a consequence, the I/O speed is comparable to that of other existing 200-layer and higher NAND flash. Sample deliveries for the chip have recently begun, with commercial manufacturing slated to begin in early 2024.
US chip ban on China believed to see diminishing marginal effects
The tightened chip trade ban newly imposed by the US has cast a substantial shadow over major Chinese AI chip makers, potentially blocking their access to advanced chip manufacturing services from foundries like TSMC and Samsung Electronics. However, as China's top foundry SMIC has demonstrated its capability to produce 7nm chips, Chinese industry insiders believe that even if the US enforces stricter bans in the future, the actual impacts are bound to gradually diminish.
YMTC thrives in China amid US sanctions
Despite pressure from US technological sanctions, insiders from the supply chain have disclosed that Yangtze Memory Technology Corporation (YMTC) is capitalizing on its strong presence in the Chinese market. Riding high on the Chinese market's growing momentum towards tech indigenization over the past year, the demand for YMTC's products has surged to such an extent that most of their inventory is now already reserved by smartphone vendors and assembly plants. Future expectations even point towards improved yield rates and an entry into enterprise-level storage and data centers for the Chinese NAND manufacturer.
Chinese SiC players rising rapidly, likely to change global market landscape
In the near future, Chinese players in the silicon carbide (SiC) sector will have the opportunity to break the current shortage of mainstream 6-inch wafers and usher in a new landscape for the global SiC industry. Market insiders are curious if SiC will move towards a professional division of labor as seen in the silicon-based semiconductors. They also asked that under the premise of those who own the materials possess the world, will the global SiC industry be dominated by China in the future, with the landscape turning from "very American" to "very Chinese?"
US sanctions boot Nvidia from China will give Huawei a leg up
The tightening of US chip sanctions has sent shockwaves through the high-end AI GPU export market, potentially resulting in short-term supply shortages and cost increases for China's AI and Large Language Model (LLM) industries. However, the long-term implications might favor the development of China's semiconductor industry, prompting Chinese AI chip manufacturers such as Huawei to strive for import substitution through domestic technological innovation.
