These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories in the week of November 24 to November 30, 2025.
Chinese smartphone makers halt iPhone Air follow-up projects amid weak sales
Chinese smartphone makers are shelving plans to release ultra-thin phones modeled on Apple's iPhone Air after the device posted weak global sales, according to reports from Sina Finance and Jiemian.com. Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo have either halted or scaled back their Air style projects and reassigned eSIM components originally planned for those models, a move that follows disclosures from The Information that iPhone Air production has been cut to one and a half lines since its October 22 launch and could stop entirely by late November.
Luxshare Precision is also said to have ended assembly in October. Suppliers and analysts say devices thinner than 6 millimeters face design limits that hurt camera quality and battery life, a problem Apple and Samsung have both encountered. Huawei is the notable exception and has begun presales for its 6.6 millimeter Mate 70 Air, which includes a 6500 mAh battery and runs HarmonyOS 5.1.
Why Jensen Huang spent Thanksgiving weekend in Taiwan
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made an unannounced trip to Taipei over the US Thanksgiving weekend, his fifth visit to Taiwan this year, in what sources say was a discreet meeting with Quanta Computer, as questions grow about the company's server assembly yields and its ability to secure additional Nvidia orders. Huang, who publicly described the trip as a personal visit to "see friends," had already been in Taiwan earlier in November to review TSMC's 3nm production plans for Nvidia's next-generation Rubin GPUs.
Quanta has issued an upbeat outlook with order visibility through 2027 and plans to ramp GB300 and Vera Rubin-based AI server production over the next two years. Still, investors remain concerned as Nvidia tightens procurement controls. People familiar with the matter say Huang's close ties with Quanta chairman Barry Lam likely prompted the visit.
Commentary: How Huawei's Kirin 9030 pushes into 7nm threshold
Huawei's new Mate 80 lineup is drawing fresh attention to the company's Kirin 9030 processor as Chinese analysts say the chip delivers performance approaching 7nm despite US restrictions that block access to advanced tools. Industry sources cited in Chinese reports say the device reflects Huawei's progress in pushing SMIC's older DUV technology to its limits through multi-patterning techniques and broader system-level innovation, including architectural upgrades and advanced packaging.
The effort highlights China's reliance on costly process optimization rather than true node scaling, yet it marks a significant step in the country's semiconductor self-sufficiency drive. Huawei also cut starting prices for the Mate 80 series and introduced HarmonyOS 6, signaling tighter supply chain control and its determination to stay competitive in the premium smartphone market.
YMTC rockets to 13% shipment share in NAND Flash, Micron now in sight
YMTC expanded its global NAND Flash presence this year, climbing from more than 10 percent shipment share in the first quarter to 13 percent in the third quarter, according to Nikkei, citing Counterpoint Research. The gains put the Chinese supplier within striking distance of Micron and reflect broader adoption among Chinese notebook and smartphone makers, a sustained price advantage, and continued state support.
Analysts expect YMTC to maintain double-digit shipment share through 2025 as the company adds capacity in Wuhan and moves toward a possible 20 percent slice of global supply in the coming years. Engineers say YMTC has also closed the technology gap by mass-producing NAND approaching 270 layers, while domestic peer CXMT is expanding in DRAM with about 8 percent global share. The rise of Chinese memory makers is reshaping market dynamics, although export restrictions still limit their reach outside China.
DRAM and NAND shortages intensify, forcing major manufacturers to ration shipments
ADATA and Innodisk executives say the global memory crunch is worsening as demand for DRAM and NAND flash continues to far exceed supply, with DDR5 prices rising faster than DDR4 and some cloud providers receiving only about 30 percent of their requested shipments. ADATA chairman Simon Chen said tight DRAM output is prompting suppliers to redirect NAND capacity, which has further strained flash availability, while Innodisk chairman Randy Chien described demand as several times higher than current production.
Both executives warned that shortages are likely to persist through at least the first half of 2026 because no major new DRAM capacity is coming online and NAND supply is being squeezed by the industry's shift toward SSDs. Electronics brands are facing delayed product launches and limited allocations, and procurement teams have begun sending senior executives to negotiate for inventory. ADATA expects higher margins as contract and spot prices continue to rise, while Innodisk sees memory becoming a strategic AI resource that will keep the market in deep structural shortage well into next year.
MediaTek and Qualcomm face 2nm, memory cost pressures driving flagship SoC price hikes
Qualcomm and MediaTek are expected to raise prices on their 2026 flagship mobile chips as advanced foundry processes and high memory costs drive up production expenses, industry sources said. Strong demand for high-end memory and limited supply from China are keeping prices elevated, while advanced nodes such as 2 nm are set to become even more expensive. Analysts say the two smartphone chip designers will likely pass some of the added costs to device makers, although the increases may not fully protect margins.
The pressure is spreading across PCs and other products that rely on advanced process technologies as cloud AI chips crowd sub-5nm capacity. Suppliers report more cautious ordering from memory module makers as volatility persists, and IC designers expect tough price competition in consumer markets as weak demand and tighter budgets weigh on sales. MediaTek has said it will adjust pricing and capacity strategies in 2026 to reflect rising manufacturing costs.
TSMC exit fuels Taiwan-US rivalry in GaN market
TSMC's plan to fully exit the gallium nitride foundry business by 2027 has set off a reshuffling across the global power semiconductor supply chain, with rival manufacturers racing to fill the gap. GlobalFoundries has emerged as a key contender after securing a technology licensing deal for TSMC's 650-volt and 80-volt GaN processes, which it plans to bring into production at its Vermont fab with support from the US Department of Defense and CHIPS Act funding. The move has accelerated US customers' search for new suppliers as demand from AI data centers, electric vehicles, and industrial systems continues to rise.
In Taiwan, Vanguard International Semiconductor and Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing are expanding their GaN-on-silicon platforms to compete on cost and scale as Asia positions itself as the hub for high-volume production. Across the industry, long qualification cycles for automotive and industrial applications have pushed companies to fast-track verification programs to secure alternative sources before TSMC's withdrawal takes effect.
Article edited by Jack Wu
