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Friday 4 July 2025
Japan's chip tool market to top JPY5 trillion in FY26 amid AI boom
The Japan Semiconductor Equipment Association (SEAJ) has updated its sales forecast for Japanese-made semiconductor manufacturing equipment over the next three fiscal years, projecting a steady increase reaching JPY5.51 trillion (US$38.35 billion) by fiscal 2027. The latest forecast sees modest growth driven primarily by investments in cutting-edge chip technologies and AI-related applications
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Friday 4 July 2025
AOS to settle US export violation with US$4.25 miilion over Huawei shipments
Alpha and Omega Semiconductor (AOS), a California-based chipmaker, has agreed to pay US$4.25 million to resolve allegations that it violated US export controls by shipping restricted components to Huawei Technologies in 2019, the year Huawei was placed on the US Entity List
Friday 4 July 2025
China-based USI moves upmarket with L10 edge AI server for global clients

Universal Scientific Industrial Shanghai (USI), a China-based electronics design and manufacturing company, has completed delivery of a Level 10 (L10) full-system joint design manufacturing (JDM) project. The lightweight edge AI server, co-developed with a major international client, targets deployment in healthcare, retail, and industrial applications across Europe and North America

Friday 4 July 2025
Intel's new AI accelerator may adopt HBM4? SK Hynix stresses no confirmed details
Intel recently held its AI Summit in South Korea, sharing the latest trends in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and innovative applications across various industries. The event also explored future AI development directions and cross-industry collaboration strategies. Among the highlights, cooperation between SK Hynix and Intel on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for next-generation AI accelerators attracted significant attention
Friday 4 July 2025
South Korea cuts reliance on Japanese chip materials, but faces hurdles in advanced technologies
In the high-stakes world of semiconductors, materials are everything. In South Korea, the issue became a national priority after a 2019 trade dispute with Japan sent shockwaves through its tech sector. In a tit-for-tat diplomatic standoff, Tokyo slapped export restrictions on critical chipmaking materials—photoresists, hydrogen fluoride, and polyimide. With Japanese firms controlling more than 90% of the global supply, the move threatened to derail South Korea's chip production and exposed its deep dependence on foreign suppliers
Friday 4 July 2025
China-India rivalry forces Foxconn to rethink manpower strategy
As 2025 begins under President Donald Trump's second term, rising trade tensions and tariffs are pushing regionalized manufacturing. In this context, Foxconn is reportedly recalling Chinese engineers from its Indian operations, highlighting the complex China-India dynamics shaping global industry
Thursday 3 July 2025
Samsung completes development of 1c DRAM, paving way for HBM4 rollout

Samsung Electronics has successfully developed its sixth-generation DRAM, known as 1c DRAM, built using a 10nm class process. The product has received internal Production Readiness Approval (PRA), signaling it has met key quality and performance benchmarks and is now in the final phase before mass production. The milestone brings Samsung one step closer to its goal of mass-producing HBM4, or fourth-generation high-bandwidth memory, in the second half of 2025

Thursday 3 July 2025
Micron tightens grip on AI memory market as Samsung certification lags
Micron Technology is stepping up its game in the competitive high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market, leveraging recent wins to boost production and capture rising demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) platforms
Thursday 3 July 2025
Details of the US-China trade agreement remain unclear, with no consensus on rare earths and chip controls
On June 26, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced that the US had signed a trade agreement with China on June 25, which was also confirmed by China's Ministry of Commerce. From the talks in Geneva on May 11 to negotiations in London on June 10, followed by Trump's recent announcement, what exactly have the two countries agreed upon
Thursday 3 July 2025
US unleashes Section 232 tariffs, global trade talks in disarray
With the July 9, 2025, deadline for new tariffs fast approaching, trade talks between the US and key partners like Japan, India, and France are showing signs of strain. At the heart of the deadlock lies Washington's increasingly aggressive use of Section 232 tariffs, a tool with far greater bite than traditional reciprocal duties
Thursday 3 July 2025
BYD's Mexico factory on hold due to trade uncertainty and geopolitical concerns
Facing rising geopolitical tensions and uncertainty surrounding US trade policy under President Donald J. Trump, Chinese EV maker BYD has put plans for a large-scale factory in Mexico on hold
Thursday 3 July 2025
Luxshare to list in Hong Kong as part of global strategy, joins wave of Apple suppliers
Luxshare Precision Industry Co., a key supplier to Apple and a leading player in China's electronics manufacturing sector, plans to issue H-shares and list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). The initiative aims to support its global expansion strategy, boost access to international capital, and improve corporate governance and transparency
Thursday 3 July 2025
China rare earth curbs put US in chokehold

Rare earth elements—critical to electric vehicles, defense systems, and advanced electronics—are once again at the center of geopolitical tensions. China, which controls more than 90 percent of the world's rare earth refining and processing capacity, continues to wield outsized influence over global supply

Thursday 3 July 2025
Wolfspeed bankruptcy no surprise as product development lags Chinese rivals
US-based silicon carbide (SiC) giant Wolfspeed officially filed for bankruptcy this week following a series of rumors, initiating restructuring proceedings. Industry players in power semiconductors and wide bandgap semiconductors largely view this outcome as unsurprising
Thursday 3 July 2025
Samsung to restart P5 fab construction after two years as AI semiconductor grows
After a two-year hiatus, Samsung Electronics is reportedly set to resume construction of its advanced semiconductor production facility, the P5 fab, located in Pyeongtaek. With continuous improvements in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and next-generation DRAM technologies, alongside strong market growth expectations for AI semiconductors over the coming years, Samsung is preparing to launch a new round of equipment investment in South Korea
Thursday 3 July 2025
Chips for rare earths: An uneven US-China trade gambit
Since the onset of the US-China tech war, both sides have engaged in multifaceted struggles over strategic industries such as semiconductors, AI, and critical resources