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Monday 15 December 2025
SK Hynix leads Samsung by 3-4 months, begins supplying paid HBM4 samples
Latest media reports state that SK Hynix has completed the final verification phase for customer samples of its 12-layer sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) prior to mass production. The Korea Herald reported that SK Hynix has effectively entered the mass production process for its 12-layer HBM4 products and is supplying customers with more than 20,000–30,000 paid HBM4 samples. After establishing a global 12-layer HBM4 mass production system in September 2025, SK Hynix finalized a 2026 HBM4 supply contract with Nvidia and has begun production, according to Deal Site and other South Korean media. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics is approximately three to four months behind schedule
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Tuesday 16 December 2025
China's BOE fast-tracks 8.6G OLED expansion, closing in on Korean rivals
China's BOE Technology is rapidly advancing its 8.6-generation IT OLED production, signaling an aggressive push to close the gap with South Korean rivals. Reports indicate the company has begun procuring equipment for the second phase of its B16 production line, including the third and fourth lines, marking a strategic acceleration in scaling manufacturing capacity
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Shanghai AI conferences signal pivot from model hype to embodied intelligence reality
In 2025, Shanghai hosted two AI conferences that spotlighted its tech advantages and featured the Global Developer Pioneers Summit (GDPS) 2025 competition, which emphasized practical AI solutions for industry and rescue operations
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Kentec launches 2.5MW liquid-cooling CDU, teams up with Infinitix to expand Taiwan-Japan AI data center alliance
As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and large model training rapidly increase computing power density, artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are entering a new phase where energy efficiency and thermal management have become decisive factors
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Baidu's Kunlunxin spinoff mirrors Google's TPU playbook
Baidu confirmed on December 7, 2025, that it is evaluating the spin-off and listing of its AI chip unit, Kunlunxin. This announcement came just one day before the US permitted H200 chip exports to China. Baidu cautioned that the plan is subject to regulatory approval and not guaranteed, tempering initial market enthusiasm
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong meets with Lisa Su and Elon Musk to discuss potential collaboration
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong has returned to South Korea after a week-long business trip to the US. Lee reportedly met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Austin, Texas, with senior executives of Samsung's foundry division also present. It is also rumored that Lee met with AMD CEO Lisa Su to discuss HBM supply and foundry orders using advanced 2-nanometer process technology. These efforts are considered tactics to help Samsung regain leadership in AI semiconductors
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Samsung nears deal to supply over 30% of Nvidia's HBM4 memory in 2026
Samsung Electronics is close to finalizing negotiations with Nvidia to supply more than 30% of its sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) for 2026, aiming to regain market share after setbacks with HBM3E
Tuesday 16 December 2025
OLED demand surges, lifting South Korea's display makers to record outlook
The global market for OLED display panels is entering its seasonal peak in the second half of 2025, and South Korea's leading panel makers—Samsung Display and LG Display—are emerging as the biggest beneficiaries of renewed demand for high-end smartphones. Analysts say shipments and revenue are set to accelerate, with the fourth quarter of 2025 likely to mark a record-breaking period for the industry
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Samsung steadies 12-Layer HBM3E, eyes larger Google TPU orders
Samsung Electronics has reportedly stabilized the performance of its 12-layer high-bandwidth memory, a development that could allow the company to expand shipments to Google's artificial intelligence accelerators as competition intensifies in the market for advanced memory used in AI chips, according to South Korean media
Tuesday 16 December 2025
China's chip resilience: Naura M&A, ACM's HBM push defy US export controls
Escalating US-China tech rivalry and the politicization of the supply chain are accelerating a structural transformation in the global semiconductor equipment sector. While the US and its allies use stringent export controls to reshape the advanced node industry order, China's semiconductor industry is aggressively pursuing self-sufficiency across equipment, materials, and processes to mitigate reliance on foreign suppliers
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Apple braces for DRAM cost surge as Korean suppliers reprice contracts
Apple is facing renewed cost pressure as its long-term DRAM supply contracts with South Korean memory makers approach expiry in January 2026, heightening concerns that higher component costs could spill over into its next generation of devices
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Taiwan, South Korea strengthen startup ties at COMEUP 2025
Taiwanese startup accelerator AppWorks and South Korea's SparkLabs participated in COMEUP 2025, a prominent startup event in Seoul, underscoring growing collaboration between the two Asian technology hubs. Both economies aim to help startups overcome geographic barriers and jointly expand their presence in global markets as artificial intelligence gains momentum worldwide
Tuesday 16 December 2025
SenseTime's Seko 2.0 ties AI video breakthrough to Cambricon chips, signaling China's multimodal push

SenseTime has released Seko 2.0, which it describes as the industry's first multi-episode video generation agent, marking a step beyond short AI clips toward longer, more coherent video content

Tuesday 16 December 2025
South Korea lures global chip capital at COMEUP 2025 as Middle East investors step in

South Korea is emerging as a focal point for global semiconductor investment as domestic AI chip startups attract growing interest from Middle Eastern sovereign funds, underscoring a shift in where capital and talent are converging in the next phase of the chip industry

Tuesday 16 December 2025
China's EV lead faces battery recycling crisis and geopolitical squeeze
The global automotive electronics and electrification (E/E) landscape has shifted from a simple race for technological supremacy to a high-stakes geopolitical arena spanning Europe, the United States, and China. At the heart of this competition lies the lithium battery—both the most valuable and most sensitive component of the modern EV industry
Monday 15 December 2025
SK Hynix taps ASMPT for HBM4 TC bonders amid Hanmi-Hanwha patent clash

SK Hynix has reportedly placed a new order for thermal compression (TC) bonders with Singapore-based ASMPT as it accelerates preparations for HBM4, underscoring both the strategic importance of advanced packaging equipment and rising complexity in the TC bonder supply chain amid a patent dispute between South Korean rivals Hanmi Semiconductor and Hanwha Semitech. The move reflects SK Hynix's broader push to diversify critical equipment suppliers while aligning with Nvidia's next-generation AI roadmap