China has approved a new set of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) services, marking the smallest batch this year, indicative of a potential saturation in the domestic AI market
Samsung Electronics Co. and Texas Instruments Inc. completed final agreements to get billions of dollars of government support for new semiconductor plants in the US, cementing a major piece of the Biden administration's Chips Act initiative
Samsung Display is advancing its microOLED technology by shifting from silicon wafers to glass substrates, a move aimed at improving production efficiency and reducing costs for AR/VR devices
Tesla's Shanghai "Gigafactory" is undergoing significant personnel changes as Chinese media reports indicate that Gang Song, the site's director and VP of manufacturing, has departed to pursue a position in the green energy industry with Envision Group
Merck has announced plans to invest over EUR70 million(US$72.53 million) to construct a new advanced materials development center (AMDC) at its Shizuoka site in Japan. This latest investment brings Merck's total investment in the Shizuoka site to over JPY120 million since 2021
Kioxia, which recently listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), has announced plans to double its market share in AI-focused NAND products. President Nobuo Hayasaka highlighted the surging demand for AI-driven applications as a primary growth driver. He also called on major shareholders Bain Capital and Toshiba to reduce their stakes within three years to bolster Kioxia's operational independence
The world's third-largest NAND flash manufacturer, Kioxia, has officially gone public in Japan, securing funding for investments in artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor technologies. This move has drawn close attention from major South Korean companies Samsung Electronics (Samsung) and SK Hynix
The US Department of Commerce has awarded SK Hynix a grant of up to US$458 million under the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act), supporting the company's efforts to strengthen the AI supply chain in the US. The funding will support the establishment of a research center in Indiana focused on next-generation high bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced packaging R&D
Leading Chinese solar manufacturers, including Longi Green Energy Technology, Trina Solar, and JA Solar, have been forced to delay their production capacity expansions as they grapple with severe market oversupply
The European Union initiated a sweeping investigation into Chinese EVs in October 2023, imposing additional tariffs based on automaker compliance levels. BYD and Geely Auto face tariffs of 17% and 18.8%, respectively, while SAIC encounters a steeper 35.3% rate, according to the latest findings
The Chinese semiconductor industry faces a significant market correction as wafer fabs prepare for a downturn in 2025 amid oversupply concerns, causing substantial impacts across the global semiconductor industry. As one of the world's largest markets for semiconductor equipment, China's declining demand is compelling major international players to revise their strategies
China's battery materials sector is thriving, backed by government subsidies, low electricity costs, and cheaper labor, enabling aggressive investment. In contrast, South Korean firms, lacking comparable support, are struggling with mounting losses and potential market exits, threatening the stability of South Korea's EV supply chain
Chinese automakers, including NIO, XPeng Motors, BYD, and Taiwan's Foxconn, are reportedly exploring partnerships with cash-strapped Nissan, leveraging its global distribution networks to enter the US market, according to Japanese supplier Ibiden via Chinese media
Nissan and Honda, two of Japan's automotive giants, are set to hold merger talks on December 23, 2024. Renault, Nissan's largest shareholder and a French automotive leader, is reportedly open to the proposed merger, signaling a pivotal moment for the Japanese automakers
Rapidus, a Japanese company targeting the mass production of 2nm chips, has announced the delivery of Japan's first extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine, the NXE:3800E, which will be installed at its Innovative Integration for Manufacturing (IIM-1) foundry under construction in Hokkaido. The company plans to introduce multiple units in the future
