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Monday 18 August 2025
India roundup: India approves four chip projects
The number of chipmaking projects in India that qualify for the country’s incentive policy has increased to ten, following the approval of four new initiatives. Concurrently, India and China appear to be reducing tensions against the backdrop of a recently imposed 50% tariff by the United States on Indian goods
Sunday 17 August 2025
Indonesia shifts lithium imports to Australia, expands EV battery partnerships with China
Indonesia is increasing lithium imports from Australia to boost its electric vehicle (EV) battery supply and advance its EV development goals. The government is also encouraging industry players to explore nickel-based battery technologies, leveraging its abundant domestic nickel reserves
Sunday 17 August 2025
Kdan Mobile Software partners with Japanese AI search startup for agent ecosystem
Kdan Mobile Software (KDAN) has formed a strategic partnership with Japanese AI search engine startup Felo, with integrated technologies expected to debut in the fourth quarter of 2025. The companies will also collaborate on a joint sales plan targeting the AI agent market
Sunday 17 August 2025
Applied Materials faces lawsuit from smaller Chinese rival
Chinese semiconductor equipment makers are increasingly taking the offensive in protecting their technology and intellectual property. Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology has sued US chipmaking equipment leader Applied Materials in the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, alleging the illegal acquisition and use of its core trade secrets, and is seeking CNY99.99 million (US$13.9 million) in damages
Saturday 16 August 2025
China breaks neutral atom quantum record, showcasing AI’s role in next-gen computing
The quantum research team at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has set a new world record. Academic administrator Jianwei Pan and Professor Chao-Yang Lu from USTC collaborated with the Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences and researcher Han-Sen Zhong's team from Shanghai AI Laboratory. Using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, they successfully constructed defect-free two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) atomic arrays consisting of 2024 atoms within 60 milliseconds, breaking the global record for neutral atom quantum systems
Saturday 16 August 2025
SK Hynix expands EUV in 1c DRAM, launches faster low-power chips for AI PCs

SK Hynix is stepping up its use of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in next-generation DRAM, increasing the number of EUV layers in its upcoming sixth-generation 10nm-class (1c) products to more than five. The plan was revealed at the Next Generation Lithography + Patterning Academic Conference in Suwon, South Korea

Friday 15 August 2025
China's CXMT resumes big-ticket chip investments to expand DDR5, fast-track HBM3 output
ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has restarted major facility investments to ramp up DRAM output and fast-track high-bandwidth memory (HBM) development, highlighting Beijing's drive to secure advanced AI memory under ongoing US export curbs
Friday 15 August 2025
Apple is seen gaining tariff exemption as Samsung faces 25% levy threat, potentially reshaping global smartphone market
The US government is expected to announce its tariff policy this week on semiconductor-related products—including smartphones, laptops, and surveillance devices—sending ripples of uncertainty through the global tech industry. A proposed 25% tariff on smartphones is now formally under consideration, placing the strategies of Samsung Electronics and Apple under intense scrutiny
Friday 15 August 2025
Can Tesla's chip shift uplift Samsung foundry services?
Over the past two weeks, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has promoted his company's new partnership with Samsung Foundry for manufacturing its AI chips. At one point, South Korean media speculated that Samsung might even take over exclusive foundry orders for Tesla's Dojo chips originally handled by TSMC, only to discover later that Musk had decided to shut down the supercomputer project
Friday 15 August 2025
China pushes back against Nvidia H20 chip exports amid US trade tensions
Chinese authorities have recently voiced concerns about the reauthorization of shipments for Nvidia Corporation's H20 AI chips, highlighting fears that these chips could be remotely disabled by the US. This capability, they argue, could be exploited to hinder China's AI development. In response, reports indicate that Beijing is encouraging domestic cloud providers to shift away from Nvidia's chips in favor of locally produced alternatives
Friday 15 August 2025
Commentary: China's chip equipment underdog stands up to Applied Materials as local substitution wave rises
Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology has sued US chipmaking equipment leader Applied Materials in a Chinese court, seeking nearly CNY100 million (approx. US$13.9 million) in damages for alleged trade secret misappropriation. Beyond the immediate legal battle, the case signals a strategic shift: Chinese semiconductor equipment firms, once largely reactive in disputes, are now asserting themselves on the global stage
Friday 15 August 2025
Taiwanese firms secure M9-grade CCL certifications as ASIC server demand surges
In response to the global surge in large-scale AI computing power deployment, the usage and value of PCBs for AI servers have significantly increased. High-end copper-clad laminate (CCL) is evolving as next-generation AI servers upgrade their transmission architecture to 1.6 terabit rates. With increasingly stringent demands for high-frequency, high-speed, and low-loss materials, board requirements are expected to officially advance from M7 and M8 grades to the M9 grade
Friday 15 August 2025
Samsung plays the long game on DDR4 as rivals exit for DDR5
Samsung Electronics is again at the center of speculation over a potential end to DDR4 DRAM production, as fresh industry reports indicate it may keep the older-generation memory in its lineup longer than anticipated. While leading DRAM makers are shifting to higher-performance DDR5, DDR4 continues to deliver reliable profits in specific markets, making it a potential hold for Samsung
Friday 15 August 2025
Fire at Kanto Denka Kogyo in Japan raises concerns over semiconductor supply chain disruption
A fire broke out early on August 7, 2025, at the nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) plant of Japanese industrial gas manufacturer Kanto Denka Kogyo in Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture. The incident raised concerns over potential supply chain disruptions in the semiconductor industry
Friday 15 August 2025
Clevo sees steady gains on high-end laptop sales, eyes AI-driven growth

Clevo, a Taiwanese notebook manufacturer, posted steady operating gains in the second quarter of 2025, buoyed by a sharp shift toward high-margin, niche-market laptops. The company expects further upside in the second half, as demand surges for AI-powered PCs and customers prepare for the end of Windows 10 support

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