Intel's decision to walk away from its September 2023 agreement for Fab 11X in New Mexico has prompted Tower Semiconductor to revamp its manufacturing roadmap, scrap the facility from its 2028 model, and redirect customers — marking a strategic reset for the specialty foundry partner.
GlobalFoundries is aggressively pulling forward its financial targets for silicon photonics (SiPh), betting that the "insatiable" demand for AI compute will cement its position as a critical provider of high-speed data interconnects.
Geopolitical tensions stemming from the US-China trade war and global tariff barriers are driving major changes across the printed circuit board (PCB) industry, prompting structural shifts in Taiwan–US import-export dynamics and the accelerated diversification of manufacturing networks.
Applied Materials, a Santa Clara-based semiconductor equipment maker, has reached a US$252.5 million settlement with the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to resolve allegations of illegal exports to China. The penalty represents the second-highest civil fine ever imposed by the BIS and the maximum amount permitted by statute — equal to twice the value of the illegal transactions.
Win Semiconductors (Winsemi), a GaAs wafer foundry, held its earnings conference on February 11. Its fourth-quarter 2025 consolidated revenue reached NT$4.79 billion (approx. US$152.65 million), up 7% quarter-over-quarter and 29% year-over-year, slightly above expectations. Full-year 2025 revenue totaled NT$16.64 billion, down 5% year-over-year.
Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft are set to sharply increase AI capital expenditure in 2026, with total investments reaching US$670 billion. This surge has sparked market concerns about an AI bubble, though Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called the CSPs' spending "reasonable and necessary." The semiconductor industry sees a clear divide: TSMC is profiting heavily from AI demand, while Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) face growth challenges.
The global foundry industry is undergoing a structural shift, and it is emerging first in mature process nodes once widely considered oversupplied. SMIC stated on February 11 that its performance in the first quarter of 2025 defied seasonality. Utilization held steady from the prior quarter, and pricing for mature nodes has begun to stabilize.
Amid mounting tariff pressures and geopolitical risks, the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) announced that it will showcase a Taiwan advanced packaging zone at Apex Expo 2026, a global printed circuit board (PCB) trade event held in Southern California. This initiative aims to help Taiwanese companies seize opportunities arising from supply chain restructuring and to accelerate Taiwan-US business collaborations.
Global Mixed-Mode Technology said it is expanding its DDR5 power management IC (PMIC) portfolio and prioritizing production for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), while warning that rising memory prices make PC and smartphone end-demand unpredictable. The company disclosed its operational outlook and market observations during an investor briefing on February 10, 2026.
The latest global ranking of the top 10 outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) providers points to a shift in competitive balance. In 2025, five Chinese companies entered the top tier, narrowing the gap with Taiwan’s established leaders and reshaping the industry structure.
Micron Technology has begun high-volume production and customer shipments of its next-generation HBM4 memory, ramping volumes earlier than expected amid tight industry supply, CFO Mark Murphy said at an analyst meeting on February 11. Murphy also signaled higher capital spending driven by strong AI-related demand and multiyear supply commitments.
More coverage
