The Southeast Asian smartphone market is rebounding, with Canalys' data showing that in the first quarter of 2024, smartphone shipments in Southeast Asia reached 23.5 million units, a 12% year-on-year increase. Transsion's performance has been particularly notable, and the growth potential in the high-end market should not be overlooked as well.
Groundhog Technologies, an AI software firm specializing in the telecommunications sector, predicts that the primary growth drivers for 2024-2025 will emerge from high-population regions like Southeast Asia, as 5G adoption accelerates in Europe, the US, and various Asian markets.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS), with the government allocating MYR25 billion (US$5.3 billion) to foster industry development.
Apple Inc. will open its first retail location in Malaysia next month as it expands its presence in Southeast Asia to augment both sales and operations outside of China.
Car OEMs and tier-1 suppliers have adjusted their inventories since 2023, which affects most automotive suppliers' operations and deliveries. The adjustment is expected to be completed recently, offering companies a promising second half of 2024.
The Vietnamese government is reportedly "encouraging" companies like Foxconn to conserve electricity, sparking concerns about a potential repeat of the 2023 power shortage crisis.
Amid the global shifts in the chip industry, Malaysia is promoting its neutrality, non-alignment, and established IC backend industry as key advantages to advance and build a more mature semiconductor ecosystem.
US chip giant Marvell Technology has opened a new office in Da Nang, central Vietnam, aiming to expand its operations and create a world-class IC design center.
Liquid cooling technology is projected to double the cooling market's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) by 2025. However, the substantial capital and sophisticated technology required will likely lead to the first wave of eliminations in the cooling industry, according to Lin Yu-shen, chairman of Taiwan's thermal solutions provider Auras Technology.
Cheng-wen Wu, Minister of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), said that Taiwan would be happy to share and transfer the experience of science park management to other friendly countries. However, Wu stressed the importance of reciprocity for mutual prosperity.
While the US-China technology rivalry and the resultant G2 framework have prompted the semiconductor industry to diversify production risks, Vietnam is emerging as an attractive location for global semiconductor players to serve the purpose, ranking closely behind Singapore and Malaysia among ASEAN countries. Nevertheless, there exist challenges that must be overcome to fully realize its potential.
Elon Musk inaugurated SpaceX's Starlink internet services in Indonesia on Sunday as the world's largest archipelago seeks to boost connectivity to its most remote areas.
