After leaving Intel for 12 years, former Chief Technology Officer Pat Gelsinger returned in mid-February 2021 to take over as Intel's eighth CEO. However, compared to his tenure from 1979 to 2009, when Intel rose to dominate the global semiconductor industry, the Intel Gelsinger inherited was in crisis, grappling with generational shifts, surrounded by formidable competitors, and facing rapid profit decline.
Geopolitical pressures and changes in industrial structure are driving strategic collaborations among semiconductor companies, with various countries or regions incentivized for partnerships, particularly Taiwan and Japan. However, support from Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea is essential to establish ICT supply chains in emerging countries such as South Asia and Southeast Asia.
It has been almost two weeks since the launch of Apple's Vision Pro on February 2, and many early reviews of it have started to come out. Initial reactions to Apple's long-awaited new product line appear mixed, with many reviews pointing out its impressive hardware capabilities and unique spatial computing features. However, it's also widely acknowledged as a flawed product, primarily due to its selling price, battery life, overall comfort, and lack of content.
The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked many economies to address the disruptions caused throughout the global semiconductor supply chain. Whether the result of so-called "security nationalism," unsettled competitive trading regimes, or warfare destabilization, we are experiencing a new competitive era in semiconductor manufacturing. Canada has become a major participant in those ongoing reshoring recalibrations (Canada's semiconductor industry can be traced back to Nortel in the late-1960's).
Canada is following in the footsteps of various countries to participate in the ongoing reshoring recalibrations for the semiconductor supply chains and develop its competitiveness in semiconductors.
Asia Pacific (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, and Singapore) accounts for 84% of global chip exports and is home to 10 of the 16 semiconductor exporters and the top six suppliers, which includes Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). The leading pure-play foundry will celebrate the inauguration of its first fab in Kumamoto, Japan, on February 24, 2024.
Nvidia's many customers, including Open AI CEO Sam Altman, are trying to find ways to cut dependency on its AI chips. While specialists have pointed out that Altman's lack of understanding of the semiconductor industry may have underestimated the challenge and may not end well, semiconductor veterans suggested there are better alternatives that can reduce costs and increase the probability of success.
We are seeing the most standardized specifications of AI hardware with the launch of AI PCs, and the operating system and the apps will be key to defining the "AI" on the PCs as a genie or a white elephant, said DIGITIMES Research analyst Joyce Chen, who just recently released a report regarding AI PC.
SMIC is said to have set up a new semiconductor production line in Shanghai and hopes to utilize its existing US and Dutch manufacturing facilities to mass-produce Huawei HiSilicon's new-generation high-end mobile processors using 5nm process technology within 2024, according to a Financial Times report citing sources.
With the government's support, Chinese companies have scaled the silicon carbide (SiC) segment and secured partnerships with some international IDMs. In the second part of an interview with DIGITIMES, Doris Hsu, chairperson of the Sino-American Silicon Products (SAS) Group, talked about the opportunities SiC devices would bring to Taiwan's semiconductor industry.
The Japanese government's efforts to attract foreign semiconductor investment have been very effective, with almost every major international semiconductor manufacturer responding to the call. In addition, Rapidus, a company formed by a consortium of local companies, is also targeting the development of cutting-edge processes.
SMIC Hong Kong International Company Limited (SMIC HK) has been removed from the US Department of Defense (DOD) 1260H list of Chinese military companies.
China-based companies are expected to march into the compound semiconductor segment in 2024 as they solve the bottleneck of SiC crystal growth and are recognized by global companies like Bosch, Infineon, and STM.
Having to overcome ramps and bumps on its internationalization journey, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's leading pure-play foundry, is learning to act globally and think locally while expanding overseas. Owing to the assistance and support of the Japanese government, the construction of TSMC's first fab of its joint venture in Kumamoto, Japan, has been progressing smoothly and on schedule for mass production in the fourth quarter of 2024.
