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NEWS & VIEWS |
Taipei,
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
12:08 (GMT+8)
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Subject: Bits + chips > IC design |
KYEC postpones spin-off of memory testing division to January 2010 Stockwatch - Dec 1, 14:40 Logic IC testing house King Yuan Electronics Company (KYEC) has announced that a plan to spin off its memory testing division will be postponed to January 1, 2010 from the original date of January 1, 2009 due to the current economic climate, according to the company's filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE). Read more |
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MediaTek November sales affected by falling white-box handset demand from China Dec 1, 12:28 Due to falling demand of white-box handsets in China, market observers have lowered the expectations of MediaTek's November sales from NT$7.5 billion (US$225 million) to NT$7 billion. Read more |
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Economic crisis impacting MEMS market, says Yole Nov 28, 12:30 The total MEMS market will reach US$7.6 billion in 2008 and further up to US$8 billion in 2009, according to Jean Christophe Eloy, CEO of Yole Developpement. The fourth quarter 2008 is scheduled to be soft by most of the companies involved in consumer electronics, Eloy believes, explaining that Christmas inventories are already manufactured and shipped along with some first-quarter orders as well. Read more |
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STMicroelectronics said to volume produce dual-axis MEMS gyroscope in 1H09 Nov 28, 10:49 STMicroelectronics reportedly will enter the dual-axis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope market next year, mounting a challenge against InvenSense, which introduced the world's first dual-axis gyroscope in January 2008. Read more |
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IC designers may see even worse performance in 4Q08 due to frozen orders in November Nov 28, 01:10 Taiwan first-tier IC design companies have revised fourth-quarter sales forecasts warning that performance is unlikely to meet earlier expectations because orders have been frozen since mid-November. Read more |
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Phison to start 90nm SATA controller production in 1Q09, targeting low-cost PCs Nov 27, 16:10 Controller IC design house Phison Electronics is looking to start mass production SATA-interface solid-state drive (SSD) controllers on 90nm by the first quarter of 2009, the year when penetration of low-cost computers will likely reach a new high, according to the company. SATA controller chips manufactured under a 90nm process will help trim production costs further compared to 0.16- and 0.13-micron produced chips, Phison noted. Read more |
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Efficiency, differentiation, time-to-market and localized service are keys to probe card success: Q&A with FormFactor CEO Mario Ruscev Nov 27, 15:48 FormFactor, a leading provider of advanced wafer probe cards, has inevitably taken a hit to its operations as a result of the tough economic times. Due to the global economic downturn having led to a negative output gap, FormFactor saw quarterly losses for the first time in 2008. Downsizing workforce has become an essential consideration in every enterprise's expenses-reduction strategy, but FormFactor stresses the importance of continuous investment in R&D in order to develop more cost-effective solutions. Read more |
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eMemory enters volume production for 0.13-micron OTP memory Nov 27, 14:12 Intellectual property (IP) solutions provider eMemory Technology has announced that the company's Neobit one-time-programmable (OTP) memory, co-developed with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) on 0.13-micron high-voltage production process, has entered mass production. The company's 0.13-micron OTP memory is already under validation with customers in China, Europe and the US for their consumer electronics applications including small-size LCD panels, digital TVs, set-top boxes (STBs), GPS devices and PC cameras. Read more |
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VIA to spin off RISC-based CPU business to save costs, says paper Newswatch - Nov 27, 12:08 Impacted by the sagging global economy, VIA Technologies will spin off its non-core business later this month to save costs, according to a Chinese-language Economy Daily New (EDN) report. Read more |
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Ralink lands orders for Eee Top; expects to achieve 40% gross margin in 4Q08 Nov 27, 01:00 Ralink Technology has successfully entered Asustek Computer's Eee Top WLAN chip supply chain and will have a chance to supply chips for Eee PCs next year too, according to industry sources. Read more |
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MediaTek not to supply handset chips to Nokia or Motorola next year Nov 26, 11:38 While Texas Instruments (TI), Infineon Technologies and Freescale Semiconductor are expected to be on the supplier lists of Nokia and Motorola for 2.5G handset chips next year, MediaTek will not make it to the list at least in the first half of 2009, according to industry sources. Read more |
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TSMC to ship Altera 40nm FPGAs by year-end Newswatch - Nov 26, 10:25 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) will start shipping 40nm FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays) to its key customer Altera by the end of this year, kicking off the foundry's production of the 40nm general purpose (G) and low power (LP) process nodes, according to sources. Read more |
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Staying focused on wireless connectivity: Q&A with CSR CEO Joep van Beurden Nov 26, 10:15 Despite unsatisfactory 2008 financial results, UK-based CSR, which has over 50% market share of built-in Bluetooth chips for handsets, is still diversifying its products and increasing research investment during the economic downturn. Digitimes had the opportunity to interview CSR CEO Joep van Beurden on the company's future strategies as well as development of Bluetooth technology. Read more |
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Large-size driver IC designers eyeing small- to medium-size solutions Nov 26, 01:10 With demand for large-size LCD panels remaining in the doldrums, driver IC designers are placing more emphasis on the small- to medium-size segment, according to industry sources. Read more |
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Taiwan IP vendor Andes expands product portfolio Nov 25, 16:58 Andes Technology, a Taiwan-based processor core IP vendor, has recently expanded its product portfolio by introducing 32-bit microcontroller units (MCUs) that deliver up to 660MHz memory frequency, according to the company. Andes also announced that its 32-bit embedded processor core, dubbed AndeScore, has gained validation on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC's) 90nm process. Read more |
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Why not both ARM and Intel processors in notebooks Nov 25, 15:19 While UK-based IP firm ARM is aggressively targeting Intel's turf in the netbook market with its ARM-based processors, notebook makers and vendors are considering offering hybrid solutions that would combine the best of both worlds concerning optimizing the features offered by Intel and ARM. Read more |
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Leading China publisher entering optical ID market should benefit Taiwan related IC designers Nov 25, 12:59 IC distributors are optimistic about the optical identify (OID) market since China leading publishers in the education market are willing to adopt OID products and will position them as high-level education products. More publishing companies are expected to follow which will benefit Taiwan related IC design houses such as Sonix Technology and Sunplus Technology. Read more |
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MediaTek to introduce Windows Mobile smartphone chips next year, says paper Newswatch - Nov 25, 11:02 MediaTek, having completed its deployment in 3G handset chips, is speeding entry into the smartphone market. The company is in talks with Microsoft about the launch of Windows Mobile smartphone chips next year, and it is also developing application processor (AP) chips based on ARM's solutions, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report. Read more |
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Realtek trims 4Q financial forecast even further Nov 25, 01:20 Taiwan-based IC design house Realtek Semiconductor has trimmed its fourth quarter revenue forecast and now expects its sales to drop 20% sequentially, according to market sources. The company originally forecast a revenue decline of 10-20% for the fourth quarter. Read more |
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Alpha Imaging to get boost from imaging processor orders for Samsung handsets Nov 25, 01:05 MediaTek affiliate Alpha Imaging Technology (AIT) has successfully entered the supply chain for Samsung and will provide image signal processor (ISP) solutions for Samsung's 5-megapixel high-end cameraphones, and the relationship with Samsung should help boost the company's revenues for the second half of this year by 20-30%, compared with the NT$430 million (US$12.8 million) in sales the company reported in the first half of the year, according to market sources. Read more |
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Socle expected to enter MID market with ARM11 platform Nov 24, 17:08 After announcing its cooperation plans with ARM, Socle Technology has proclaimed its ARM11 platform built on Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing's 65nm technology has reached 1GHz, the highest in the industry. Read more |
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Commentary: ARM-Socle alliance stirs up rivalry among foundries Nov 24, 17:06 ARM's license agreement with Socle Technology, a IC design service subsidiary of Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, has heated up the competition in the foundry sector between Chartered and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), whose IC design service subsidiary Global Unichip has also licensed ARM11 IP. While this rivalry may play out in the market, the one clear winner is ARM, as the situation draws attention to its recently-announced embedded platform design solutions. Read more |
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Time for Taiwan DRAM makers to move forward, says Kingston Nov 24, 15:26 David Sun, co-founder of Kingston Technology, recently stated that Taiwan's DRAM makers should be aware that now is the best time for Taiwan's DRAM industry to implement consolidation or vertical integration strategies. The later a response to the industry downturn is carried out, the harder is will be for DRAM makers to recover, Sun commented. Read more |
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IC designers may see sales rebound in December on Lunar New Year demand Nov 24, 11:22 Taiwan's IC design companies expect to see weak November sales due to frozen orders in the second half of November, but sales may rebound in December when clients start placing orders to meet the Lunar New Year demand, according to industry sources. Read more |
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MediaTek expected to supply chips for Nokia TD-SCDMA handsets Newswatch - Nov 21, 16:55 The market is speculating that MediaTek will be the supplier for Nokia's customized TD-SCDMA handsets which are expected to be launched in China by the end of 2009, according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) report. Read more |
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Infineon introduces ultra-low cost dual-SIM integrated on a single platform Nov 21, 16:52 Infineon has announced its new ultra-low cost dual-SIM platform. The XMM1028 is based on the X-GOLD102DS and is a cost optimized single baseband solution for dual-SIM platforms. Negating the need for either a second modem on the platform or complex mechanical switching the XMM1028 provides a fully capable dual-SIM solution based on a single baseband device. Read more |
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Chartered CEO: No merger talks for now Nov 21, 10:07 Song-Hwee Chia, CEO of Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, has denied that his current visit to Taiwan is aimed at any merger talks, but he has not ruled out the possibility of any developments in the future. Read more |
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Socle's alliance with ARM to shake up SoC industry Nov 21, 01:00 ARM and Socle Technology, a subsidiary of Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, have released details of their cooperation plans which will see Socle gain licenses from ARM's IP portfolio covering ARM11 and 3D graphics chips. Read more |
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Taiwan IC production value down 6.5% in 2008, research suggests Nov 20, 15:58 The Taiwan semiconductor industry will see its IC design, packaging and testing sectors all slide in production value in 2008, with the packaging and testing segments experiencing double-digit declines, according to the Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center (IEK) of the Taiwan government-sponsored Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). The production value of Taiwan's IC industry is estimated to fall 6.5% to NT$688.7 billion (US$20.6 billion) in 2008, said IEK. Read more |
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SIA forecasts 5.5% decline for global semiconductor sales in 2009 Nov 20, 12:28 The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) released its annual forecast of global semiconductor sales, projecting the first decline in sales since 2001. The forecast projects 2008 sales of US$261.2 billion, a 2.2% increase from 2007 sales of US$255.6 billion. Sales in the current quarter, historically a strong quarter for the microelectronics industry, are forecasted to decline by 5.9% from the prior quarter. SIA projects that 2009 sales will decline by 5.6% to US$246.7 billion before resuming growth in 2010. Sales will grow by 7.4% in 2010 to US$264.9 billion and by 7.5% in 2011 to US$284.7 billion. Read more |
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InvenSense seeks partnerships with Taiwan foundry service providers Nov 20, 12:17 InvenSense, a provider of motion sensing solutions for mobile applications, is looking for partnerships with Taiwan-based foundry service providers, according to company CEO Steve Nasiri. Read more |
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China leads in IC consumption, despite fragile supply from local players Nov 20, 11:58 The production value of China's semiconductor industry grew 23% to account for more than one-third of total chip production worldwide for the first time in 2007, as the nation's huge export growth has been the key to driving semiconductor consumption in the Chinese market, according to a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Read more |
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Chip market enters into its 11th industry recession, says Future Horizons Nov 20, 11:56 Despite the fact the first half of 2008 was stronger than many predicted, the relentless deterioration in the global financial markets has finally tipped the global economy into recession. Not surprisingly, it has taken the chip market with it says Malcolm Penn, CEO and chairman of industry analyst house Future Horizons. Read more |
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VLSI Research expects IC market to decline in 2008 and 2009 Nov 20, 11:24 In light of the recent economic deterioration, VLSI Research has revised its 2008 and 2009 forecasts for both integrated circuits (ICs) and semiconductor equipment. IC sales are now expected to decline by 1.7% in 2008 to US$214.1 billion, and 2009 will be even worse with a 6.9% drop. VLSI Research cites a slowing electronics demand and an inventory correction that needs to take place to get supply back in balance with demand as the primary reasons for the revision. Read more |
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Global semiconductor market to contract in 2008, iSuppli predicts Nov 19, 16:42 Amid rapidly deteriorating conditions in the global economy and electronics value chain, iSuppli now is predicting worldwide semiconductor revenues will decline in 2008 compared to 2007. Read more |
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Handset-related IC design house to enter large-size segment in 2009 Newswatch - Nov 19, 15:40 Taiwan-based ILI Technology, which specializes in handset panel-use LCD driver ICs, is extending its presence to include large-size applications. The company is currently at the sample design stage, with volume shipments slated for 2009, according to the company. Read more |
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UMC to produce Actel 65nm eFlash FPGAs Nov 19, 12:27 Low-power field programmable gate array (FPGA) specialist Actel and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) have announced that the two companies are cooperating in the production of Actel's next generation flash-based FPGAs. The chips will be manufactured on UMC's 65nm low leakage process, and will take advantage of the foundry's 65nm embedded flash (eFlash) technology. Successful first-silicon demonstration of Actel's 65nm eFlash-based FPGA has already been achieved at UMC's 300mm fabs. Read more |
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IC design houses look to medical applications to drive revenue growth in 2009 Nov 19, 12:16 Two Taiwan-based IC design houses, Holtek Semiconductor and Sonix Technology, have voiced optimism about the growth potential for the medical electronics market. Holtek and Sonix estimate they will see a 10% and 7-8% sales contribution from medical applications, respectively, to their total sales, according to the companies. Read more |
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Chinese chip firms shift to capitalize on domestic growth, says iSuppli Nov 19, 11:51 After years of double-digit annual growth, China's semiconductor sales revenues in 2008 are expected to rise by only 6.7% to reach US$81.7 billion, up from US$76.6 billion in 2007, iSuppli predicts. However, China's fabless IC industry is expected to perform better, expanding by 12.3% to reach US$3.5 billion in 2008, up from US$3.1 billion in 2007. Read more |
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MEMS market slows, less attractive to venture capital Nov 19, 11:04 The global market for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) will see single-digit growth for the first time in 2008 and low growth is also anticipated for 2009, as plummeting consumer confidence has weakened the market for MEMS-enabled consumer applications, analysts pointed out. Read more |
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Socle to license ARM11 multiprocessor Nov 19, 10:28 Socle Technology, a Taiwan-based IC design service company in which Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing has a major stake, will announce Socle's further license agreement with ARM on November 20, according to the company. Read more |
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WSTS forecasts semiconductor market growth for 2008, contraction in 2009 Nov 19, 01:15 The global semiconductor market is expected to grow 2.5% on an annualized basis to US$261.9 billion in 2008, according to the autumn 2008 forecast of the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS). Read more |
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Driver IC supplier Orise secures 2009 orders from handset vendors Nov 18, 16:31 Taiwan-based LCD driver IC design house Orise Technology has reportedly landed new orders from US- and Japan-based handset vendors for 2009. As reported previously, the company has also secured orders from Nokia. Read more |
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ARM announces Adobe Flash 10 support Nov 18, 12:06 Adobe Systems and ARM have announced a technology collaboration to optimize and enable Adobe Flash Player 10 and Adobe AIR for ARM powered devices, ranging from mobile phones to set-top boxes (STBs), mobile Internet devices (MIDs), televisions, automotive platforms, personal media players and other mobile computing devices. Read more |
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China semiconductor industry sees weak growth in 3Q08 Nov 18, 10:44 A recent survey by the China Semiconductor Industry Association (CSIA) pointed out that China's semiconductor industry only saw 1.1% growth in the third quarter of 2008, the slowest rate on record. According to CSIA, China's IC industry maintained double-digit growth at 12.5% in the first quarter of 2008. However, the growth slowed down to 8.3% in the second quarter and further down in the third quarter, CSIA noted. Read more |
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Kingmax affiliate to expand CMOS image sensor packaging capacity Nov 14, 14:56 Backend service provider Kingpak Technology, a member of the Kingmax Group, has set a goal to expand its monthly capacity for CMOS image sensor (CIS) packaging and testing from 2-3 million units to the four million mark, according to the company. Sales from the CIS packaging segment account for 60-70% of Kingpak's total revenues at present, said the company. Read more |
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Microsoft PlayFX wins adoption amid top digital music player vendors in China Nov 13, 15:23 Microsoft began cooperating with Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics, a China-based multimedia IC design house, in 2007 in order to promote its self-developed sound enhancement solution PlayFX. As a result Fuzhou Rockchip integrated PlayFX technology into its audio-processing SoC (system-on-chip) solutions which have been widely adopted among more than 10 leading own-brand digital music player vendors in China, according to industry sources in Taiwan. Read more |
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Qualcomm announces PC alternative for emerging markets Nov 13, 12:22 Qualcomm has announced a new PC alternative to make high-speed wireless Internet access more widely available and affordable in emerging markets. The Kayak PC alternative includes a reference design and recommended software specifications that will be made available to device manufacturers, which can then design a wide range of Internet enabling devices that leverage the widespread availability of 3G wireless broadband networks in markets where wired Internet access has often been difficult to access or unaffordable. Read more |
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Korean CMOS image sensor maker expands in China white-box handset market Nov 12, 16:36 Seti, a Korea-based CMOS image sensor maker, has succeeded in expanding its CMOS image sensor market share in China to 50%, according to market watchers. Seti's monthly shipments of VGA-resolution CMOS image sensors for white-box handsets in China have climbed to 10 million units, putting pressure on OmniVision, according to the watchers. Read more |
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Commentary: SMIC to benefit from Datang investment Nov 12, 16:26 Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) will take advantage of its cooperation with Datang Telecom Technology & Industry Holdings, which is backed by the China government. Market analysts in China believe that the Datang-SMIC cooperation will help SMIC not only reduce capital pressure, but also forge a closer relationship between the foundry and the China government. Read more |
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