Irony abounds in 1Q12 DRAM market as Elpida dethrones Micron from third rank, says IHS

May 24, 16:22

In one of the more ironic developments ever to transpire in the DRAM market, now bankrupt Elpida Memory in the first quarter managed to outperform the overall industry and its close competitors, allowing it to rise one position to take the third rank among global suppliers. But if that were not incongruous...

NAND flash prices hope for rebound in 3Q12

May 24, 14:21

While contract prices for NAND flash have continually dropped due to oversupply arising from weak demand, prices may rebound in the third quarter of 2012 if traditional peak demand emerges and therefore retail channels will replenish low inventory levels, according to industry sources.

Samsung plans to deliver memory, MCP parts directly to HTC, Transcend, say sources

May 23, 15:39

Samsung Electronics reportedly plans to deliver its memory and MCP (multi-chip packaging) parts directly to some major clients in Taiwan including HTC and Transcend Information, while withdrawing the sales agent rights for those products from its local distribution partners, according to industry so...

Silicon Power Computer & Communications to list on OTC

May 23, 01:10

Silicon Power Computer & Communications (SPCC), a Taiwan-based maker of memory products and external hard disk drives (HDDs) mainly for own-brand sale, will list on Taiwan's over-the-counter (OTC) stock market on June 19 at a tentative price of NT$30 (US$1) per share, according to the company.

Packaging and testing firms see mobile DRAM orders rise

May 22, 14:07

Memory packaging and testing specialists including Powertech Technology (PTI) and Walton Advanced Engineering have both enjoyed a ramp-up in orders for mobile DRAM chips recently, according to company sources.

Rexchip shares at stake between Micron-Elpida deal, say sources

May 22, 12:20

Powerchip Technology has reportedly claimed that it has preferential subscription rights to purchase a 70% stake which Elpida Memory held in Rexchip Electronics although the Japan-based DRAM maker has decided to hand over its management to Micron Technology, according to industry sources.

DRAM share of average smartphone BOM falls by half, says IHS

May 21, 10:25

Although smartphones are increasing their usage of DRAM, the memory's share of the total cost of these advanced cellphones actually has fallen by more than half in the course of a year, mainly due to a decline in its price, according to IHS iSuppli.

Computex 2012: Memory module makers to use less space at trade fair; to showcase more industrial products

May 17, 16:21

Most DRAM module makers will use less space for product exhibition at the upcoming Computex Taipei 2012 trade fair and will also highlight more memory products for industrial controls instead for consumer products, according to industry sources.

Supreme adds AMOLED panels to distribution line

May 17, 14:55

Taiwan-based IC distributor Supreme Electronics has begun distributing AMOLED panels from Samsung Electronics in China targeting second-tier handset and tablet PC makers, according to industry sources.

DRAM contract quotes to rise 5-10% in May

May 16, 15:26

Given that spot market prices for 2Gb DDR3 chips are currently hovering over US$1.05, contract prices for commodity DRAM parts are set to rise 5-10% in March, according to industry sources.

DRAM market woes are over in 2012, says IHS

May 16, 14:47

The market for DRAM is expected to partially reverse the drastic losses it incurred in 2011 and achieve revenue growth in 2012, as the result of balanced supply and demand following the exit of major manufacturer Elpida Memory, according to IHS iSuppli.

Samsung expands lead in 1Q12 mobile DRAM market, says DRAMeXchange

May 15, 12:12

Samsung Electronics has managed to grow its already-commanding share of the mobile DRAM market. DRAMeXchange revealed in its recent report that the market leader took a 70.9% share of the global mobile DRAM market in the first quarter of 2012, up from 53.5% in the prior quarter.

Mobile memory market growth propelled by smartphones and tablets, says IHS

May 15, 11:47

New smartphones and tablets will act as key catalysts for continued healthy growth of the mobile memory semiconductor space in the next few years, with revenues growing a modest but healthy 6% in 2012, according to IHS iSuppli.

Apple reportedly books up half of mobile DRAM capacity at Elpida Hiroshima plant

May 15, 01:40

Apple has recently placed huge orders for mobile DRAM memory with Elpida Memory's 12-inch plant in Hiroshima (Japan), securing about 50% of the total chips produced at the facility, according to industry sources.

PTI to grab mobile DRAM orders from Micron, sources say

May 15, 01:20

Market sources generally believe that Powertech Technology (PTI) will not lose orders because of Micron Technology's takeover of its main DRAM customer Elpida Memory, as the backend supplier's technology advances and manufacturing capability will instead attract more orders from Micron which is looking...

Powerchip to downsize capital by 60%

May 11, 14:49

Powerchip Technology has unveiled plans to reduce its paid-in capital by 60%, or about NT$33.24 billion (US$1.13 billion), to NT$22.16 billion in order to improve the net worth of its stock, according to the company.

Micron confirms talks to acquire Elpida

May 10, 16:41

Micron Technology today (May 10) issued a company statement that it is engaged in discussions with Elpida Memory's trustees to acquire the bankrupt chipmaker.

Powerchip loss narrows in 1Q12

May 10, 10:20

Taiwan-based chipmaker Powerchip Technology has reported a net loss of NT$5.56 billion (US$18.9 million) for the first quarter of 2012, showing improvement compared to a loss of NT$8.87 billion in the prior quarter. EPS for the first quarter came to negative NT$1.

Macronix, Winbond April sales up

May 8, 01:40

Macronix International and Winbond Electronics have reported sequential growth in April 2012 revenues of 12.6% and 3.8%, respectively.

NAND flash contract prices continue slide in 2H April

May 4, 10:32

NAND flash contract prices in the second half of April continued a downward trend that had started at the beginning of the year. The trend implies that buyers in China did not actively engage in inventory replenishment prior to China's Labor Day holidays, and overall end-market demand has not picked...

Spansion expands R&D in China

May 3, 15:46

Spansion has announced that the firm is expanding its design and product development in China to focus on cost-competitive serial NOR flash memory solutions for specific applications suitable for China as well as the global market.

Nanya, Inotera April sales up on month

May 3, 14:34

DRAM chipmakers Nanya Technology and Inotera Memories have reported growth in April 2012 revenues from the previous month of 14.3% and 19.1%, respectively.

NAND flash controller designers post mixed earnings results in 1Q12

May 3, 01:10

Major suppliers of NAND flash device controller ICs have reported mixed earnings results for the first quarter of 2012, showing their diverse capabilities in making a smooth transition to new products.

IDC raises 2012 chip market growth forecast

May 3, 01:05

IDC has raised its prediction for the 2012 global chip market to 6-7% annual growth from the 3.1% increase estimated previously.

PTI, Walton post better-than-expected 1Q12 profits

May 2, 16:33

Despite early media speculation that Elpida Memory's bankruptcy filing would impact its supply-chain partners' business performance, Powertech Technology (PTI) and Walton Advanced Engineering, two of the DRAM maker's backend service providers, have reported better-than-expeced first-quarter profits.

Micron and Hynix close gap on NAND flash market leaders in 4Q11, IHS says

May 2, 11:31

Solid manufacturing and strong pricing allowed Micron Technology and Hynix Semiconductor to post strong performances in the global NAND flash business in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to IHS iSuppli. The pair managed to narrow the gap in market share between them and the industry leaders, and...

Algotochip delivers complete SoC GDSII from C models of algorithms

Apr 28, 07:44

Semiconductor startup Algotochip, specialists in converting C models of algorithms directly to a complete SoC silicon IP, recently announced delivery of a SoC silicon solution for mimoOn's mi!MobilePHY (LTE UE PHY) reference chain. The company mimoOn, a provider of LTE software products for software...

Adata, Transcend report healthy profits for 1Q12

Apr 27, 11:28

Memory module makers Adata Technology and Transcend Information both have reported healthy earnings for the first quarter of 2012 despite irregular supply of hard disc drives, according to data released by the companies.

Winbond shifting specialty DRAM to 46nm, NOR flash to 58nm

Apr 26, 15:16

Winbond Electronics, a Taiwan-based maker of memory products, has been shifting production of specialty DRAM to 46nm process and NOR flash to 58nm, the company told an investors conference on April 25.

Macronix swings to loss in 1Q12

Apr 26, 12:22

Macronix International swung to net losses of NT$1.09 billion (US$37 million) in the first quarter of 2012 from profits in the prior quarter and a year ago. The maker of NOR flash and ROM memory expects to return to profitability in the second half of the year.

SK Hynix suffers third straight quarterly loss

Apr 26, 12:17

SK Hynix (formerly Hynix Semiconductor), the world's second-largest DRAM memory supplier, has reported another quarterly loss as a result of weak chip demand and falling prices.

Winbond posts third straight quarterly loss

Apr 26, 11:52

Taiwan-based Winbond Electronics, a maker of niche-market DRAM and NOR flash memory, has reported its third consecutive quarterly loss due to falling ASPs of its products in particular specialty DRAM chips.

Early April DRAM contract prices to rise, says Nanya

Apr 20, 13:57

DRAM contract prices for the first half of April should continue their rally, and are expected to rise by a single-digit rate, according to Pai Pei-lin, vice president of Nanya Technology.

Global NAND flash revenues to grow 8% in 2012, says IHS

Apr 20, 10:40

The NAND flash memory market is expected to achieve 8% growth in 2012 thanks to major sales drivers, including solid-state-drive (SSD) equipped ultrabooks, according to IHS iSuppli.

Memory backend firms likely to post double-digit growth in 2Q12

Apr 18, 11:16

The visibility of orders for DRAM memory will become clearer in the second quarter of 2012, as demand is picking up from notebook vendors who are gearing up for product launch, industry sources believe.

Global chip revenues grow 1.8% in 2011, Gartner says

Apr 18, 11:13

Worldwide semiconductor revenues reached US$306.8 billion in 2011, up US$5.4 billion, or 1.8% from 2010, according to Gartner.

JEDEC to standardize non-volatile wireless memory

Apr 16, 16:09

The JEDEC Solid State Technology Association has announced that its JC-64 Committee for embedded memory storage and removable memory cards has formed a subcommittee focused on the standardisation of non-volatile wireless memory.

PTI seeing orders for NAND flash pick up

Apr 16, 14:33

Packaging and testing firm Powertech Technology (PTI) expects sales of its NAND flash memory products to grow and contribute to sequential revenue growth in the second quarter of 2012.

TSMC in race to buy ProMOS fab

Apr 16, 10:28

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has entered the race to buy the 12-inch wafer fab of ProMOS Technologies, which is seeking new funds and investors to restructure its money-losing DRAM business.

Memory module firm Silicon Power set for OTC listing

Apr 13, 14:09

Silicon Power Computer & Communications, a Taiwan-based memory module firm specializing in NAND flash-based products, expects to start trading on Taiwan's over-the-counter (OTC) market in June.

Intel urged to support DDR4 ahead of schedule

Apr 13, 12:18

Samsung Electronics reportedly has been trying to persuade Intel to launch its DDR4-supporting server platforms ahead of the planned 2014 schedule due to concerns that making DDR3 chips is now unprofitable due to low prices, according to industry observers.