Around the web
1 Dec 201530 Nov 201527 Nov 201526 Nov 201525 Nov 201524 Nov 201523 Nov 201522 Nov 201520 Nov 201519 Nov 201518 Nov 201517 Nov 2015
Abu Dhabi's investment arm is considering a sale of all or part of chipmaker Globalfoundries as the emirate explores asset disposals amid a slump in crude oil, people familiar with the matter said.
Bloomberg
The new head of Samsung Electronics' phone business helped develop its mobile payment and security platforms, exemplifying Vice Chairman Lee Jae Yong's focus on software innovations as a way to gain distance from rival devices.
Bloomberg
Samsung Group vice Chairman Lee Jae Yong faces his first real test as the conglomerate's de facto leader, and it doesn't look good for executives at the mobile-phone division.
Bloomberg
Integrated Device Technology (IDT) has announced an agreement to acquire privately held ZMDI (Zentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden) for total consideration of US$310 million in cash. The acquisition provides IDT with a highly regarded Automotive & Industrial business, and extends their technology leadership in high performance programmable power devices and timing & signal conditioning.
Company release
Subsidaries of China-based polysilicon and PV module manufacturer LDK Solar have been forced into bankruptcy proceedings in China only shortly after the parent company, formerly listed in the US, exited bankruptcy proceedings of its own.
PV-Tech
Toshiba on Friday said it is considering selling a minority stake in its semiconductor business to raise funds in the wake of a drawn-out accounting scandal.
NASDAQ.com
Google's revamp of its Android One operating system for smartphones does not appear to have helped the search giant much, if shipment data from market research firm Cybex Exim Solutions is anything to go by.
Economic Times
European antitrust regulators cleared on Monday Avago Technologies planned US$37 billion takeover of rival chipmaker Broadcom without conditions.
Reuters
SK said late Monday that it has decided to purchase OCI Materials, the world's top supplier of the specialty gas, nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), to strengthen its memory chip business.
The Korea Times
Marketwatch.com (Dow Jones)
If Tsinghua Unigroup is unable to acquire the necessary IP to build 3D NAND, I believe the Chinese company will scrap its plan to build the new fab.
Seeking Alpha
Tsinghua's ambitions in the memory chip business are well known. It is reportedly targeting an investment in Renesas as a vehicle for China to gain a foothold in the logic business - especially in the automotive and MCU segments.
EE Times
Austin Business Journal
Flash DIMM technology developer Netlist has signed a five-year joint development deal with global memory leader Samsung to produce non-volatile DIMMs, giving it a lifeline from years of litigation hell against Diablo Technologies over memory channel storage IP.
The Register
Texas Instruments, the biggest maker of analog chips, is in talks to acquire Maxim Integrated Products, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Bloomberg
I know Intel partnered up with Tsinghua Unigroup last year to buy a 20% stake in Chinese fabless chipmakers RDA Microlectronics and Spreadtrum. However, I do not think Intel would be a major partner in Tsinghua Unigroup's $47 billion plan to become the world's third-largest chipmaker. I believe troubled AMD is more likely to be desperate enough to welcome Tsinghua's money.
Seeking Alpha
German chip maker Infineon Technologies has expressed interest in investing in Japanese semiconductor firm Renesas Electronics, and Renesas is examining that idea along with other strategic options, according to people familiar with the situation.
Wall Street Journal
Apple on Thursday posted a new support document on its website, responding to complaints about iPad Pros suddenly going black and refusing to accept touch or button input.
Apple Insider
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has found that a typical 4K TV uses 30% more energy than that of a HD TV.
GEEK.com
Qualcomm faces new antitrust charges in South Korea that focus on a foundation of the chipmaker's lucrative patent-licensing business.
Wall Street Journal
US chipmakers are cutting back "sharply" on spending, according to fresh analysis from Citigroup. Spending by semiconductor companies is expected to fall 19.8% this year from 2014, when it dropped a modest 0.9%.
The Financial Times
Taiwan's police have busted a group of seven suspects who plotted to steal business secrets from GaAs wafer fab Win Semiconductors and sell them to China.
Focus Taiwan news channel
182/1505 pages