TSMC has also developed InFO_SoW (system-on-wafer) technology mainly for processing supercomputing AI chips. Demand for such extremely costly chips may be limited, but TSMC looks to commercialize the InFO_SoW technology in two years. Menawhile, TSMC's aggressive capacity expansion is set to boost sales of Taiwan-based equipment and materials suppliers, as the foundry moves to source more from the local ecosystem partners. Meanwhile, Taiwanese PCB makers see poor order visibility from Chinese handset vendors for second-half 2020.TSMC may commercialize InFO_SoW for supercomputer AI chips in two years: TSMC, after launching 3D SoIC backend service, has also developed InFO_SoW (system-on-wafer) technology mainly for processing supercomputing AI chips and is expected to enter commercial production with the InFO-derived process within two years, according to sources familiar with the advanced packaging process.TSMC fab tool suppliers see promising outlook: Taiwan-based semiconductor equipment suppliers engaged in TSMC's supply chain are set to be among the beneficiaries of the foundry house's advanced process capacity expansion with their short- and mid-term growth outlook promising, according to industry sources.PCB makers cautious about 2H20 shipments to Chinese handset vendors: Taiwan's PCB makers have turned cautious about their shipments for non-Apple handset applications in the second half of the year as most Chinese vendors have yet to give clear shipment estimates so far although traditional seasonal demand should still arrive, according to industry sources.

5G technology's low latency and fast data transfer can help improve IoV functions and hike traffic safety, according to Wu Kun-rong, vice president for Data Communications Business Group at Chunghwa Telecom (CHT).4G enables communications between cars, or between vehicles and infrastructures, as well as in-car informatics, Wu said at a 5G smart city seminar held by HwaCom Systems. Along with increasing installation of various automotive sensors and roadside sensing infrastructures, 5G enables real-time multi-point communications between cars and between cars and roadside sensors.Wu said 5G-based traffic monitoring can be used to adjust traffic lights for preventive control.CHT has undertaken smart transportation projects in cities in Taiwan, using image recognition to collect urban traffic data in combination with data collected via smartphones to estimate traffic flows.

China-based panel maker China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) has decided to invest in Japan-based JOLED, in a bid to develop inkjet printing technology for production of OLED TV panels in the next three years, according to Digitimes Research.CSOT and its China-based joint venture Guangdong Juhua Printed Display Technology showcased a jointly developed 31-inch flexible Full HD inkjet printing OLED display at 2020 CES. Of Chinese display panel makers, CSOT is the most active in developing inkjet printing OLED panels.While it is not feasible to use inkjet printing to produce smartphone-use OLED panels with resolution levels of 350-550ppi (pixel per inch), JOLED has trial-produced inkjet printing OLED panels of over 300ppi, which is sufficient for 21.6-inch 4K monitors (204ppi) and 65-inch 8K TVs (126ppi). JOLED keeps developing inkjet printing OLED toward a resolution level of 400ppi.Founded in January 2015 through combining Sony's OLED business unit and Panasonic's, JOLED has begun small-volume shipments for inkjet printing OLED panels to Sony, Eizo and Asustek Computer for use in high-end and medical monitors.JOLED completed construction of a 5.5G inkjet printing OLED panel production line in November 2019. As JOLED's existing shareholders are unwilling to invest further, CSOT's investment is important for JOLED to bring the production line into operation.While there is room for improving resolution levels, power consumption and service lives of light-emitting materials for inkjet printing OLED, the technology, as compared with conventional OLED panel manufacturing process, has advantages in more efficient use of materials, simpler structure of organic material layers, doing without expensive vacuum evaporation equipment, which will result in lower production cost.

There are many factors that should be taken into consideration when doing market research. To better assess supply chain changes, let's first draw a 3x3 grid that offers a clear framework on all key information. Across the diagonal of the grid, we put the fundamental factors that will affect the ICT industry's integrity and influence. Then, we put supply-side factors on the upper left part of the grid and demand-side factors on the lower right. This will help us gain a grasp of key information when searching through a massive database.My latest book, Disconnected ICT Supply Chains: New Power Plays Unfolding offers readers this 3x3 grid as a quick reference and framework to understanding the ecosystem, markets and crucial factors.

In the competitive smartphone maket, product differentiation is one of the crucial factors to attract customers. Handset vendors are now looking to customized chips to achieve such production differentiation, with Xiaomi reportedly working closely with MediaTek on developing 5G SoCs for its phones. In the display sector, the moves of Samsung Display and LG Display to quit LCD production have sent TV vendors looking elsewhere for panel support, which in turn is increasing demand for driver ICs and TV SoCs from non-Korean suppliers. In the EV sector, supply of SiC wafers is expect to become tight, with suppliers now looking to expand production capacity. Xiaomi, MediaTek reportedly team up for custom smartphone chips: Chinese handset vendor Xiaomi reportedly will work more closely with MediaTek to jointly develop customized SoCs for 5G smartphones after having its Redmi 10X series adopt the chipmaker's Dimensity 820 mobile processor, according to industry sources.Prices for TV SoCs, driver ICs set to rise: Taiwan's IC designers are mulling raising quotes for TV SoCs and driver ICs amid increasingly tight supply as Korean vendors gradually quit production of LCD panels and TVs as well as related chips solutions, according to industry sources.SiC wafer in robust demand for EV applications: The supply of SiC wafers may become insufficient to satisfy demand for electric vehicles (EV) in the near future, prompting Taiwan-based silicon wafer makers including GlobalWafers, Wafer Works and Tainergy Tech to step up deployments in the new segment, according to industry sources.

TSMC is the clear leader in the semiconductor foundry sector, and Samsung is keen to close the gap. The Korean giant reportedly plans to skip the 4nm node and jump directly from 5nm to 3nm in a bid to beat the Taiwanese rival in the tech advancement race. Meanwhile, TLC NAND flash prices are coming under downward pressure thanks to a slowdown in consumer SSD demand in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.Samsung reportedly to skip 4nm foundry process: Samsung Electronics has revised its foundry process roadmap, skipping 4nm and jumping directly to 3nm from 5nm, according to industry sources.TLC NAND flash prices under downward pressure: NAND flash contract prices are expected to hold flat in the third quarter of 2020, but prices for 3D 3bits/cell (TLC) NAND chips have come under increasingly downward pressure due to a further slowdown in consumer SSD demand, according to industry sources.

To give a clear picture of the ICT industries, we can divide them into five major market segments - communication, computing, home appliances, automotive electronics, and industrial automation/defense. For example, computing and communication contribute about 65-70% of the ICT sales, with consumer electronics, automotive devices, and industrial control each accounting for about 10%. Automotive devices promise explosive growths, while industrial control involves large varieties of applications. But the arrival of 5G is also promising huge business opportunities for industrial applications. Consumer electronics still have potentials coming from smart home applications, such as TVs.The display panel industry is also a key sector along with semiconductor. But the next stage of development will rely on emerging markets and decentralized supply chains. COVID-19 has disrupted carmakers' supply chains, but for Japanese and Korean carmakers, it was the lack of low-end parts, such as wiring harnesses, that stalled their production. Japanese and Korean carmakers rely on China for 30% of their parts supply, while the US reliance is only about 13%. What's difference between them?These show the opportunities for Vietnam, Indonesia, India and the Philippines to become manufacturing hubs. Will Canada and Mexico stand a chance in the carmaking industry with US support? In my new book, Disconnected ICT Supply Chains, I try to answer some of the questions raised in the wake of COVID-19.Correlation between 3 core ICT sectors and 5 major market segments

China's top-3 OSAT providers - Jiangsu Changjiang Electronics Technology (JCET), Huatian Technology and Tongfu Microelectronics - are expected to see their combined revenues increase 8% on year in 2020, mainly bolstered by 5G infrastructure construction, according to Digitimes Research.Statistics show the three firms raked in total revenues of CNY39.9 billion (US$5.65 billion) in 2019, up only 4% from a year earlier amid the US-China trade rows and lackluster semiconductor sales. Among them, JCET posted a negative revenue growth for the year due mainly to its subsidiary STATS ChipPAC's significant shrinkage in revenues from packaging handset, memory and cryptocurrency mining chips solutions, while Huatian and Tongfu both registered double-digit annual revenue increases thanks to processing new chip products for clients or acquisition gains.The coronavirus pandemic and intensifying US-China trade tensions have added uncertainties to revenue performance of China's top-3 OSAT players, but their on-year revenue expansion may double to 8% for 2020 on rush chip demand for healthcare and remote work and learning applications, gradual ramp-up in 5G handset shipments, and particularly accelerating 5G infrastructure construction in China and its relentless efforts in pursuing semiconductor self-sufficiency.In terms of technology deployments, the three firms, already able to handle volume production of SiP, fan-out, FC (flip chip) and TSV (through silicon via) processes, are focusing on developing 2.5D and 3D packaging processes seeking to better benefit from ever-expanding demand for 5G networking, HPC, memory, sensor and automotive chips.

Noodoe has developed a cloud-based operating platform for managing electric vehicle charging stations, according to company chairman John Wang.Noodoe EV OS is applicable to all types of connected EV charging piles and provides central management functions to allow operational personnel to configure pricing, modify peak hours, monitor operating status and infrastructure of charging piles, and process payments, Wang said.Noodoe EV OS features automated diagnosis through constantly checking operating conditions of every charging pile, and if necessary, sending notification and initiating recovery processes for the charging piles, Wang noted.In March 2020 Noodoe partnered with US-based electricity supplier Southern California Edison (SCE), which connected Noodoe EV OS with its management center, Wang indicated.Noodoe has also developed various EV charging modules for use in homes, commercial buildings/facilities and logistic car fleets, Wang said.Noodoe in May 2020 cooperated with Audi Taiwan to help its customers evaluate the feasibility of installing EV charging modules at home.Noodoe chairman John WangPhoto: Shihmin Fu, Digitimes, June 2020

The 5G era may not be getting off to a flying start, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but the unexpected development - plus the US-China trade war - is giving MediaTek an advantage over its major competitor Qualcomm in 2020 because of the Taiwanese vendor's strong focus on the sub-6Ghz segment and on the Chinese market. But penetration of mmWave-enabled 5G phones may not wait too long before expanding fast. Taiwan-based IC substrate makers continue to improve their AiP substrate production yield rates seeking to gain a firm presence in AiP packaging that is expected to be widely used in mmWave smartphones. For the PC sector, the pandemic has unexpectedly driven shipment growth to support stay-at-home needs. Though commerical and consumer devices may have already seen peak demand of 2020 in the second quarter, gaming notebooks sales are expected to stay strong in the second half of the year.MediaTek poses growing threat to Qualcomm: MediaTek's focus on the sub-6GHz segment and the China market is putting the Taiwan-based company in a better position to march into the 5G mobile chip market, according to market observers.Taiwan makers revving up to boost FC-AiP substrate yield rates: Taiwan-based IC substrate makers continue to improve their AiP (antenna in package) substrate production yield rates seeking to gain a firm presence in AiP packaging that is expected to be widely used in mmWave-enabled 5G smartphones, according to industry sources.PC firms upbeat about gaming notebook sales in 2H20: PC vendors are optimistic about gaming notebook sales in the second half of this year, but believe sales of commercial and consumer models may have already hit their peak levels for 2020 in the second quarter.