Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from June 23 to 29, 2025. Top developments include Huawei's stalled 5nm chip efforts, Renesas scaling back its EV power chip business, and Apple's expanding OLED iPad roadmap. From memory price spikes to supply chain shifts driven by AI and trade policy, this week's stories spotlight the top challenges and strategies shaping the global tech landscape.
Naura seizes control of Kingsemi in bid to crack China's lithography bottleneck
Naura Technology has taken boardroom control of Kingsemi with a 17.88% stake and installed key executives, including chairman Dong Boyu. The deal aligns Naura's etching and deposition strengths with Kingsemi's spin coating and wafer bonding capabilities, reinforcing China's efforts to localize lithography tools amid US export bans. Despite Kingsemi's 1Q25 net loss of CNY40.07 million (approx. US$5.59 million), analysts view the move as a strategic play to close China's lithography gap.
ASML's High-NA EUV faces slow uptake as chipmakers weigh cost, ROI
ASML has sold just five High-NA EUV systems to date, as Intel, TSMC, and Samsung Electronics delay mass adoption due to high costs and uncertain returns. Intel plans to deploy the tools for its 14A node by 2028, while TSMC and Samsung continue using Low-NA EUV. Despite the slow start, ASML invested EUR16 billion (US$18.72 billion) in its supply chain in 2024, banking on long-term demand for its most advanced lithography systems.
HBM capacity crunch triggers price surge in DDR5 and VRAM markets
Soaring HBM demand is straining DDR4 supply, pushing prices above DDR5 levels despite strong market reliance on DDR4. VRAM prices have surged from US$10 to as high as US$20, and DDR5 could follow. Nvidia's RTX 50 series is shipping at only 80% of projections due to delays, underscoring memory bottlenecks. With US tariff decisions looming on July 9, memory price hikes may soon impact consumer devices.
Phison warns of NAND price surge as substrate shortages loom in 2H25
Phison CEO K.S. Pua expects NAND flash prices to stay elevated through late 2025, following a 30% surge from March to May driven by enterprise SSD demand. Substrate and packaging shortages tied to AI growth are straining supply, with potential disruptions for microSD and USB drives by 3Q. Phison is preparing phased price increases and urges customers to secure inventory before September to avoid further spikes.
Renesas retreats from SiC, delays growth target amid EV market slump
Renesas is retreating from the SiC power chip market after overestimating EV demand and facing a supply glut from Chinese players, delaying its US$20 billion revenue target from 2030 to 2035. The company canceled Takasaki plant plans, halted high-voltage projects, and booked a JPY250 billion (US$1.73 billion) loss from Wolfspeed's collapse. CEO Hidetoshi Shibata now plans to refocus on integrated solutions combining MCUs, analog, and GaN chips.
Huawei 5nm's hard reality check
Huawei's 5nm ambitions are faltering, with the new Kirin X90 in the MateBook Fold still built on SMIC's 7nm N+2 node, despite state media claims of 5nm progress. TechInsights confirms SMIC's DUV-based multi-patterning remains costly and inefficient, delaying true 5nm rollout until at least 2026. As Apple, AMD, and Qualcomm move to 3nm and beyond, Huawei lags. Export bans on EUV and EDA tools, plus Taiwan's controls, further limit its path forward.
Apple's OLED iPads boost Samsung, LG; BOE lags, LX Semicon rises
Apple will launch new OLED iPad Pros in late 2025, with Samsung Display and LG Display now supplying both 11- and 13-inch models. 2024 panel shipments hit 6.3 million — short of the 9 million forecast — but Apple is moving ahead with plans to bring OLED to the iPad mini in 2026 and iPad Air in 2027. BOE remains behind in LTPO readiness, while LGD is investing US$926 million to boost OLED output. LX Semicon is also gaining ground in display driver ICs, challenging Samsung's lead as Apple's OLED supply chain expands.
Article edited by Jack Wu
