NearLink (also known as SparkLink), China's homegrown wireless communication technology, entered commercialization in 2023 after being led by Huawei and supported by more than 400 Chinese companies. NearLink aims to reduce China's reliance on international standards, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, dominated by the US.
Samsung beware: As Intel Foundry (IF) is now collaborating with TSMC to accomplish an advanced packaging mission to meet customer's needs, it is aiming for something bigger.
Recently, DIGITIMES has had several reports and comments regarding Nvidia's launch of the 2-gen downgraded AI chip H20 designed exclusively for China, but a lack of interest from Chinese customers. It's worth discussing which semiconductor company will benefit from commercial opportunities provided by the vast supply and demand gap in the Chinese market.
With the surge in demand for generative AI training over the past few quarters, Nvidia's performance has shown a significant leap, benefiting various supply chain players and emerging as the world's largest semiconductor company by revenue. The industry's critical turning point has arrived in Q3 2023, and Nvidia's lead continues to expand in Q4!
In 2023, AI took the global tech scene by storm, not just lighting up the tech industry's dim outlook but also emerging as a linchpin for supply chain players eyeing a market resurgence.
It has been nearly three weeks since Apple launched the Vision Pro on February 2. While some users have praised the experience and visual performances, Vision Pro's honeymoon phase appeared to be short as it has been reported that Apple has seen a wave of returns, likely due to the device's comfort levels, the depth of supported applications, and the richness of its content.
After leaving Intel for 12 years, former Chief Technology Officer Pat Gelsinger returned in mid-February 2021 to take over as Intel's eighth CEO. However, compared to his tenure from 1979 to 2009, when Intel rose to dominate the global semiconductor industry, the Intel Gelsinger inherited was in crisis, grappling with generational shifts, surrounded by formidable competitors, and facing rapid profit decline.
Geopolitical pressures and changes in industrial structure are driving strategic collaborations among semiconductor companies, with various countries or regions incentivized for partnerships, particularly Taiwan and Japan. However, support from Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea is essential to establish ICT supply chains in emerging countries such as South Asia and Southeast Asia.
It has been almost two weeks since the launch of Apple's Vision Pro on February 2, and many early reviews of it have started to come out. Initial reactions to Apple's long-awaited new product line appear mixed, with many reviews pointing out its impressive hardware capabilities and unique spatial computing features. However, it's also widely acknowledged as a flawed product, primarily due to its selling price, battery life, overall comfort, and lack of content.
The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked many economies to address the disruptions caused throughout the global semiconductor supply chain. Whether the result of so-called "security nationalism," unsettled competitive trading regimes, or warfare destabilization, we are experiencing a new competitive era in semiconductor manufacturing. Canada has become a major participant in those ongoing reshoring recalibrations (Canada's semiconductor industry can be traced back to Nortel in the late-1960's).
Nvidia's many customers, including Open AI CEO Sam Altman, are trying to find ways to cut dependency on its AI chips. While specialists have pointed out that Altman's lack of understanding of the semiconductor industry may have underestimated the challenge and may not end well, semiconductor veterans suggested there are better alternatives that can reduce costs and increase the probability of success.
SMIC is said to have set up a new semiconductor production line in Shanghai and hopes to utilize its existing US and Dutch manufacturing facilities to mass-produce Huawei HiSilicon's new-generation high-end mobile processors using 5nm process technology within 2024, according to a Financial Times report citing sources.
The Japanese government's efforts to attract foreign semiconductor investment have been very effective, with almost every major international semiconductor manufacturer responding to the call. In addition, Rapidus, a company formed by a consortium of local companies, is also targeting the development of cutting-edge processes.
