Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors plans to complete its CEO transition by October 2025. Current CEO Kurt Sievers, who will remain in the position until then, made what is likely his final visit to Taiwan as chief executive during SEMICON Taiwan 2025. Incoming CEO Rafael Sotomayor also attended the event and met with Taiwanese partners as part of the planned leadership change
On September 10, 2025, HiSilicon, a subsidiary of Huawei, completed significant personnel changes in its business registration—Eric Xu stepped down as chairman and legal representative, succeeded by Jeffrey Gao; the board's senior management was also adjusted
In the ongoing transformation of the global automotive industry, one shift stands above the rest: the rise of the software-defined vehicle, or SDV. More than a technological upgrade, the move toward SDVs is reshaping vehicle architecture, supply chains, and the strategic priorities of automakers and semiconductor companies alike
In a significant strategic pivot, Google is preparing to move its custom-built Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) beyond its own cloud infrastructure—marking a bold step toward monetizing its advanced AI chips through a "hardware-as-a-service" model, rather than traditional chip sales
Talent has long been the defining currency in the global semiconductor race. For decades, Chinese-born engineers with deep overseas experience drove China's rapid catch-up, fueling its chip ambitions through a steady flow of returning expertise
AUO recently announced a collaboration with leading satellite navigation and smart wearable brand Garmin to launch the world's first smartwatch featuring microLED display technology, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED. The new watch is equipped with a 1.4-inch, 326 PPI high-resolution screen that offers high brightness, ultra-high dynamic contrast, and saturated colors, ensuring clear visibility even under strong light or extreme conditions—making it especially suitable for outdoor sports and adventure needs
The semiconductor landscape has fundamentally shifted. As we move from 2025 to 2026, three forces dominate global technology discourse: semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and the Trump administration's trade policies. In Japan and South Korea, semiconductors are aptly called the "rice of industry"—and in our data-driven economy, this metaphor has never been more relevant
YMTC, China's leading NAND flash producer, has unveiled a US$2.9 billion Phase III venture in Wuhan, signaling its determination to scale up capacity and sharpen its edge in next-generation memory chips. The move not only underscores Beijing's backing of a national champion but also raises the stakes in the intensifying global memory race
The global automotive market reached total sales of 44.42 million units in the first half of 2025, marking a year-over-year increase of 2.7%. Among these, the combined sales volume of the three major markets—China, the US, and Europe—totaled 27.48 million units, accounting for 61.9% of the global share, and they remain the core of the worldwide automotive industry
The Trump administration recently announced it would acquire nearly 10% of Intel's shares, becoming its largest shareholder. This move marks one of the most notable government interventions in a private company since the US government's bailout of the automotive industry during the 2008 financial crisis
US President Donald Trump's imposition of reciprocal tariffs and aggressive "Make America Great Again" measures has deepened political and economic rifts even among allies, undermining long-standing trust and reliance on the US. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Tianjin, China, on September 1 brought together major powers including China, Russia, India, and Iran. This was soon followed by a grand military parade on September 3, during which the heads of state of North Korea and Russia joined Chinese leaders, in an alarming threat to global peace
Advanced packaging is rewriting the rules of the semiconductor industry. According to DIGITIMES Research, in 2024, global AI data center accelerators (covering GPUs and ASICs) have seen advanced back-end packaging costs reach US$4.1 billion, accounting for 46% of the total process cost structure—nearly matching wafer foundry costs at US$4.8 billion. This has caused the front-end process share to drop significantly to 54%, leaving only an 8% gap between the two
For Apple CEO Tim Cook, returning to the White House in early August 2025 and announcing a US$600 billion investment plan over the next four years was a strategic move that pleased President Donald Trump. Trump responded by stating that any production or factory commitments made in the US would qualify for tariff exemptions, temporarily easing Apple's larger crisis
The Trump administration's tariff policy announced in April 2025 is reshaping global server supply chains, prompting Taiwan's leading EMS firms—Foxconn, Wistron, Quanta, Inventec, and Mitac—to accelerate US expansion. Concentrating investments in Texas and California, these companies aim to localize high-margin components while navigating rising costs and tariff-driven uncertainties
China's push to localize its memory supply chain is gathering momentum. YMTC has begun trial production at its first fully localized NAND flash fab, while market chatter indicates the company is now quietly investing in DRAM. The move underscores YMTC's ambition to extend beyond NAND dominance, using its patented Xtacking technology to break into DRAM and challenge the world's top three players
