Samsung Foundry has boosted utilization with fresh 7nm and 8nm chip orders from Nintendo and multiple AI chipmakers. Yet its persistent setbacks at the 3nm node continue to spotlight serious cracks in its advanced process competitiveness. After a long dry spell, Samsung's foundry unit is generating some positive buzz with its 3nm Exynos 2500 chip slated for the next Galaxy foldables, alongside a gaming system-on-chip reportedly secured for Nintendo

In a sweeping crackdown on international students, US President Donald Trump has barred Harvard University from admitting foreign students—a policy likely to extend to other major US universities. Simultaneously, all US embassies and consulates worldwide have been instructed to immediately halt new student visa interviews while plans are underway to intensify social media scrutiny of visa applicants

When Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun set his sights on replicating Apple's vertical integration playbook, he may have overlooked how unceremoniously Apple's own chip journey began. The A4, Apple's first in-house SoC introduced 15 years ago, arrived with little fanfare, hardly a precursor to the powerhouse Apple Silicon era that now defines the Tim Cook era

Nvidia reported first-quarter 2025 revenue of US$44.1 billion, a 69% year-over-year increase that exceeded guidance of US$43 billion, even as export restrictions on H20 chips forced the company to recognize over US$4 billion in inventory costs. Data center revenue climbed 73% year-over-year

Japanese chipmaker Renesas Electronics has scrapped its plan to mass-produce silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors, originally set to begin in early 2025 at its Takasaki plant in Gunma Prefecture. The company has also disbanded the dedicated team behind the project

Samsung Electronics is nearing a wide-ranging deal to invest in Perplexity AI Inc. and put search technology from the artificial intelligence startup at the forefront of the South Korean company's devices

Applied Materials has entered the semiconductor glass substrate market, reportedly developing the industry's most advanced lithography equipment dedicated to this emerging segment. According to South Korea's ET News, the tools will be first supplied to Absolics, a subsidiary of SKC, for its upcoming facility in Georgia, US

Samsung Electro-Mechanics announced that preparations for its glass substrate sample production line are nearing completion, with plans to begin supplying samples to two to three major US technology firms in 2025, according to ET News. The company is also deepening strategic collaboration with Samsung Electronics, particularly in areas related to the construction of a glass interposer supply chain

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) is tightening export restrictions on electronic design automation (EDA) software for China, shifting from broad bans to case-by-case licensing. Sources indicate this could lead to a full suspension of services by Synopsys, Cadence, and Siemens EDA, affecting all Chinese chip design clients, not just those working on 3nm nodes

These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from May 26 to June 1. Top highlights include Huawei's 5nm HarmonyOS PC as a milestone in China's chip self-sufficiency, Wolfspeed's looming bankruptcy threatening Renesas' US$2 billion SiC deal, China's EUV-free 5nm efforts, mounting export control risks, Samsung Electronics' delayed entry into Nvidia's HBM3E supply chain, and Malaysia's US$270 billion pivot to IC design and advanced packaging

The Trump administration plans to broaden restrictions on China's tech sector with new regulations to capture subsidiaries of companies under US curbs

At Computex 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang quipped, "The more you buy, the more you save" — a punchline that underscored the escalating arms race in AI infrastructure. According to Yicai, the AI boom is driving global tech firms to ramp up investments in data centers and compute capacity. Nvidia now estimates enterprise AI infrastructure spending is nearing the trillion-dollar threshold

South Korea's Samyang Holdings, a conglomerate traditionally rooted in food and chemicals, is setting its sights on Japan's semiconductor supply chain as part of a strategic pivot into high-growth industries

D-Link Corporation is defying the slowdown in global networking demand triggered by inflation and geopolitical tensions. Backed by its global distribution network, the company continues to post stable revenue. Its "Made in Taiwan" strategy—anchored in the belief that "cybersecurity is national security"—recently secured a five-year supply deal with a US client