DIGITIMES Asia news

Thursday 31 July 2025

US hits Chinese graphite with 160% tariffs, threatening EV costs

The US Commerce Department imposed anti-dumping tariffs as high as 93.5% on Chinese graphite imports in mid-July 2024, bringing total duties to 160% when combined with existing countervailing measures and threatening to increase electric vehicle costs by US$1,000 to US$1,500 per unit

Thursday 31 July 2025

Samsung chip operating profit plunges 90% amid memory inventory and low foundry utilization

Samsung Electronics announced its official financial results for the second quarter of 2025, reporting revenue of KRW74.6 trillion (US$53.5 billion) and an operating profit of KRW4.7 trillion, consistent with preliminary figures. Compared to the same period in 2024, revenue remained roughly flat, but operating profit was halved, with Samsung attributing the decline primarily to weak performance in its semiconductor business

Thursday 31 July 2025

Samsung outlines mobile growth and AI strategy amid tariff concerns, highlights 2nm Exynos roadmap

During its second quarter 2025 earnings call, Samsung Electronics addressed the outlook for its Mobile Experience (MX) division and unveiled strategic plans focused on AI innovation and advanced chip development, while acknowledging ongoing external headwinds such as potential US tariff increases and currency volatility

Thursday 31 July 2025

Samsung sees memory rebound, eyes HBM3E growth and 3Q25 price surge

Samsung Electronics experienced a rebound in its memory business during the second quarter of 2025, driven by AI-led demand and rising legacy DRAM prices. The company expects further gains in the third quarter of 2025, with HBM3E sales surging and DRAM and NAND prices set to climb across key product segments

Thursday 31 July 2025

Samsung maps foundry future post-Tesla deal: eyes 2026 Taylor ramp and broader US client base

During the earnings call for second quarter results, Samsung Electronics declined to provide further information regarding its US$16.5 billion foundry deal with Tesla, while noting its competitiveness in advanced process technologies that is expected to significantly boost utilization at its new Taylor, Texas facility, which is set to ramp up operations in 2026

Thursday 31 July 2025

China's third central automaker revs up EV-chip cluster in Chongqing

As China moves to curb domestic EV overcompetition and prioritize industrial upgrading, China Changan Automobile Group (CCAG) officially launched in Chongqing on July 27. The restructuring makes CCAG the third centrally owned automaker in the country, alongside FAW Group and Dongfeng Motor Corporation

Thursday 31 July 2025

Hanmi reportedly planning US$71 million hybrid bonding investment amid HBM surge

South Korea's Hanmi Semiconductor is reportedly planning to invest KRW100 billion (US$71.4 million) in hybrid bonding technology, with commercial equipment targeted for release by the end of 2027

Thursday 31 July 2025

Automakers extend factory suspensions as Japan responds to tsunami warning

Japan's major automakers extended factory suspensions into July 31, 2025, following a powerful earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on the morning of July 30, 2025, which triggered a tsunami warning across Japan's Pacific coast, from Hokkaido to the Kinki region

Thursday 31 July 2025

Arm's China surge and steady royalties offset smartphone and export curbs slump

Arm Holdings saw steady royalty revenue growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 despite a slow smartphone market recovery. CFO Jason Child reported a 25% year-over-year increase in royalties, at the lower end of forecasts. Although Arm's smartphone segment grew nearly ten times faster than the broader market, overall smartphone demand stayed in the low single digits, capping potential gains

Thursday 31 July 2025

Qualcomm sees handset rebound by year-end, signals strength in China amid Apple drag

Qualcomm anticipates renewed growth in its handset business in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, driven by strong Android momentum and new chip launches, even as revenue tied to Apple continues to decline

Thursday 31 July 2025

China's SIMIC snaps up legacy power chip fab in US$1.39 billion bet on AI, EV boom

SIMIC Holdings Co., Ltd. has acquired a strategic stake in Chongqing Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (CQAOS) for more than CNY10 billion (US$1.39 billion), in one of China's most notable wafer fab acquisitions to date. The deal highlights SIMIC's push into the power semiconductor ecosystem and mirrors a growing trend in China to acquire legacy fabs rather than invest in greenfield projects

Thursday 31 July 2025

Commentary: Samsung’s Tesla deal opens door to Musk’s fab ambitions

Samsung Foundry has secured an eight-year, US$16.5 billion contract to manufacture Tesla's next-generation AI6 chip. The move is seen as a major strategic win that comes just as Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan signaled potential delays or cancellation of its 14A (1.4nm) process roadmap

Thursday 31 July 2025

CATL earnings beat estimates, defying falling batteries prices

Chinese battery producer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) posted a 34% rise in profit for the second quarter, with its outlook further buoyed by a blockbuster share sale in Hong Kong that will fund its global expansion

Thursday 31 July 2025

Samsung's Lee Jae-yong visits DC with US tariff negotiations ongoing, eyes further Texas investment

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong recently made a spontaneous trip to Washington, DC, to assist South Korea in ongoing reciprocal tariff negotiations with the US. As AI semiconductors emerge as a significant new bargaining tactic in the South Korea-US tariff discussions, Lee may be considering an additional investment in an advanced packaging production line in Taylor, Texas. However, in response to this speculation, Samsung representatives stated they are still reviewing various US investment options and have yet to reach any concrete decisions

Thursday 31 July 2025

SK Hynix secures top spot as competition heats up in DRAM market

SK Hynix has solidified its position as the global market leader after achieving record performance in the High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) market. However, China's leading memory chipmaker, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), is catching up at a rapid pace, potentially challenging the iconic Big Three dominance of Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron

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Intel signals overhaul of IDM 2.0 and foundry strategy with Lip-Bu Tan's appointment, says DIGITIMES