CONNECT WITH US
Monday 15 December 2025
SK Hynix taps ASMPT for HBM4 TC bonders amid Hanmi-Hanwha patent clash

SK Hynix has reportedly placed a new order for thermal compression (TC) bonders with Singapore-based ASMPT as it accelerates preparations for HBM4, underscoring both the strategic importance of advanced packaging equipment and rising complexity in the TC bonder supply chain amid a patent dispute between South Korean rivals Hanmi Semiconductor and Hanwha Semitech. The move reflects SK Hynix's broader push to diversify critical equipment suppliers while aligning with Nvidia's next-generation AI roadmap

Monday 15 December 2025
SK Hynix leads Samsung by 3-4 months, begins supplying paid HBM4 samples
Latest media reports state that SK Hynix has completed the final verification phase for customer samples of its 12-layer sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) prior to mass production. The Korea Herald reported that SK Hynix has effectively entered the mass production process for its 12-layer HBM4 products and is supplying customers with more than 20,000–30,000 paid HBM4 samples. After establishing a global 12-layer HBM4 mass production system in September 2025, SK Hynix finalized a 2026 HBM4 supply contract with Nvidia and has begun production, according to Deal Site and other South Korean media. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics is approximately three to four months behind schedule
Monday 15 December 2025
HDD prices see largest increase in eight quarters, with surging demand in China and US markets
The traditional hard disk drive (HDD) market experienced a rare sharp price surge in recent years. In contract price negotiations for the fourth quarter of 2025, HDD product prices were finalized with a quarter-over-quarter increase of approximately 4%, marking the highest growth rate in the past eight quarters
Monday 15 December 2025
Samsung courts AMD for 2nm chips as foundry recovery hinges on new orders
Samsung Electronics is reportedly in talks with Advanced Micro Devices about producing next-generation chips using its second-generation 2nm process, as the South Korean technology group seeks to secure major customers and revive its loss-making foundry business, according to industry sources and reports from South Korea's Seoul Economic Daily and G-enews
Monday 15 December 2025
Huawei takes HarmonyOS PCs into Enterprise beta, testing China's dual-OS future
China has accelerated its push for technological self-reliance, with standard-setting now extending from hardware into software. Huawei recently announced that the HarmonyOS PC Enterprise Edition has entered beta testing, alongside the launch of the Huawei Qingyun HM740 running the new system
Monday 15 December 2025
South Korea mandates 5G standalone conversion in spectrum renewals, bucking cautious global rollout
South Korea has decided to make full 5G standalone (SA) deployment mandatory for mobile operators as a condition for renewing expiring 3G and LTE spectrum licenses, marking one of the strongest regulatory pushes globally to accelerate the transition beyond non-standalone (NSA) 5G
Monday 15 December 2025
Nvidia reportedly considers expanding H200 AI chip production amid potential surge in Chinese demand
Following the Trump administration's recent easing of export restrictions on Nvidia's H200 artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China, several Chinese technology firms, such as Alibaba and ByteDance, have reportedly expressed significant interest in placing large-scale orders. Nvidia is now evaluating whether to increase production capacity of the H200 chips to meet this potential surge in demand, according to Reuters, citing unnamed sources
Monday 15 December 2025
BYD's sales power endures as China's EV price war deepens

China's prolonged price war in the auto market is taking a growing toll on profitability, and even BYD, the country's dominant electric-vehicle maker, is beginning to feel the strain. At the same time, the company's latest sales figures highlight the scale of its operations and the increasingly complex dynamics shaping its growth

Monday 15 December 2025
China to launch GPMI interface standard, pressuring USB-C and HDMI supply chains
The Shenzhen 8K UHD Video Industry Cooperation Alliance (SUCA) said China's domestically developed General-Purpose Multimedia Interface (GPMI) standard is set for formal release
Monday 15 December 2025
The H200 gambit: Why China may buy less than Washington expects
The US government is rethinking the impact of Washington's decision to clear Nvidia's H200 exports to China after a Financial Times report suggested Beijing is prioritizing domestically developed AI chips
Monday 15 December 2025
Global automotive supply chains split into two competing ecosystems
The global automotive supply chain is undergoing significant restructuring driven by geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and China. This confrontation has extended beyond trade into technology sectors, including chips, algorithms, and electronic control architectures, resulting in the emergence of two incompatible technical ecosystems. This division is compelling industry players to re-evaluate supply chain strategies amid growing concerns over reliance on Chinese components
Monday 15 December 2025
Samsung pushes new thermal packaging to win back Qualcomm and Apple

Samsung Electronics is positioning a proprietary thermal management technology for external clients as it seeks to reclaim foundry market share from TSMC. The South Korean company plans to offer its Heat Path Block solution to third-party chip designers after validating the system in its upcoming Exynos 2600 processor, according to local media reports

Monday 15 December 2025
SK Hynix reportedly eyes specialty DRAM manufacturing to fend off China memory surge
SK Hynix's rumored plan to enter low-power DRAM contract manufacturing for the first time is drawing industry attention, amid speculation that the move is driven by intensifying competition from China's fast-advancing memory suppliers. The shift could have ripple effects for Taiwanese foundries that currently handle much of South Korea's fabless memory output
Saturday 13 December 2025
South Korea races to scale nuclear fusion with compact reactors
Amid a global push for carbon neutrality and soaring electricity demand, nuclear fusion is moving back into the spotlight—not as a distant scientific aspiration, but as a potential near-term solution. With major reactor projects delayed and energy needs growing, countries are reassessing the traditional Tokamak-based R&D path and seeking faster, more agile alternatives
Friday 12 December 2025
Japan's major banks and corporations back Rapidus with massive financing and new investments
Japan is accelerating its national push to rebuild an advanced semiconductor ecosystem as Rapidus, the country's flagship next-generation chip venture, secures financing from major banks and private equity from more than twenty Japanese companies. According to reports from Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun, Japan's three megabanks, Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, and Mizuho Bank, will provide Rapidus with up to JPY2 trillion (approx. US$12.8 billion) in financing