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Thursday 1 January 2026
China capacity expansion and weakening end-market demand prompt cost reductions for 28nm process
The 28-nanometer process has become the most popular node among mature processes. It boasts the highest utilization rates and the strongest price support. However, market conditions are changing. Demand for many chips using the 28nm process has weakened, and some chips are beginning to migrate to more advanced process nodes
Thursday 1 January 2026
Samsung reportedly explores side-by-side chip packaging for next-gen Exynos

Samsung Electronics is reportedly developing a new mobile chip packaging method aimed at improving thermal efficiency in its Exynos processors, as the company works to strengthen the competitiveness of its proprietary mobile silicon. The South Korea-based company is exploring a side-by-side packaging technology, internally dubbed SbS, that places the application processor and memory chips adjacent to one another rather than stacking them vertically

Wednesday 31 December 2025
Samsung reportedly poised to clear KRW20 trillion profit mark in 4Q25

Samsung Electronics is reportedly on track to post sharply higher operating profit in the fourth quarter of 2025 as demand tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure lifts memory chip prices. The reports, compiled by South Korean outlets including Korea Economic Daily and EBN and citing industry sources, said Samsung's preliminary fourth-quarter operating profit is expected to exceed KRW20 trillion, a level that would mark the first time a South Korean company has crossed that threshold in a single quarter

Wednesday 31 December 2025
China trade-in subsidies reshape auto market as domestic surge accelerates global export push
China's expanded vehicle trade-in program is set to reinforce its rise as the world's largest auto market, supporting domestic demand while intensifying export pressure overseas. As sales overtake Japan's for the first time, the policy highlights how Beijing is linking consumption stimulus with industrial and geopolitical ambitions
Wednesday 31 December 2025
Z.ai illustrates how open-source AI models are influencing commercial adoption
On December 30, Chinese AI company Z.ai launched a share sale to raise HK$4.35 billion (approx. US$560 million), aiming to become the first large language model (LLM) developer listed in Hong Kong amid a tech IPO surge, with a scheduled listing for January 8, 2026. Meanwhile, Z.ai has recently launched its latest open-source model, GLM-4.7, signaling a shift toward enterprise-focused AI and broader global adoption. As the company prepares for a 2026 IPO, the release highlights the growing influence of independent developers in a market increasingly shaped by hyperscale competitors and ecosystem distribution
Wednesday 31 December 2025
China's CXMT eyes US$4.2B Shanghai IPO to fuel memory chip expansion

China's leading domestic DRAM maker, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), is seeking to raise CNY29.5 billion (approx. US$4.2 billion) through an IPO in Shanghai, as it looks to upgrade production lines and expand development of advanced memory technologies

Wednesday 31 December 2025
GigaDevice Semiconductor seeks up to HK$4.68B in Hong Kong listing

Chinese chip designer GigaDevice Semiconductor is pressing ahead with plans to list its shares in Hong Kong, seeking to raise as much as HK$4.68 billion (approx. US$601.4 million) in what would be one of the latest semiconductor offerings amid a renewed IPO push by Chinese technology firms

Wednesday 31 December 2025
Geopolitics reshapes tech landscape as Southeast Asia emerges as data center, manufacturing, and AI hub
In 2025, rising geopolitical tensions reshaped global technology and manufacturing, boosting Southeast Asia as a key hub for data centers, advanced manufacturing, and AI. The Johor-Singapore Economic Zone enhanced cross-border integration, strengthening Singapore's "Singapore+1" strategy, while Johor emerged as a major data center cluster amid sustainability concerns
Wednesday 31 December 2025
Samsung reportedly plans 50% HBM output surge through 2026

Samsung Electronics plans to boost its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production capacity by approximately 50% through late 2026, according to South Korean media outlet ET News, as the company secures key technical milestones with major AI customers

Wednesday 31 December 2025
Top tech topics in 2025 (2): turbulent year for end-device and downstream applications
2025 proved turbulent for downstream applications and end-user devices. Tariffs and geopolitical tensions dominated the first half, while AI gained momentum later in the year. Global market unpredictability pushed many brands—particularly in China, the epicenter of geopolitical tensions—toward domestic markets and self-sufficiency
Wednesday 31 December 2025
TSMC reportedly speeds up Arizona 3nm fab plans as Samsung woos US clients in Texas

According to South Korean media reports and industry sources, TSMC is moving to pull forward the production schedule at its second Arizona facility, a shift that could reshape supply planning for major chip designers and weaken the long-running narrative that Samsung Electronics stands as the default alternative when TSMC capacity tightens

Wednesday 31 December 2025
South Korean PCB industry faces cost challenges as AI drives raw material prices up
The South Korean printed circuit board (PCB) industry is struggling as soaring gold and copper prices, up 50% and 30% respectively since early 2025, increase production costs. Despite high factory utilization due to the AI boom in semiconductors, many companies cannot raise product prices, worsening profitability
Wednesday 31 December 2025
BOE 8.6G AMOLED production line in Chengdu to begin production early
BOE announced on December 30 that its first 8.6G AMOLED production line in Chengdu, China, has begun early production, five months ahead of the original schedule, shifting from construction to operation and mass production preparation, with full production expected to start in 2026
Wednesday 31 December 2025
YMTC goes full speed toward HBF next
Amid rising US-China tech tensions and tight semiconductor supply chains, YMTC disclosed advances in 3D NAND flash memory and plans to develop high bandwidth flash (HBF) technology. Their Xtacking architecture evolution supports integration with AI accelerators, addressing capacity and cost challenges beyond traditional HBM
Wednesday 31 December 2025
China orders 50% domestic equipment requirement for new chip capacity

China is requiring semiconductor manufacturers to source at least 50% of their equipment from domestic suppliers when adding new production capacity, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter