CONNECT WITH US
Jul 31
Unimicron says Intel's EMIB-T will not reach mass production until 2027, sharpening advanced packaging rivalry
TSMC's CoWoS capacity remains tight, and demand for a second supply route is strengthening, according to Unimicron, which said Intel's EMIB-T advanced packaging platform will not reach true mass production until 2027. The substrate maker said the new platform is already drawing three suppliers, all targeting an initial 50% yield.

Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC, TWSE: 6770) said in a material-information filing on July 31 that its chairman, Frank Huang, died peacefully in his sleep at his home around midday that day of cardiopulmonary failure. He was 76.

Chipmakers in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan have avoided broad helium-related production disruptions so far, but their rapid shift toward US supply is creating a new concentration risk.

Driven by robust AI-related demand for advanced packaging and testing, ASE Technology Holding has raised its 2026 capital expenditure budget for a second time this year to a record US$10.5 billion, up from its original plan of US$8.5 billion.

Tokyo Electron lifted its operating profit outlook for April-September 2026 on July 30, citing continued investment in AI data centers and stronger semiconductor capital spending. The Japanese equipment maker said demand for memory chips and advanced-process tools remained solid as major customers expanded capacity.
Powertech Technology is pressing ahead with new growth drivers, with chairman DK Tsai saying its FOPLP project with AMD for AI advanced packaging is on schedule and is expected to enter mass production by mid-2027. The company also said it has teamed with Broadcom in Singapore on FOPLP RDL development and is moving into optical communications, with μ-Bump-based optical engine samples expected to enter small-scale production by year-end.

Automotive chip sales are improving across Europe and the US, but major suppliers say global carmakers and their suppliers are still buying largely for immediate needs. A fuller inventory rebuild — one that could affect prices and supply globally — has yet to begin, leaving the recovery more cautious than expected.

Memory shortages are tightening across the supply chain, and higher contract prices are set to ripple through global electronics markets. With DRAM lead times stretching and suppliers holding firm, buyers of servers, PCs, and mobile devices may face more cost pressure, even as end-market demand remains uneven worldwide.

Amazon has raised its 2026 capital expenditure plan by roughly US$20 billion and attributed the increase to a single input cost: memory.

China's lithography equipment sector has returned to the global semiconductor spotlight following reports that a domestically developed immersion deep ultraviolet (DUV) system has entered mass production.

Kioxia has begun shipping samples of 1TB triple-level cell memory devices built with its 9th-generation BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory technology. The move signals faster, lower-cost storage options for AI-enabled PCs and smartphones, while also underscoring broader supply-chain developments that may shape device performance for users worldwide.

The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is reshaping one of the semiconductor industry's most overlooked component markets. Soaring demand for high-end multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) is prompting suppliers to reallocate production capacity and driving a new round of price increases that extend beyond AI-specific products.