Meta is reportedly exploring a new AI cloud infrastructure business that would let enterprises use its AI models and some unused GPU capacity, a move that could lift hardware utilization and create a new revenue stream from its heavy artificial intelligence spending. The proposal has revived talk of an AI bubble, but key industry barometers Nvidia and TSMC still show no sign of a broad demand slowdown.
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated CG Semi's Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in Sanand, Gujarat, marking the start of commercial production at what the government described as the country's third semiconductor plant to become operational in 2026. The project forms part of New Delhi's broader effort to build a domestic semiconductor ecosystem under its India Semiconductor Mission and "Make in India" initiative.
Zhonghao Xinying (Hangzhou) Technology has launched its new self-developed high-performance TPU AI processor, Xuyu, alongside Taize 2.0, a software-hardware integrated AI computing platform built around the chip.
The global semiconductor market is entering a historically significant growth phase. According to WSTS's latest June forecast, global semiconductor revenue is projected to grow by nearly 90% in 2026, reaching approximately US$1.5 trillion. Growth is expected to remain exceptionally strong in 2027, with year-on-year expansion of around 27%, pushing total market revenue close to US$1.9 trillion.
Asahi Kasei, one of the notable suppliers of Sunfort dry film photoresist in Japan, has initiated a fab expansion project in Taiwan. The newly established plant is expected to further elevate capacity performance in cutting and processing semiconductor packaging substrates.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics signed a final agreement on July 2 with Sumitomo Chemical's Korean subsidiary Dongwoo Fine-Chem to form a joint venture that will produce glass cores, a key material used in next-generation semiconductor package substrates, the companies said.
India accelerated its semiconductor ambitions through deeper Japan cooperation, policy advances, new manufacturing partnerships, and local technology investments, reinforcing efforts to strengthen resilient supply chains and expand domestic electronics production despite infrastructure challenges and rising component costs amid intensifying global competition.
Taiwan's chipmakers walked into the 2026 helium supply shock more exposed to Qatar than any other major buyer, sourcing nearly 88% of their rare-gas imports from the Gulf state in 2025, up from 46% four years earlier. With war disrupting the Strait of Hormuz, that concentration leaves fabs vulnerable and the outlook uncertain.
Elite Semiconductor Microelectronics Technology (ESMT), a memory IC design house, posted record monthly consolidated revenue of NT$4.85 billion (approx. US$152 million) in June 2026, up 8.48% from May and 328.35% from a year earlier, supported by rising prices for niche memory products.
Applied Materials announced a new equipment platform aimed at addressing the memory bandwidth and energy-efficiency bottleneck confronting AI computing, unveiling tools across DRAM, advanced packaging, and process control to help chipmakers boost yields and accelerate mass production. The company said the platform combines materials engineering with process integration to support high-bandwidth memory (HBM), chiplet architectures, and multi-layer 3D stacking on advanced production lines.
Surging demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI servers has driven shortages and sharp price increases for conventional memory, while microcontroller (MCU) suppliers have also begun passing higher costs on to customers. Apple raised prices for certain Mac and iPad models in late June, and market rumors suggest the upcoming iPhone 18 could see price increases of as much as 30%.
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