Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are reportedly pulling back on investments in advanced NAND flash memory as weak demand and rising costs push them to concentrate on higher-margin businesses such as DRAM and advanced packaging.

Intel is reportedly preparing to license its glass core substrate (GCS) technology, reversing course from its earlier plan to commercialize the technology in-house. The pivot could turn Intel from a prospective supplier into a customer, opening opportunities for Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco) and Absolics Inc.

Chennai-based Mindgrove Technologies is charting a path from prototype to mass production of secure IoT chips, betting on cost efficiency, regulatory compliance, and deep partnerships to win global customers.

Intel is reportedly leveraging its 2nm Intel Foundry process to develop artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, positioning itself to compete against industry leaders such as Nvidia. According to Wccftech, despite uncertainties surrounding Intel's 18A (2nm) process technology, the company is actively developing a rack-scale AI chip solution based on the Jaguar Shores architecture, expected to feature SK Hynix's sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4).

The acquisition contest for Japan's NTC thermistor manufacturer Shibaura Electronics is approaching its conclusion, with the final outcome now dependent solely on regulatory approval, reports Nikkei.

High bandwidth memory (HBM) has reshaped the global DRAM industry landscape, fueled by a surge in AI demand over the past three years. Nvidia's next-generation AI accelerator "Rubin" is about to enter trial production, prompting Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to visit Taiwan to stabilize supply chain confidence. Meanwhile, leading DRAM manufacturers are fully committed to advancing mass production of sixth-generation HBM (HBM4).

ADATA, a memory module manufacturer, recorded its best quarterly performance in more than 15 years during the second quarter of 2025. Despite an adjustment period in DDR4 shipments in July and August, the company expects a rebound in demand in September, keeping DDR4 prices above those of DDR5 for the remainder of the year.

Below are the key DIGITIMES Asia stories from August 11 to 17, 2025. Firstly, a recent teardown confirms that Huawei's Kunpeng 930 chip still relies on TSMC's outdated 5nm process due to US sanctions that restrict its data center growth. Meanwhile, Google has made a significant move by launching the Gemma 3 AI model with 270 million parameters, explicitly designed to lower power consumption on mobile devices. Concurrently, China has successfully unveiled its first homegrown electron-beam lithography machine, although it faces substantial challenges in achieving mass production.

Nvidia currently holds a dominant position in the cloud AI GPU computing market. However, there is a growing demand for specialized chips known as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), which is recognized as the next major area of growth. More semiconductor companies are entering this market, with notable players including MediaTek, Broadcom, Marvell, and Alchip. Nevertheless, industry insiders acknowledge that new entrants in the so-called "second tier" face significant challenges in generating immediate revenue.

China's push to challenge Nvidia in AI chips is accelerating, with Baidu's Kunlunxin winning a US$140 million order from China Mobile. Alongside Huawei's Ascend processors and Cambricon's rising valuation, these efforts highlight Beijing's drive to build competitive domestic alternatives as US export restrictions tighten on advanced semiconductors.

SK Hynix announced on August 25 that it has completed development of its 321-layer 2TB QLC NAND flash and has begun mass production, with global customer certification finalized and commercial launch planned for the first half of next year.