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Tuesday 20 May 2025
SK Hynix places orders for HBM equipment with Hanwha Semitech and Hanmi Semiconductor amid patent disputes
South Korean chip giant SK Hynix has placed significant orders for thermal compression bonding (TCB) equipment with two domestic suppliers, Hanwha Semitech and Hanmi Semiconductor, signaling a strategic push to expand its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) manufacturing capabilities.
Tuesday 20 May 2025
Apple reportedly eyes major iPhone overhaul by 2027 as pressure of innovation grows
As Apple marks the 20th anniversary of the iPhone in 2025, the tech giant is preparing for sweeping technological upgrades to its flagship product—some of which may not fully arrive until 2027 as the company is now under increasing pressure to reinvent the iPhone and reclaim its innovation edge.
Tuesday 20 May 2025
DRAM prices surge in AI Boom; Samsung and SK Hynix set to benefit

The global surge in DRAM prices, combined with the increasing momentum of artificial intelligence (AI) development in the Middle East, positions South Korea's memory chip giants—Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix—to benefit significantly from the renewed growth in the semiconductor sector. With both companies at the forefront of this market shift, they are set to capitalize on the rising demand for advanced memory solutions driven by AI innovations and broader technological trends.

Monday 19 May 2025
Phison builds NAND stockpile, accelerates three-pronged AI storage push in SEA and India
Phison Electronics Corp. expects robust growth in the second half of 2025, driven by tighter NAND flash supply and surging demand for its controller chips. The easing of US-China trade tensions and recent tariff reductions between the world's two largest economies have spurred system vendors to accelerate orders and shipments, particularly in May and June.
Monday 19 May 2025
South Korea intercepts SK Hynix HBM China-bound tech leak
South Korean authorities arrested a former subcontractor employee at Incheon International Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle SK Hynix's proprietary high-bandwidth memory (HBM) packaging technology to China. The suspect, identified as Mr. Kim, was apprehended moments before boarding his flight.
Monday 19 May 2025
Middle East key to extending cloud AI peripheral chip market growth by two years
US President Donald Trump recently led a large delegation of American companies to the Middle East for various political and business cooperation agreements. Reports indicate that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who was originally scheduled to arrive in Taiwan a week early to prepare for Computex 2025, instead accompanied Trump's investment delegation to Saudi Arabia, where they secured a significant new order for AI chips.
Monday 19 May 2025
AI windfall lifts Kioxia to record highs, but NAND headwinds loom into 2025
Japanese NAND flash memory maker Kioxia reported a sharp earnings rebound for fiscal 2024 (April 2024 to March 2025), recording a net profit of JPY272.3 billion (approx. USD 1.9 billion) after a net loss of JPY243.73 billion the year prior.
Sunday 18 May 2025
Western Digital, Foxconn launch high-density TOR switch with embedded NVMe storage
Western Digital and Ingrasys Technology, a Foxconn subsidiary, unveiled a strategic partnership on May 15 to debut a next-generation top-of-rack (TOR) switch featuring embedded storage. The new TOR Ethernet Bunch of Flash (EBOF) system delivers distributed storage at the network edge, helping cut latency, reduce dependency on standalone storage networks, and ease traffic from centralized storage arrays.
Friday 16 May 2025
DDR4 market set for price war between Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers after Samsung and SK Hynix exit
According to New Daily, citing semiconductor industry sources, the DRAM giants Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron plan to exit the DDR4 market by the first half of 2026 at the latest. Taiwanese firms such as Nanya and Winbond are expected to step in and cover the market shortfall. However, they will likely face intense low-price competition from Chinese rivals.
Friday 16 May 2025
Memory chip prices surge globally as manufacturers cut production
Memory chip prices are climbing sharply worldwide, with both DRAM and NAND Flash expected to maintain upward momentum through two consecutive quarters, according to Adata Technology chairman Li-Bai Chen. DDR4 memory faces the steepest increases, potentially reaching double-digit percentage growth due to significant production cuts by manufacturers.
Thursday 15 May 2025
ChipMOS prioritizes utilization boost: NOR Flash demand drives optimism for 2H25
Taiwan-based IC backend house ChipMOS Technologies reported a 23% drop in net profit for the first quarter of 2025, despite a slight increase in revenue. ChipMOS chairman Shih-Jye Cheng highlighted the continued uncertainty in the industry for the coming year and stressed that maximizing utilization rates will remain the company's top priority.
Thursday 15 May 2025
Samsung reportedly considers outsourcing memory photomask production; raises concerns over domestic supply
Samsung Electronics is reportedly planning to outsource the production of photomasks used in memory manufacturing. To prevent technology leaks, Samsung has traditionally produced all photomasks in-house. However, due to multiple recent factors, the company intends to adjust this strategy.
Thursday 15 May 2025
Memory market roars back: Adata's 1Q profits soar, capacity maxed out through July
Adata Technology reported strong first-quarter 2025 results as memory prices rebounded and customer demand surged. Spot prices for both DRAM and NAND flash began climbing in February, lifting sales and profitability across the company's core product segments.
Tuesday 13 May 2025
The US-China trade talks ease supply chain pressures
In a rare sign of easing tensions, the US and China have reached a temporary détente on tariffs, agreeing to a 90-day truce that significantly reduces mutual trade penalties. Under the agreement, Washington will lower tariffs on Chinese imports to a maximum of 30%, while Beijing will scale back its duties on American goods to 10%.
Monday 12 May 2025
SoftBank enters AI memory race with IP-led strategy for next-gen data centers
SoftBank Group revealed on May 8, 2025, that it is developing next-generation high-efficiency memory specifically designed for AI data centers. Rather than producing the chips in-house, the company will focus on an intellectual property (IP) licensing model.
Monday 12 May 2025
Transcend benefits from tariff-driven pull-ins, closely watching FX fluctuations
Transcend reported first-quarter 2025 sequential revenue growth of 19.2%, boosted by industrial and AI demand. Operating profit increased 49.8%, while net income fell 15.9% due to lower non-operating income. The company expects rising memory prices and stable supply-demand to support profits despite currency and tariff risks.
Thursday 8 May 2025
AP Memory bets on next-gen wearables and AI chips to drive 2025 growth

AP Memory, a leading Taiwanese designer of specialty memory ICs and intellectual property (IP), said it remains optimistic about growth prospects across its three main product lines, despite a sequential revenue dip in the first quarter of 2025.

Thursday 8 May 2025
Ex-SK Hynix employee charged in South Korea for leaking chip tech to HiSilicon

A former employee surnamed Kim at the Chinese division of South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix has been indicted on charges of leaking confidential semiconductor technologies, including advanced image sensors and chip packaging techniques, amid an alleged attempt to defect to HiSilicon, a semiconductor subsidiary of Chinese tech giant Huawei.

Thursday 8 May 2025
SK Hynix to end DDR4 production by 2Q26, sparks supply crunch
The two major South Korean DRAM manufacturers are each preparing to discontinue their older DDR4 production lines. Following Samsung Electronics' early April announcement of its end-of-life (EOL) plan, SK Hynix recently notified suppliers with an EOL letter regarding DDR4 chips. The company plans to phase out 8GB and 16GB DDR4 chips produced using the 1z nanometer process, officially entering the discontinuation stage by April 2026.
Thursday 8 May 2025
Phison shares surge as memory chip prices offset currency headwinds
Memory chip production cuts have sparked a rally in NAND Flash prices, cushioning Taiwan-based controller manufacturer Phison Electronics against strengthening local currency pressures that typically erode overseas earnings by 3% for every 1% appreciation.
Thursday 8 May 2025
Adata hits 13-month revenue high on price rebound, bullish on 2Q25 demand
Adata Technology reported consolidated revenue of NT$3.917 billion (US$121.4 million) in April, up 4.65% from the previous month and 1.79% from a year earlier—its strongest monthly performance in 13 months—driven by rising spot and contract prices for DRAM and NAND flash memory.
Thursday 8 May 2025
Winbond forecasts recovery after 1Q25 loss on weak demand
Memory chipmaker Winbond Electronics swung to a loss in the first quarter of 2025 following seasonal weakness, though Chief Executive Pei-Ming Chen said urgent orders have exceeded expectations for the second quarter, with flash memory sales set to climb.
Tuesday 6 May 2025
DRAM process development direction: 3D DRAM
Since the 20nm node, advancements in DRAM process technology have decelerated, with development from 19 to 11nm occurring in small, 1 to 2nm steps across several nodes labeled from 1x to the forthcoming 1d.
Tuesday 6 May 2025
SK Hynix-Hanmi Semiconductor dispute escalates, Hanwha Semitech poised to gain
A brewing conflict between SK Hynix and its long-time supplier, Hanmi Semiconductor, over thermal compression bonder (TC Bonder; TCB) equipment has intensified, potentially reshuffling the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) supply chain. Hanwha Semitech, a newer player, stands to benefit as SK Hynix explores alternative suppliers amid rising tensions.
Tuesday 6 May 2025
FX turbulence hits Taiwan memory makers as US$ weakens, NT$ strengthens
A sharp appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar (NT$) is pressuring Taiwan's export-focused industries, especially memory module suppliers whose contracts are largely settled in US dollars. Market observers warn the NT$ rally could persist, compounding concerns over ongoing US tariff risks. Industry insiders say many firms anticipated the strengthening currency and implemented early hedging, but holding the key US$1 = NT$28 line will be a major challenge.