James Lougheed

Winbond secures NOR flash orders from Apple for 3Q24, say sources #Winbond Electronics has grabbed 45nm NOR flash orders from Apple, with shipments kicking off in the third quarter, according to industry sources. The orders may help the #Taiwan-based company capture a larger market share from its Chinese counterpart, GigaDevice Semiconductor Inc.. The recent surge in China's domestic NOR flash manufacturing capacity has resulted in a decline in #memory prices during the latter part of this year, suffering a modest decrease of around 5% compared to the first half, sources said. The prices of NOR flash should have stabilized from their low point in the first half of 2024, sources indicated. However, the market prices have been impacted due to the conversion of a portion of Chinese foundries' fab capabilities to NOR flash, since the demand for logic ICs with mature processes has declined. Consequently, this adjustment has led to a rise in the total inventory of NOR flash. On the demand side, a slower-than-usual peak season in the third quarter, combined with a recession in China's domestic consumer markets, has contributed to the market's oversupply, according to sources. Despite the current total NOR production capacity being slightly greater than demand, prices are unlikely to fall dramatically. If you need support to find the most suitable NOR FLASH for your application, then please reach out to MEMPHIS Electronic - The Memory Competence Center for all memory #technologies - WE KNOW MEMORY ❤️🤩💪🙏 A very big thank you again to Siu Han , Jessie Shen and DIGITIMES Asia for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 🙏💡👇 https://lnkd.in/e4wTKCNp #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #tech #it #consumerelectronics #geopolitics #chip #chips #ic #ai #mobile #ic

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Today IQE announced the planned initial public offering (IPO) of our Taiwan subsidiary on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. IQE plans to retain control of IQE Taiwan through a majority stake, while continuing to leverage its strategic value.   This strategic move will enable us to raise capital to accelerate the implementation of the growth initiatives set out at our Capital Markets Day.    An IPO of IQE Taiwan will allow us to maximise the value of our asset while continuing to offer a secure and resilient supply chain for our global customers, and the proceeds can be used to upgrade and expand the production capacity across our strategic global sites, enabling IQE to meet the growing demand for GaN power and scale operations effectively in line with customers.      This move enables us to double down on our commitment to providing high-quality products, and our excellent customer service remains unchanged.

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#SouthKorea's #Chip Stockpiles Shrink at Fastest Pace in 10 Years - Demand for #memory #chips increases in line with #AI development - #Samsung, #SKHynix vie to become main supplier to NVIDIA South Korea’s #semiconductor inventories dwindled by the most since 2014, underscoring the pace at which demand is outstripping supply as customers rev up their purchases of devices needed to develop #artificialintelligence #technologies. Chip stockpiles dropped 33.7% from a year earlier in April in the largest decrease since late 2014, according to data released Friday by the national statistical office. It also marked the fourth month of declines in inventories, which coincided with a pickup in South Korea’s semiconductor exports. Thanks again to Sam Kim and Bloomberg News for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/eKF5c37V #semiconductormanufacturing #semiconductorindustry #technology #it #datacenter #artificialintelligence #computing #computer #cloud #tech

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TSMC: Performance and Yields of 2nm on Track, Mass Production To Start In 2025 💡 In addition to revealing its roadmap and plans concerning its current leading-edge process technologies, #TSMC also shared progress of its N2 node as part of its Symposiums 2024. The company's first 2nm-class fabrication node, and predominantly featuring gate-all-around transistors, according to TSMC #N2 has almost achieved its target performance and yield goals, which places it on track to enter high-volume manufacturing in the second half of 2025. TSMC states that 'N2 development is well on track and #N2P is next.' In particular, gate-all-around nanosheet devices currently achieve over 90% of their expected performance, whereas yields of 256 Mb #SRAM (32 MB) devices already exceeds 80%, depending on the batch. All of this for a node that is over a year away from mass production. Meanwhile, average yield of a 256 Mb SRAM was around 70% as of March, 2024, up from around 35% in April, 2023. Device performance has also been improving with higher frequencies being achieved while keeping power consumption in check. Thanks again to Anton Shilov and AnandTech for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/eHgpfX4k #semiconductormanufacturing #semiconductors #semiconductor #tech #technology #innovation #chip #chips #integratedcircuits #ic #foundry #taiwan #geopolitics #asml #thenetherlands #europe #euv #computer

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#Memory Industry Revenue Expected to Reach Record High in 2025 Due to Increasing Average Prices and the Rise of #HBM and QLC, Says TrendForce Corporation 💡 TrendForce 集邦科技’s latest report on the memory industry reveals that #DRAM and #NAND #Flash revenues are expected to see significant increases of 75% and 77%, respectively, in 2024, driven by increased bit demand, an improved supply-demand structure, and the rise of high-value products like #HBM. Furthermore, industry revenues are projected to continue growing in 2025, with DRAM expected to increase by 51% and #NANDFlash by 29%, reaching record highs. This growth is anticipated to revive capital expenditures and boost demand for upstream raw materials, although it will also increase cost pressure for memory buyers. Thanks again to TrendForce Corporation for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/eQufNZQg #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #technology #tech #chip #chips #ai #aiot #consumerelectronics #datacenter #it #ic #chips #artificialintelligence #samsung #micron #skhynix #kioxia #nanya #westerndigital #winbond #japan #usa #southkorea #taiwan #china #it

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yieldHUB has semiconductor customers from 13 countries. Customers have, on average, been with us for 5 years. 33% have been with us for at least 5 years and 20% have been with us for more than 10 years. With few exceptions, customers are well funded private companies or well known and publicly quoted companies. Some dropped off over the years, but we grow net customers every year, this year being the second fastest of net customer growth after 2021 (move to cloud tech for big data accelerated during and just after Covid). 50% of payments by all customers are either on time or ahead of time. The payment average is 4 days over payment terms this year so far, 3 days over being the median. But every one of them has paid what they are supposed to, and that's going back 19 years. Semiconductors is a very honourable industry and it's great to be part of it. #customersuccess #payments #customerretention #semiconductors

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#Technology gap between leading Western and Chinese #semiconductor #foundries (by Michał Bochenek) #China's #chip industry is experiencing a remarkable growth spurt. But how well do we truly understand the breathtaking pace at which Chinese manufacturers like SMIC and Shanghai Huahong (Group) CO., LTD are closing the gap with their Western rivals? Here's a visual comparison of #semiconductor #technology development by market leaders such as IBM, Motorola Solutions, Intel Corporation and TSMC since 1978. The chart contrasts their progress with the achievements of #Chinese companies. The #semiconductorindustry in #China faced a widening technological gap, reaching 17 years by 2014. This year marked a turning point, as #China's State Council identified the #semiconductors industry as critical to national security in its "Outline for Advancing the National Integrated Circuit Industry". The launch of the national "Big Fund" and the "Made in China 2025" initiative one year later provided resources and direction for Chinese companies to begin (very) successfully closing the gap. A very big thank you to Michał Bochenek , Daniel Nenni and SemiWiki.com for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/d4YbAmFt #semiconductor #innovation #geopolitics #chip #chips #ic #icdesign #it #foundry #computing #computer #ai #aiot #evehicles #pc #server #data

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Q2 20224 Global Semiconductor Equipment billings increase 4% Year-over-Year, SEMI reports 💡 Global #semiconductor equipment billings increased 4% year-over-year to US$26.8 billion in the second quarter of 2024, while quarter-over-quarter billings edged up 1% during the same period, SEMI announced today in its Worldwide Semiconductor Equipment Market Statistics (WWSEMS) Report. “Global semiconductor equipment billings totaled $53.2 billion for the first half of 2024, reflecting a healthy year so far for the industry overall,” said Ajit Manocha , SEMI President and CEO. “The semiconductor equipment market has returned to growth driven by strategic #investments to support continued strong demand for advanced #technologies and regions seeking to bolster their #chipmaking ecosystems.” Thanks again to SEMI for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/e8EhNcEq #semiconductorindustry #semiconductormanufacturing #technology #it #ai #tech #computing #semiconductors #chip #chips #northamerica #iot #japan #china #taiwan #europe #geopolitics #icdesign #foundry #ip

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Amid a massive semiconductor industry shakeup in China, thousands of local companies have shuttered, and IPOs have been halted, pushing the government to push for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) instead. New laws and regulations, including the STAR Market Eight Provisions, highlight a strategic shift towards bolstering technological innovation and creating stronger, more sustainable tech enterprises. #China #semiconductor #semiconductorindustry #technology #IPO #investment #innovation #research #merger https://lnkd.in/d8j5mVYy

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SK hynix: #GDDR7 Mass Production To Start in Q1'2025 Being a major JEDEC #memory standard, GDDR7 is slated to be produced by all three of the Big Three memory #manufacturers. But it seems that not all three vendors will be kicking off mass production at the same time. #SKhynix was at this year's #Computex trade show, showing off their full lineup of memory #technologies – including, of course, GDDR7. SK hynix is the last of the major memory vendor's we've seen promoting their memory, and fittingly, they seem to be the last in terms of their mass production schedule. According to company representatives at the show, the firm will not kick off mass production of their GDDR7 chips until the first quarter of 2025. Thanks again to Anton Shilov and AnandTech for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/eEMBgD_N #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #technology #tech #innovation #ai #semiconductormanufacturing #dram #mobile #it

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A TALE OF TWO TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES – INTEL AND NVIDIA. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FORGET “ONLY THE PARANOID SURVIVE?” Pat Gelsinger’s success at Intel hinges on efficient capital expenditures and R&D, which drive customer demand and market-leading gross margins. These key metrics also highlight Intel’s challenges as a semiconductor IDM. Let’s look at the metrics: — Breakeven Revenue (BER): BER = Capital Expense/Gross Margin. BER gauges capital efficiency and effectiveness. Is the company capable of covering its fixed costs while growing the business? A company can improve its BER by increasing its gross margin or reducing its capital expenses. This leads us to the second ratio.  — R&D Efficiency (RDE):  RDE = (Revenue Current Year – Revenue Previous Year)/R&D Previous Year. The lifeblood of any technology company is R&D. This R&D is based on understanding customer needs and creating an R&D organization that is efficient in introducing solutions customers want. Typically, companies should have an RDE greater than one when it should have been greater than one. INTEL’S CURRENT BREAKEVEN REVENUE (BER) EXCEEDS ACTUAL REVENUE (see chart) due to high fixed capital costs and declining gross margins. Increased capital expenditures and reliance on CPU designs have led to a dangerous scenario for the company. INTEL’S R&D EFFICIENCY (RDE) HAS BEEN LESS THAN ONE FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS. Intel’s average nine-year RDE is 0.03, compared to AMD’s 0.97 or NVIDA’s 1.51. RDEs should demonstrate that R&D in the prior year should generate a positive revenue delta and a market-leading gross margin. This indicates a compromise in design and customer needs for manufacturing, which has led to declining gross margins. Intel’s gross margin trend is declining in the 40% range, while NVIDIA’s gross margin is rising toward the 60% range. Ok, so Intel needs to: 1. Improve its RDE to greater than one:  This requires that the design not be hampered by internal manufacturing requirements and that it move away from CPU-only designs.  2. Manufacturing looks like a foundry:  Intel Foundry has to be open to PDKs open to any EDA tools, free IP, and open to any outside designs. Intel shouldn’t sell off Intel Foundry, as the volume will occur in AI Inference, and getting outsiders to use Intel Foundry will reduce the breakeven revenue for Intel’s new products and greater margins. I hope this analysis helps temper wild and negative comments regarding Intel and second-guessing Pat’s strategy. Intel is a national treasure, but like most of us, it didn’t change fast enough once its market-leading position in CPUs matured. It continued to milk its position and became dependent on manufacturing over design. NVIDIA, Google, and Apple remember this lesion as “only the paranoid survive,” and complacency leads to destruction. #Intel #NVIDIA #PatGelsinger #SemicondutorStrategy #Semiconductor #R&D #GrossMargin #CPUs #GPUs #AI #Foundry #TechIndustry #BusinessStrategy

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#AMKOR Wins $600 Million in US Grants, Loans for #Chip Packaging - Company investing $2 billion, creating 2,000 #jobs in #Arizona - Facility will package Apple #chips manufactured at TSMC Amkor Technology, Inc.  is in line to receive $400 million in US government grants and about $200 million in loans for an advanced chip packaging project in #Arizona, marking the latest award from a program designed to boost American #semiconductormanufacturing. The funding from the 2022 Chips and Science Act will support Amkor’s $2 billion facility in the city of #Peoria, which is estimated to generate about 2,000 jobs. The site is slated to package chips manufactured for #Apple Inc. at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s sprawling new #Phoenix complex. Thanks again to Mackenzie Hawkins and Bloomberg News for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/eCnSrUki #semiconductor #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #technology #tech #informationtechnology #advancedpackaging #geopolitics #it #ai #chipsact #samsung #micron #tsmc #globalfoundries #microchip #ic

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Chip groups Arm and Qualcomm square off in high-stakes US trial https://lnkd.in/gByXgPD7 Arm and Qualcomm end up in court over the architecture license Arm granted to NUVIA Inc which was acquired by #qualcomm in 2021 while Qualcomm also has architecture license from ARM, and is claiming that given that it also has an architecture license, it didn't need ARM's explicit permission to acquire Nuvia's work, the devil is very likely in the details. It is almost certain that the type of "architecture license" #ARM gBe Nuvia isn't the same as the one given to Qualcomm. ARM would have retained certain IP rights to any changes made by Nuvia to the architecture/design, in Nuvia's license. Qualcomm etc. get a license where they keep what they do. the relief ARM is seeking - destruction of all that has been created is probably an unreasonable relief under a civil lawsuit, in civil suits court usually try to make reasonable amends for the aggrieved party with minimizing the disruptions to the other party and the society in general. As a result usually the standard enforcement is penal damages. Injunctions are called for in rare cases, for example if party A and party B are both selling some products that compete with each other, what B has no right to sell it without A's permission, and if B stops selling it, nobody in the world would be bothered too much. Even in such cases courts will encourage licensing settlements first. that's the nature of civil suits. But let's see how this case progresses. Trial is next week.

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IDC: #Memory Makers Drive #Semiconductor Market Growth in Q1 2024 as #AI Demand Soars Latest research from #IDC, titled Worldwide #Semiconductor Integrated Device #Manufacturing Market: Top 10 Vendor Ranking and Insight, 1Q24, reveals significant trends in the #semiconductorindustry during the first quarter of 2024. The report highlights the normalization of memory applications and inventory levels, driven by a stabilizing device market and the demand for AI training and inference in #datacenters. This recovery follows the fading of the #COVID19 #pandemic. This normalization propelled the development of the integrated device manufacturing (IDM) market in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24), where high-bandwidth #memory (#HBM) played a pivotal role. The growing demand of #HBM, priced four to five times higher than traditional memory, squeezed the capacity of #DRAM in the device market and pushed up its price, significantly boosting the overall memory market revenue. Meanwhile, newly released AI #PCs and AI #smartphones required more memory content than traditional devices, which also drove the development of the memory market. Three of the top five IDM vendors for this quarter were memory-related, capturing nearly half of the top 10 vendors' revenue. The top 10 vendors were Samsung Electronics, Intel Corporation, SK hynix, Micron Technology, Infineon Technologies, Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, NXP Semiconductors, Sony, and Murata. With the rising demand for #AI in #datacenters and the device market, memory is projected to remain an important driver for the development of the #IDM in the second half of 2024 (2H24). Thanks again to IDC for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/e_KSuEst #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #technology #tech #informationtechnology #aiot #foundry #usa #geopolitics #china #Japan #southkorea #europe #germany #singapore #malaysia #asml ot

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Numemory reinvents Optane storage-class #memory 💡 Chinese fabless #semiconductor startup Numemory is developing storage-class memory (SCM) #chips using Optane-like phase change memory and crossbar #technology. Numemory, a business unit of Xincun Technology (#Wuhan), has launched the NM101, a storage-class memory #chip with 10x faster read and write speeds and 5x longer endurance than #NAND #chips. Xincun Technology was established in July 2022 and has developed a 3D selector-only memory (SOM) #technology using phase-change memory and a crossbar structure, which is remarkably similar to Intel Corporation and Micron Technology’s failed Optane #memory technology. Numemory’s website states: “The new memory is a type of SCM (storage-class memory) that can increase #storage capacity, reduce costs, and thus greatly improve the overall performance of the storage system. The new memory is considered to be a next-generation non-volatile storage technology that is very promising for large-scale mass production, and has become a hot topic of international concern in recent years.” Thanks again to Chris Mellor and Blocks and Files for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/emUECvnU #semiconductorindustry #semiconductormanufacturing #technology #ai #tech #innovation #dram #nand #nandflash #flashmemory #server #computer #datacenter #foundry #it #computing #computer #ic

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semiStocks: The Week's Leaders, Laggards, Regional & Sector Performance                     ... for the week ending June 9, 2024 W/W Plc W/W Chg 7-Jun 1 23.4% Valens 2 15.7% Hua Hong 3 13.8% Navitas 4 13.1% Aehr Test 5 11.4% indie Semi 6 11.1% SMIC 7 11.1% Axcelis 8 10.3% NVIDIA 13.7% Average 83 -4.4% Hygon 84 -4.5% Microchip 85 -4.5% Montage 86 -5.6% Silicon Labs 87 -5.9% Loongson 88 -8.4% Impinj 89 -18.1% Lattice 90 -19.8% Semtech -8.9% Average W/W Chg 0.3% America 2.2% China 7.2% EMEA 0.4% Japan 3.6% Korea 2.6% Taiwan 0.2% Other Asia -2.0% Logic 3.1% AI 0.9% Auto 1.3% Mobile 5.0% Memory 1.2% Analog & Power 3.9% Foundry 2.5% OSAT Can you help me out? Please click the like button so I know these write-ups are of value for you. This for the greater good as I have no investments in these stocks. Also, no guarantees here. I am not a stock analyst. These are just observations and opinions. My opinions here are subject to many unknowns that will cause actual results and outcomes to be different from what is written. This is not investment advice and is not tailored to your specific investment needs. Do your homework and consult a professional investment advisor. #Semiconductor #StockstoWatch #stockmarket #techstocks

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Arm Is Rebuffed by #Intel After Inquiring About Buying Product Unit - Intel’s rapid decline has spurred takeover speculation - Arm is interested in product group, not factory operations Arm Holdings Plc approached Intel Corporation about potentially buying the ailing chipmaker’s product division, only to be told that the business isn’t for sale, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. In the high-level inquiry, Arm didn’t express interest in Intel’s #manufacturing operations, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the discussions were private. Intel has two main units: a product group that sells #chips for #personalcomputers, #servers and #networking equipment, and another that operates its factories. Combining with Intel would help Arm’s reach and kick-start a move toward selling more of its own products. The company currently licenses #technology and designs to customers, who then turn them into complete components. Its client list includes the biggest names in #technology, such as Amazon.com Inc., Qualcomm Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Thanks again to Ian King and Bloomberg News for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 🙏💡👇 https://lnkd.in/eCDvrC_h #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #tech #it #chip #chips #innovation #technology #semiconductormanufacturing

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3D #NAND – #Samsung V10 by 2026 with Hybrid Bonding Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest #memory chipmaker, plans to unveil a 400-layer (V10) vertical #NANDflash #chip by 2026 to lead the fast-growing storage device market amid the #artificialintelligence boom. This is according to recent development road map obtained by the The Korea Economic Daily. Thanks to TechInsights and The Korea Economic Daily for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 🙏💡👇 https://lnkd.in/efbttVva #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #tech #it #memory #dram #nand #nandflash #flashmemory #chip #chips #data

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