Top-5 notebook brands see combined shipments went down 5% on month in August, says DIGITIMES Research

Combined shipments of the global top 5 notebook brand vendors dipped 5% on month and went down over 30% on year for the second consecutive month in August due to ongoing demand shrinkage as a result of the weak global economy, slower-than-expected digestion of the vendors’ channel and raw material inventory, the vendors having pessimistic outlook of the notebook market, and the influence of the power curb in China’s Sichuan Province, according to DIGITIMES Research’s latest Notebook Tracker figures.

Continue reading

China gearing up to mass purchase IC equipment and materials

Chinese semiconductor firms are moving at full throttle to purchase as many semiconductor equipment and materials as possible from abroad as the US is expected to take tougher measures against the China semiconductor industry, giving a significant boost to equipment and materials sales for Taiwanese makers and their overseas peers, according to industry sources.

Continue reading

Samsung’s ups and downs (4): The manufacturing capability of Samsung’s foundry biz

In 2020, Samsung Electronics had a monthly capacity of 260,000 wafers for its 8-inch and 12-inch fabrication each, which increased to 265,000 and 325,000 respectively in 2021. It is estimated that its 12-inch fab capacity will increase to 443,000 wafers in 2022, with 5/7nm capacity increasing to 60,000 (compared to 30,000 as of the end of 2020). Samsung has committed to steady investment in the foundry business until 2026, but the biggest challenge for Samsung’s foundry business is the fact that the captive market’s contribution is very high.

Continue reading