AI drives mobile brands to carve out competition, Taiwan’s market share heats up in 2025

In 2024, Taiwan’s smartphone shipments are projected to surpass 5 million units, driven by the expanding influence of generative AI technologies. Despite the challenges of inflation, increasing market penetration, and longer replacement cycles, the demand for AI smartphones continues to grow. With brands introducing more models and implementing innovative AI features like AI agents, the total smartphone shipments in Taiwan are expected to increase by 3-5% compared to 2024, although market share among brands is expected to experience more significant fluctuations.

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SMIC eyes automotive sector growth to counter rising competition and pressures in China’s chip market

In its latest earnings call, China’s leading pure-play foundry, SMIC, acknowledged an increase in domestic competition, resulting in a growing supply even as demand begins to recover. The company is aiming to capture a larger share of revenue from the automotive sector, driven by the heightened competitiveness among Chinese automakers.

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Nvidia supercharges MediaTek’s AI ambitions amid rising ASIC battle

The emergence of generative AI (GenAI) has triggered a surge in AI server demand, leading to severe Nvidia GPU shortages. The resulting profit windfall far exceeds that of the previous cryptocurrency mining boom. The strengthening MediaTek-Nvidia alliance is growing, with Nintendo Switch 2 launching in April 2025 and an AI PC platform debuting at COMPUTEX in May 2025. Industry rumors also hint at a potential AI smartphone chip collaboration.

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Trump’s first-term SiC squeeze catalyze China’s industry growth

US President Donald Trump’s first-term restrictions on silicon carbide (SiC), intended to limit China’s access to the crucial third-generation semiconductor material under national security concerns, have had an unintended effect: catalyzing unprecedented growth in China’s domestic SiC industry. By the start of Trump’s second term in 2025, Chinese manufacturers had developed capabilities that could fundamentally alter the global SiC landscape.

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