Amid challenges, Samsung has decided to scale back investments in its foundry business, prioritizing existing production lines to reduce losses and refocusing efforts on regaining competitiveness in memory technologies. However, with its foundry lagging in technical competitiveness and large-scale investments difficult to recoup, Donald Trump’s re-election and speculations regarding spinning off Samsung’s foundry unit or collaborating with Intel have further heightened interest in Samsung’s future direction.

Qualcomm is unlikely to pursue any transactions with Intel, a decision that aligns with industry expectations. Sources close to the semiconductor supply chain suggest Qualcomm never seriously considered the move, doubting the potential for mutual benefit.

The Japanese government is preparing a budget amendment for fiscal year 2024 (April 2024 – March 2025) to allocate additional support for the semiconductor and AI sectors, with funding directed toward Rapidus, which is working toward mass production of 2nm chips.