Nordic SoC Powers Holyiot Smart Badges
Holyiot Technology has embedded Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF54L15 system‑on‑chip into its Inkcard‑A1 e‑ink smart badge, delivering twice the processing power and three‑fold efficiency of the prior generation. The Bluetooth LE‑enabled badge can refresh images, QR codes or text in under six seconds via a companion app, replacing traditional RFID cards for access control, attendance and asset tracking. Powered by a 180 mAh lithium cell with QI wireless recharge, the badge leverages Nordic’s SDK to accelerate time‑to‑market. The solution targets offices, retail, logistics and healthcare environments.
Infineon Retains Top Automotive Chip Supplier Position for 6th Consecutive Year
Infineon Technologies retained its position as the world’s leading automotive semiconductor supplier in 2025, marking a sixth consecutive year at the top. The firm held a 12.8% global market share, slightly down from 13.2% in 2024, while expanding its automotive...
Lattice and TI Join Forces to Advance Real-Time Edge AI Sensor Fusion
Lattice Semiconductor and Texas Instruments have teamed up to simplify sensor integration for edge AI, pairing TI’s mmWave radar and camera technologies with Lattice’s low‑power Holoscan Sensor Bridge FPGA solution. The joint architecture streams synchronized sensor data directly into GPU‑accessible...
ATLANT 3D and NUS Partner on AI-Driven Materials Discovery Foundry in Singapore
ATLANT 3D and the National University of Singapore’s Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials have signed an MOU to launch an AI‑driven materials discovery foundry inside NUS’s CREATE lab. The facility will integrate ATLANT 3D’s Direct Atomic Layer Processing (DALP) technology...
AI Supercycle, Geopolitics Triggering Global Memory Market Crisis
The semiconductor market is entering a "RAMageddon" as AI data‑center demand forces memory makers to reallocate capacity toward high‑bandwidth and DDR5 chips. Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron are shifting wafer lines, driving DRAM and SSD prices up an estimated 130%...
Foundry 2.0 Market Projected to Grow 17% in 2026 Amid AI Compute Boom
IDC projects the Foundry 2.0 market to exceed $360 billion in 2026, marking a 17% year‑over‑year rise driven by AI compute demand. Advanced‑node capacity expands as TSMC lifts its 3 nm output to 165,000 wafers per month and Samsung secures a $16.5 billion...
APAC PC Market Up Nearly 12% in 2025
The Asia‑Pacific PC market expanded 11.6% in 2025, reaching 106.6 million units across desktops, notebooks and workstations, driven by refresh cycles, Windows 10 end‑of‑support and large education rollouts in India, Indonesia and Japan. Consumer shipments rose 6.4% while commercial devices surged 16.7%,...
PsiQuantum, University of Tokyo, Mitsubishi Launch Quantum Workforce Training Program in Japan
PsiQuantum, the University of Tokyo, and Mitsubishi Chemical have launched a six‑month quantum workforce training program in Japan, backed by NEDO’s Post‑5G ICT initiative (2025‑2027). The curriculum, developed by the university and delivered with PsiQuantum’s Construct platform, targets fault‑tolerant quantum...
Teradyne Acquires TestInsight
Teradyne Inc. announced the acquisition of TestInsight, a leading provider of semiconductor test development and validation software. The deal brings TestInsight’s pattern conversion, validation and virtual test tools into Terada’s automated test equipment (ATE) platforms. By merging the two companies,...
Taiwan Tech Startups Carving Out Critical Role in AI Platforms
At CES 2026, Taiwan’s tech ecosystem demonstrated a shift from platform concepts to real‑world AI deployment. Guided by the National Science and Technology Council and Taiwan Tech Arena, 57 startups partnered with 83 local supply‑chain firms to showcase edge AI,...
Memory Reallocation to AI Workloads Constrains LPDDR4 Supply, Slowing High-End Cellular IoT Module Growth
Memory vendors are shifting wafer capacity toward high‑bandwidth memory and AI‑centric nodes, leaving LPDDR4 supply constrained. Counterpoint now projects global cellular IoT module shipments to grow only 4% YoY in 2026, half the prior 8% forecast, as high‑end 5G and...
Silicon Box Joins Imec Automotive Chiplet Program to Advance Automotive-Grade Chiplet Devices
Silicon Box has entered imec’s Automotive Chiplet Program (ACP), a joint effort to speed the adoption of chiplet architectures in next‑generation vehicles. The company will contribute end‑to‑end expertise in chiplet interconnection, advanced packaging, and testing, working with more than 22...
Distributed Intelligence Redefining Predictive Maintenance as Edge AI Reshapes Industrial Architectures
Edge AI is pushing predictive maintenance from centralized clouds to the factory floor, sparking a split between automation vendors who champion deterministic, layered intelligence and silicon players who embed inference directly in sensors and edge processors. Omron illustrates a pragmatic,...
Microchip DSC Family Designed for High-Density AI Data Center Power, Intelligent Sensing
Microchip Technology has added the dsPIC33AK256MPS306 to its dsPIC33A digital signal controller family. The new DSC combines a 200 MHz 32‑bit core with a double‑precision FPU, 78 ps PWM, 40 MSPS 12‑bit ADCs, high‑speed comparators and DACs, and hardware security for post‑quantum cryptography....
ASRock AiUAC Copilot Accelerates IEC 61499 Automation From Concept to Deployment
ASRock Industrial unveiled AiUAC Copilot, an AI‑assisted tool that transforms high‑level control specifications into IEC 61499‑compliant function block code. The solution automates the translation from natural language to deployable logic, cutting manual effort and shortening development cycles. It has been validated...
Consumer DRAM Price Surges in March Amid Limited Capacity, Order Shifts
TrendForce reports that consumer DRAM contract prices are set to surge 45‑50% QoQ in Q2 2026 as Taiwanese manufacturers curtail capacity for legacy nodes and shift production toward DDR4. In March, DDR4 4‑Gb chips jumped over 20% MoM, while DDR3...
Ennostar Showcases Micro LED Optical Communication Technology with AUO and Tyntek
Ennostar Corp. unveiled a GaN‑based Micro LED optical communication solution at Touch Taiwan 2026, co‑developed with AUO and Tyntek. The system pairs a Micro LED transmitter with Tyntek’s micro photodetector inside AUO’s co‑packaged optics (CPO) module, targeting ultra‑short‑reach links under...
AiM Future and Metsakuur Collaborate on NPU-Integrated Hardware
AiM Future has teamed up with Vision‑AI specialist Metsakuur to create NPU‑integrated hardware for edge AI applications. The deal combines AiM’s low‑power, high‑efficiency neural processing unit—already used in LG home appliances—with Metsakuur’s proprietary AI algorithms. Together they aim to deliver...
QuickLogic Showcases RadPro FPGA Dev Kit at HEART Conference
QuickLogic Corp. unveiled its first RadPro FPGA development kit at the 41st HEART Conference in Shreveport, Louisiana. The RadPro FPGA is fabricated in the United States on GlobalFoundries' proven 12nm process, the same node used for many defense‑grade ASICs. The...
Rohm, Toshiba and Mitsubishi Join Forces to Create a Power Chip Unit
Rohm Semiconductor, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage, and Mitsubishi Electric have signed an MoU to explore a joint power‑semiconductor unit, aiming to create Japan's second‑largest player after Infineon. The trio currently holds about 11% of the global power‑chip market, versus...
NearLink’s Next Phase: From Smartphones to Peripherals, but Still China-Centric
NearLink, branded as SparkLink, is gaining traction in China’s IoT market, anchored by an estimated 12 million NearLink‑enabled smartphones slated for 2026, primarily within Huawei’s ecosystem. Peripheral categories such as earbuds, smartwatches and PC accessories are projected to add another 11 million...
China’s Humanoid Robot Output to Nearly Double in 2026
The global humanoid robot market is set to surge in the second half of 2026, with China driving a 94% increase in annual output. TrendForce identifies Unitree Robotics and AgiBot as dominant players, together accounting for almost 80% of shipments....
Microchip Now Certified to IEC 62443-4-1 ML2 Standards
Microchip Technology announced that its product development process has earned IEC 62443‑4‑1 Maturity Level 2 certification from UL Solutions. The certification confirms that Microchip follows a secure‑by‑design lifecycle covering threat modeling, design, implementation controls, verification and long‑term patch management. By meeting this...
ST Machine Learning Software Pack Accelerates AI-Enhanced Motor Control
STMicroelectronics introduced the FP-IND-MCAI1 function pack, a motor‑control software suite that embeds AI for optimization and predictive maintenance. The pack runs on the EVLSPIN32G4‑ACT evaluation board, which drives up to 250 W three‑phase brushless motors and supports vibration‑sensing modules. It includes...
NDS Taiwan to Showcase Integrated Warpage Control Solution for PLP at SEMICON SEA 2026
NDS Taiwan unveiled an integrated warpage‑control solution for panel‑level packaging (PLP) at SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026. The approach coordinates stress‑compensating materials, temporary glass carriers, precision grinding, advanced polishing and clean debonding to manage deformation across the entire panel workflow. By...
SEMI: Global Semiconductor Equipment Billings Up 15% YoY in 2025
SEMI reports global semiconductor equipment billings rose 15% year‑over‑year to $135.1 billion in 2025, up from $117.1 billion in 2024. Front‑end wafer processing equipment grew 12% while other front‑end segments rose 13%, and back‑end test equipment surged 55% as AI and high‑bandwidth...
Power Module Packaging Evolution Amid Material Innovation, Supply Chain Shifts
Electrification is propelling the power module market toward a $20 billion valuation by 2031, growing at roughly 10% annually. As power densities rise, packaging technologies are shifting toward copper interconnections, silver‑copper sintering, and silicon‑nitride substrates, while packaging still accounts for about...
Microchip Hybrid MCU Targeted at Automotive, E-Mobility HMI Applications
Microchip Technology introduced the SAM9X75D5M, an AEC‑Q100 Grade 2‑qualified System‑in‑Package that combines an Arm926EJ‑S processor with 512 Mbit DDR2 SDRAM. The hybrid MCU targets automotive and e‑mobility human‑machine interfaces, supporting up to 10‑inch XGA displays via MIPI DSI, LVDS or parallel RGB....
Park Systems Cements Leadership in Nanometrology with New Global HQ
Park Systems Corp. has inaugurated a 27,000 m² global headquarters in Gwacheon, South Korea, featuring a 35‑system industrial cleanroom for semiconductor and advanced‑packaging metrology. The campus houses research and demonstration labs that let customers conduct live measurements on AFM, spectroscopic ellipsometry,...
Inside Taiwan’s Semiconductor Supremacy
Taiwan now supplies about 92% of the world’s most advanced logic chips (5 nm and below), cementing its role as the linchpin of the global tech supply chain. TSMC, the island’s pure‑play foundry, posted a 62.3% gross margin in Q4 2025 and...
Global OLED Monitor Shipment Surges 92% in 2025
Global OLED monitor shipments reached 2.735 million units in 2025, up 92 percent YoY, driven by aggressive Q4 promotions and the popularity of 27‑inch 240 Hz QHD models plus new 280 Hz offerings. ASUS reclaimed market leadership with a 21.6 percent share, overtaking Samsung, while...
Renesas Rad-Hard ICs Aboard NASA’s Artemis II
Renesas Electronics’ radiation‑hardened integrated circuits are aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1 from Kennedy Space Center. The Intersil‑branded rad‑hard ICs are embedded in Orion’s avionics and the Space Launch System, managing power distribution, signal integrity and onboard computing...
Keysight Adds Assembly Simulation to Virtual Manufacturing Portfolio
Keysight Technologies has launched Keysight Assembly, a virtual process simulation tool that lets manufacturers model shop‑floor assembly steps such as positioning, clamping and joining without specialized FEM skills. Developed with automotive OEM partners, the solution links stamped‑part data from forming...
EPC Expands Portfolio of 100V Integrated GaN Power Stage ICs
Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) has launched a 100 V GaN power‑stage IC family—EPC23108, 23109, 23110 and 23111—targeted at high‑performance motion and power‑dense platforms such as humanoid robots and drones. Each device integrates high‑side and low‑side eGaN FETs, gate drivers and level‑shifting...
Former Tenstorrent Execs Launch AI& to Build Japan’s Full-Stack AI Infrastructure
Former Tenstorrent executives David Bennett and Shimpei Hara have launched AI&, a vertically‑integrated Japanese AI company. The startup secured $50 million in seed funding and $2 billion in infrastructure capital to build a full‑stack AI platform, including data centers, orchestration software, models...
Altera and Arm Partner on Programmable Solutions for AI Data Centers
Altera Corp. is deepening its two‑decade partnership with Arm by integrating its data‑center‑grade FPGAs with Arm’s new AGI CPU built on the Neoverse CSS V3 architecture. The combined solution targets AI‑focused data centers, promising low‑latency, highly flexible and scalable compute...
Molex Completes Acquisition of Smiths Interconnect
Molex announced the completion of its acquisition of Smiths Interconnect, the UK‑based subsidiary of Smiths Group, marking the largest deal in Molex’s history. The purchase adds a portfolio of ruggedized connectors, RF components, optical transceivers and semiconductor‑test expertise, extending Molex’s...
SEMI Forecasts Chip Equipment Investments to Reach Beyond $150B in 2027
SEMI projects worldwide 300mm fab equipment spending to rise 18% to $133 billion in 2026 and surpass $150 billion in 2027, reaching $172 billion by 2029. The surge is driven by exploding AI chip demand for data‑center and edge workloads and by regional...
Taiwan Advances WBG Strategy Through Integrated Power Device and System-Level Innovation
Taiwan is shifting its wide‑bandgap (WBG) strategy from pure device innovation to integrated packaging, testing, and system deployment. NIKO‑SEM, a fabless power‑semiconductor designer, has broadened its portfolio from silicon MOSFETs to silicon‑carbide (SiC) and gallium‑nitride (GaN) power modules. The island...
Advanced Nodes to Dominate 2026 SoC Shipments
Advanced nodes (5nm and below) accounted for over 50% of smartphone SoC shipments in 2025 and are projected to reach nearly 60% in 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. Samsung debuted its 2nm Exynos 2600 in the Galaxy S26, while Apple,...
Arrow Electronics Launches Omnichannel Platform for Components Business
Arrow Electronics has unified its global components business under a redesigned, omnichannel arrow.com platform, retiring the legacy MyArrow portal. The new site merges product selection, purchasing, services, and account management into a single digital workflow. It also embeds direct access...
Arm’s First-Ever Silicon Products Targeted at AI Data Centers
Arm Holdings has launched the Arm AGI CPU, its first production silicon product aimed at AI data‑center workloads. The chip packs up to 136 Neoverse V3 cores, a 300‑watt TDP and can deliver more than twice the rack performance of...
Display Driver IC Suppliers Mull Price Hikes Amid Rising Foundry, OSAT Costs
Display driver IC (DDIC) suppliers are confronting mounting cost pressure as foundry and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) expenses rise. Foundry services account for roughly 60‑70% of DDIC costs, while backend packaging contributes about 20%, and limited 8‑inch wafer...