Rising demand for internet of things (IoT), automotive electronics and smart home devices are driving foundries to shift some of their 200-mm production from LCD driver ICs to more profitable power management IC (PMIC) and microcontroller (MCU) devices, according to WitsView, a division of TrendForce. The result: panel makers should expect five to 10 percent higher…
Strong demand from data center servers and mobile products has driven tight supply and upward price pressure on server and mobile DRAMs throughout 2017. The trend has resulted in record sales for the DRAM market in all four quarters, according to IC Insights. DRAM revenue is forecast to reach $21.1 billion in the fourth quarter…
Chip sales for automotive systems and the internet of things (IoT) will grow 70 percent faster than total IC revenues between 2016 and 2021, according to IC Insights’ 2018 Integrated Circuit Market Drivers Report. IC sales for automobiles and other vehicles are forecast to grow from $22.9 billion in 2016 to $42.9 billion in 2021, while revenues for…
On the heels of strong earnings in the third quarter of 2017, Samsung is forecast to overtake Intel as the top semiconductor manufacturer in 2017, according to IC Insights. This will be the first time Intel has slipped in the top annual ranking since 1993. Intel is forecast to trail Samsung by $4.6 billion in…
Is Samsung’s massive $26 billion semiconductor capex only delaying China’s push into the memory device market? While it’s not likely to halt China’s inevitable drive into the DRAM and NAND flash markets despite technology challenges, it may wield a bigger influence on its competitors’ capex plans as Samsung protects its leadership position. For buyers, it…
The semiconductor industry has every reason to be optimistic for the rest of the year. Global semiconductor sales registered their highest-ever quarterly sales increase during Q3 to $107.9 billion; and optoelectronics, sensors, actuators and discretes (OSD) are on track to set record-high annual revenues in 2017. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported global Q3 chip sales…
Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the technology sector continue on an upward trend in 2017, although at a slower pace. For purchasers this could translate into growing component obsolescence or it could mean a chance to negotiate better pricing for more products from fewer suppliers. Global M&As in the first half of 2017 increased 8.4…
There’s no short-term relief ahead for electronics manufacturers that are scrambling for components. Tight supplies of capacitors and resistors are expected to last into mid-2018—longer than industry experts expected. The dreaded words “allocation” and “double-ordering” are coming up more frequently, meaning OEMs and EMS providers are facing long-term sourcing challenges. Thick- and thin-film chip resistor…
The global semiconductor market is forecast to reach $411.1 billion in 2017, an increase of 19.7 percent from 2016, according to Gartner, Inc. This is up from the market research firm’s previous revenue forecast of $401.4 billion. Analysts attribute growth to the memory device segment, which has been marked by price hikes and tight supply…
Industry analysts agree the semiconductor industry achieved one of its best second quarters in revenue growth, driven by the booming memory device market. The DRAM market, in particular, is expected to reach record growth levels in 2017. The semiconductor industry posted 6.1 percent growth compared to the previous quarter, reaching near record growth in the…