Semiconductor Industry
Ongoing coverage on Semiconductor Industry.
Latest coverage
Chinese memory maker CXMT mops up even more market share away from the likes of Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron, giving me…
Chinese memory maker CXMT is rapidly gaining market share, capturing 7% of the revenue market from established players like Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron. This growth is attributed to component validation for CXMT memory and a successful public offering. CXMT memory is reportedly being integrated into HP, Asus, and Acer notebooks, particularly in regions outside the US, as demand for memory, driven by AI, continues to outstrip supply.
SpaceXAI pats itself on the back for removing temporary turbines in Memphis under agreed order over the next year: "We care deeply about being good neighbors"
xAI and SpaceX have agreed to remove 69 mobile turbines powering their Mississippi data centers over the next 11 months, following an agreement with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The company plans to switch to power from a new 1.2 GW plant under construction and will invest in emission control technologies for the turbines. This action comes amid ongoing environmental and ethical disputes regarding the turbines and the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.
No Matter Which You Choose, Graphics Cards Are About To Get A Lot More Expensive
Graphics card prices are set to increase significantly, with both Nvidia and AMD implementing hikes of 20-30% and at least 10% respectively. This rise is attributed to increased demand and pricing from memory suppliers like Samsung. The price increases are expected to impact consumers as partners are unlikely to absorb the costs, and console manufacturers like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have already adjusted or are planning to adjust their own hardware prices.
Morning Tech Bits
Intel's Optane technology, specifically its KV cache, is discussed as a potential solution to ease RAM price increases. SK hynix is noted for its record-breaking $55.6 billion in revenue, highlighting significant activity in the semiconductor market.
Morning Safety Dance
A government-funded study warns that the Dutch semiconductor sector faces a high risk of Chinese interference. This warning comes alongside a CISA vulnerability summary for the week of July 13, 2026, highlighting ongoing cybersecurity concerns.
'Customer demand will remain higher than our supply capacity even beyond 2030': SK hynix CEO predicts memory…
SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung predicts the global memory supply crisis will persist beyond 2030, with customer demand consistently exceeding supply capacity. Despite ongoing capacity expansions by major players like SK hynix, Samsung, and Micron, the CEO forecasts that next year will be the worst in the industry's history from a supply perspective. Analysts express concerns about potential oversupply due to new capacity builds and the uncertain monetization of AI spending.
PS6 could cost nearly $1,000 USD just to produce
A leaker suggests the PlayStation 6 could cost nearly $1,000 USD to produce due to rising component prices, particularly for RAM and SSDs driven by the AI boom. Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino indicated that the company may not absorb all increased costs, implying higher retail prices for future consoles. This trend is also impacting sales of current-generation consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Memory manufacturers sued in class action suit alleging price and supply fixing
Memory manufacturers Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are facing a class-action lawsuit alleging they fixed component prices and reduced supply. The suit claims the companies coordinated their exit from DDR3 and DDR4 RAM production to focus on high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers, leading to significant price increases. This alleged manipulation has impacted console manufacturers like Sony and Nintendo, who have cited memory shortages as a factor in recent hardware price hikes.
Tencent, Xbox, Game Angels, Ansible and Flick to speak on Game Republic New Horizons investor stage
The Game Republic New Horizons conference will feature speakers from Tencent, Xbox, The Game Angels, Ansible, and Flick Games on its investor stage. The event, co-hosted by Games London, aims to connect game studios with investors and funders. Separately, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra discussed the ongoing global chip shortage, predicting gradual improvement in 2028 due to increased demand from data centers powering AI.
Evening Tech Bits
Tim Cook stated that Apple anticipates unavoidable price increases due to a memory crunch. Separately, a breakthrough in quantum error correction is expected by 2028.
SanDisk's officially-licensed PlayStation 5 SSDs cost more than the console itself - even a PS5 Pro
SanDisk has released officially-licensed NVMe SSDs for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, which also work on PCs. The drives range in price from $380 for 1TB up to $2,960 for 8TB, with even the base model costing more than a standard PS5. These high prices are attributed to a global memory and storage crisis exacerbated by AI-driven data center demand.
SK hynix claims it will be able to triple its memory chip output by 2034, roughly 10 years sooner than first projected
SK hynix plans to triple its memory chip output by 2034, a decade earlier than initially projected, by constructing four new chip factories. While this expansion is significant, the company states that it cannot accelerate the timeline further. The increased capacity is expected to double within five years and triple by the new target date, though it offers little immediate relief for the current global memory crisis.
Evening Tech Bits
TSMC, the world's largest chipmaker, has not ruled out price increases due to rising costs. The article also notes the anniversary of the floppy disk patent being granted in 1972.
AI Yi-Yi!
OpenAI and Anthropic have signed a letter to prevent the development of biological weapons using AI technology. Meanwhile, TSMC has warned that chip supply will not meet the high demand driven by AI for several years.
Evening Tech Bits
SpaceX is preparing for a record-breaking Initial Public Offering valued at an estimated $75 billion. In related tech news, NAND flash manufacturers achieved a record $46 billion in revenue during the first quarter of 2026, a significant increase from the previous year.
Morning Tech Bits
SK hynix plans to double its memory wafer production capacity over the next five years, according to its chairman. The company anticipates that an AI-driven shortage will continue until at least 2030. Cooler Master also showcased new MWE products.
Two memory manufacturers join Samsung in the $1 trillion market cap club, global DRAM revenue is nearing $100,000,000,000, and I'm here with my head in my hands
Global DRAM revenue is approaching $100 billion, with Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron all achieving market capitalizations of $1 trillion. While Samsung maintains the largest market share, ChangXin Memory Technologies is showing significant growth. Despite strong performance for manufacturers, rising prices are a concern for consumers and PC gamers.
TSMC employees reportedly following Samsung workers in threatening to strike over bonus cuts despite record profits
Employees at TSMC, the world's largest chip manufacturer, are reportedly threatening to strike over proposed bonus cuts, despite the company reporting record profits fueled by the AI boom. This follows a similar dispute at Samsung in South Korea. TSMC's chairman, CC Wei, is scheduled to meet with employees to discuss the bonus structure.
Evening Tech Bits
An investigation is underway into allegations that a Meta data center has contaminated the drinking water of a Georgia town, with the EPA promising immediate action. Separately, Chinese memory maker CXMT is reportedly entering the semiconductor market.
Morning Tech Bits
The US government is investing $2 billion in quantum computing firms through the CHIPS and Science Act. Analysts predict Nvidia is positioned to dominate the semiconductor market, capturing two-thirds of it.