Worldwide Silicon Wafer Shipments Increase 13.4% Year-on-Year in Q3 2026, SEMI Reports

semiconductor-digest.com Nov 4, 2026

Worldwide Silicon Wafer Shipments Increase 13.4% Year-on-Year in Q3 2026, SEMI Reports

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Nov 4, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

SEMI’s Silicon Manufacturers Group reported that global silicon wafer shipments rose 13.4% year‑on‑year in Q3 2026, reaching 3,756 MSI from 3,313 MSI in Q3 2025. Shipments also climbed 5.1% quarter‑over‑quarter to 3,756 MSI from 3,573 MSI in Q2 2026. The increase was driven by robust AI‑related demand expanding beyond advanced logic into power devices and photonics, as well as stronger industrial demand from robotics, AI server power supplies, and general‑purpose semiconductors. Masatsugu Miura, SEMI SMG chairman, highlighted continued support from bonding and advanced packaging for 300‑mm polished wafers.

💡 Why It Matters

· The surge signals that AI and industrial automation are reshaping semiconductor supply chains, pushing wafer manufacturers to scale production.
· It underscores the growing reliance on high‑performance silicon substrates for next‑generation electronics.

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Nintendo’s main Switch cartridge manufacturer is leaving – that’s unlikely to affect…

Macronix, Nintendo’s primary supplier of flash memory for Switch 1 cartridges, is discontinuing production of the ROM chips that power those games. The company cites record profits and a strategic shift toward higher‑priced data‑center memory, which is in high demand. Macronix’s exit is unlikely to impact Switch 2 cartridges, which are manufactured by Rohm and an unidentified partner. Nintendo has no plans to abandon physical media, and the Switch 1 market is already shrinking.

💡 The move underscores the broader memory‑chip shortage that could inflate next‑gen console costs, but Nintendo’s continued commitment to physical cartridges keeps the Switch ecosystem stable.

semiconductor-digest.com · Nov 4

Valens Semiconductor Introduces the VS6310 Chipset

Valens Semiconductor announced the VS6310, a low‑power USB3 extension chipset designed for direct integration into e/PTZ cameras, touch controllers, active cables, and other small conference room peripherals. The VS6310 consumes less than 1 watt, enabling embedded designs that eliminate external extender boxes. It supports USB3 at 2.5 Gbps, USB2 at 480 Mbps, and control signals over Category cable up to 40 meters, complying with the HDBaseT‑USB3 standard. Samples arrive mid‑November 2026, with mass production slated for January 2027, offering manufacturers a simpler, cleaner video‑conferencing solution.

💡 By embedding USB3 extension into devices, the VS6310 cuts cable clutter and power needs, streamlining conference room setups and opening new design possibilities for compact AV equipment.

nextplatform.com · Nov 4

AMD Cannot Catch Nvidia, But It Sure Can Make Some Money

AMD’s datacenter GPU business remains far behind Nvidia’s, largely because AMD cannot secure enough high‑bandwidth memory (HBM) from Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron, limiting production of its Instinct MI‑series accelerators. While AMD’s Instinct MI‑400 chips load more HBM than Nvidia’s Blackwell and Rubin GPUs, the memory shortage forces AMD to sell fewer units and hampers its ability to take market share from Nvidia. AMD does, however, erode Intel’s position in server CPUs, now holding just over a third of X86 shipments and generating slightly less than half of its revenue in the first half of 2026. Revenue gaps have widened dramatically: Nvidia posted $26.9 billion in 2021 versus AMD’s $16.4 billion, $60.9 billion versus $22.7 billion in 2023, and forecasts project Nvidia at roughly $354 billion this year compared with AMD’s $52.2 billion, a gap that is expected to persist into 2029.

💡 AMD’s inability to scale HBM supply caps its AI‑accelerator growth, leaving Nvidia to dominate the lucrative generative‑AI market and shaping the competitive landscape for future data‑center investments.

semiconductor-digest.com · Nov 4

Semiconductor Market Continues to Accelerate in Q3 2026

The European Semiconductor Industry Association reported that global semiconductor sales hit $517.7 billion in Q3 2026, a 146.8% rise from the same quarter a year earlier and the strongest quarter‑on‑quarter increase of the year at 24.1%. Europe contributed $28.6 billion, up 102.5% YoY and 22.5% QoQ. The Americas led regional growth with 191.7% YoY, followed by Asia‑Pacific at 141.4% and China at 124.9%. Memory chips drove the surge, jumping 405.7% worldwide and 392.2% in Europe, fueled by AI data‑center demand and price hikes. Logic and microcomponents also posted double‑digit gains, while application‑specific chips rose 53.5% globally and 38.5% in Europe. Overall, exchange‑rate effects pushed European sales to €24.8 billion, a 105.9% increase year‑on‑year, underscoring the sector’s expansion. Investors are closely watching supply‑chain adaptations as capacity strains intensify.

💡 AI‑driven data‑center demand is converting semiconductor growth into a strategic economic lever, reshaping investment priorities worldwide.

eurogamer.net · Nov 4

One of Nintendo’s Switch and Switch 2 cartridge manufacturers is exiting the…

Macronix, a long‑time supplier of ROM memory for Nintendo’s Switch and Switch 2 cartridges, announced it will discontinue ROM production by the end of Q3 fiscal 2026. The company’s ROM segment now accounts for only 5 % of its business, down from 26 % a year earlier, and it is reallocating capacity to NOR flash and eMMC chips. Nintendo also sources ROM from Rohm, so the loss of a key partner tightens supply and could raise cartridge costs.

💡 The exit of a major ROM supplier heightens pressure on Nintendo’s physical‑media strategy, potentially driving up game prices or accelerating a shift to digital-only releases.

cleantechnica.com · Nov 4

Singapore Reveals Five-Year Energy Plan to Feed Data Center, Semicon Progress

Singapore’s Energy Market Authority unveiled a five‑year plan to expand the city‑state’s power infrastructure in response to rapidly rising demand from data centres, semiconductor fabs and electric‑vehicle transit. Peak demand, which hit 8.6 GW in August, is projected to reach 9.9‑13 GW by 2031, prompting the government to add five natural‑gas‑fired generators that would lift capacity by about 26 percent from the current 12 GW baseline. Regasification capacity will rise to 15 million tonnes annually by 2030, and up to $5.3 billion will be spent on grid upgrades, including seven new substations and a 15 % increase in high‑voltage lines. The plan also explores a Pulau Tekong energy district with hydrogen‑ready plants, expands solar to a 4 GW‑peak target by 2035, and accelerates battery storage deployment.

💡 By securing a diversified, high‑capacity energy supply, Singapore aims to keep its high‑tech sector competitive while insulating itself from global fuel‑supply shocks.