Trump announced that Apple will work with Intel to design and build chips in America, prompting an 8.8% rise in Intel's stock and a 0.6% increase in Apple's. The deal, a substantial multi-year agreement, is believed to concern production of older or lower-end processors, such as M-series chips for iPad Pro and MacBook Air. The partnership follows initial rumors and test production in May 2026. Details on delivery, shipment, and deal worth remain unclear. Intel's entry into [...]

The three major foundries, Intel, Samsung, and TSMC, are introducing 2nm-class processes in 2026, featuring gate-all-around field-effect transistors. Intel's Panther Lake is the first shipping product with this technology, using Intel 18A and backside power delivery. Samsung's SF2 is used in the Exynos 2600 smartphone SoC, while TSMC's N2 is expected in Apple iPhones by year-end. A fourth entrant, Rapidus, is targeting 2027 entry with 2HP process technology. The first 2nm chips are PC and mobile SoCs, [...]

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are considering locations in South Korea's Honam region for new semiconductor packaging plants. The two companies are looking to expand their operations and add capacity. Industry sources cited by The Elec and Hankyung reported the plans, which mark a potential first for the region. The Honam region has been targeted due to its proximity to major chip clusters and available resources. The move is significant as it could bring new investment and [...]

Confirmation of a US-Iran deal sparked a global tech rally led by chipmakers, despite the signing awaiting until Friday. The deal's announcement removed the war premium from markets, causing a risk-on rally. Stocks such as SoftBank Group, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., and Tokyo Electron saw significant gains, with Japan's Nikkei 225 climbing 5.5 percent. The rally was driven by the removal of the war threat, which had hung over the chip and AI trade for weeks. The [...]

A US-led coalition pushed for AI rules at a G7 lunch, aiming to cut China out of chip and model access. Macron and Modi warned of dependence risks, with India being hit hardest due to its lack of frontier chips and models. India leads the world in daily AI use, but funds are flowing into data centers from companies like CPP, AirTrunk, and Meta-Reliance. The country's limited access to chips and models is fueling calls for state [...]

The SEMI Smart MedTech Initiative has identified key obstacles hindering the widespread adoption of wearable biosensors in clinical settings. Despite rapid advancements in semiconductor technologies and edge AI, wearables struggle to scale beyond everyday wellness into clinically accepted healthcare solutions. The initiative's strategic outlook paper, Medicalizing Consumer Silicon, highlights systemic barriers such as poor integration, validation requirements, and regulatory context as primary challenges. The paper recommends collaboration across industry sectors, academia, and government to address these challenges [...]

SK hynix has shipped samples of its 12-layer next-generation HBM4E to major customers, achieving a maximum speed of 16Gbps per pin with improved performance and efficiency. The HBM4E utilizes Advanced MR-MUF, reducing heat resistance by 17% and improving stability. This development strengthens SK hynix's AI leadership, delivering value to the market with its technological capabilities and manufacturing expertise. The company will work closely with partners for mass production, improving data processing capabilities for AI training and inference. [...]