Semiconductor News 20251225

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1. Samsung and SK Hynix to raise HBM prices by about 20% before 2026
   Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix reportedly plan to raise HBM3E prices by about 20% before the transition to the next-generation standard in 2026, in response to surging demand for NVIDIA’s H200 and ASICs. The entire market, including memory for PCs, is entering a “supercycle” of price increases, and major PC makers such as Dell are scrambling to secure supply slots and fix prices for 2026.
2. Apple to source over 60% of memory for iPhone 17 from Samsung
   Apple has reportedly decided to source 60% to 70% of the LPDDR5X memory for the upcoming iPhone 17 from Samsung Electronics. This move is in anticipation of expanded production for the iPhone 18. In the mobile DRAM market, Samsung has once again solidified its position as Apple’s primary supplier in terms of both quality and supply capacity, suggesting that it is increasing its market share advantage over the competition.
3. Rapidus President Koike Unveils Giant 600mm Square Substrate and Discusses 2039 Vision
   Rapidus President Koike unveiled the world’s first giant 600mm square packaging substrate. This is a back-end technology to maximize 2nm generation semiconductor performance and is intended to be a game changer not only in the front-end process but also in the packaging field. He also talked about the company’s long-term vision for the factory, looking ahead to 2039, and demonstrated its strong will to go beyond mere contract manufacturing to build a sustainable and scalable semiconductor ecosystem in Japan.
4. Trump Administration Delays Tougher Tariffs on Chinese Chips Until June 2027
   The incoming U.S. Trump administration has announced new tariffs on Chinese-made semiconductors and electronic components with an effective date set for June 2027. While this is seen as a grace period to avoid sudden supply chain disruptions and inflation, the policy of promoting decoupling in the long run remains the same. This will force companies to accelerate the “de-Chinaization” of their supply chains over the next few years.
5. Intel’s New Fab 52 Plant to Surpass TSMC Arizona in Capacity and Technology
   Intel’s new Fab 52 plant will reportedly have production capacity comparable to TSMC’s Arizona plant (Phases 1 and 2 combined) and will also introduce “18A” process technology more advanced than TSMC. If realized, this could give Intel a competitive edge in the U.S. domestic manufacturing capacity for advanced semiconductors, and is a powerful stepping stone to regaining dominance in the foundry market.
6. TSMC’s “N-2” Regulations Expand Samsung’s Commercial Opportunities in the U.S.
   The analysis showed that TSMC’s maintenance of the “N-2” (two generations ahead) rule, which delays manufacturing technology in its overseas factories from that in its home country of Taiwan, has resulted in commercial opportunities rolling in for Samsung Electronics in the United States. An ironic situation has arisen in which TSMC’s geopolitical security strategy is helping its competitors win customers, as Samsung and others without comparable restrictions are the leading choice for customers who want to procure cutting-edge chips in the US.
7. Samsung Strengthens Texas Base to Meet Tesla and xAI Goals
   Samsung Electronics is increasing its workforce and upgrading its manufacturing equipment at its Texas plant. The move is designed to help the company meet its 2026 delivery goals for manufacturing chips for Tesla and xAI. The company is working closely with a group of companies led by Elon Musk to strengthen its U.S. factory operations as a major supplier of semiconductors for AI and self-driving applications.
8. Semiconductor Industry Sales to Surpass $1 Trillion Next Year
   Bank of America has forecast that semiconductor industry sales will surpass $1 trillion next year, with the AI boom continuing to be a strong driver of the market, and this growth trend is expected to accelerate, particularly toward 2026. The company has accordingly selected six major chip-related stocks, including NVIDIA and Broadcom, and is bullish that the industry as a whole is poised for a boom period of unprecedented scale.
9. SMIC Raises Prices of Mature Process Products by 10%
   SMIC, the largest foundry in China, has reportedly raised the prices of its mature process (legacy node) products by 10%. Memory products are leading this price increase. It is believed to be driven by demand for in-house manufacturing in China and tightening supply and demand in certain mature chips, and may mark a turning point from the long-standing race to lower prices.
10. Taiwan’s November Export Orders Up Nearly 40% , Driven by U.S. AI Demand
    Taiwan’s November export orders were up nearly 40% from the same month last year, according to a new report. This surge is mainly due to AI-related demand from the United States. The data confirms that Taiwan will remain a global hub for AI and semiconductor supply in the new era of the digital economy, and shows that its industrial importance remains extremely high, even amidst calls of geopolitical risk.

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