Semiconductor News 20260107

Main News

1. TSMC to Build 12 Fabs in Arizona as Expansion Stalls in Japan and Germany
   TSMC reportedly plans to build a total of 12 semiconductor factories (fabs) in Arizona, USA, as its capacity expansion plans in Japan and Germany have stalled. Geopolitical imperatives and changes in the support situation in various countries may be forcing TSMC to rethink its global manufacturing base strategy. While advanced process manufacturing capacity in the U.S. will be greatly enhanced, there are concerns about delays in plans in Japan and Europe.
2. Samsung and SK Hynix to raise DRAM prices by up to 70%
   Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix reportedly plan to reject long-term DRAM supply contracts and raise prices by up to 70%.The supply shortage is exacerbated by surging demand for AI servers, and Google and Tech giants such as Google and Microsoft are also expected to be affected. Memory makers are tightening their pricing power, making higher hardware costs inevitable.
3. Nvidia Unveils Next-Generation “Vera Rubin” Architecture
   Nvidia unveiled its new GPU architecture, Vera Rubin, at CES 2026. The new architecture is said to be 10x more cost-efficient than its predecessor, and a roadmap was presented for the next generation of Kyber, which aims to maintain market dominance by providing not only improved performance but also unparalleled economic rationale for the explosive growth in demand for AI computation.
4. Intel Officially Announces “Panther Lake” with 18A Process
   Intel announced at CES the Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) mobile processors, which use its state-of-the-art 18A manufacturing process. The performance of the integrated GPU (iGPU) has been significantly improved, narrowing the gap with discrete graphics. This is an important milestone that marks the commercialization of the 18A process with the restructuring of the foundry business.
5. SK Hynix Unveils World’s First 16-Layer HBM4 Memory
   SK Hynix unveiled the world’s first 16-layer stacked 48GB HBM4 memory module at CES 2026. As the performance of AI chips improves, more high-bandwidth and high-capacity memory is required, and the company has been working with LPDDR6 and The company showed off its technological capabilities along with next-generation solutions such as LPDDR6 and SOCAMM2. The company made clear its stance to take the lead in the next-generation memory development competition with Samsung.
6. Samsung to Resume Construction of P5 Plant in Pyeongtaek
   Samsung Electronics will reportedly resume construction of its temporarily suspended No. 5 semiconductor plant (P5) in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, in a move to hasten infrastructure development to accommodate a recovery in the memory market due to AI demand and increased production of advanced products such as HBM. The resumption of investment is a long-term strategic move for the semiconductor market. The resumption of investment is a sign of confidence in the long-term growth of the semiconductor market, and the company is preparing to secure supply capacity.
7. AMD Partners with OpenAI to Unveil New AI Roadmap
   At CES 2026, AMD announced a new AI roadmap with OpenAI and renowned AI researcher Fei Fei Lee, centered on strengthening the AI software ecosystem and strong partnerships to counter Nvidia’s solo dominance. The new AI roadmap is centered on strengthening the AI software ecosystem and building strong partnerships to counter Nvidia’s dominance. The strategy is to increase competitiveness not only by providing hardware, but also by working with the frontiers of AI development.
8. China’s President Xi Jinping Suggests Rare Earth Retaliation Against Japan
   During the South Korean president’s visit to China, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly moved to take retaliatory measures against Japan by restricting exports of rare earths (REEs). There is renewed concern that this critical mineral, which is essential for semiconductors and high-tech products, will be used as a diplomatic and trade weapon. Geopolitical tensions remain the biggest concern in managing supply chain risks.
9. Qualcomm Announces Dragonwing IQ10 for Robotics
   Qualcomm has announced the Dragonwing IQ10, a dedicated processor and general purpose physical AI stack for robotics. The company also unveiled its Snapdragon X2 Plus platform for Copilot+ PCs, expanding the application of AI technology from mobile to PCs and robotics. This is a move that builds a broad portfolio in the edge AI market, from industrial to consumer applications.
10. Marvell Acquires XConn Technologies for CXL Technology
    Marvell Technology has announced the acquisition of XConn Technologies, a provider of PCIe and CXL switching technology. Marvell Technology aims to strengthen its infrastructure solutions by incorporating CXL (Compute Express Link) technology, the next-generation standard for high-speed data transfer (interconnect) between processors and memory, which has become a bottleneck in AI data centers.

News List