Semiconductor News 20250821

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1. U.S . CHIPS Act and Equity Requirements The U.S. government is reportedly considering equity acquisitions for major recipients such as Samsung and TSMC, following Intel, under the CHIPS Act, which provides semiconductor manufacturing subsidies. This is an unusual policy that reflects Trump’s ideas and could have a major impact on the structure and corporate strategy of the global semiconductor industry. Some have editorialized that personal will is strongly reflected in U.S. industrial policy.
2. SoftBank ‘s $2 Billion Investment in Intel It has been revealed that SoftBank has invested $2 billion in Intel, and it was also reported that the bank initially intended to acquire Intel’s entire foundry division. The investment is seen as part of Sun’s bold strategy to link ARM to chip manufacturing, and is seen as an important move in Intel’s turnaround, although some investment banks have indicated that more time is needed.
3. Jaguar Shores, Intel’s Next-Generation AI Chip A test vehicle for Intel’s next-generation AI chip, Jaguar Shores, has come online, revealing its massive chip package. It has the potential to be a “make-or-break” turning point for Intel’s AI business, and is positioned as a pivotal development that will strengthen the company’s competitiveness in the AI space.
4. Google Pixel 10 and First 3nm Tensor G5 Announced Google has announced the Pixel 10 series, which will feature the company’s first 3nm chipset, the Tensor G5, which will deliver an average of 34% performance improvement over the previous generation, Tensor G4 and will feature advanced camera features, AI enhancements, and improved battery life, setting a new standard for Android smartphones in 2025.
5. Samsung’s HBM4 Supply Trends for Nvidia Samsung has reportedly passed initial quality testing and is well on its way to supplying HBM4 to Nvidia. In addition, Samsung has offered a 30% discount on HBM3E for Nvidia’s H20 AI chips, indicating Samsung’s strategic move in the high-performance memory market and the deepening of its close cooperation with Nvidia.
6. TSMC CoWoS Bottleneck and Impact on AI Memory It has been noted that a bottleneck in TSMC’s CoWoS packaging technology could lock AI memory manufacturers under Nvidia’s influence. This is a critical issue in the supply chain for AI chips and could have far-reaching implications for the industry as a whole, as it could be a factor that further solidifies Nvidia’s dominance in the market.
7. China Announces Advanced E-beam Lithography System China has announced an electron beam lithography system with accuracy comparable to ASML’s High-NA EUV. This is an important development for China’s autonomy in advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology, but at this point, the country is said to be facing challenges in mass production, and future trends in technological development and commercialization will be closely watched.
8. Slowdown in Semiconductor Investment and Bias toward AI Demand In the global semiconductor market, semiconductor investment is reportedly at a standstill, with investment slowing at major equipment makers such as Tokyo Electron and Screen. On the other hand, semiconductor market conditions from July to September were strongly dependent on AI-related demand, clearly indicating a slow recovery in demand for smartphones.
9. CXMT Targets HBM3 Mass Production by 2026 China’s CXMT reportedly aims to mass produce HBM3 by 2026. This will demonstrate China’s strong desire to establish a self-sufficient system in the high-end memory field amid ongoing trade friction between the U.S. and China, including the Trump administration’s move to redefine the chip trade calculation formula.
10. PlayStation 5 Price Increase in the U.S. Citing global economic conditions, Sony has announced a $50 price increase for the PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro in the United States. The price increase may affect consumer purchasing decisions and competitor strategies in the market for the major gaming consoles.

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