“Foundry market to grow 20% next year…TSMC sales to expand”
On the 19th, market research firm TrendForce forecasted that the annual growth rate of the foundry market will rise from 16% this year to 20% next year. TrendForce explained, “This positive outlook comes as component manufacturers are adopting conservative inventory strategies due to weak demand for consumer products, and the average foundry utilization rate is expected to fall below 80% this year.”
He added that “factors such as increased wafer consumption per unit due to edge AI and continuous expansion of cloud AI infrastructure will drive the growth of the foundry market next year.”
Morgan Stanley Cuts SK Hynix Target in Half
According to the financial investment industry on the 19th, Morgan Stanley lowered the target price of SK Hynix by 54% from 260,000 won to 120,000 won in a report published on the 15th titled, “Winter is Coming… Investment Rating Downgraded by Two Levels.” The investment opinion was also lowered by two levels at once from overweight to underweight. In effect, it is a “sell report.”
Morgan Stanley said that the rate of increase in DRAM prices is slowing and that there will be an imbalance between DRAM supply and demand. It also forecasted that the average selling price (ASP) of DRAM and NAND will decline from 2025, which will slow down earnings growth.
“Japan, imminently joining in additional regulations on the mass semiconductor industry”… TEL export control expansion expected
According to the Financial Times (FT) and industry sources on the 19th, the US and Japan are said to be close to reaching an agreement on semiconductor sanctions. It is expected that Tokyo Electron’s exports to China and service provision will be restricted as early as this year if the US and Japan reach an agreement. Citing an anonymous source, the FT reported that “(the regulations under discussion between the US and Japan) are intended to make it more difficult for China to access semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and will have a significant impact on companies like Tokyo Electron in Japan.”
This industry regulation is also expected to limit Tokyo Electron’s ability to provide services such as software updates and equipment maintenance to Chinese companies. Currently, ASML in the Netherlands is considering suspending exports of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and deep ultraviolet (DUV) exposure equipment as well as related services.
“TSMC Kaohsiung Plants 1 and 2 to be in Operation Next Year”… Possibility of ‘1.4nm’ Plants 4 and 5
Taiwanese media outlets, including Liberty Times, reported on the 18th, citing sources, that Taiwanese TSMC, the world’s largest foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing company), is building its first and second cutting-edge 2㎚ (nanometer, one billionth of a meter) factories in Kaohsiung in the south of the country and is expected to begin operations next year.
The source said this in relation to the construction of the Kaohsiung plant, which is at the core of the semiconductor supply chain ‘S Corridor’ that the Kaohsiung city government is promoting as a key project.
The source said that TSMC plans to build three 2nm factories in the Kaohsiung Nanzi Science Park, and that Factories 1 and 2 (PI and P2) are expected to start operations in the first and third quarters of 2025, respectively. He said that construction for the 2nm factories is continuing.
iPhone 17 to be released next year, will it eventually be equipped with a 3nm chip?
It appears that the iPhone 17 series that Apple will release next year will be equipped with a processor based on a 3nm process.
On the 19th (local time), IT media MacRumors reported this, citing IT tipster Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple expert analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said through X, “Next year’s iPhone 17 series will be equipped with a processor made using TSMC’s 3-nanometer chip technology,” and “the processor for the iPhone 18 model to be released in 2026 will use TSMC’s 2-nanometer process technology.”
However, he added that due to cost issues, only the iPhone 18 Pro models are likely to use TSMC’s next-generation 2nm processor technology.
Japanese government abandons submission of Rapidus support bill within the year… “Next-generation semiconductor mass production also affected”
The Sankei Shimbun reported on the 19th that the Japanese government has decided to give up on submitting a bill to the extraordinary session of the Diet within the year regarding support for Rapidus for the mass production of next-generation semiconductors.
Sankei cited multiple government officials and reported that after the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, there is talk of an early dissolution of the House of Representatives and a general election, so it has been judged difficult to secure sufficient time to deliberate the bill.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to pass the bill in the regular session of the National Diet early next year, as it could affect plans to start mass production in 2019.
Chinese electric cars are coming in… Imports this year have already surpassed 1 trillion won
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea International Trade Association on the 18th, Korea’s imports of pure electric vehicles (BEVs) from January to July this year amounted to $1.29 billion, up 13.5% from the same period last year.
By country, Chinese electric vehicle imports were overwhelmingly first, at $848 million (approximately KRW 1.135 trillion), accounting for 65.8% of the total import amount. This is also the first time that the figure has surpassed KRW 1 trillion.
This was followed by Germany (USD 338 million), the United States (USD 44 million), and the United Kingdom (USD 23 million). Until last year, Germany was the top country for importing electric vehicles from Korea, while China ranked second.
SK ElecLink to Pilot Electric Vehicle Charging Service in Seoul Next Month
SK ElecLink, a company specializing in electric vehicle charging, announced on the 19th that it will be conducting a pilot operation of an electric vehicle on-site charging service in Seoul next month. To this end, it will be recruiting approximately 400 customers who wish to experience the service from the 19th to the 24th through the SK ElecLink website.
SK ElecLink will support electric vehicle charging by sending a mobile charging system to the location designated by customers selected through a lottery, and will also provide free interior and exterior steam car washing.
The mobile charging system was created by installing a rapid charger from Enercamp, a mobile electric vehicle charger manufacturer, on Hyundai Motor Company’s electrification business platform, ‘ST1’.
Electric cars overtake gasoline cars for first time in world in Norway
According to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Institute (OFV) website on the 19th (local time), out of the 2.8 million registered cars as of the 16th, pure electric vehicles excluding hybrid models were in second place with 754,303 units (26.3%). Gasoline vehicles were in third place with 753,905 units (26.2%).
This is the first time in the world that electric vehicles have surpassed gasoline vehicles among all registered vehicles, including used cars. Considering that in 2004, there were over 1.6 million gasoline vehicles and only 1,000 electric vehicles, the electric vehicle market has grown rapidly over the past 20 years.
Heizen Energy, ‘Demonstration Success’ of Core Water Electrolysis Material… Lowers Hydrogen Production Price
Hydrogen separation membrane manufacturing company Haizen Energy announced on the 12th that it has completed verification of its solid hydrogen separation membrane facility.
This demonstration was conducted in conjunction with the Changwon Solid Oxide Electrolyzer (SOEC) owned by SK Ecoplant. Hydrogen electrolyzed from water through SOEC was purified using the solid hydrogen membrane facility developed by Heizen Energy.
The solid hydrogen separation membrane facility purifies hydrogen through a reactor system consisting of a bundle of cylindrical supports. Heizen Energy replaced the existing metal-based support material with ceramic and plated it with palladium, which can selectively permeate and purify only hydrogen.
Using this support as a membrane, the electrolysis facility was operated for more than three months starting in May of this year, and the hydrogen purification rate was 99.99%. The hydrogen recovery rate also exceeded 90%, satisfying all of the conditions for successful demonstration.
Hyundai Motor Group becomes KT’s largest shareholder… Autonomous driving and 6G cooperation synergy
According to the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 19th, the Public Interest Review Committee determined that the change in KT’s largest shareholder would not harm the public interest. As a basic telecommunications service provider, KT must undergo the government’s review of the change in its largest shareholder according to the Telecommunications Business Act.
As of June this year, Hyundai Motor Group’s KT stake is 8.07%. Hyundai Motors owns 4.86%, and Hyundai Mobis owns 3.21%. The difference in stake between Hyundai Motor Group and the second largest shareholder, the National Pension Service (7.57%), is 0.5%p. However, the National Pension Service’s purpose for holding stocks is general investment, which is more active than Hyundai Motor Group’s simple investment purpose.
Places that have made general investments are relatively active in shareholder activities such as executive compensation, appointment/dismissal of directors, and proposals for increased dividends. On the other hand, places that have made simple investments only exercise voting rights on agenda items at general shareholders’ meetings.
Namuga, Strategic Partnership with Global AI Sensor Company
Namuga announced on the 19th that it has signed strategic partnerships with cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) image sensor companies that are attracting attention in the Americas and Europe. The plan is to jointly develop vision modules and expand sales by installing them in rapidly emerging VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) devices and jointly developing autonomous robots and mobility-oriented LiDAR.
Namugan supplies sensor modules developed through joint development with Lumotive, a U.S. company, to robot and global autonomous mobility companies. Lumotive is a company specializing in ultra-high-speed lidar and wideband ToF sensors with research bases in Washington State and San Jose, U.S.
A company official explained, “We have formed a strategic partnership with Lumotive, which possesses light source technology for LiDAR using a digital beam steering chip, and by utilizing their LCM (Light Control Metasurface) solution, we will be able to maximize the long-distance detection range and precision of the dToF sensor camera, a long-distance sensing technology.”
‘Educational robot manufacturer’ Alux begins KOSDAQ listing process
Alux, an educational robot manufacturing company, announced on the 20th that it has filed a securities report with the Financial Services Commission and has begun the process of listing on KOSDAQ. Alux is currently manufacturing educational robots and supplying them to approximately 2,500 schools nationwide.
Last year, it started mass production of drones and sold about 110,000 units through the first half of this year. Aerux’s sales and operating profit last year were 54.8 billion won and 5 billion won, respectively.
China’s Pudu, the ‘serving robot master’, unveils its first humanoid
Chinese service robot manufacturer Pudu Robotics has unveiled its first humanoid robot, the ‘D7’, with the goal of full commercialization next year.
Pudu Robotics focuses on developing three categories of robots: ▲’Specialized robots’ designed for specific tasks, ▲’Semi-humanoid robots’ that are highly adaptable and built for a variety of applications, and ▲’Fully humanoid robots’ for complex human interactions.
The Pudu D7, which was unveiled this time, is a semi-humanoid robot. It combines a human-like upper body, robot arms, and omnidirectional joints to enhance mobility and agility. It can handle complex tasks in various environments, from service-oriented spaces to industrial environments. It can operate elevators, transport goods, and perform sorting tasks.
“China, 50%↑ Market Share in Local Production of OLED for IT”
Chinese IT companies such as Huawei and Honor are increasing their share of the Chinese OLED market by adopting Chinese-made organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) not only for mobile devices but also for tablets and laptops. As Chinese display companies are supplying OLEDs at prices more than half that of Samsung Display and LG Display, concerns are being raised that the market share of domestic companies that are losing in price competition will gradually decrease.
According to the Information and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a U.S. economic and innovation policy think tank, on the 20th, Chinese companies are estimated to have over 50% of the global OLED market share. In relation to this, the Japanese Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported, “As China pursues localization of the OLED display supply chain, the market shares of Samsung Display and LG Display are declining.”
‘QLEDoS’ development project launched
According to industry sources on the 18th, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) material company Deoksan Neolux, Hanyang University, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), and Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials have jumped into the development of ‘QLEDoS’.
Samsung Display is the company in demand for the government project, ‘Development of Future Source Technology for Greenhouse Silicon Displays.’
The goal is to implement QLEDoS using indium phosphide (InP)-based QDs. QLEDoS is a display that uses QDs as light emitters on a silicon substrate. It implements red, green, and blue (RGB) pixels with QDs to express images. Specifically, it plans to develop front-plane technologies such as △RGB pixel integration technology and △high-brightness, high-color reproducibility self-luminous technology on a 12-inch wafer.
Source: kipost.net