The Tech Week that Was.. Dec 18~22

As we approach Christmas? and the end of 2023, welcome to the latest edition of my weekly newsletter bringing you all the key semiconductor and technology news from around the world in one easy read.

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IDC is the latest research company predicting that 2024 will be a good year for the semiconductor market, predicting that 2024 will grow 20% YoY.? Global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) will explode and coupled with the stabilizing demand for smartphones, personal computers, infrastructure together with resilient growth in automotive; the semiconductor industry is expected to usher in a new wave of growth.

In other Industry news...

US chip maker Qorvo to sell Chinese plants to iPhone assembler Luxshare.? Qorvo will sell it’s assembly and test facilities in Beijing and Dezhou, China to Luxshare who will acquire each facility’s operations and assets, which include the property, plant and equipment, as well as the existing workforce, to enable seamless continuity of operations.? Luxshare will also assemble asnd test products for Qorvo under a long term manufacturing agreement.

TSMC chairman Mark Liu will step down from his position in June next year and the company’s board of directors has nominated chief executive officer C.C. Wei as his successor, TSMC announced this week.? Mark Liu will reture next year and step down from botht he position as Chairman and also from the TSMC Board.

TSMC’s existing US fab, WaferTech, known as TSMC Fab 11, has been renamed to ‘TSMC Washington’.? The Fab was started in 1996, and. in 2010 became a wholly owned subsidiary of TSMC.?

TSMC is on track with it’s plans for 2nm production in 2025.? Hsinchu Science Park Director said this week, TSMC is expected to move in the first piece of manufacturing equipment for its first 2-nanometer fab in April, paving the way for the world’s biggest contract chipmaker to start producing 2-nanometer chips in 2025.

ASML is reported to be planning to manufacture 10 high NA EUV machines capable of 2nm technology next year and increase that number to 20/year in the coming years.? Intel is reported to have secured 6 of the 10 units next year, with TSMC and. Samsung also in the race for 2nm process technology.? The latest extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment is expected to increase the numerical aperture (NA) from 0.33 to 0.55.

Apple will stop selling it’s Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches in the U.S. from Dec 26th following a ban imposed by the US International Trade Commission (ITC).? The ban is the result of a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. The ITC has ruled that the SpO2 sensor in Apple’s smartwatches infringes upon Masimo’s patents.? Apple has stopped selling the watches at it’s U.S. on-line store and will stop selling in it’s U.S. physical stores after Dec 24th.

In market reserch news..

Worldwide shipments of augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) headsets are expected to decline -8.3% YoY in 2023 to 8.1 million units (Mu) according to the latest data from IDC.? ?Whilst the new launches in 2023, especially Sony's PSVR and Meta's Quest 3, were well received, due to macroeconomic pressures and increasing selling prices, sales have declined. Looking ahead to 2024, IDC forecasts that it will be a pivotal year with sales growing +46% YoY in 2024 to just under 12Mu, and shipments are expected to reach 29million units by 2027.

IDC is also forecasting that global PC shipments will recover in 2024 .? Global PC shipments for 2023 are forecast to be 252million units, down -14% YoY, giving 2 consecutive years of double digit declines.? However IDC is predicting that shipments will grow 3.4% in 2024 and continue to grow at 3% CAGR until 2027 reaching 285million units by 2027.

That's all for this week. Wishing all my readers, Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.? 2023 is ending on an optimistic note with growth for the whole semiconductor industry generally predicted in 2024. ?Let’s hope that the new year delivers as expected.

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Stay safe and healthy... bye

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