Industry Updates: IC Design Manufacturers Adapt to Changing Supply Chains, Samsung Expands Infineon Collaboration, and Global Semiconductor Sales Experience Mixed Results

1.According to a report from IT House, IC design manufacturers are diversifying their supply chains, and the foundry market is shifting from a seller’s to a buyer’s market, which could put pressure on wafer foundries’ quotations and OEMs.

2.The Science and Technology Board Daily reports that Samsung’s foundry department is expanding its collaboration with Infineon in the power semiconductor business. Samsung has been OEMing MOSFET products for Infineon since last year, and the companies may expand their cooperation to next-gen power semiconductors.

3.The demand for display driver ICs beyond mobile phones is recovering, according to a report from Taiwan’s Electronic Times cited by the Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily. While mobile phone demand remains weak, high-end panel products in IT applications are being replenished, demand for TVs is healthy, and demand for automotive and non-consumer applications is strong. This has resulted in increased revenue for display driver IC manufacturers.

4.Winbond Electronics has partnered with MCU manufacturer STMicroelectronics to improve the performance of STMicroelectronics’ STM32 series memory. The collaboration involves importing Winbond’s memory chips and modules and optimizing integration to meet the needs of customers in the industrial market.

5.Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has launched a new 650V discrete IGBT, the GT30J65MRB, designed for power factor correction circuits in air conditioners and industrial equipment. The product aims to reduce power consumption and improve efficiency in large power supplies for various applications, including home appliances and industrial equipment that use inverters. The GT30J65MRB is now available for volume shipments.

6.The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reports that global semiconductor sales in January 2023 were $41.3 billion, a month-on-month decline of 5.2% and a year-on-year decline of 18.5%. However, data released by SIA in early February 2023 revealed that global semiconductor sales in 2022 had set a new record of $573.5 billion, a 3.2% increase from 2021. In the fourth quarter of 2022, global semiconductor sales amounted to $130.2 billion, a 14.7% decrease from the previous year and a 7.7% decrease from the previous quarter. This information was reported by foreign media and cited by TechWeb.