Page 24 - Memory Chips News Today

SK Hynix, the second-largest DRAM producer and one of the major NAND manufacturers, is hesitant about whether to apply for incentives extended by the US federal government and is looking to buy more time to adjust its global production capacity.

Automobiles are poised to be one of the major drivers for the semiconductor industrys growth. To boost its automotive chip capacity, China announced it aims to set up more than 30 standards by 2025, encouraging and regulating related technology development.

According to TrendForce, NAND flash ASPs will continue to fall but at a slower 5-10% rate in the second quarter of 2023, and whether prices continue to fall in 2H23 will depend on demand.

Phison Electronics, which specializes in flash device controllers, is considering opening a R&D center in Malaysia to diversify its operations, according to company CEO K. S. Pua.

DRAM ASPs are expected to fall further in the second quarter, albeit at a slower rate, after falling as much as 20% in the first quarter of 2023, according to TrendForce. Nonetheless, there appears to be no end in sight to the price decreases, said TrendForce.

Micron Technologys revenue fell 53% year on year to $3.69 billion in the fiscal second quarter that ended on March 2, 2023, coming within the companys guidance range. The memory chipmaker has also issued a positive remark about customers inventory levels.

China-based memory module maker Longsys Electronics has actively developed its industrial and automotive storage offerings, eyeing a bigger presence in the high-end market segment.

To enhance the competitiveness of its back-end process "packaging," SK Hynix has divided its procurement department starting in 2023. For the first time, the procurement department has both a front-end and a back-end process team.

Semiconductor manufacturers worldwide are forecast to increase 300mm fab capacity to an all-time high of 9.6 million wafers per month in 2026, according to SEMI.

Samsung Electronics continues to promote its large-capacity SSD offering while major rival Kioxia expects automotive SSD demand to remain strong with no plans to cut its output for the category.