Intel's announcement of CEO Pat Gelsinger's unexpected retirement following the Thanksgiving holiday has sent shockwaves through the semiconductor industry. The departure of Gelsinger, who implemented the transformative IDM 2.0 strategy after taking the helm four years ago, has sparked intense speculation about the underlying reasons.

The upcoming US ban targets the Chinese semiconductor industry in what is expected to be the third significant crackdown in three years. However, the number of companies affected has been reduced from an earlier estimate of 200 to 140, with HBM memory designated as a primary target of these measures.

Marvell reported strong fiscal third-quarter results with a 6.87% revenue increase, driven by record data center revenue, primarily from custom AI silicon. The company forecasts continued growth in the fourth quarter, with revenue expected to increase by 19% quarterly and 26% year-over-year. Analysts predict that AI sales will exceed expectations, potentially reaching US$1.6 billion.

Donald Trump's upcoming return to the US presidency and his promised import tariffs threaten to disrupt the World Trade Organization's free trade principles. The WTO's 166 member states account for a combined 98% of global trade, and industry watchers are closely monitoring how these protectionist policies might reshape global commerce.

Orders for brand AI servers are surging, prompting Taiwan-based electronic contract manufacturing firms to capitalize on the trend regardless of order variations.

Demand for AI servers will not peak in 2025, according to Quanta Computer executive VP and Quanta Cloud Technology general manager Mike Yang. In his opinion, the AI industry has seen an end-to-end progression encompassing all aspects from training and inference to end-user devices. Quanta has also seen AI server orders steadily increase.

Apple is facing significant challenges in China, where its smartphone sales have been hit hard. Despite the launch of the iPhone 16 series in October 2024, the brand is under increasing pressure from domestic competitors. While Apple still managed to secure nearly 20% of China's market in October, this is a far cry from its previous dominance. Industry experts forecast that upcoming premium releases, such as Huawei's Mate 70, along with AI-driven devices from Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo, will further erode iPhone sales.

China's satellite navigation ambitions are accelerating, with plans for a next-generation BeiDou system taking shape amid growing commercial adoption of the technology. The expansion comes as Chinese tech giants leverage satellite capabilities in their latest devices, exemplified by Huawei's satellite-enabled Mate 60 smartphone and its new Mate X6 foldable flagship, which features innovative three-network satellite connectivity.

Global smartphone shipments have slowed in recent years due to high inflation, market saturation, and extended replacement cycles. However, the surge in generative AI (GenAI) has injected new life into the stagnant market, with global smartphone demand projected to grow 5% year-over-year, reaching nearly 1.2 billion units in 2024.

As a new member of the SEMI Silicon Photonics Industry Alliance (SiPhIA), Brightek is actively expanding its international presence, promoting its latest EVO ICLED products in markets such as China, the US, Germany, and South Korea. Despite lower-than-projected automotive and notebook demand in 2024, the company plans to deliver samples of its next-generation ICLED to automotive customers by year-end, targeting integration into new vehicle models launching by the end of 2025.

The European automotive supply chain faces deepening turmoil, with industry giants like Bosch, Valeo, and Ford announcing extensive layoffs. These developments underscore the ongoing slump in market conditions and the mounting pressure on supply chain sustainability across the region.

Electric car makers including Tesla and BYD have unleashed further discounts and incentives in China in a final push to meet annual sales targets.

The US Department of Commerce announced on November 29, 2024, its preliminary findings in antidumping duty investigations targeting crystalline photovoltaic cells and modules from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Danish officials are pressing Taiwan to accelerate its green energy transition, warning that mounting global competition for renewable resources could threaten the island's ability to meet its 2030 climate goals and maintain industrial competitiveness. Denmark, which became Taiwan's largest foreign investor in 2022 largely due to renewable energy investments, is leveraging its expertise in green technology to help guide Taiwan's path to net-zero emissions. Danish companies have already contributed to more than half of Taiwan's offshore wind capacity.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has marked a watershed moment in Taiwan's renewable energy sector by securing the first corporate power purchase agreement for its Round 3 offshore wind development, signaling the market's transition from government feed-in tariffs to corporate power purchases. Industry sources indicate additional agreements are expected in the coming months.

The largest US drone maker struggles with supply chain disruption after selling drones to Taiwan's fire departments, with current inventory projected to last until spring 2025.

Taiwan is making a determined push into aerospace as part of its "Five Trusted Industry Sectors" initiative, with the sector reaching NT$133.6 billion (US$4.2 billion) in output, returning to pre-pandemic levels. This industry, deemed critical for national defense and technological advancement, is experiencing a renaissance after the severe disruption of 2020-2022.

Jensen Huang recently identified drones as one of three types of robots suitable for mass production, marking his first public statement classifying drones within the robotics ecosystem. This observation follows his earlier assertion that "AI in its most general form is robotic."

The visibility of automotive product orders for LED manufacturer Edison is projected to extend throughout 2025, instilling confidence in the growth momentum of automotive orders. The company anticipates that both its LED lighting and automotive businesses will experience double-digit growth in 2025, particularly with finished product applications expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 20%.

Sustainability has become a major trend in recent years, with the e-paper market gaining momentum and being seen as a potential trillion-dollar industry. While electrophoretic e-paper currently leads the market, the emergence of cholesteric liquid crystal display (ChLCD) technology is expected to bring significant changes to the sector.

China's dominance in the LCD panel and TV manufacturing sectors is driving up procurement costs for South Korean giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. Additionally, China's aggressive pricing in the Mini LED market is putting pressure on their premium TV strategies, challenging the viability of their OLED TV plans.