Electronics Supply Chain News & Analysis

MEMS Microphones Enjoy Banner Year with Nearly 60 Percent Shipment Growth

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones that provide clear sound quality in mobile devices made a major splash ...

SIA Reports January Chip Sales Up From Prior Year

Year-on-year global semiconductor sales growth is up in January but down when compared to December.

Smartphones Drive China’s MEMS Market

Defying macroeconomic challenges impacting the global semiconductor space last year, China’s microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) ...

Tablet Display Prices Fall as Supply Swells

The boom in media tablet demand is causing display providers to flock to the market with more products, inflating the supply base and causing prices to decline ...

Larger-Sized Smartphones and Affordably Priced Handsets Highlight Mobile World Congress Show

Smartphones featuring larger displays, as well as lower-priced models targeted at the world’s emerging markets, were showcased at this year’s Mobile World Congress ...

Qualcomm, Samsung Lead Cellphone Chip Market in 2012

Qualcomm and Samsung dominated growth in the cellphone core IC market last year capturing over 50 percent of the total market.

Intersil to Cut Workforce and Sharpen it’s Focus

Analog and mixed-signal chip maker Intersil will lay off 18 percent of its workforce in a restructuring effort to strengthening financial performance and improving cash flow and sharpen the company’s focus.

AVX to Customers: Minerals Theft Won’t Affect Supplies

The alleged theft of 44 tons of the conflict mineral tantalite in Tanzania has prompted passive and interconnect component maker AVX to reassure customers its supplies weren’t being disrupted.

China Mobile Jumps Ahead of Domestic Rivals to Develop 4G on Home Ground

An ongoing effort by China Mobile to develop local 4G wireless infrastructure ahead of its two other rivals is likely to pay off down the road ...

MEMS Motion Sensor Market Continues Hot Growth Streak

The formidable success story of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) motion sensors in handsets continued last year following ...

NOR Prospects Still Down This Year, But Key Growth Areas Hold Hope

The NOR segment of the flash memory industry will continue to suffer declines as revenue is projected to fall for a second consecutive year in 2013 ...

Small- and Medium-Sized Display Market Slowed in December

Shipments of small- and medium display panels used in devices like smartphones and tablets dipped slightly in the final month of 2012 ...

Conflict Minerals Rule Challenged in Court

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s rule for dealing with conflict minerals is facing its first legal challenge in the courts, as the National Association of Manufacturers filed a brief in January with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. District.

Uneven Growth Ahead for Semiconductors

Broad macroeconomic factors may be driving modest growth in the global semiconductor market, but OEMs need to pay close attention to the undercurrents in specific component markets to ensure their supply lines remain strong.

Strong Growth Ahead for MEMS Motion Sensors

Growth for MEMS motions sensors is expected to top 13 percent in 2013 thanks in large part to strong demand for mobile devices.

2018: The End of Easy Scaling and the Dawn of Nanotechnology

In five years, Moore’s Law will hit a wall. Nanotechnology will break through that wall.

Conflict Minerals: Facing the Compliance Challenge

This is the year publicly-traded companies in the U.S. must track and report details about the conflict minerals in their products, and the dilemma of how exactly to do that is just starting to sink in.

Wireless OEMs to Drive Chip Spending in 2013

Following lackluster demand in 2012, worldwide semiconductor spending is set to grow by 6.2 percent in 2013, led by demand from original equipment manufacturers in the wireless segment.

Contract Manufacturers Focus on Business Fundamentals

Improving inventory velocity and cash flow are at the top of the list of objectives in 2013 as manufacturers face continued market uncertainty and increased scrutiny from OEM customers