| Chips Sales Grew 3.8 Percent in Q1 2008 |
Source:Andy Patrizio, internetnews.com, May 1, 2008 |
| http://www.internetnews.com |
In the face of economic pressures, worldwide semiconductor sales still managed to scratch out
a decent gain of 3.8 percent, to $63.4 billion for the first quarter of 2008, the Semiconductor
Industry Association (SIA) reported today. The quarter saw what the SIA said was a "normal"
seasonal decline after the fourth quarter of 2007, since Q4 is always the biggest quarter for
sales. But the overall drop was not as bad as would be believed in tough economic times. |
| back
to top |
| |
| The new challenge for tech companies: currency fluctuations |
| Source:Bolaji Ojo, EETimes, May 2 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
In the first quarter, currency fluctuations lifted margins at Apple, clobbered profitability at
STMicroelectronics, derailed carefully calibrated operating earnings projections at Infineon and
gave executives at wafer foundry TSMC such a fright that they promised firmer pricing
schemes. At the beginning of this decade, the U.S. dollar and the Euro were at parity, and
fluctuations in the values of the two currencies were limited and unremarkable. Top executives
paid scant attention to the foreign-exchange markets and consigned the strategic steps needed
to contain the negative effects of currency fluctuations to financial advisers. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Freescale closes acquisition of SigmaTel |
| Source: EETimes, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.eetasia.com |
|
Freescale Semiconductor Inc. has completed its acquisition of SigmaTel Inc., paying $3 per
outstanding share of SigmaTel stock representing approximately $110 million in cash.
"SigmaTel's analog and mixed-signal IC technologies complement our successful portfolio of
i.MX multimedia applications processors and position our multimedia business as a key growth
driver for Freescale," said Rich Beyer, chairman of the board and CEO of Freescale |
| back
to top |
| |
| Dark days loom as solar industry faces polysilicon shortage |
| Source: EETimes, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.eetasia.com |
The booming global demand for solar energy has brought forth shortage of polysilicon used to
make photovoltaic (PV) cells, says iSuppli Corp., causing PV suppliers to realign their business
structures and strategies and to seek alternative raw materials. According to the preliminary
forecast from iSuppli, global revenue for PV cells is projected to increase to as much as $22.1
billion in 2012, compared to $9.6 billion in 2007. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Cadence opens first IC design center in Brazil |
|
Source:EETimes, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.eetasia.com |
Cadence Design Systems Inc., in partnership with the government of Brazil, has opened the
first IC design training center in the country. The IC Brazil Training Center—located in Porto
Alegre, home to much of Brazil's high-tech industry—is the first such high-tech training center
in the country, and the first of four planned between Cadence and the Brazilian government. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Plug the gaps |
| Source:Moumita Bakshi Chatterjee, The Hindu BusinessLine, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.thehindubusinessline.com |
|
It’s a question of chipping in with support, at the right moment. At a time when India’s
attempts to establish itself as a global semiconductor manufacturing base are promising to
open the floodgates of investments, by companies such as Reliance Industries Ltd and
Videocon, the latest report by the India Semiconductor Association (ISA) throws light on the
state of semiconductor-related research across Indian Universities. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Power efficiency, the new chip norm |
| Source:Anand Parthasarathy, The Hindu BusinessLine, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.thehindubusinessline.com |
|
Did that laptop singe your lap after half an hour of use? Was that feature-laden smart phone
‘too hot to handle’ after taking or making a dozen calls? As device makers piled the features on
increasingly smaller, more portable platforms, processors and chip sets took the heat —
literally. Customers, however, have been unwilling to pay for must-have features if it meant a
power-guzzling gadget that seemed — palpably — to contribute to global warming. |
| back
to top |
| |
| GSA contends fabless is more |
| Source: Amir Ben-Artzi, EETimes, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
Success in the $268 billion semiconductor industry depends on outsourcing, partnerships,
financial performance, software and, most of all, innovation and flexibility, according to
presenters and panelists at the Global Semiconductor Alliance's recent Israel Executive Forum,
held in Tel Aviv. Not surprisingly, outsourcing mainly means moving to the fabless business
model, according to Dwight Decker, chairman of the GSA and of Conexant Systems Inc. "The
fabless model will eventually take over the whole industry--partly because the compound
annual growth rate in the overall semiconductor market is now 6 percent, while the CAGR in
the fabless sector is 28 percent," Decker said in a forum presentation. |
| back
to top |
| |
| MindTree Acquires 32.57% In Aztecsoft For Rs 117 Crore; To Make Open Offer For 20% |
| Source: VC Circle, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.vccircle.com |
|
The deal is through after months of speculation. Bangalore based MindTree Consulting has
announced that it would buy a majority stake in another city-based software services firm
Aztecsoft for Rs 190 crore. MindTree will initially buy 32.57 per cent stake in Aztecsoft from
venture capital fund e4e Holdings at Rs 80 per share (totalling Rs 117 crore), which will be
followed by an open offer for an additional 20 per cent stake from public shareholders. It
expects to close the open offer by end of August. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Qualcomm to build MEMS display plant
|
| Source: Mark LaPedus, EETimes, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
Qualcomm Inc. is a fabless chip maker. Or is it? Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc., a subsidiary
of Qualcomm, and Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co. Ltd. plan to build a new, dedicated display
fabrication plant in the Lungtan Science Park in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Taiwan's Cheng Uei is
sometimes called Foxlink. The plant will manufacture Qualcomm's next-generation displays, of
which it calls ''mirasol.'' The fabrication plant is slated to be operational in 2009. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Industry Ready for 450mm Wafers, Exec Says |
| Source: Agam Shah, PC World, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.pcworld.com |
|
The next big step in chip manufacturing will be the industry's move from 300mm wafers to
450mm wafers, which should help chip makers improve the performance of their products
while keeping costs down. Chip makers Intel, Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing Co. announced Monday that they will collaborate to move chip manufacturing
onto 450mm silicon wafers, with pilot tests to start in 2012. Some other companies are
resisting the move, however, because the switch will require the industry to invest billions of
dollars, and some companies say they are content with manufacturing on the current 300mm
wafers. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Should we be worried? |
| Source: Craig Conrad, EE Times, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.my-esm.com |
|
Gloom and doom: That's all we hear these days. Consumer confidence is waning, and rising oil
prices are putting pressure on the economy and consumer spending. The housing sector is going
from bad to worse, and lending conditions have become tight. Does anybody doubt that 2008 is
going to be a tough year for most industries, including electronics distribution? Things aren't as
bad as everyone assumes. But even the best forecasters tend to be overly optimistic when
predicting growth. For instance, recent data gathered for the semiconductor industry showed
experts predicting 8.7 percent growth in 2007. The reality? Only 4 percent growth last year. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Intel, Samsung, TSMC push for 450-mm |
| Source: Mark LaPedus, EETimes, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
Intel, Samsung and TSMC have reached an agreement on the need for industry collaboration for
450-mm wafers starting in 2012. Intel, Samsung and TSMC indicate that the semiconductor
industry can improve its return on investment and reduce 450-mm research and development
costs by applying aligned standards, rationalizing changes from 300-mm infrastructure and
automation, and working toward a common timeline. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Study: Companies can't find enough skilled workers in Romania |
| Source: Drew Wilson, EETimes, May 5 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.eu |
|
Romania's labor shortage was highlighted in a 32-country study by human resources firm
Manpower, which found 73 percent of companies in Romania were unable to find skilled
personnel for open positions. The areas hardest hit are Bucharest and Western Romania, which
includes Timisoara and Arad, said Eliza Nechifor, spokeswoman for Manpower Romania in
Bucharest. She estimates unemployment is about 1 percent in these regions. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Synopsys invests in Swedish software firm |
| Source: Anne-Francoise Pele, EETimes, May 6 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
Synopsys Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.) announced it has made an investment in Prover
Technology AB (Stockholm, Sweden), supplier of signaling design automation solutions for
engineering the safety critical systems that control trains, switches and signals. Financial
details on the investment remained undisclosed. Prover Technology said the funds will help
accelerate its R&D efforts and expand its operations in Europe, in North America and in Asia. |
| back
to top |
| |
| China-India Rivalry Possible in African Telecom Deal |
| Source: Heather Timmons, The New York Times, May 7, 2008 |
| http://www.nytimes.com/ |
|
A battle for the MTN Group, a leading South African telecommunications company, could come
down to a clash between the world’s largest and fastest-growing emerging markets. Bharti
Airtel of India, which said Monday that it was in talks with MTN, is expected to face stiff
competition from a Chinese rival, some investment bankers and investors say. MTN, based in
Johannesburg, is highly prized because it has nearly 70 million subscribers and is in some of the
world’s fastest-growing telecom markets, including Nigeria and Iran. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Analysis: Is asset-lite a smart move for AMD? |
| Source: Bolaji Ojo, EETimes, May 7 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
If Advanced Micro Devices Inc. were to spin off or combine its manufacturing operations into a
standalone company with any of its current production partners as is being speculated (see:
AMD to spin-off fab operations?), the microprocessor supplier could dramatically alter its cost
structure and reduce this enough to improve its competitive stance against rival Intel Corp.
While industry observers believe the asset-smart strategy could overall be positive for AMD, it
could also distract management attention as it executes what would amount to a delicate
transition at a time the company is struggling to vend off intense competition from Intel in the
microprocessor area and Nvidia Corp. in the graphics IC sector. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Indian semiconductor ecosystem changing, panelists say |
| Source: K.C. Krishnadas, EETimes, May 7 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
Top executives from the Indian and global chip industry think the semiconductor ecosystem in
the country is poised for takeoff. But first, Indian chip developers must build up their
repositories of intellectual property, industry leaders told members of the India Semiconductor
Association today (May 7), and they also need to collaborate if they hope to play in the global
semiconductor market. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Samsung ranks 10th in foundry list |
| Source: Peter Clarke, EE Times, May 8 2008 |
| http://www.eetindia.co.in |
|
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd has secured the tenth spot in IC Insights' ranking of the leading IC
foundries for 2007 after increasing its foundry sales fivefold in 2007 to hit Rs.1,552.47 crore
($385 million) in revenue. The South Korean firm has come from zero sales in 2005 to a
significant position, although still an order of magnitude down on market leaders Taiwan
Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., United Microelectronics Corp., Semiconductor Manufacturing
International Corp. and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing. Aided by a technology
alliance with IBM and Chartered and with a new, 300mm wafer fab dedicated exclusively to
foundry production, Samsung has quickly emerged as a foundry player. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Chip designers should collaborate' |
| Source: Business Standard, May 8 2008 |
| http://www.business-standard.com |
|
With technology and economics becoming inseparable in the present-day consumer-driven
market, the movers-and-shakers of the semiconductor ecosystem have begun to speak loud of
recasting the industry by giving thrust to `collaborations'. "There are a whole lot of other
players outside the semi-conductor eco-system who are making more money from the applications designed by the semiconductor industry. These players are the service providers
like Google and Yahoo. If the semiconductor companies have to play a bigger role in the future,
they should collaborate," said Aart de Geus, chairman and CEO, Synopsys Inc on Tuesday. |
| back
to top |
| |
| India to become eighth wealthiest place by 2017: Barclays Wealth |
| Source: The Hindu Business Line, May 8 2008 |
| http://www.ibef.org |
|
Barclays Wealth on Wednesday published its report titled Evolving Fortunes, which signals the
rise of emerging markets such as India, displacing more developed economies, with China,
Brazil and Russia also reaching the top 12 wealthiest countries ranking. This, according to the
report, signals a global shift in the distribution of wealth which will result in the terms “G7” or
“developed” as an outmoded categorisation for wealthy economies. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Actual data shows March global chip market up 7.3% |
| Source: Peter Clarke, EETimes, May 8 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
The global market for semiconductors was $25.51 billion in March according to data from World
Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS), up 7.3 percent on March 2007 and up 35.8 percent from
$18.78 billion in February 2008. This represented a continued turnaround in the semiconductor
market which had climbed 3.9 percent in February compared with a year before following on
from a January market showed a decline of 0.7 percent compared with January 2007. On a
geographic basis the Japanese market showed the greatest strength bouncing to $5.18 billion,
up 18.2 percent from $4.38 billion in March 2007. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Bosch to invest billions in Asia |
| Source: Christoph Hammerschmidt, EETimes, May 8 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
Industry and vehicles electronics giant Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany) has added 6 percent
to its global sales in FY 2007. The strongest growth was achieved in Asia — and that's why Bosch
plans to in invest particularly high sums in that region. Overall sales were €46.3 billion (about
$72 billion). While overall growth was with 6 percent in the mid-single digit range, in Asia the
company grew about twice as fast. For that reason, the company said it will allocate
disproportionately high financial resources for its expansion in countries such as India, China,
Korea and Japan. Over the next two years, the company plans to invest €1.9 billion in Asia. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Return of the consumers |
| Source: Brian Sprague, Terry Steger and David Douthit, EETimes, May 8 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com/ |
|
The consumer electronics industry has a massive and escalating problem on its hands in the
realm of product returns. A recent analysis conducted by Accenture found that in the United
States, the customer return rate for consumer electronics averaged 11 to 12 percent in 2007. In
the same year, manufacturers, communications carriers and electronics retailers spent an
estimated $13.8 billion managing returned merchandise. What's more, around 95 percent of the
returned products were found to have nothing technically wrong with them. |
| back
to top |
| |
| 30 Fortune 100 firms, 10 Nobel winners by 2022: Prahalad |
| Source: Business Standard, May 9 2008 |
| http://www.ibef.org |
|
Indians need to "
straddle the pyramid" to make the India@75 vision happen, says management
guru. Coimbatore Krishnarao Prahalad, the guru of post-modern management, today threw the dream of leadership in the new world order by 2022 at a large and influential section of India
Inc. India, Prahalad said, can have by 2022 the world's largest pool of trained manpower (500
million skilled workers), 30 companies in the Fortune 100 list, 10 per cent of world trade and
10 Nobel Prize winners. On the softer side, it can become the source for global innovation and
a new moral voice for people around the world. |
| back
to top |
| |
| ARM puts $1mn in VLSI lab |
| Source: Business Standard, May 9 2008 |
| http://www.business-standard.com |
|
British microchip designer ARM Holdings has invested $1 million to set up a VLSI test lab at its
Bangalore design centre. The lab, which is starting off operations with 12 people on its rolls,
will provide testing and validation services for SoC (system-on-chip) development out of the
company's Bangalore centre. This would enable ARM to double capacity of its Indian operations
by the end of the third quarter of the year, ARM CEO Warren East said on Wednesday. |
| back
to top |
| |
| A multi-billion-dollar enterprise called ‘MIT India’ |
| Source: Sramana Mitra, DNA-Money, May 9 2008 |
| http://www.dnaindia.com |
|
Twelve years ago, in 2008, it was clear that the labour arbitrage-based IT services industry that
had made India a player in the global technology market, was facing a threat. The key issue
was supply-demand equilibrium. India’s engineering education system simply could not keep up
with the demand for talent. Engineering schools below the top tier (IIT, IISC and a few others)
were struggling due to lack of faculty. Anyone who knew any engineering had multiple
multinational companies dangling job offers in front of their nose. Why would they go teach in
a small engineering college in a small town? |
| back
to top |
| |
| |
| ISA-IDC report 2008 on Indian semiconductor and embedded design service industry
(2007-2010) |
| |
|
This report provides details on design workforce; analysis of the main design services segments-
VLSI, hardware/board design and embedded software; revenue, market drivers and trends. It
offers a review of the Indian semiconductor and embedded design services market for 2007 and
projections up to 2010. It identifies future opportunities and strengthens the existing design
ecosystem in India. The report is an exhaustive depth field work and carries current data. |
For details, please contact research@isaonline.org
Members: INR 7500 / USD 195.
Others: INR 9000/ USD 235
Courier charges extra
|
| |
| back
to top |
