1.ST will supply silicon carbide MOSFET devices to automotive T1 factory BorgWarner
Recently, STMicroelectronics (ST) announced that it will supply silicon carbide MOSFET devices to automotive Tier 1 manufacturer BorgWarner to support Volvo Cars’s full electrification process by 2030. BorgWarner will use silicon carbide devices in its migration inverters for current and future Volvo pure electric vehicles.
ST’s high-volume STPOWER silicon carbide products are produced in wafer fabs in Italy and Singapore, with packaging and testing in back-end fabs in Morocco and China. In October 2022, ST announced that it would build a new integrated silicon carbide substrate manufacturing plant in Catania to expand its wide bandgap manufacturing capabilities.
2. Industry: The pressure to adjust the inventory of mature process wafer foundries continues
According to the Taiwan Economic Daily cited by the Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily, the pressure to adjust the inventory of mature wafer foundry processes continues. The industry estimates that this wave of price cuts for mature processes has wiped out 40% to 50% of the increase in quotations over the past two years. According to industry insiders, this wave of price reduction pressure for mature manufacturing processes mainly falls on companies other than TSMC.
The industry generally believes that there is room for continued correction in prices for mature processes, but it is impossible to predict how long the price reduction trend will continue. IC design industry professionals admit that in the face of pressure from clients to reduce chip prices, they must maintain gross profit margins, so they will continue to strive for foundries to lower their quotations.
3. TrendForce: Mobile phone production fell another 6.6% in the second quarter to 270 million units
According to Kuai Technology, TrendForce’s latest research report pointed out that after a sharp drop of nearly 20% year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, global smartphone production fell again by 6.6% to approximately 270 million units in the second quarter, and only 520 million units in the first half of the year. Department, fell 13.3% year-on-year.
TrendForce analyzed there are three reasons: market demand after the epidemic did not recover as expected, and people’s consumption willingness was conservative; the demographic dividend in emerging markets such as India failed to take advantage; last year’s inventory backlog was too high, and mobile phone manufacturers did not dare to release production. By 2024, the economic situation is still not optimistic, and TrendForce predicts that the annual growth rate of global smartphone production will only be 2%-3%.
4. Apple’s iPhone 15 production orders this year are rumored to be lower than last year’s model
According to TechWeb citing foreign media reports, analysts revealed that Apple had placed production orders for the iPhone 15 series in the second half of this year to the supply chain in August, ranging from 80 million to 90 million units, which is lower than the iPhone placed in August 2022. Orders for 14 series range from 90 million to 100 million units.
However, considering that it will be available for pre-order on September 15 and will be available on the 22nd, there will be more than three months of sales this year. Apple may adjust orders based on market demand. If demand exceeds expectations, additional orders may be placed.
5. Japanese electronic components shipments to China have declined for 8 consecutive months
According to IT House news, data released by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industry Association on August 31 showed that in June, Japanese companies’ electronic component shipments decreased by 7% year-on-year to 355.9 billion yen (currently approximately 17.688 billion yuan). ), lower than the previous year for eight consecutive months.
Nikkei said that against the background of inflation and other factors, transactions of final products such as smartphones and personal computers have weakened, and supply to China, which accounts for 30% of overall shipments, has also continued to be sluggish. Most opinions believe that shipments of electronic components will slowly recover from the second half of 2023. Apple’s new iPhone, scheduled to be released in September, is expected to boost demand, and trends in China’s economy and automobile production will also affect future shipments.