COMPUTERS
Chromebook use rises
Computers powered by Google Inc’s Chrome operating system are expected to increase to 3 or 4 percent of the market this year, posing a serious threat to Microsoft Corp, Taipei-based researcher TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said on Saturday. The growth will be supported by rising adoption of laptops running Chrome operating system by schools, good data security protection and up-to-date features for enterprise customers, TrendForce said in a report. Affordable prices for Chromebooks, free Cloud technology-enabled data storage and free use of limited data transmission on 4G networks will also help boost penetration of Chromebooks, TrendForce said. This is despite the Chromebook’s weakness in its deep reliance on an Internet connection, and consumers’ unfamiliarity with Google’s document processing software, the research house said.
INVESTMENT
Investor’s event set to open
Bank of America Merrill Lynch is sponsoring an investors’ conference in Taipei, set to start today, that will focus on mobile technologies such as 4G infrastructure, cloud computing, wearable devices and affordable smartphones. The five-day “Taiwan, Technology and Beyond Conference” is expected to draw participants from 175 businesses, including 140 domestically listed companies, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), MediaTek Inc (聯發科) and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), Merrill Lynch said. Keynote speakers will include executives from British chip designer ARM Holdings PLC, Japanese electronics maker Sony Corp, South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics Co, Chinese PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd (聯想) and US-based memory chip maker Micron Technology Inc, Merrill Lynch said.
Contract chipmaker United Microelectronics Corp (UMC, 聯電) yesterday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Polar Semiconductor LLC to collaborate on the production of 8-inch wafers in the US. The collaboration aims to strengthen 8-inch wafer manufacturing in the US amid Washington’s efforts to increase onshore manufacturing of semiconductors, contribute to supply chain resilience against shifting geopolitical dynamics, and ensure a secure domestic supply of power semiconductors critical to automotive, electric grids, robotic manufacturing and data centers, the companies said in a joint statement. Under the MOU, Polar and UMC will identify devices for Polar to manufacture at
TECH TITANS: Amazon’s latest chip joins Google in competing for the 90 percent market share held by Nvidia, which claims it is ‘a generation ahead of the industry’ Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Tuesday launched its in-house-built Trainium3 artificial intelligence (AI) chip, marking a significant push to compete with Nvidia Corp in the lucrative market for AI computing power. The move intensifies competition in the AI chip market, where Nvidia dominates with an estimated 80 to 90 percent market share for products used in training large language models that power the likes of ChatGPT. Google last week caused tremors in the industry when it was reported that Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc would employ Google AI chips in data centers, signaling new competition for Nvidia. This followed the release last month of
INSULATED: The company said it is less exposed to global complications, as it has built a strong footprint worldwide, and has multiple sources of rare earths and raw minerals Merck Group yesterday said it would ramp up production next year at its new flagship facility in Kaohsiung’s Lujhu District (路竹) to satisfy growing demand for advanced semiconductor materials and specialty gases, and to address supply resilience issues amid mounting geopolitical risks. Merck made the remarks during a news conference before the inauguration of its 500 million euros (US$582.1 million) facility, which is also to supply other markets in the Asia-Pacific region, it said. Merck executive board deputy chair and electronics CEO Kai Beckmann told reporters the company adopted a “local-for-local” strategy about seven years ago to address the cycle time of
Two companies wholly owned by the daughter of the founder of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) on Monday reported to the Taiwan Stock Exchange that they would dispose of all of the Hon Hai shares they hold. In filings with the exchange, Hong Wei Investment Co (鋐維) said it would sell the 2.771 million Hon Hai shares it holds and Frontier Investment Corp (承鋒投資) said it would sell its 2.409 million Hon Hai shares from tomorrow until Jan. 3 next year. The two companies are wholly owned and chaired by Shirley Gou (郭曉玲), the eldest daughter of Hon Hai founder Terry
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