After Intel settled down plans for restructuring last week, revealing schemes to transform its foundry business into an independent unit with its own board, some potential buyers have been reportedly emerged. After Qulacomm’s rumored proposal of a friendly takeover, latest reports by Bloomberg and Reuters note that U.S.-based asset management company Apollo has recently expressed interest in making an equity-like investment worth up to USD 5 billion in Intel.

However, another U.S. chip giant Broadcom, which had earlier been exploring the possibility of pursuing such a deal, is said not actively considering an offer for Intel at the moment, Bloomberg suggests.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg notes that advisers are still presenting ideas to Broadcom. However, a spokesperson for Broadcom declined to comment.

It is worth noting that in 2018, Broadcom’s planned acquisition of Qualcomm was blocked by the U.S. government due to national security concerns. A potential deal between Broadcom and Intel would likely encounter similar regulatory hurdles.

On the other hand, U.S.-based asset management firm Apollo is said to shown interest in making an equity-like investment of several billion dollars in Intel, while the struggling giant is currently considering Apollo’s proposal, according to Bloomberg and Reuters.

The discussions, though, are still in the early stages and no agreement has been reached, the reports indicate.

This is not the first time Apollo has shown its interest in Intel. Earlier in June, the buyout firm and Intel announced a definitive agreement under which Apollo-managed funds and affiliates will lead an investment of USD 11 billion to acquire from Intel a 49% equity interest in a joint venture entity related to Intel’s Fab 34.

According to Apollo’s press release, located in Leixlip, Ireland, Fab 34 is Intel’s leading-edge high-volume manufacturing (HVM) facility designed for wafers using the Intel 4 and Intel 3 process technologies. To date, Intel has invested USD 18.4 billion in Fab 34.

Read more

• [News] Qualcomm Rumored to Consider Acquiring Parts of Intel’s Chip Design Business, with a Focus on PC Segment
• [News] Qualcomm’s Potential Takeover of Intel Might Have Minimal Impact on TSMC, But Not MediaTek

(Photo credit: Intel)

According to a Wall Street Journal report cited by Reuters, two of the world’s largest chipmakers, TSMC and Samsung Electronics, have explored potential chip projects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that could be worth over $100 billion in the coming years.

Top executives from TSMC have visited the UAE and discussed building a chip plant complex comparable to the company’s most advanced facilities in Taiwan, WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the talks.

In response to the rumors, TSMC stated that the company always welcomes constructive discussions that promote the development of the semiconductor industry with an open attitude. TSMC is currently focused on its existing global projects and has no specific plans for new overseas investments at this time.

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics is also considering large-scale chip manufacturing operations in the UAE, with the discussions still in early stages, according to unnamed sources cited by WSJ.

Senior figures from Samsung recently visited the UAE and engaged in discussions about the project, though it is still in its infancy and could face technical and other challenges, the WSJ noted.

Neither TSMC nor Samsung responded immediately to Reuters’ request for comment.

The UAE is expected to fund these projects, with Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala, playing a central role, WSJ said, adding that the broader aim is to increase global chip production and lower prices without cutting into chipmakers’ margins.

As tech deals accelerate in the region, Washington has grown more concerned about the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries becoming channels for advanced U.S. AI technology reaching China.

Notably, the UAE has recently made strides in positioning itself as a key player in advanced technologies. In March, the Financial Times reported that Abu Dhabi’s newly formed AI investment company, MGX, had begun preliminary discussions with OpenAI regarding chip business investments—part of the UAE’s ambition to become a global leader in AI development.

Earlier this year, in February, the WSJ also reported that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had met with investors in the UAE and other regions to discuss massively scaling up production of chips, power, and other key AI infrastructure—a move that could eventually require up to $7 trillion in investments.

(Photo credit: TSMC)

For Intel, last week was like a roller coaster. On Monday, the company settled down plans for restructuring after the board meeting. On Friday, however, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, it turns out that Qualcomm has reportedly reached out to Intel regarding a potential acquisition offer, which would rank as one of the largest-ever technology mergers if the deal were to take place.

Should Qualcomm take over Intel, the mega deal may have limited impact on TSMC, the world’s largest foundry. However, Taiwanese smartphone chip giant MediaTek would be more heavily impacted, according to Taiwanese media the Economic Daily News and Commercial Times.

Citing domestic and foreign institutional investors, the Economic Daily News notes that regarding that the Broadcom-Qualcomm saga came to an abrupt end in 2018, the likelihood of the Qualcomm-Intel deal to realize might be low. However, if the acquisition does go through, it could create certain impact on Taiwanese manufacturers.

Citing remarks from Hong Kong-based and foreign semiconductor analysts, the report by the Economic Daily News points out that Intel’s weakness in its foundry unit would be its fatal flaw. With Intel’s yield rates and performance in the advanced nodes lagging behind TSMC, even if Qualcomm successfully acquires Intel, it is expected that Qualcomm would not reclaim the orders currently outsourced to TSMC, indicating the impact to the Taiwan-based foundry giant would be minimal.

Furthermore, the report suggests that from Qualcomm’s perspective, the more logical scenario would be to acquire only Intel’s chip design business. However, from Intel’s standpoint, they would prefer to sell the entire company as a package. Thus, the analysts cited by the report project that Qualcomm is more likely to spin off Intel’s chip manufacturing business and sell it to a U.S. private equity firm after the acquisition.

Actually, in early September, a report by Reuters suggests that Qualcomm, known for its Snapdragon processors used in smartphones, had investigated the possibility of acquiring parts of Intel’s design business to enhance its product portfolio, and was particularly interested in Intel’s PC business.

On the other hand, the story may be different for Taiwanese chip makers. A report by the Commercial Times notes that the acquisition could create pressure on MediaTek, which is Qualcomm’s main rival, as it may face even fiercer competition in sectors like AI PCs and automotive platforms, of which the Taiwanese smartphone chip giant is expected to launch new products next year.

In addition, the takeover would also have negative impact on AMD’s supply chain in Taiwan, including companies like ASMedia, which specializes in high-speed Switch IC, USB, PCIe and SATA controllers, Commercial Times indicates.

It is worth noting that the potential deal would face significant challenges, particularly with antitrust and national security concerns, a report by CNBC notes. For instance, Intel’s recent attempt to acquire Tower Semiconductor and Qualcomm’s bid for NXP Semiconductor were both blocked by Chinese authorities, the report says.

Read more

• [News] Qualcomm Rumored to Consider Acquiring Parts of Intel’s Chip Design Business, with a Focus on PC Segment
• [News] Intel to Turn Foundry Unit into Subsidiary, with Projects in Germany and Poland Delayed for 2 Years

(Photo credit: Qualcomm)

In recent years, both Micro OLED and Micro LED microdisplay technologies have continued to make new performance breakthroughs. Entering 2024, Micro OLED and Micro LED microdisplay technologies are still on the path of development, with new applications for AR glasses increasing. The display industry is also allocating more resources towards Micro OLED and Micro LED technologies. In the future, Micro OLED and Micro LED could spark a new wave of competition in near-eye display technology.

Rising Share of Micro LED and Micro OLED in Near-Eye Display Applications

According to TrendForce, in the AR glasses sector, Micro OLED technology is expected to account for 54% of the market share in 2024, while Micro LED will be at 18%. By 2030, this situation will reverse, with Micro LED technology expected to reach 44% market share and Micro OLED dropping to 25%.

In the VR/MR field, LCD is the dominant display technology in 2024, holding a 79% share, while Micro OLED technology is only at 7%. However, Micro OLED technology is anticipated to dominate the high-end VR/MR market, with its market share projected to increase to 23% by 2030.

Judging from the new products released this year, as expected, AR glasses will have more applications of Micro OLED and Micro LED, with 8 new products using Micro OLED technology and 3 new products using Micro LED technology.

Accelerating Development of Micro LED/OLED Microdisplay Industry

Companies such as JBD, HS-MicroLED, Raontech, Raysolve, Vuzix, VueReal, Saphlux, Aledia, Q-Pixel, Mojo Visionand Stan technology have continued to enhance Micro LED microdisplay technology this year. They are addressing issues like full-color displays and power consumption, bringing new hope for the commercialization of Micro LED microdisplay technology.

On the other hand, companies are still seeking ways to improve development efficiency, with collaboration between upstream and downstream enterprises becoming a primary approach.

For instance, Micro LED technology vendor Porotech has partnered with U.S. single-wafer equipment supplier ClassOne, touch integration company Yicheng Group, and semiconductor front-end wafer foundry Lattice Semiconductor in 2024. They aim to develop and manufacture GaN products using silicon wafer to accelerate the production of high-brightness, high-pixel-density, small-sized, and cost-effective Micro LEDs, thus speeding up the commercialization process of Micro LED microdisplays.

Canadian Micro LED technology developer VueReal has also formed partnerships this year with prominent display companies like Raybaw Technology and semiconductor equipment manufacturer Toray Engineering of Japan, to enhance production and testing efficiency for Micro LED microdisplay technology.

Microdisplay Manufacturers Receive Near-Eye Display Orders

As Micro LED/OLED microdisplay technology matures, microdisplay manufacturers are beginning to receive more demand orders.

In the realm of Micro OLED technology, South Korean media reported in August that Samsung Display and Microsoft have signed a new cooperation agreement. Samsung will develop and supply Micro OLED panels for Microsoft’s mixed reality (MR) headsets, with a scale of around several hundred thousand units, although the specific amount has not been disclosed.

In the Micro LED technology sector, South Korean Micro LED driver chip manufacturer Sapien Semiconductor has signed contracts with U.S. Big Tech companies this year to develop Micro LED display driver chips for AR glasses. They have also signed CMOS backplane development contracts with Asian Micro LED display manufacturers and European microdisplay module suppliers, with contract amounts of 4.8 billion KRW, 4.395 billion KRW, and 3.939 billion KRW.

8 Major Micro LED/OLED Microdisplay Projects Enter New Stages

To meet future market demands and potential large clients, microdisplay companies have begun accelerating new technology production capacity this year. In 2024, Micro LED/OLED microdisplay projects from companies such as Stan Technology, BOE HC, HS-MicroLED, Metaways, Lakeside Optoelectronics, SIDTEK, and SEEYA Technology have entered various stages such as signing contracts, starting construction, equipment installation, and mass production.

7 Microdisplay Companies Complete Latest Financing, With the Highest Investment of 1 Billion RMB

In 2024, seven microdisplay-related companies have completed their latest round of financing, with several companies securing over 100 million RMB. This new funding adds momentum for research and development, mass production, talent acquisition, and market expansion in the microdisplay business.

(Photo credit: OPPO)

The iPhone 16 series officially launches globally today, and according to MacMagazine, Apple has expanded production beyond China and India, with Foxconn now assembling iPhone 16 units in Brazil. This marks the first time a new Apple model is being produced in South America during its initial launch phase, which helps the company overcome Brazil’s steep import tariffs, boost sales, and mitigate potential supply chain disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions.

Brazilian regulatory filings confirm that Foxconn’s factory in Jundiaí, São Paulo, is mass-producing the iPhone 16.

MacMagazine reports that while Foxconn’s Brazilian plant has previously assembled iPhones, it mainly focused on older models. This time, for the first time, the factory is part of the assembly lineup for the new iPhone 16, though it’s only producing the basic model and not the higher-end Pro variants.

Supply chain sources cited by Economy Daily News indicate that previous models like the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 were also assembled in Brazil to avoid the country’s high import duties. However, these units were initially produced in China before being assembled in Brazil later in the product cycle. The iPhone 16, on the other hand, is being produced in Brazil much earlier, reflecting Apple’s ongoing efforts to diversify its supply chain and reduce its dependency on China.

Foxconn’s Brazilian facility is currently assembling only the base iPhone 16, not the iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max models. This is largely due to the high cost of iPhones in South America, where entry-level models tend to be more popular.

In contrast, this year marks the first time Apple has launched India-made iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models, a major milestone for both Apple and India’s manufacturing industry.

(Photo credit: Apple)