INDUSTRY UPDATES
ASC Global brings you with our Component Compass report the latest semiconductor industry findings to provide valuable guidance for maneuvering market intervals. We excel in supply chain strategies that effectively address market volatility.
If any questions or concerns arise, kindly reach out to your Account Manager or our support team at info@ascglobal.com | +1 954 718 2950.
Get biweekly updates to your inbox
Last Updated: 3/12/26
TI And Infineon Raise Chip Prices Amid AI Demand
Texas Instruments will reportedly raise prices up to 85% starting April 1 across products such as digital isolators and power management ICs, affecting both direct customers and distributors. Infineon Technologies plans additional 5–15% increases on power devices. Strong demand from AI servers, EVs, and industrial systems, combined with higher manufacturing and energy costs, is driving the industry-wide adjustments.
South Korea Warns Middle East Tensions Threaten Chip Material Supply
Officials in South Korea warned that escalating Middle East tensions could disrupt supplies of key semiconductor materials. Executives from Samsung Electronics highlighted risks tied to helium, essential for cooling semiconductor equipment and largely sourced from Qatar. Authorities also noted dependencies on other regional materials, raising concerns that prolonged conflict could strain semiconductor supply chains already pressured by growing AI-driven chip demand.
Lenovo Raises PC Prices As Memory Chip Costs Climb
Lenovo has increased prices on several PC models after rising DRAM and NAND memory costs. Distributors report retail prices for some systems are over $145 higher than last year, with adjustments affecting mainly offline retail channels. While student subsidy programs remain largely unchanged, the move reflects growing cost pressure from the recovering memory market impacting PC manufacturers.
Samsung Foundry Sees Groq Orders Rise Amid Tesla Delays
Groq has reportedly increased AI chip orders from Samsung Electronics Foundry from 9,000 to about 15,000 wafers as it moves toward commercial inference chip production. Meanwhile, Tesla has reportedly delayed multi-project wafer production, affecting chips from DeepX and potentially pushing back next-generation NPU manufacturing timelines.
Oracle And OpenAI Cancel Planned Stargate Datacenter Expansion
Oracle and OpenAI have scrapped a planned datacenter expansion in Abilene tied to the $500 billion Stargate AI Infrastructure Program. The decision reportedly followed disagreements over financing and evolving capacity needs. Other Abilene facilities remain under construction, while Meta Platforms is reportedly considering taking over the abandoned site.
More Component Compass news
Apple’s U.S.-Made Chips Still Depend On Taiwan Packaging
Apple plans to produce over 100 million chips in 2026 at TSMC’s Arizona fab, but the wafers must still be shipped to Taiwan for advanced packaging. Most high-volume technologies such as CoWoS remain concentrated in Asia. New U.S. packaging facilities from Amkor Technology and TSMC are planned but likely won’t scale until around 2028.
Japan Targets $250B Semiconductor Output By 2040 Strategy
Japan aims to reach $250 billion in domestic semiconductor output by 2040 under a strategy led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The plan prioritizes “physical AI” chips for machine control, targeting 30% global market share. Government support will include R&D centers, industrial land access, infrastructure development, and regulatory changes to attract semiconductor fabs and data center investments.
Honeywell Deploys AI Battery Automation At Alabama Mobility Center
Honeywell has delivered its AI-powered Battery Manufacturing Excellence Platform (Battery MXP) to the Alabama Mobility and Power Center. The system will automate battery-production processes, improve cell yields, and accelerate facility startups. The center will also use the platform to train engineers and support research into EV batteries, charging infrastructure, and energy-storage technologies.
Oracle Beats Revenue Estimates as AI Cloud Demand Surges
Oracle reported quarterly revenue of about $17.19 billion, beating Wall Street estimates of roughly $16.9 billion as strong demand for cloud services tied to AI workloads boosted results. Adjusted earnings also topped expectations, and the company forecast continued growth through 2027. Shares rose in after-hours trading as investors welcomed the performance and expanding AI-driven cloud infrastructure strategy.
AT&T Plans $250 Billion Investment to Expand U.S. Connectivity
AT&T plans to invest more than $250 billion in the United States over the next five years to expand telecom infrastructure. The spending will accelerate fiber broadband, 5G home internet, and satellite connectivity deployments nationwide. The initiative also includes hiring thousands of technicians to build and maintain networks like AI, cloud computing, and connected devices drive rapid growth in data traffic.
Wolfspeed Introduces First Commercial 10 kV Silicon Carbide MOSFET
Wolfspeed has introduced the industry’s first commercially available 10 kV silicon carbide (SiC) power MOSFET, extending SiC technology into higher-voltage power electronics. The device targets applications such as grid infrastructure, industrial electrification, and AI data-center power systems. It enables simpler converter architectures, improved power density, and efficiencies approaching 99%. The MOSFET also features sub-10-nanosecond switching speeds and a projected lifetime of about 158,000 years under continuous gate bias conditions.
Market Report
