According to reports cited by Kuai Technology, Samsung Electronics has officially stopped accepting new orders for LPDDR4 and LPDDR4X mobile DRAM, marking the entry of these mainstream memory products-mass-produced for over a decade-into the End-of-Life (EOL) phase.

Samsung recently accepted the final batch of orders; subsequent activities will only involve fulfilling previously booked shipments. Production is expected to continue until the end of this year, with production line conversion set to begin in the first quarter of next year. This discontinuation will directly impact Samsung's own mobile business unit (MX) and chip customers like Qualcomm, which still use LPDDR4/4X in some chips.

Qualcomm and MediaTek need to adjust their long-term plans, while new smartphones equipped with LPDDR5 memory will be faster but more expensive. Some chip manufacturers have already begun shifting their design direction. For instance, automotive chipmaker Telechips switched its support specifications from LPDDR4/4X to LPDDR5/LPDDR5X this year.

According to IT Home, mature-process wafer foundry UMC has announced it will adjust wafer foundry service prices in the second half of this year. UMC stated that it sees sustained strong demand across a wide range of sectors including communications, industrial, consumer electronics, and artificial intelligence, driving continued tight capacity across its entire product line with increasingly severe supply shortages.

To meet this demand, UMC continues to improve manufacturing efficiency and increase investment in technology and capacity. Additional investments, coupled with rising costs in raw materials, energy, and logistics, have prompted this price adjustment. The specific increase will be determined based on factors such as UMC's product mix strategy, capacity agreements, and long-term partnerships.

According to Cailian Press, Jiejie Microelectronics has adjusted prices for its main products. Thyristor products have seen slight increases due to rising raw material costs and tight capacity; some protection device products have also increased slightly due to raw material price hikes.

MOSFET products, affected by high and persistent raw material prices, saw finished product prices increase by 10%–20% from February 1, 2026. IGBT products, similarly impacted, are expected to see finished product prices rise by 10%–20% starting May 1, 2026.

Statistics from CINNO•IC Research indicate that the combined semiconductor-related revenue of the world's top 10 semiconductor equipment suppliers in 2025 exceeded $130 billion, a year-on-year increase of approximately 16%.

The top 10 semiconductor equipment manufacturers by market size in 2025 remained the same as in 2024, with no changes in the top five rankings. ASML of the Netherlands led with 2025 revenue of approximately $37.2 billion; Applied Materials (AMAT) of the US followed with about $27 billion. Lam Research (LAM), Tokyo Electron (TEL) of Japan, and KLA of the US ranked third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

In terms of revenue amount, the combined semiconductor business revenue of the top five equipment suppliers in 2025 reached nearly $112.7 billion, accounting for approximately 85% of the top 10's total. NAURA Technology Group, the only Chinese semiconductor equipment manufacturer in the top 10, ranked seventh with 2025 revenue of approximately $5.1 billion.

According to Kuai Technology, Apple Inc. is about to undergo a major leadership change. CEO Tim Cook announced he will step down as CEO in September this year and transition to the role of Executive Chairman. The CEO position will then be assumed by John Ternus, Apple's current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. The appointment will take effect on September 1, 2026.

Speaking about his successor, Cook gave high praise, describing Ternus as an outstanding engineer and thinker who has dedicated the past 25 years to building Apple products deeply loved by users. He emphasized Ternus's attention to detail and focus on making products more wonderful, bold, beautiful, and meaningful, calling him the best candidate for the CEO role.