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DIGITIMES English version providing daily news about Asia's IT industry

Global 4Q11 NAND flash market registers 8.6% decline, says DRAMeXchange

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 08:30:04 GMT - The worldwide NAND flash memory market posted revenues of US$4.89 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011, down 8.6% sequentially, according to DRAMeXchange. Samsung Electronics remained the largest supplier with a 34.6% market share.

Synnex Technology posts January consolidated revenues of NT$20.5 billion

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 08:24:54 GMT - Channel distributor Synnex Technology International on February 4 reported consolidated revenues of NT$20.5 billion (US$678 million) for January 2012.

China market: Sales of household appliances lower than expected during Lunar New Year holidays

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 08:23:28 GMT - Sales of large-size electrical household appliances including LCD TVs in the China market were lower than expected during the Lunar New Year holidays, according to data compiled by retail channels in China.

Silicon Motion 3-bit per cell controller sales receive boost in 4Q11

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 07:25:11 GMT - Silicon Motion Technology saw sales of 3-bit per cell (TLC) NAND flash controllers grow substantially to account for almost 50% of its overall controller revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to the company.

Taiwan Mobile plans to set up retail network in China

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 07:11:57 GMT - Taiwan Mobile (TWM), one of the three largest mobile telecom carriers in Taiwan, plans to extend its self-operated retail network in Taiwan myfone, into China, with 30-50 stores to be initially setup in eastern or southeastern coastal areas, according to company chairman Richard Tsai.

Oversupply continues in LED market in 2012

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 06:53:20 GMT - The number of LED epitaxial wafer equipment sets increased tremendously in the past few years causing LED capacity in 2011 to show an oversupply. The market predicts the conditions will continue to worsen in 2012.

Smartphone and PC vendors to treat WP8 differently, say sources

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 06:33:36 GMT - Although information indicates that Microsoft's next-generation handset platform, Windows Phone 8 (WP8), will support an array of technologies and functionalities, including dual-core CPUs, NFC, mobile wallet, external MicroSD cards, Skype and Skydrive, branded handset and PC vendors are likely to adopt different approaches to the new platform, according to industry sources.

CCFL maker GIO to further consolidate workforce

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 06:30:05 GMT - Having reportedly slashed its workforce by 30% in the second half of 2011, CCFL and LED light bar maker GIO Optoelectronics plans to once again cut the number of its employees soon, according to industry sources.

Lenovo aims to become largest PC vendor in 2012

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 06:27:54 GMT - China-based Lenovo has set a goal of surpassing Hewlett-Packard (HP) to become the world's largest PC vendor in 2012, according to company CEO Yang Yuan-qing.

WPG 4Q11 sales meet guidance; sees drop in 1Q12

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 06:25:38 GMT - WPG Holdings has announced consolidated revenues for the fourth quarter of 2011 met its guidance for a 6-10% sequential drop. Looking into the first quarter of 2012, the IC distributor estimated sales would decrease another 4-8% on quarter due to low seasonal demand and fewer working days as a result of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Taiwan DRAM makers post mixed January results

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 04:41:09 GMT - Revenues at Nanya Technology registered a 28% sequential increase in January 2012 while Inotera Memories' grew 0.2% on month. Powerchip Technology, however, saw its January sales decrease about 22% on quarter due to falling shipments.

Decrease in solar installation costs causes governments to make incentive cuts

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 03:23:19 GMT - The price of solar products decreased around 50% in 2011 due to a demand freeze and oversupply. This has caused the cost of installing solar PV systems to drop rapidly.

Everlight reports 2011 revenues down

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 03:19:16 GMT - Taiwan-based LED packaging house Everlight reported 2011 total revenues of NT$16.238 billion (US$552 million), down 3% on year. 2011 total pre-tax profits reached NT$1.597 billion, with EPS at NT$3.20, reported Everlight.

Digitimes Research: 2012 global solar installations to reach 28.5GW, higher than previous forecast

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 03:17:21 GMT - Digitimes Research forecast 2012 total installations to be 26.9GW. However, Germany announced fourth-quarter 2011 installations surpassed the predicted 4GW. Hence, Digitimes Research has adjusted its 2012 forecast of global solar installations to 28.5GW.

Neo Solar Power reports narrowing net loss for January

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 03:03:56 GMT - Taiwan-based solar cell maker Neo Solar Power (NSP) reported fourth-quarter 2011 net losses of NT$1.666 billion (US$56 million). EPS in the fourth quarter were negative NT$4.46. Fourth-quarter 2011 was the quarter that incurred the highest loss in 2011. Total net losses in 2011 reached NT$2.898 billion. NSP indicated that due to losses related to long-term supply contracts with upstream solar firms, lost of inventory value and product price drops caused the firm to report losses for 2011.

MediaTek sees 10-15% sequential drop in 1Q12 sales

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 03:01:20 GMT - IC design house MediaTek expects its consolidated revenues to decrease 10-15% sequentially in the first quarter of 2012 with gross margin slipping to 42-44% from 44.2% in the fourth quarter. A continued slowdown in feature phone demand as well as fewer working days and seasonality will cause the sales drop during the quarter, according to company president Hsieh Ching-chiang.

Notebook makers see on-month decline in January shipments, says paper

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 02:59:39 GMT - Top-tier notebook makers Quanta Computer, Compal Electronics, Wistron, Pegatron Technology and Inventec all saw on-month declines in their January shipments with Wistron suffering an over 20% drop, according to a Chinese-language

Acer China executive vice president leaves the company, says paper

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 02:56:46 GMT - Acer China's executive vice president Lan Ye, who joined the company as part of the acquisition of China-based Founder in 2010, has left the company, according to a Chinese-language

Commentary: Strong smartphone competition a blessing in disguise for feature phones

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 02:45:02 GMT - The global market for feature phones has continued to dwindle recently, since most branded handset vendors have shifted their focuses to the development of smartphones on the back of strong demand. The shift of focus has resulted in an easing in competition in the feature phone segment, and therefore enhancing the opportunity for vendors to make more profits from the production of feature phones.

Memory spot market weak after Lunar New Year, says inSpectrum

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 08:50:33 GMT - A week-long Lunar New Year holiday failed to stimulate the memory market in China, according to inSpectrum. With the Europe and US markets quiet as well, demand has been weaker than expected, the firm noted.

Digitimes Research: Monocrystalline solar wafer prices in Greater China show increases

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 08:29:22 GMT - Compared with downstream firms, quotes from upstream solar firms have been increasing more apparently, according to Digitimes Research analyst, Chihheng Liang. Downstream firms such as makers of solar cells have been trying to increase prices, but have not yet been successful, said Liang.

Taiwan networking equipment makers to expand capacity in 2012

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 07:57:16 GMT - Alpha Networks, Gemtek Technology, SerComm and AzureWave Technologies, four Taiwan-based makers of networking/communication devices/equipment, plan to expand their production capacities in 2012, according to the companies.

China to hike TFT-LCD panel tariffs, says report

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 07:39:31 GMT - In order to boost development of the local TFT-LCD panel manufacturing industry, the China government will increase customs tariffs for imported panels from 3% to 5% in the second quarter of 2012, according to China-based

Upstream suppliers of passive components cautious about expansion

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 07:33:59 GMT - Under uncertain demand, Taiwan-based suppliers of passive component materials are tending towards a cautious approach regarding capacity expansion in 2012, according to industry sources. The firms expect the market outlook to be more certain so that they can be more encouraged to build new capacity.

Chongqing government highlights labor supply

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 06:57:35 GMT - Commenting on the usual labor shortages after the Lunar New Year holiday, Tong Xiaoping vice mayor of Chongqing, China, at a recent labor resource conference in Taiwan, pointed out that Chongqing City has sufficient labor supply and its labor resources are also richer than most cities in the surrounding provinces.

Taiwan graphics card vendors see over 2 million shipments in 2011, says paper

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 06:33:10 GMT - Taiwan-based graphics card vendors and makers, Asustek Computer, Micro-Star International (MSI), Gigabyte Technology and PowerColor (TUL), each shipped more than two million graphics cards in 2011 and are set to challenge a higher volume in 2012, according to a Chinese-language

Intel promotes two executives to senior vice president

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 06:28:25 GMT - Intel has announced that its board of directors has promoted Mooly Eden and Richard Taylor to the position of senior vice president.

TPV aims to double LCD TV shipments in 2012

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 06:05:13 GMT - TPV Technology aims to double its shipments of LCD TVs to 30 million units in 2012, optimizing the image of its brand products, including the Philips brand, according to the company.

Chip demand picking up, say Taiwan IC designers

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 05:59:01 GMT - Taiwan-based fabless IC firms have recently landed an influx of short lead-time orders from clients that had been keeping inventory lean due to the uncertain market outlook, according to industry sources.

LED lighting penetration rate to reach 10% in 2014

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 04:15:33 GMT - The global lighting market output value reached US$92.2 billion in 2011, according to studies. Growth of the market was only 1% compared to 2010 due to economic woes in Europe and the global economy. The output value of LED lighting reached US$3.1 billion, up 70% compared to 2010. However, current penetration rate is only around 3%. The market predicts penetration rate to reach 10% in 2014.

Wintek reports sequential revenue declines for January

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 04:08:25 GMT - Touch panel maker Wintek has reported consolidated revenues of NT$8.89 billion (US$300.85 million) for January 2012, down 15.8% on month but up 27.1% on year, according to the company.

Kingston to slash NAND flash product prices

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 03:37:43 GMT - Memory module firm Kingston Technology reportedly plans to cut prices for all of its NAND flash products, including USB drives, memory cards and SSDs, by as much as 15%, according to industry sources.

Wellypower appoints new president

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 03:20:27 GMT - CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) specialist Wellypower Optronics has appointed Allen Huang as its new president, replacing outgoing Chang Tjong-ren. Under the leadership of the new president, the company will accelerate its migration to the LED-backlight segment.

FST, SAS, Wafer Works expected to benefit from closure of Sumco silicon wafer factories

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 03:16:28 GMT - Japan-based Sumco will reorganize its business operations closing a 12-inch and an 8-inch semiconductor silicon wafer factory in Japan. The closures are expected to benefit Taiwan-based wafer maker Formosa Sumco Technology (FST), of which Sumco is the largest shareholder, as well as 8-inch wafer makers Sino-American Silicon Products (SAS) and Wafer Works, according to industry sources.

Vee TIME obtains 72.43% stake in Vmax

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 02:49:53 GMT - Vee TIME, a WiMAX operator in the southern half of Taiwan, on February 2 announced the acquisition of a 72.43% stake in Vmax Telecom, a WiMAX operator in the northern half of Taiwan, to pave the way for a merger.