Semicon Briefing

According to Bloomberg, Apple is conducting exploratory discussions with Intel Foundry and Samsung to diversify its SoC manufacturing away from TSMC exclusivity – so far without concrete orders. The move signals a tectonic loss of power for TSMC and could massively boost Intel stock (+175% YTD) and Samsung's foundry business.

Lattice Semiconductor has signed a merger agreement to acquire AMI (THL Partners) for $1.65 billion in cash and stock; closing is planned for Q3 2026. AMI develops platform firmware and infrastructure management solutions for cloud and AI systems – a strategically important move to diversify beyond the core FPGA business.

The Chinese government is requiring chipmakers to use at least 70% domestic silicon wafers for new capacities – alongside the requirement to use 50% domestic equipment suppliers. The measure accelerates China's decoupling from the Western semiconductor ecosystem significantly and increases pressure on international suppliers.

According to a draft (expected end of May), the European Commission plans to be able to make direct equity investments in cross-border semiconductor manufacturing projects – a paradigm shift from the previous subsidy model. This is intended to accelerate and make calculable stalled multi-country fab projects such as ESMC Dresden.

Intel closes its acquisition of Tower Semiconductor for $5.4 billion, strengthening its foundry division with specialty chip capacities – concurrent with Apple's exploratory discussions and the recently announced Tesla Terafab deal. The transaction positions Intel as a serious third-party foundry for external customers and could mark the turning point for the struggling foundry business.

BofA analyst Vivek Arya raised the global chip revenue target for 2026 to $1.3 trillion and names Nvidia, Broadcom, Marvell, AMD, and Applied Materials as top picks. The revision underscores that the AI-driven demand boom continues despite geopolitical risks and export controls.