May 29, 2026 · 03:48 Uhr
Infineon takes over the non-optical sensor business of ams-OSRAM for €570M, strengthening its position in robotics and humanoid sensing. ams-OSRAM will focus on digital photonics in the future and expects the deal to close by mid-2026.
TSMC plans a 15% price increase for 3nm processes in H2 2026, with a further 10% increase possible for 2027. This increases cost pressure for fabless customers like Apple and Qualcomm while improving the competitive position of Samsung Foundry and Intel.
Samsung Electronics appears close to securing a foundry order from Anthropic for AI chips – a signal that Samsung Foundry is seriously re-entering the advanced-node competition with TSMC after a weak phase. Analysts view this as a potential turning point for Samsung's contract manufacturing.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics has completed a two-year contract worth ₩1.557 trillion (~$1.1B) with Intel for silicon capacitors for EMIB technology. The deal shows that Intel is heavily relying on external Korean suppliers for its advanced packaging program – and provides rare external evidence of EMIB ramp-up.
The EU Commission plans the official publication of the revised Chips Act on June 3 with a target investment framework of €120B by 2035; Europe is to reach 20% of global chip production. New features include authorization for direct Commission participation in fab projects and a mechanism for joint procurement by EU startups – a significant step beyond previous subsidy logic. (Update: Draft already circulating May 27, official revision delayed to June 3.)
Following strike threats at Samsung, TSMC employees are now also demanding a share of record profits (58% increase); comparisons with Nvidia compensation packages and calls for stock bonuses went viral. The movement could sustainably alter the wage cost structure of leading foundries and is an early indicator of growing social pressure in the semiconductor industry.
The semiconductor sector faces simultaneous pressure from multiple directions: TSMC's announced 15% 3nm price increases are tightening the cost structure for fabless companies and giving Samsung Foundry and Intel new competitive opportunities for orders – fueled by signals such as the potential Anthropic deal and the $1.1B EMIB capacity contract. Simultaneously, the geopolitical dimension is intensifying: the EU is accelerating its sovereignty strategy with a €120B Chips Act 2.0 framework, while US export restrictions and Huawei's LogicFolding architecture continue to define the Chinese alternative path to the Western chip supply chain. Labor unrest at TSMC and Samsung – triggered by the contrast between record profits and stagnant bonuses – points to rising wage costs at leading foundries, which could pressure capital efficiency. Overall, the global chip landscape is shifting from pure efficiency optimization toward a system of competing national industrial strategies, in which alliances, pricing power, and labor relations are increasingly becoming security policy relevant.
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