collaboration with diverse industries and support various applications
Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has developed the industry's first and highest-capacity 32-gigabit (Gb) DDR5 DRAM using 12 nanometer (nm)-class process technology. This achievement comes after Samsung began mass production of its 12 nm-class 16Gb DDR5 DRAM in May 2023. It solidifies Samsung's leadership in next-generation DRAM technology and signals the next chapter of high-capacity memory.

"With our 12 nm-class 32Gb DRAM, we have secured a solution that will enable DRAM modules of up to 1-terabyte (TB), allowing us to be ideally positioned to serve the growing need for high-capacity DRAM in the era of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and big data," said SangJoon Hwang, Executive Vice President of DRAM Product & Technology at Samsung Electronics. "We will continue to develop DRAM solutions through differentiated process and design technologies to break the boundaries of memory technology."

Recently, the spot market for NAND Flash chips has seen a rise in active price inquiries for certain products, a movement driven by successful increases in wafer contract prices. TrendForce reports this uptick primarily stems from negotiations in late August between NAND Flash suppliers and key Chinese module makers. These discussions led to a new wafer contract that successfully boosted the price of 512 Gb wafers by approximately 10%.

Other suppliers have also raised prices for their comparable products, signaling a shift in supplier sentiment: they are now less inclined to finalize deals at lower prices. This change has contributed to a short-term surge in the wafer spot market. Nevertheless, whether this surge in procurement is supported by actual end-user demand remains uncertain, as these orders have arisen in reaction to adjustments in supply-side pricing.

TrendForce research reveals that, due to the impacts of high inflation and economic downturn, CSPs are adopting more conservative strategies when it comes to capital expenditure and consistently reducing their annual server demand forecasts. Currently, CSPs in China have reported a decline in cloud orders compared to last year, leading to a subsequent decrease in annual procurement volumes for enterprise SSDs. In North America, some clients have postponed mass production timelines for new server platforms while ramping up investments in AI servers. These factors have resulted in enterprise SSD orders falling below expectations. Consequently, global enterprise SSD revenue hit an all-time low in the second quarter, totaling just $1,500 million—a QoQ decrease of 24.9%.

Demand for AI servers remains strong in the third quarter, while orders and shipment momentum for general-purpose servers have yet to show signs of recovery. This continues to put pressure on the purchasing volume of enterprise SSDs, and annual bit volume is expected to be lower than last year. Meanwhile, vendors have once again reduced capacity utilization to slow down inventory growth. Server customers still maintain high inventory levels, and their purchasing momentum remains insufficient. This is expected to lead to an approximate 15% QoQ decline in the average price of enterprise SSDs in the third quarter, which may further result in a lackluster revenue performance for the peak season.

Samsung Electronics today announced new software updates to Galaxy Buds2 Pro and Samsung Smart TVs, reshaping the audio experiences across even more connected devices. The new updates extend LE Audio capabilities to Samsung TVs with Auracast broadcast audio technology, enabling rich and complex audio transmission to nearby Bluetooth devices.

LE Audio, an advanced Bluetooth audio standard, broadens the spectrum of audio experiences to deliver more complex and richer sound that goes beyond providing better-sounding music, but also allows users to share sound with others as they personally experience it. As a pioneer of innovative technologies, Samsung has been leveraging new LE Audio-based features that further elevate sound experiences, including 360 Audio Recording, enabling Galaxy smartphone users to capture sound on video precisely as they hear it without the need for professional equipment. Additionally, the select Galaxy Book3 devices offer a crystal clear listening experience with improved latency—perfect for immersive gaming and multimedia consumption.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today announced its new flagship UHS-I memory card model "PRO Ultimate" in microSD and full-size SD form factors, enabling professional photographers and content creators to maximize productivity in their creative workflows. The new PRO Ultimate lineup features a capacity of up to 512 gigabytes (GB) and a remarkable sequential read speed of up to 200 megabytes-per-second (MB/s).

"With the growing volume of high-resolution content generated from gadgets such as drones, action cameras and DSLR cameras, professional creators should be able to work with large-sized content seamlessly, whether they are writing, reading or transferring their data," said Hangu Sohn, Vice President of Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. "As creators rely on high speed and performance of the memory cards, the new Samsung PRO Ultimate significantly reinforces such needs through enhanced controller technologies and multi-proof protection features."

Explore the possibilities of what you can create on a bigger canvas with incredible detail (218 PPI) and true color accuracy. The ViewFinity S9 is Samsung's first 5K high resolution IPS display designed for creators (5,120 x 2,880). The 27-inch display offers DCI-P3 99% color gamut and 600 nits of brightness to deliver the color saturation and detail that brings your ideas to life. You can see improved image shadow and highlight details and preserve screen color accuracy with a Matte Display that works to drastically reduces light reflections.

ViewFinity S9 is also Pantone Validated, offering authentic reproduction of more than 2,000 Pantone colors and 100 Pantone SkinTone shades on screen. To customize the display calibration for different projects, the S9 can use your smartphone to adjust settings like DCI-P3 or sRGB color space, color temperature, luminance, and gamma. Smart Calibration allows for simple and intuitive customization without the need for additional, complex calibration tools.

Samsung Semiconductor introduced its 990 PRO Flagship PCIe Gen 4 SSD range a year ago, with 1 TB and 2 TB models available day one on launch. The South Korean company also teased a 4 TB variant for release in 2023—recent activity on social media indicates that the higher capacity model will be coming soon (but no firm date was touted): "You wanted it so badly, we had no choice but to deliver. The 4 TB 990 PRO by Samsung SSD is coming. Same blazing-fast storage with double the max capacity for gaming, video, 3D editing, and more. Stay tuned for more details."

According to Samsung's specification sheet, the 990 Pro 4 TB is due to arrive in two forms—a plain drive (MZ-V9P4T0BW) with a simple/thin graphene heat spreader and a fancier version sporting an aluminium heatsink (MZ-V9P4T0CW). The latest marketing blurb continues to place emphasis on the 990 Pro M.2 2280 drives being ideal candidates for upgrading the PlayStation 5's (PCIe 4.0) internal storage—we will have to wait closer to launch time for the 4 TB variant's MSRP, although its eventual pricing is most likely going to target enthusiast PC users. The 2 TB model (w/ heatsink) is currently available for $149.99 (down from the original launch value of $309.99) at the time of writing.

TrendForce reports that rising demand for AI servers has driven growth in HBM shipments. Combined with the wave of inventory buildup for DDR5 on the client side, the second quarter saw all three major DRAM suppliers experience shipment growth. Q2 revenue for the DRAM industry reached approximately US$11.43 billion, marking a 20.4% QoQ increase and halting a decline that persisted for three consecutive quarters. Among suppliers, SK hynix saw a significant quarterly growth of over 35% in shipments. The company's shipments of DDR5 and HBM, both of which have higher ASP, increased significantly. As a result, SK hynix's ASP grew counter-cyclically by 7-9%, driving its Q2 revenue to increase by nearly 50%. With revenue reaching US$3.44 billion, SK hynix claimed the second spot in the industry, leading growth in the sector.

Samsung, with its DDR5 process still at 1Ynm and limited shipments in the second quarter, experienced a drop in its ASP by around 7-9%. However, benefitting from inventory buildup by module houses and increased demand for AI server setups, Samsung saw a slight increase in shipments. This led to an 8.6% QoQ increase in Q2 revenue, reaching US$4.53 billion, securing them the top position. Micron, ranking third, was a bit late in HBM development. However, DDR5 shipments held a significant proportion, keeping their ASP relatively stable. Boosted by shipments, its revenue was around US$2.95 billion, a quarterly increase of 15.7%. Both companies saw a reduction in their market share.

Samsung Electronics, a global leader in the visual display industry, today announced the future of gaming monitors with the newest entries in its Odyssey monitor series: the Odyssey Neo G9 57" (G95NC model) and the Odyssey Ark 55" (G97NC model). The gaming monitors are on display at Gamescom 2023—the world's largest event for computer and video games, held from August 23 to 27 in Cologne, Germany—and the Odyssey Neo G9 57" can now be pre-ordered globally.

"The world of gaming is constantly evolving, and our latest monitor technology is crucial for gamers to open new doors to adventure and perform their best. Samsung's monitor leadership is further boosted by our newest Odyssey monitors, which unlock the ultimate level of immersion and create new experiences for gamers worldwide," said Hoon Chung, EVP of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "Gamescom is where the future of gaming is built. We can't imagine a better place to showcase the future of monitors."

The Freestyle Gen 2 is the world's first portable projector with cloud gaming built-in, that works with your favorite Bluetooth controller
Samsung Electronics America today announced pre-order availability for The Freestyle Gen 2 with Gaming Hub - the next generation portable smart projector that transforms virtually any surface, even your ceiling, into a screen up to 100 inches. The new model (SP-LFF3CLA) provides instant access to the leading streaming entertainment platforms and now features Samsung Gaming Hub, so you can play top games from Xbox and other streaming partners, with no console required. With The Freestyle Gen 2, it's easier than ever to take your favorite content, shows, movies, and now, games, with you on-the-go[3].

"People are looking for more versatile technology that fits into their day-to-day - that's one of the reasons that portable projector purchases are on the rise," said James Fishler, Senior Vice President, Home Entertainment & Display Division, Samsung Electronics America. "The Freestyle is one-of-a-kind in the market because it offers instant access to the same streaming entertainment apps that you enjoy on your Samsung TV. Plus, setup is simple so you can easily project your favorite shows - and now even stream thousands of popular games - in high definition on the big screen anywhere, whether that's right at home, or if you're like me, on weekend camping trips."

Samsung Electronics, a global leader in the visual display industry, today announced the launch of the world's first gaming title featuring the High Dynamic Range (HDR) 10+ GAMING standard created by HDR10+ Technologies LLC. The new title, "The First Descendant" was developed by NEXON and will be unveiled at Gamescom 2023.

"We're thrilled to join forces with NEXON, a true pioneer in video games, to introduce the world's first HDR10+ GAMING title, The First Descendant," said Seokwoo Jason Yong, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "This is a gaming milestone that goes beyond mere technological advancement; it represents Samsung's continued commitment to enhance the gaming experience as technology evolves."

It appears that Samsung is getting ready to beat SK Hynix in the race to 300 plus layers of NAND Flash, at least according to reports coming out of South Korea. The Seoul Economic Daily claims in an exclusive that Samsung will have a 300 plus layer V-NAND—(V for Vertical or 3D NAND—chip ready for production in 2024 and could as such beat SK Hynix by as much as a year, depending on how soon Samsung can deliver. Currently Samsung's most cutting edge stacked NAND is a 236-layer product, which is four more layers than Micron and YMTC, but two less than SK Hynix.

What sticks out in the Seoul Economic Daily news piece is that unlike SK Hynix, which is going for a triple stack sandwich, Samsung will apparently stick with two stacks. This means that Samsung is aiming for over 150-layers of NAND per stack, which seems like a big risk to take when it comes to yields. The taller the stacks, the bigger the chance of a failed stack, but maybe Samsung has found a solution around this potential issue. As modern 3D NAND relies on Through Silicon Vias, it's easier to manufacture denser stacks than in the past when wire bonding was used, but even so, this seems like a big risk for Samsung to take. That said, considering the current low demand and news of further cutbacks in production, it might be a good time for Samsung to utilise its fabs to test out this new, more densely stacked NAND to see if the company can mass produce it without issues. Samsung's roadmap calls for a 1000 plus layer V-NAND product by 2030, but it seems like the road there is still long and complicated.

During the Aspen Security Forums 2023, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger spoke on the topic of semiconductors and national security. During his speech, Gelsinger mentioned that Intel should get the lion's share of the US$52 billion US CHIPS Act money, simply because Intel is a US company. In Gelsinger's opinion, it appears that TSMC and Samsung don't deserve as much, despite both companies manufacturing semiconductors for US companies, with Samsung already having a foundry in Texas, while TSMC is still struggling with the construction of its Arizona foundry.

Admittedly, Intel has far more foundries in the US, but it also seems like Gelsinger forgot about other foundries, such as GlobalFoundries, but also companies such as Micron, Texas Instruments, Qorvo, NXP, On Semi, Analog Devices and so forth that all own foundries that produce their own chips on US soil. We'd expect all these companies to be eyeing the CHIPS Act cash and without many of those companies, Intel wouldn't be able to sell any of its chips, as many of them produce much needed components that are used to build motherboards, laptops and what not. Gelsinger was obviously pointing fingers at the current US China trade war and how the export controls are causing concerns with regards to the global semiconductor business. As such, Gelsinger wants Intel to have fewer restrictions from the currently imposed trade regulations, largely due to China being some 25 to 30 percent of Intel's market, with Intel being busy expanding in the country. Make what you want of this, but it's clear that Gelsinger is expecting to eat the cake and have it at the same time. Video after the break.

Valve's Steam Deck handheld gaming console has launched with 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory running at 5500 MT/s. This is distributed over four 32-bit channels for 88 GB/s total bandwidth memory bandwidth. While the storage option can be upgraded, the memory is limited to 16 GB, and the memory chips are soldered. However, it seems like that problem can also be solved only if you are a professional and can solder well. Thanks to the Balázs Triszka on Twitter/X, we have witnessed a mod of Steam Deck, where memory gets upgraded from 16 to 32 GB.

The modder successfully bumped up the system memory using Samsung's LPDDR5 K3LKCKC0BM-MGCP memory chips. All it was needed was some experience with ball grid array (BGA) resoldering. No glue was under the chips, and they were easy to remove. You can see the pictures below, and the system shows the higher memory count.

TrendForce highlights in its latest report that memory suppliers are boosting their production capacity in response to escalating orders from NVIDIA and CSPs for their in-house designed chips. These efforts include the expansion of TSV production lines to increase HBM output. Forecasts based on current production plans from suppliers indicate a remarkable 105% annual increase in HBM bit supply by 2024. However, due to the time required for TSV expansion, which encompasses equipment delivery and testing (9 to 12 months), the majority of HBM capacity is expected to materialize by 2Q24.

TrendForce analysis indicates that 2023 to 2024 will be pivotal years for AI development, triggering substantial demand for AI Training chips and thereby boosting HBM utilization. However, as the focus pivots to Inference, the annual growth rate for AI Training chips and HBM is expected to taper off slightly. The imminent boom in HBM production has presented suppliers with a difficult situation: they will need to strike a balance between meeting customer demand to expand market share and avoiding a surplus due to overproduction. Another concern is the potential risk of overbooking, as buyers, anticipating an HBM shortage, might inflate their demand.

According to a post by @g01d3nm4ng0 on Twitter/X, we now know that AMD is readying yet another AGESA update for AM5 motherboards. The new version is, based on information from our own sources, a minor update to the current version. As such, AMD will be moving from 1.0.0.7b to 1.0.0.7c. @g01d3nm4ng0 didn't reveal any details of the new AGESA apart from the screenshot below, but we asked around and managed to find out what the new AESA addresses.

The update is specifically for those with Samsung DDR5 memory in their AM5 motherboards and it addresses multiple memory related stability issues. We weren't given the full details as to what those are, but there have been some reports about there being issues specifically with Samsung DDR5 memory in some AM5 boards and hopefully this will solve all those problems. We don't have a release time frame for the updated AGESA, but with 1.0.0.7b barely out the door, it might take a few weeks before this one makes it through all the internal testing at the motherboard makers.

TrendForce reports that the HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) market's dominant product for 2023 is HBM2e, employed by the NVIDIA A100/A800, AMD MI200, and most CSPs' (Cloud Service Providers) self-developed accelerator chips. As the demand for AI accelerator chips evolves, manufacturers plan to introduce new HBM3e products in 2024, with HBM3 and HBM3e expected to become mainstream in the market next year.

The distinctions between HBM generations primarily lie in their speed. The industry experienced a proliferation of confusing names when transitioning to the HBM3 generation. TrendForce clarifies that the so-called HBM3 in the current market should be subdivided into two categories based on speed. One category includes HBM3 running at speeds between 5.6 to 6.4 Gbps, while the other features the 8 Gbps HBM3e, which also goes by several names including HBM3P, HBM3A, HBM3+, and HBM3 Gen2.

The escalating challenges in acquiring high-performance x86 servers have prompted Chinese data center companies to accelerate the shift to Arm-based system-on-chips (SoCs). Investment banking firm Bernstein reports that approximately 40% of all Arm-powered servers globally are currently being used in China. While most servers operate on x86 processors from AMD and Intel, there's a growing preference for Arm-based SoCs, especially in the Chinese market. Several global tech giants, including AWS, Ampere, Google, Fujitsu, Microsoft, and Nvidia, have already adopted or developed Arm-powered SoCs. However, Arm-based SoCs are increasingly favorable for Chinese firms, given the difficulty in consistently sourcing Intel's Xeon or AMD's EPYC. Chinese companies like Alibaba, Huawei, and Phytium are pioneering the development of these Arm-based SoCs for client and data center processors.

However, the US government's restrictions present some challenges. Both Huawei and Phytium, blacklisted by the US, cannot access TSMC's cutting-edge process technologies, limiting their ability to produce competitive processors. Although Alibaba's T-Head can leverage TSMC's latest innovations, it can't license Arm's high-performance computing Neoverse V-series CPU cores due to various export control rules. Despite these challenges, many chip designers are considering alternatives such as RISC-V, an unrestricted, rapidly evolving open-source instruction set architecture (ISA) suitable for designing highly customized general-purpose cores for specific workloads. Still, with the backing of influential firms like AWS, Google, Nvidia, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Samsung, the Armv8 and Armv9 instruction set architectures continue to hold an edge over RISC-V. These companies' support ensures that the software ecosystem remains compatible with their CPUs, which will likely continue to drive the adoption of Arm in the data center space.

Make health and fitness journeys smoother with the Exynos W930—the wearable processor that keeps smartwatches ahead of the curve, with new leaps in performance and power saving.

Watch it work wonders
Exynos W930 is equipped with the Arm Cortex-A55 dual-core CPU, boosting CPU speed to 1.4 GHz for an 18% jump over our last generation processor. In-package DRAM expands to 2 GB in the Exynos W930, passing the last generation by 33%, so you can switch between apps up to 25% faster and manage your workouts and your work life better with a suite of apps performing at their best.

Earlier today, Samsung released its Q2 results, which were a mixed bag with many business units underperforming. However, none were doing as poorly as Samsung's memory business which made a loss of 4.36 trillion Won or around US$3.4 billion. Although not mentioned in the financial report, Reuters are reporting that Samsung is looking to cut production of NAND and DRAM further, as the publication is pointing out that Samsung's chipset business as a whole lost a staggering 8.9 trillion Won or US$7 billion. That said, the loss wasn't quite as bad as in the first quarter of the year and Samsung is expected to cut the loss in half for Q3.

In a statement to Reuters, Samsung said "Production cuts across the industry are likely to continue in the second half, and demand is expected to gradually recover as clients continue to destock their (chip) inventory." This suggests that the expected recovery isn't going to happen as soon as the DRAM and NAND manufacturers expected, as there simply isn't enough demand for either product. SK Hynix has already announced that it's cutting production a further five to 10 percent for NAND, but the company doesn't appear to have had quite as big losses as Samsung. For the time being, this is good news for consumers, as RAM and SSD pricing is about as low as it has ever been. However, with production cuts from all the three major manufacturers of DRAM and NAND, prices will most likely start going up soon, especially as Samsung is said to have depleted most of its inventories.

Samsung Electronics today announced the first step in a plan to reimagine mobile device security for business customers in partnership with Microsoft. This collaboration has led to the industry's first on-device, mobile hardware-backed device attestation solution that works equally well on both company and personally owned devices.

Device attestation can help ensure a device's identity and health, verifying that it has not been compromised. On-device, mobile hardware-backed device attestation—available on Samsung Galaxy devices and combined with protection from Microsoft Intune—now adds enhanced security and flexibility. For enterprises, this is an extra layer of protection against compromised devices falsely claiming to be known and healthy, gaining access to sensitive corporate data. Additionally, organizations can now enable employees to bring their own device (BYOD) to work with the confidence that they are protected with the same level of security as company owned devices. For employees, this means added flexibility for their personal Galaxy devices to safely access their work environment.

Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023. The Company posted KRW 60.01 trillion in consolidated revenue, a 6% decline from the previous quarter, mainly due to a decline in smartphone shipments despite a slight recovery in revenue of the DS (Device Solutions) Division. Operating profit rose sequentially to KRW 0.67 trillion as the DS Division posted a narrower loss, while Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) and the Digital Appliances Business saw improved profitability.

The Memory Business saw results improve from the previous quarter as its focus on High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and DDR5 products in anticipation of robust demand for AI applications led to higher-than-guided DRAM shipments. System semiconductors posted a decline in profit due to lower utilization rates on weak demand from major applications.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced that its flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy is powering Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s new cutting-edge foldable smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5, and its latest Galaxy Tab S9 Series. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy defines a new standard for connected computing, including groundbreaking AI experiences, desktop-level gaming features, professional grade photography, and more, for consumers around the world.

"Samsung is important to our mission to deliver the world's best mobile experiences to consumers. They continue to set the pace for innovation and we couldn't be more thrilled to have Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy power the newest flagship Galaxy device lineup—the Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold5, and Galaxy Tab S9 series," said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager, mobile, compute, & XR businesses, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announces its new Galaxy Tab S9 series, a premium product portfolio that redefines the tablet landscape and sets new standards for immersive viewing and creative freedom. Across all three models, Galaxy Tab S9, S9+ and S9 Ultra, Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays ensure epic viewing and entertainment experiences with the power of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. An in-box, IP68-rated S Pen helps users bring their ideas to life. And as the first Galaxy Tab S series to earn an IP68 rating, Galaxy Tab S9 series enables users to follow their inspiration, both indoors and out.

"There are no devices like the Galaxy Tab S9 series on the market today. A true disrupter in its category, it is the first of its kind to deliver experiences that users love most about tablets in one complete premium design," said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. "The Galaxy Tab S9 series empowers users to take their big ideas and bring them to life, completely effortlessly."

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced its fifth generation of Galaxy foldables: Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5. The industry-leading form factors offer unique experiences for every user with sleek and compact designs, countless customization options, and powerful performance. The new Flex Hinge makes the foldable experience possible, while offering an aesthetically balanced and solid design. These unrivalled foldable devices unlock extraordinary camera capabilities such as FlexCam to take photos from creative angles. With strong performance and an optimized battery powered by the latest processor, the Samsung Galaxy Z series transforms what is possible with a smartphone - open or closed.

"Samsung is revolutionizing the mobile industry with foldables by setting the standard and continually refining the experience," said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. "Every day, more people choose our foldables because they offer an experience people want that they can't get on any other device. Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 are the latest devices that prove our commitment to meeting the needs of our customers through innovative technology."