Tech
Samsung Replaced The YMTC And About To Supply RAM For Chinese iPhones
From now on, Samsung will supply the RAM for the Chinese variants of iPhones instead of the local provider Yangtse Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC). Apple, the parent company of the iPhone, has switched the RAM provider because they were continuously being pressurized by the United States, as the company (YMTC) is expected to be in the US government’s export control entity list.
As per Appleinsider, the Californian company has now dropped its plan to purchase the 3D NAND flashes from the Chinese provider YMTC that were supposed to be used in the iPhone devices of the Chinese market. And now, to meet the demand for RAM in the devices, Apple will get into a partnership with the South Korean company Samsung, which will provide the RAM chips to the company.
While on the other hand, Apple is also planning to purchase 128-layered NAND chips from YMTC. As the reports read, those chips will be two or three generations low from Samsung and Micron’s chips, but their cost will be 20% less. The chips manufactured by Samsung will feature the iPhone models of China from the beginning of 2023 (we are expecting the iPhone 15).
Previously, Samsung Electronics refused to sign a contract with Apple because instead of buying the high-value-added memory solution, the US giant wanted to purchase NAND flashes from it, which are relatively inexpensive. But now Samsung has agreed to this partnership and will supply the NAND flashes to the company so that they can increase their NAND flash market shares.
The U.S. and the European Union (EU) have sponsored heavily around $81 billion for developing next-generation semiconductors, mounting strong competition in the industry.
The report says governments around the world have consigned an overall $380 billion with US and EU benefaction and a combined $81 billion to raising production by companies such as Intel and TSMC. Talking about the dedicated investment of the US in boosting domestic semiconductor production, it appears to be $52.7 billion over the next five years.
Under the Semiconductor Support Act, the U.S. plans to offer a total of $52.7 billion, including $39 billion in production subsidies and $13.2 billion in research and development (R&D) support. Apart from this, the US has confirmed subsidies of $8.5 billion for Intel. $6.6 billion for TSMC, $6.4 billion for Samsung Electronics, and $6.1 billion for Micron.
On the other hand, the EU decided to invest about $46.3 billion in powering semiconductor manufacturing authorities within the region. Based on this investment, the EU estimates that over $108 billion will be invested in both the public and private sectors.
In short, the US and EU are building strong competition in the industry for next-generation semiconductors. The US is playing a strategic game by partnering with the EU, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, especially against China. The EU is offering subsidies for Intel and TSMC factories in Germany; however, the final license is pending.
China is estimated to be financing the cost at more than $142 billion, which includes a new $27 billion chip fund. Japan allocated $25.3 billion to support domestic production, which includes subsidies for TSMC and Rapidus factories, and the aim behind this is to triple chip production sales by 2030.
India confirmed a $10 billion subsidy plan for its very first domestic chip factory, which has seen growth via an indirect support program, but critics point toward direct support being required to maintain its supply chain. The analyst also pointed out that Samsung also needs to provide direct support to maintain its semiconductor supply chain, with this year’s government direct support for the semiconductor industry at only 1.3 trillion won.
Samsung is already leading the AI market; now the other smartphone makers are also competing to win the AI war, and Apple is actively looking to add AI features to the iPhone and is close to a deal with OpenAI, another major name in AI development.
Previously, a few leaks teased somehow Apple and Google’s Gemini AI together in a way to bring something to the iPhones. But evidently, the deal is not closed yet, but one with OpenAI is nearly ready. A new report is reporting that Apple and OpenAI are cooking something as they have “closed in on an agreement” to use ChatGPT features on the iPhone as a part of iOS 18.
Apple has already started gearing up for its next major iteration, iOS 18, in which ChatGPT will be capitalized within iOS. The deal is not exactly clear yet, but it is under discussion and still live. The report also states that a deal between Apple and Google regarding AI isn’t cold yet.
A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that Apple was looking forward to a deal with Google to use Gemini to power AI features in the forthcoming iOS version. It was also stated that Apple was deciding to use Gemini for cloud-based text and image generation.
However, until now, both companies have not come to the same conclusion to reach an agreement, but discussions are still “ongoing.” Apple’s next iOS 18 version is expected to be unveiled at WWDC, along with AI features. The WWDC event is scheduled for June 10, a month after Google’s own I/O developer conference, which is scheduled for May 14.
T-Mobile US, Inc., is a telecommunications firm that provides wireless services in the United States. Now that it is setting up to expand its coverage area, it is looking forward to buying parts of U.S. Cellular, including cell towers and licenses, for more than $2 billion.
US Cellular is also a kind of mobile network operator in the US but has never been one of the major or demanding providers, despite the fact the fact that the carrier has operated its network for some time and is by no means a small player.
However, the carrier has also been slowly losing subscribers over the past few years. If the reports are to be believed, it will be revealed that T-Mobile and Verizon are both trying hard to buy the network US Cellular runs.
T-Mobile is evidently ‘closing in’ on a deal valued at $2 billion, which would take over some of US Cellular’s operations and spectrum licenses. Meanwhile, Verizon is also shadowing a same deal, but while the T-Mobile deal could close as soon as this month, Verizon’s deal is further away.
The report also added that Verizon’s talks with the regional carrier are expected to take more time and probably not result in an agreement; however, the 4,000+ towers that US Cellular owns are reportedly not part of the bargain, as the wireless spectrum licenses are the key point of value.