Yazılar

TSMC to Phase Out 6-Inch Wafer Production Over Two Years

/in /tarafından

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) announced on Tuesday that it will gradually phase out its 6-inch wafer manufacturing business over the next two years, while continuing to consolidate 8-inch wafer production to improve operational efficiency.

STRATEGIC MOVE

  • The decision was made after a thorough evaluation of market conditions and aligns with TSMC’s long-term business strategy.

  • The company emphasized that the transition will be managed closely with customers to ensure their needs are met.

  • TSMC stated that this move will not impact previously announced financial targets.

MANUFACTURING CAPACITY

  • TSMC currently operates one 6-inch wafer fab and four 8-inch wafer fabs in Taiwan for mature-node chip production.

  • Advanced-node chip manufacturing, used by clients like Apple and Nvidia, is conducted in 12-inch fabs.

  • In July, TSMC forecasted annual revenue growth of approximately 30% in U.S. dollar terms.

RATIONALE
The phase-out reflects market trends and efficiency goals, allowing TSMC to focus resources on more in-demand wafer sizes and advanced technologies.

Musk Threatens Legal Action Against Apple Over App Store Rankings

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Elon Musk announced on Monday that his AI startup xAI will pursue legal action against Apple, accusing the tech giant of violating antitrust rules by allegedly favoring OpenAI’s ChatGPT in App Store rankings.

Musk claimed Apple’s App Store policies make it “impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1,” calling the practice a “clear antitrust violation.” At present, ChatGPT is ranked first in the U.S. App Store’s “Top Free Apps,” while xAI’s chatbot Grok stands in fifth place.

Musk also criticized Apple for not featuring X (formerly Twitter) or Grok in its “Must Have” section, despite X being the “#1 news app globally” and Grok ranking among the top five apps. He suggested Apple might be “playing politics” in its selection process.

Apple, OpenAI, and xAI did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. However, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pushed back against Musk’s claims, pointing out the irony by referencing Musk’s own alleged efforts to manipulate X for personal advantage.

Community fact-checkers on X highlighted that other AI apps, such as China’s DeepSeek and Perplexity AI, have reached the top spot in the App Store this year, undermining Musk’s argument that only OpenAI benefits from Apple’s system.

The dispute comes amid increasing regulatory scrutiny of Apple’s App Store dominance. Earlier in 2024, the EU fined Apple €500 million ($581 million) for anti-competitive practices, ruling that the company’s restrictions prevented app developers from directing users outside the App Store ecosystem.

Musk’s challenge may add further pressure to global regulators already investigating Apple’s control over app distribution and its partnerships with AI companies.

Australian Court Partly Rules Against Apple and Google in Epic Games Antitrust Case

/in /tarafından

An Australian federal court has ruled that Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android app marketplace engage in uncompetitive practices, handing Epic Games a partial victory in its long-running legal battle against the tech giants.

The 2,000-page judgment, not yet publicly released, found that Apple and Google’s app stores lacked safeguards against anti-competitive behavior. However, the court also determined that the companies had not intentionally violated the law, local media reported.

Epic Games argued that both Apple and Google charged excessive fees for app downloads and in-app purchases while blocking users from installing alternative app stores. In response to the ruling, Epic said on X that the decision confirmed the companies “abuse their control over app distribution and in-app payments to limit competition.” The company also announced that Fortnite and the Epic Games Store would soon be available on iOS devices in Australia, calling it a win for both developers and consumers.

Apple welcomed the court’s dismissal of some of Epic’s claims but expressed strong disagreement with the findings on competition, maintaining that it faces “fierce competition in every market where we operate.” Google similarly said it would review the full judgment but disagreed with the court’s characterization of its billing practices and certain historical partnerships.

The ruling adds to Epic Games’ global campaign challenging the dominance of app distribution systems controlled by Apple and Google, which has included high-profile cases in the United States and Europe.