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Smartphone shipments fall as supply chain pressure increases

Global smartphone shipments fell 6% year on year (YoY) to 272.0 million units in 2Q 2026, according to Omdia. This follows the front-loaded demand seen in 1Q26 which gave way to the adjustment phase of the memory cost cycle. Persistently high memory prices disrupted supply, increased component costs, and forced vendors to rethink pricing, product

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Distributor of components in a new role
Featured Industry Insights

Distributor of components in a new role

Just a few years ago, the role of an electronic components distributor seemed relatively defined: provide a wide range, competitive prices, and efficient delivery. However, the experiences of 2020–2026 showed that such a model was no longer sufficient. When supply chains were disrupted by the pandemic, logistical bottlenecks, geopolitical tensions, and sharp spikes in demand

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Anglia sounds alarm bell on CEM/broker ‘cartel’
Industry Insights

Anglia sounds alarm bell on CEM/broker ‘cartel’

Responding to recent mergers and acquisitions activity, Anglia Components has warned of a looming potential imbalance in the supply chain, where traditional lines may become blurred, leading to a lack of transparency and compromised independence. Reasons Steve Rawlins, Anglia’s CEO: “Last week, the news sneaked out that one of the leading electronic component brokers had

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Semiconductor strategy in defence electronics
Industry Insights

Semiconductor strategy in defence electronics

Following The NATO Summit in Ankara on 7-8th July 2026, defence readiness is back in focus. Much of the discussion centres on capability, capacity, and availability. But modern defence systems also depend on electronics that must remain reliable, supportable, and available over long service lives. At the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, over $50 billion

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Semiconductor industry enters trillion-dollar era
Industry Insights

Semiconductor industry enters trillion-dollar era

Artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of the semiconductor industry. Memory has become the sector’s primary growth engine, geopolitical dynamics are reshaping competitive positions, and manufacturing capacity is under unprecedented pressure. In this rapidly evolving landscape, understanding market mechanisms has become as critical as tracking market figures. To help industry leaders navigate this new semiconductor

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Key trends to watch in advanced semiconductor packaging
Industry Insights Market Analysis

Key trends to watch in advanced semiconductor packaging

Advanced semiconductor packaging has become a central technology platform for high performance computing. For AI and HPC processors, performance depends not only on transistor density, but also on memory bandwidth, I/O density, power delivery, thermal management, and the ability to integrate more functional dies within a single package. This is driving the continued adoption of

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Major supply chain shock would leave businesses exposed
Industry Insights Supply Chain Management

Major supply chain shock would leave businesses exposed

Half of global (51%) CEOs say their businesses could not maintain their day-to-day operations for over three weeks without experiencing some form of disruption if a major supply chain shock occurred tomorrow, according to those surveyed for new research from Proxima, a procurement and supply chain consultancy. Proxima’s Global Supply Chain Resilience Outlook, based on

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The next chip bottleneck may be femtosecond lasers
Industry Insights

Could the next chip bottleneck be femtosecond lasers?

Apple recently announced that it would increase prices for its MacBooks and iPads by 20%, making it the latest company to raise electronics prices amid soaring chip costs and shortages. According to experts, the solution to increasing chip production lies not only in expanding manufacturing capacity but also in securing the right precision tools. At

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AI redefines the optical transceiver market
Industry Insights Market Analysis

AI redefines the optical transceiver market

Yole Group announces the release of its latest photonics report, Optical Transceivers for Datacom & Telecom 2026, providing a comprehensive analysis of one of the fastest-growing segments of digital infrastructure. The rise of artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the role of optical connectivity. What was once considered a supporting technology has become a critical enabler

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Industry Insights Market Analysis

AI-driven memory accelerates demand for equipment

China’s semiconductor equipment ecosystem is entering a pivotal phase. Driven by rising demand for AI computing, increasing memory requirements, and ongoing investments in domestic manufacturing capabilities, the market is moving from ambitious expansion plans to tangible equipment procurement. A major inflection point emerged in 2026 as China’s leading memory manufacturers accelerated their expansion strategies. CXMT’s

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