Highlights of the day: Intel to increase output

DIGITIMES staff

Notebook ODMs have again been hit by Intel CPU shortages. But Bob Swan, visiting Taiwan for the first time as Intel's CEO, said his company is expanding production capacity, particularly for 14nm processors. Swan noted that Taiwan has played a critical role in helping Intel go through 2019, a year considered a difficult one for semiconductors. And indeed, Taiwan's semiconductor sector has been spending more on chipmaking equipment purchases this year, despite the US-China trade war, which has been sending manufacturers moving their production lines out of the "world's factory." Now Google is having its manufacturing partners set up production lines in Thailand and Vietnam.

Intel expanding chip output: Q&A with company CEO Bob Swan: Intel will be gradually expanding its foundry production capacity, particularly for 14nm process this year, according to company CEO Bob Swan. Swan and other Intel executives arrived in Taiwan earlier this week meeting with local partners and suppliers.

Taiwan sees significant rise in chipmaking equipment imports: Taiwan's imports of semiconductor equipment shot up 65.1% on year to US$2.5 billion in September and surged 32.2% to US$15.5 billion for the first three quarters of 2019, according to customs statistics.

Google suppliers to relocate production to Thailand, Vietnam: Google has decided to choose Thailand as the new production base for its Google Home smart speaker with Quanta Computer remaining its manufacturer, and the Internet service giant is now reportedly considering moving the production of its Chromebooks to Thailand and Vietnam to avoid the US tariff, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.