MILPITAS, CA – Global semiconductor equipment sales rose 10% in 2024 to $117.1 billion, setting a new high, according to SEMI’s latest report. Growth was led by wafer processing and back-end equipment, with the latter rebounding sharply due to rising demand for AI and high-bandwidth memory production.

China drove much of the momentum, with investments climbing 35% to $49.6 billion, making it the top regional market. Korea followed at $20.5 billion, up 3%, while Taiwan dropped 16% to $16.6 billion. North America saw a 14% increase to $13.7 billion, reflecting renewed domestic manufacturing efforts. Europe and Japan saw declines, down 25% and 1%, respectively.

SEMI president and CEO Ajit Manocha said the record-setting year was fueled by “regional investment trends, advancements in logic and memory, and AI-driven demand.”

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Global PC shipments reached 63.2 million units in the first quarter, a 4.9% increase year-over-year, according to IDC. Growth was fueled by strong commercial demand and efforts to accelerate shipments ahead of potential US tariff impacts, the research firm added.

“The ecosystem pulled forward deliveries to avoid early tariff exposure,” said IDC’s Jean Philippe Bouchard. He noted the April 2 tariff announcement could drive up costs and slow IT spending through the rest of the year.

Key drivers — like the Windows 10 refresh cycle and demand for AI-ready devices — remain in place. However, IDC warned that inflationary pressure from tariffs, however, plus coupled with broader economic uncertainty, could dampen demand in upcoming quarters.

IDC's Ryan Reith added that vendors are now reassessing manufacturing and logistics strategies. “Price increases on hardware are likely to be passed directly to consumers,” he said, pointing to ongoing volatility in trade policy and limited visibility in the supply chain.

Top 5 PC Vendors, Q1 2025 (YoY Growth):

• Lenovo: 15.2M units (+10.8%)
• HP: 12.8M (+6.1%)
• Dell: 9.6M (+3.0%)
• Apple: 5.5M (+14.1%)
• ASUS: 4.0M (+11.1%)

Combined, these five vendors accounted for nearly 75% of the market. Lenovo led with 24.1% share, followed by HP at 20.2%.

TABY, SWEDEN – Mycronic’s Global Technologies division has acquired RoBAT, a UK-headquartered company specializing in high-frequency signal quality testing for bare board PCBs. The acquisition expands Global Technologies’ capabilities in advanced electrical test solutions.

Founded in 2001, RoBAT employs 27 people across offices in the United Kingdom, United States, and China. The company reported GBP 3 million ($1.28 million) in net sales for 2024.

“Computational power and communication will continue to evolve rapidly. The resulting high-speed applications require PCBs with good high frequency signal quality,” said Magnus Marthinsson, senior VP, Global Technologies, Mycronic.

“RoBAT’s offering is very exciting and particularly relevant for AI server applications,” added Jochen Kleinertz, head of the PCB Test business line.

RoBAT will be integrated into the PCB test business line within the Global Technologies division.

TAIPEI – Foxconn reported first-quarter revenue of T$1.64 trillion ($49.5 billion), its highest on record, driven by strong demand for cloud and networking products used in AI applications. The figure marked a 24.2% increase from a year earlier.

The company said consumer electronics revenue, including iPhones, was flat year-on-year. March revenue reached T$552.1 billion, a record for the month.

Foxconn expects growth in the current quarter compared to both the prior quarter and the same period last year. However, it warned that global political and economic developments require close monitoring, following new U.S. tariffs on Chinese and Taiwanese goods.