ELECTRONICS NEW HIGHLIGHT W28.2025

1. Semiconductor companies benefit from shifting US-China policy on AI Chips

The adjustment in the United States’ policy on AI chip exports is beginning to ease trade tensions with China, prompting reactions from major semiconductor companies including Nvidia, AMD, and Apple.

On July 14, 2025, Nvidia announced that it had submitted a request to the US government to continue selling its AI GPU H20 to Chinese customers and hopes to receive approval soon. This move marks a potential reversal of export restrictions imposed in April 2025, which Nvidia previously estimated could result in a $15 billion revenue loss. Speaking in Beijing, CEO Jensen Huang warned that losing access to the vast Chinese market and innovation could undermine Nvidia’s leadership position in AI.

AMD also confirmed that it is pursuing an export license for its MI308 chips to China. The company stated that it expects approval and plans to restart exports once the license is granted. Previously, AMD had warned that the restrictions could lead to a loss of around $800 million due to inventory and supply chain obligations.

These developments are tied to broader trade negotiations. US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick revealed that the adjustment to AI chip exports was part of a trade agreement involving the resumption of rare earth shipments from China to US manufacturers.

The policy shift signals a warming trend in US-China trade relations, which could help ease tensions in the global semiconductor supply chain and secure the critical materials needed for the AI and high-tech industries.

Learn more: Semiconductor Companies Benefit from Shifting US-China Policy on AI Chips

2. STMicroelectronics expands Metalenz licensing to scale up metasurface optics manufacturin

STMicroelectronics has expanded its partnership with Metalenz through a new licensing agreement aimed at accelerating the production of metasurface optics by leveraging the 300mm semiconductor manufacturing platform. The agreement is designed to enhance ST’s ability to integrate advanced optical and semiconductor processes for large-scale, high-precision, and cost-effective applications in the consumer, industrial, and automotive markets.

Since 2022, ST has shipped over 140 million FlightSense time-of-flight modules and metasurface optics supported by Metalenz’s intellectual property. These components are widely used in smartphones, robotics, lidar systems, gesture recognition, and object detection.

Alexandre Balmefrezol, Executive Vice President and Head of Imaging at ST, stated that the extended agreement “strengthens our position in emerging 3D sensing applications and helps meet the demand for compact and scalable optical solutions.” He emphasized that integrating optical manufacturing into ST’s 300mm semiconductor fab ensures high yield and quality for complex sensing tasks.

Rob Devlin, Co-Founder and CEO of Metalenz, said, “This collaboration continues to advance metasurface optics from research to mainstream applications, redefining the sensor ecosystem by enabling the fabrication of optical components in semiconductor fabs.” He added that ST and Metalenz are well-positioned to lead the growing metasurface optics market.

Learn more: STMicroelectronics Expands Metalenz Licensing to Scale Up Metasurface Optics Manufacturing

3. Texas Instruments recognized by Volkswagen for semiconductor supply quality in automotive industry

Texas Instruments (TI) received the “Excellence in Operations” award at the 2025 Volkswagen Group Award ceremony, held in Wolfsburg, Germany. This award recognizes TI’s sustainable automotive semiconductor supply strategy and its continued investment in manufacturing capabilities.

As modern vehicles become increasingly reliant on thousands of semiconductors for safety systems, powertrains, and infotainment, the Volkswagen Group emphasized the need for reliable chip supply to support the launch of over 30 new vehicle models across regions and brands by 2025. TI’s automotive-grade embedded and analog solutions play a crucial role in supporting next-generation automotive platforms.

Stefan Bruder, President of Texas Instruments Europe, stated, “TI’s strong technology foundation, comprehensive automotive product portfolio, and long-term stable supply are enabling smarter and safer automotive systems. We are honored to collaborate with the Volkswagen Group to support the innovation of future mobility solutions.”

TI supplies the Volkswagen Group with a wide range of embedded and analog components, including microcontrollers, processors, power management ICs, interface devices, and Digital Light Processing (DLP®) micromirror technology, driving the transformation of the automotive industry.

Learn more: Texas Instruments Recognized by Volkswagen for Semiconductor Supply Quality in Automotive Industry

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