Toyota is looking to close additional production plant in Japan as the semiconductor shortage haunts Toyota. Toyota adjusted its production for the third time in June.

Toyota to close another production plant as semiconductor shortage haunt Toyota

Samsung has reported the highest Q1 profit since 2018. This comes at a time when the demand for memory chips is soaring.

Samsung reports the highest Q1 profit since 2018 as demand for memory chips increases

In order to cut its dependence on China and the US on semiconductors supply, the European Union (EU) on Tuesday unveiled its multi-billion-dollar plan to set up chips factories&nbsp;in the bloc.

The decision by the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, comes amid a global shortage of chip supplies that has crippled car makers, healthcare providers, telecoms operators and others.

The highly anticipated European Chips Act will “enable 15 billion euros ($17 billion) in additional public and private investment by 2030,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

“This will come on top of 30 billion euros of public investments already planned from NextGenerationEU, Horizon Europe and national budgets. And these funds are set to be matched by further long-term private investments," she said, referring to ongoing EU projects.

Von der Leyen said the bloc will ease its state assist guidelines, which purpose to forestall unlawful and unfair subsidies granted by EU international locations to firms, for revolutionary chip factories.

“We’re, subsequently, adapting our state assist guidelines, beneath strict circumstances. It will enable – for the primary time – public help for European ‘first-of-a-kind’ manufacturing amenities, which profit all of Europe.”

These factories could also be allowed to get extra state funding, EU digital chief Margrethe Vestager mentioned, because the bloc seeks to double its international market share to 20per cent in 2030.

Notably, the EU Chips Act is identical to the US Chips Act which is aimed at increasing its competitiveness with China and supporting the domestic chip industry, including $52 billion to subsidise semiconductor manufacturing and research.

The European Chips Act, which would require approval from EU international locations and EU lawmakers earlier than it might change into legislation, additionally features a toolbox permitting the Fee to demand firms ship key chips throughout a disaster, reports Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies)

In order to cut its dependence on China and the US on semiconductors supply, the European Union (EU) on Tuesday unveiled its multi-billion-dollar plan to set up chips factories in the bloc.

In order to cut its dependence on China and the US on semiconductors supply, the European Union (EU) on Tuesday unveiled its multi-billion-dollar plan to set up chips factories in the bloc. The decision by the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, comes amid a global shortage of chip supplies that has crippled car makers, healthcare providers, telecoms operators and others. The highly anticipated European Chips Act will “enable 15 billion euros ($17 billion) in additional public and private investment by 2030,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. “This will come on top of 30 billion euros of public investments already planned from NextGenerationEU, Horizon Europe and national budgets. And these funds are set to be matched by further long-term private investments," she said, referring to ongoing EU projects. Von der Leyen said the bloc will ease its state assist guidelines, which purpose to forestall unlawful and unfair subsidies granted by EU international locations to firms, for revolutionary chip factories. “We’re, subsequently, adapting our state assist guidelines, beneath strict circumstances. It will enable – for the primary time – public help for European ‘first-of-a-kind’ manufacturing amenities, which profit all of Europe.” These factories could also be allowed to get extra state funding, EU digital chief Margrethe Vestager mentioned, because the bloc seeks to double its international market share to 20per cent in 2030. Notably, the EU Chips Act is identical to the US Chips Act which is aimed at increasing its competitiveness with China and supporting the domestic chip industry, including $52 billion to subsidise semiconductor manufacturing and research. The European Chips Act, which would require approval from EU international locations and EU lawmakers earlier than it might change into legislation, additionally features a toolbox permitting the Fee to demand firms ship key chips throughout a disaster, reports Reuters. (With inputs from agencies)

To cut dependence on China, EU unveils multi-billion-dollar plan to boost chip production

Micron Technology shares headed higher after the memory chip company posted strong results, while providing better-than-expected forecasts for the current quarter.

Micron shares rise on strong quarter 1 results

The global auto industry is facing a crisis. It could lose $210 billion in revenue due to an acute shortage of chips. In India alone, over 700,000 buyers are waiting for delivery. Can India's $10 billion plan solve this crisis? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Can India's $10 billion booster save the global economy?

India has approved a $10 billion incentive plan to attract semiconductor fabricators and display manufacturers as part of efforts to establish itself as a global electronics production hub.

India approves $10 billion plan to lure semiconductor and display makers

According to reports, Japan will create a scheme to subsidise the construction of domestic chip factories with a new plant planned by Taiwan's TSMC likely to be the first recipient.

World Business Watch: Japan to create scheme to subsidise domestic chip output

Since 1989, Microchip Technology has operated in an unglamorous backwater of the electronics industry, making chips called microcontrollers that add computing power to cars, industrial equipment and many other products.

Now a global chip shortage has elevated the company’s profile. Demand for Microchip’s products is running more than 50% higher than it can supply. That has put the company, based in Chandler, Arizona, in an unfamiliar position of power, which it began wielding this year.

While Microchip normally lets customers cancel a chip order within 90 days of delivery, it began offering shipment priority to clients that signed contracts for 12 months of orders that couldn’t be revoked or rescheduled. These commitments reduced the chances that orders would evaporate when the scarcity ended, giving Microchip more confidence to safely hire workers and buy costly equipment to increase production.

“It gives us the ability to not hold back,” said Ganesh Moorthy, president and CEO of Microchip, which Thursday reported that profit in the latest quarter tripled and that sales rose 26% to $1.65 billion.

Such contracts are just one example of how the $500 billion chip industry is changing because of the silicon shortage, with many of the shifts likely to outlive the pandemic-fueled dearth. The lack of the tiny components — which has pinched makers of cars, game consoles, medical devices and many other goods — has been a stark reminder of the foundational nature of chips, which act as the brains of computers and other products.

Chief among the changes is a long-term shift in market power from chip buyers to sellers, particularly those that own factories that make the semiconductors. The most visible beneficiaries have been giant chip manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which offer services called foundries that build chips for other companies.

But the shortage has also sharply bolstered the influence of lesser-known chip makers such as Microchip, NXP Semiconductors, STMicroelectronics, Onsemi and Infineon, which design and sell thousands of chip varieties to thousands of customers. These companies, which build many products in their own aging factories, now are increasingly able to choose which customers get how many of their scarce chips.

Many are favoring buyers who act more like partners, by taking steps like signing long-term purchase commitments or investing to help chip makers increase production. Above all, the chip makers are asking clients to share more information earlier about which chips they will need, which helps guide decisions about how to lift manufacturing.

“That visibility is what we need,” said Hassane El-Khoury, CEO of chip maker Onsemi, a company previously known as ON Semiconductor.

Many of the chip makers said they were using their new power with restraint, helping customers avoid problems like factory shutdowns and raising prices modestly. That’s because gouging customers, they said, could cause bad blood that would hurt sales when shortages end.

Even so, the power shift has been unmistakable. “Today there is no leverage” for buyers, said Mark Adams, CEO of Smart Global Holdings, a major user of memory chips.

Marvell Technology, a Silicon Valley company that designs chips and outsources the manufacturing, has experienced the change in power. While it used to give foundries estimates of its chip production needs for 12 months, it began providing them with five-year forecasts starting in April.

“You need a really good story,” said Matt Murphy, Marvell’s CEO. “Ultimately the supply chain is going to allocate to who they think are going to be the winners.”

It’s a substantial change in psychology for a mature industry where growth has generally been slow. Many chip makers for years sold largely interchangeable products and often struggled to keep their factories running profitably, particularly if sales slumped for items like personal computers and smartphones that drove most chip demand.

But the components are essential for more products now, one of many signs that rapid growth may linger. In the third quarter, total chip sales surged nearly 28% to $144.8 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association said.

Years of industry consolidation has also wrung out excess manufacturing capacity and left fewer suppliers selling exclusive kinds of chips. So buyers that could once place and cancel orders with little notice — and play one chip maker off another to get lower prices — have less muscle.

One effect of these changes was to make chip factories more valuable, including some older ones owned by foundries. That’s because new manufacturing processes have become so costly that some chip designers aren’t shifting to the most advanced factories to make their products. The result has been a demand crunch for less-expensive production lines that are 5-10 years old.

So some foundries, in a major strategy shift, are beginning to put more money into older production technology. TSMC recently said it would build such a plant in Japan. Samsung Electronics, a key foundry rival, has also said it was considering a new “legacy” factory.

But those investments will take several years to pay off. And they won’t address issues affecting chips like microcontrollers, which are a microcosm for the supply chain squeeze.

Microcontrollers combine the ability to make calculations with built-in memory to store programs and data, often adding features that only come from specialized factories. And the number of applications is skyrocketing, from brake and engine systems in cars to security cameras, credit cards, electric scooters and drones.

“We’ve probably sold more microcontrollers in the past year than the past decade,” said Marc Barnhill, chief trading officer at Smith, a chip distributor based in Houston. The wait to receive some popular microcontrollers now stretches to more than a year, he said, and prices for the products have leapt 20-fold among traders that buy and sell chips.

Amid the turmoil, companies that design or use chips have responded with new tactics. Some designers are adapting their products to be made in different factories with more manufacturing capacity, said Shiv Tasker, a global vice president engaged in that practice for the consultancy Capgemini.

And customers that once bought chips based on price and performance also are thinking more about availability.

Consider BrightAI, a startup developing devices and software to help businesses connect equipment and other devices to the internet. Alex Hawkinson, its co-founder, said it redesigned one circuit board four times in six months to adapt to different chips. The company also transferred some designers to China to revise products more quickly with components obtained there, he said.

Bigger chip users like automakers have started talking directly with manufacturers, rather than following the typical practice of working through subcontractors. Last month, General Motors forged a deal with the chip maker Wolfspeed to ensure a share of the semiconductors coming from a new factory that makes energy-efficient components for electric vehicles.

While the chip industry’s power shift has aided Microchip, it has also come with its own headaches. Moorthy said the company had managed to produce more chips in its three main factories in Arizona and Oregon, as well as get more from foundry partners. But demand is growing faster than what it can produce.

“We are falling farther behind,” he said.

Expanding Microchip’s own plants isn’t easy. For one thing, the company has always relied heavily on buying used manufacturing equipment, but “that whole thing has dried up,” Moorthy said.

Acquiring new gear can take 12-18 months and costs more, he said. While the long-term purchase agreements have provided more stability to make such investments, Microchip and others also hope Congress approves a $52 billion funding package, which is expected to include grants to subsidize more U.S. chip production.

“Are we counting on it to run our business? No,” said Moorthy. “Would it help some of our investment choices? Absolutely.”

Since 1989, Microchip Technology has operated in an unglamorous backwater of the electronics industry, making chips called microcontrollers that add computing power to cars, industrial equipment and many other products.

Since 1989, Microchip Technology has operated in an unglamorous backwater of the electronics industry, making chips called microcontrollers that add computing power to cars, industrial equipment and many other products. Now a global chip shortage has elevated the company’s profile. Demand for Microchip’s products is running more than 50% higher than it can supply. That has put the company, based in Chandler, Arizona, in an unfamiliar position of power, which it began wielding this year. While Microchip normally lets customers cancel a chip order within 90 days of delivery, it began offering shipment priority to clients that signed contracts for 12 months of orders that couldn’t be revoked or rescheduled. These commitments reduced the chances that orders would evaporate when the scarcity ended, giving Microchip more confidence to safely hire workers and buy costly equipment to increase production. “It gives us the ability to not hold back,” said Ganesh Moorthy, president and CEO of Microchip, which Thursday reported that profit in the latest quarter tripled and that sales rose 26% to $1.65 billion. Such contracts are just one example of how the $500 billion chip industry is changing because of the silicon shortage, with many of the shifts likely to outlive the pandemic-fueled dearth. The lack of the tiny components — which has pinched makers of cars, game consoles, medical devices and many other goods — has been a stark reminder of the foundational nature of chips, which act as the brains of computers and other products. Chief among the changes is a long-term shift in market power from chip buyers to sellers, particularly those that own factories that make the semiconductors. The most visible beneficiaries have been giant chip manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which offer services called foundries that build chips for other companies. But the shortage has also sharply bolstered the influence of lesser-known chip makers such as Microchip, NXP Semiconductors, STMicroelectronics, Onsemi and Infineon, which design and sell thousands of chip varieties to thousands of customers. These companies, which build many products in their own aging factories, now are increasingly able to choose which customers get how many of their scarce chips. Many are favoring buyers who act more like partners, by taking steps like signing long-term purchase commitments or investing to help chip makers increase production. Above all, the chip makers are asking clients to share more information earlier about which chips they will need, which helps guide decisions about how to lift manufacturing. “That visibility is what we need,” said Hassane El-Khoury, CEO of chip maker Onsemi, a company previously known as ON Semiconductor. Many of the chip makers said they were using their new power with restraint, helping customers avoid problems like factory shutdowns and raising prices modestly. That’s because gouging customers, they said, could cause bad blood that would hurt sales when shortages end. Even so, the power shift has been unmistakable. “Today there is no leverage” for buyers, said Mark Adams, CEO of Smart Global Holdings, a major user of memory chips. Marvell Technology, a Silicon Valley company that designs chips and outsources the manufacturing, has experienced the change in power. While it used to give foundries estimates of its chip production needs for 12 months, it began providing them with five-year forecasts starting in April. “You need a really good story,” said Matt Murphy, Marvell’s CEO. “Ultimately the supply chain is going to allocate to who they think are going to be the winners.” It’s a substantial change in psychology for a mature industry where growth has generally been slow. Many chip makers for years sold largely interchangeable products and often struggled to keep their factories running profitably, particularly if sales slumped for items like personal computers and smartphones that drove most chip demand. But the components are essential for more products now, one of many signs that rapid growth may linger. In the third quarter, total chip sales surged nearly 28% to $144.8 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association said. Years of industry consolidation has also wrung out excess manufacturing capacity and left fewer suppliers selling exclusive kinds of chips. So buyers that could once place and cancel orders with little notice — and play one chip maker off another to get lower prices — have less muscle. One effect of these changes was to make chip factories more valuable, including some older ones owned by foundries. That’s because new manufacturing processes have become so costly that some chip designers aren’t shifting to the most advanced factories to make their products. The result has been a demand crunch for less-expensive production lines that are 5-10 years old. So some foundries, in a major strategy shift, are beginning to put more money into older production technology. TSMC recently said it would build such a plant in Japan. Samsung Electronics, a key foundry rival, has also said it was considering a new “legacy” factory. But those investments will take several years to pay off. And they won’t address issues affecting chips like microcontrollers, which are a microcosm for the supply chain squeeze. Microcontrollers combine the ability to make calculations with built-in memory to store programs and data, often adding features that only come from specialized factories. And the number of applications is skyrocketing, from brake and engine systems in cars to security cameras, credit cards, electric scooters and drones. “We’ve probably sold more microcontrollers in the past year than the past decade,” said Marc Barnhill, chief trading officer at Smith, a chip distributor based in Houston. The wait to receive some popular microcontrollers now stretches to more than a year, he said, and prices for the products have leapt 20-fold among traders that buy and sell chips. Amid the turmoil, companies that design or use chips have responded with new tactics. Some designers are adapting their products to be made in different factories with more manufacturing capacity, said Shiv Tasker, a global vice president engaged in that practice for the consultancy Capgemini. And customers that once bought chips based on price and performance also are thinking more about availability. Consider BrightAI, a startup developing devices and software to help businesses connect equipment and other devices to the internet. Alex Hawkinson, its co-founder, said it redesigned one circuit board four times in six months to adapt to different chips. The company also transferred some designers to China to revise products more quickly with components obtained there, he said. Bigger chip users like automakers have started talking directly with manufacturers, rather than following the typical practice of working through subcontractors. Last month, General Motors forged a deal with the chip maker Wolfspeed to ensure a share of the semiconductors coming from a new factory that makes energy-efficient components for electric vehicles. While the chip industry’s power shift has aided Microchip, it has also come with its own headaches. Moorthy said the company had managed to produce more chips in its three main factories in Arizona and Oregon, as well as get more from foundry partners. But demand is growing faster than what it can produce. “We are falling farther behind,” he said. Expanding Microchip’s own plants isn’t easy. For one thing, the company has always relied heavily on buying used manufacturing equipment, but “that whole thing has dried up,” Moorthy said. Acquiring new gear can take 12-18 months and costs more, he said. While the long-term purchase agreements have provided more stability to make such investments, Microchip and others also hope Congress approves a $52 billion funding package, which is expected to include grants to subsidize more U.S. chip production. “Are we counting on it to run our business? No,” said Moorthy. “Would it help some of our investment choices? Absolutely.”

Chip shortage creates new power players

Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Tuesday it has developed a processor that will be used to power servers in its data centers.

The development marks the latest foray into semiconductors for the company, mirroring moves from other global cloud computing players while also dovetailing with Chinese government's priorities to boost the nation's chip sector.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-us-lawmakers-accuse-amazon-of-possibly-lying-to-congress-following-reuters-report-421811">&nbsp;Five US lawmakers accuse Amazon of possibly lying to Congress following Reuters report</a>

Developed by Alibaba's in-house semiconductor unit T-Head, the chip — the Yitian 710 — is based on architecture from UK-based Arm Ltd, and will not be available for commercial use outside of Alibaba.

Alibaba is the largest cloud computing provider in China by market share and the third-largest globally, according to research firm Gartner.

Its rivals in the sector have also released server chips of their own. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Amazon.com Inc rely on their respective Kunpeng and Graviton chips to power their cloud computing infrastructure.

Alibaba also said it has a developed proprietary line of servers, called Panjiu, and added that it will make the source code for its Xuantie series of IP cores — based on the RISC-V open source architecture — available to the public. Alibaba unveiled the Xuantie in 2019.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exhausted-chinese-employees-start-worker-lives-matter-campaign-over-grueling-work-hours-421420">Exhausted Chinese employees start 'worker lives matter' campaign over grueling work hours</a>

China's government has long urged industry to invest in the domestic chip sector, which remains behind that of global counterparts.

The country remains reliant on overseas companies for much of its advanced semiconductors, a vulnerability brought forth when US&nbsp;sanctions against Huawei crippled that company`s booming smartphone business.

In addition to Alibaba, search giant Baidu Inc, phone maker Xiaomi Corp, and a number of Chinese automotive and appliance companies have begun investing in chips.

Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Tuesday it has developed a processor that will be used to power servers in its data centers. The development marks the latest foray into semiconductors for the company, mirroring moves from other global cloud computing players while also dovetailing with Chinese government's priorities to boost the nation's chip sector.

Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Tuesday it has developed a processor that will be used to power servers in its data centers. The development marks the latest foray into semiconductors for the company, mirroring moves from other global cloud computing players while also dovetailing with Chinese government's priorities to boost the nation's chip sector. Also Read | Five US lawmakers accuse Amazon of possibly lying to Congress following Reuters report Developed by Alibaba's in-house semiconductor unit T-Head, the chip — the Yitian 710 — is based on architecture from UK-based Arm Ltd, and will not be available for commercial use outside of Alibaba. Alibaba is the largest cloud computing provider in China by market share and the third-largest globally, according to research firm Gartner. Its rivals in the sector have also released server chips of their own. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Amazon.com Inc rely on their respective Kunpeng and Graviton chips to power their cloud computing infrastructure. Alibaba also said it has a developed proprietary line of servers, called Panjiu, and added that it will make the source code for its Xuantie series of IP cores — based on the RISC-V open source architecture — available to the public. Alibaba unveiled the Xuantie in 2019. Also Read | Exhausted Chinese employees start 'worker lives matter' campaign over grueling work hours China's government has long urged industry to invest in the domestic chip sector, which remains behind that of global counterparts. The country remains reliant on overseas companies for much of its advanced semiconductors, a vulnerability brought forth when US sanctions against Huawei crippled that company`s booming smartphone business. In addition to Alibaba, search giant Baidu Inc, phone maker Xiaomi Corp, and a number of Chinese automotive and appliance companies have begun investing in chips.

Alibaba unveils custom ARM-based server chip for cloud computing data centers

Amid thrillers, biopics, and dramas that release each week on the big screen and OTT, the heart yearns to watch a feel-good love story. The good old fashion story where the boy meets a girl, falls in love, separates briefly due to some misunderstanding and eventually reunites for eternity. Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine's&nbsp;The Idea Of You ticks most boxes of a quintessential rom-com but then takes it a notch higher addressing middle-aged women and their desires in the most effective way possible.&nbsp; 
 
Helmed by Michael Showalter, The Idea Of You is breezy enough for you to enjoy the leads falling in love but also deep dives into the dangerous side effects of the paparazzi culture, societal prejudices and more which makes the film slightly different and not as casual as a romantic comedy perceives to be.&nbsp; 
 
Anne Hathaway plays Solene, an LA-based art gallery owner who reluctantly takes her 16-year-old daughter and her pals to Coachella for a meet-and-greet event with popular band August Moon. Solene's ex-husband has paid for the meet-and-greet but has bailed out. At Coachella, Solene meets Hayes (Galitzine), unaware that he is the lead singer of August Moon. Hayes is enamoured by Solene. She finds herself being drawn to him&nbsp;but hesitates initially because he is 24 and she is 40 and he is the crush of millions of teenagers.&nbsp;

<img alt="t" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="69b44440-3ae8-44fb-9463-e698ea3faf14" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Your%20paragraph%20text%20%2884%29_0.jpg" /> 
 
Hayes, an emotionally complex but kind and gentle man, is unassuming about his celebrity status. He pursues and charms his way to Solene's heart and the two embark on what seems like a summer romance initially with Solene travelling with Hayes as his 'Art Consultant' as he and his band tour Europe.&nbsp; 
 
As the paparazzi get to know, the couple is followed and photos of their romance are splashed across various tabloids.&nbsp;Solene gets labelled not Hayes. From being called a cougar to being targeted for her age and looks, the internet and society at large come down harshly on the woman while calling the man the victim. As one of Solene's friend rightly points out, "People hate happy women," the society is quick to make judgements about her integrity and character, Solene initially makes peace with it and puts her happiness first. And Hayes gives her happiness but later the dynamics change when Solene's daughter Izzy starts getting affected.&nbsp;

<img alt="t" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="38deb0a0-e7f5-4093-88f1-0308a4df7851" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Your%20paragraph%20text%20%2885%29_0.jpg" /> 
 
Based on a novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, The Idea Of You has 40-year-old single mother taking the centre stage where she lives an unapologetic life. Even though bitter about her ex-husband cheating on her, Solene is someone who has moved on and made her teenage daughter her best friend while&nbsp;finding solace in her work. Love happens by chance for her and she fights back thinking of society and its norms. But as she finds herself drawn deeply to a much younger man, she realises the hypocritical nature of the society that she has been afraid of all this while.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/izsZy5OW-p0?si=uAOGVLFIk-nEM_cv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Romantic comedies or love stories have that feel-good factor. But not too many make you think deeper, which fortunately The Idea Of You does. It helps that Hathaway and Galitzine share incredible onscreen chemistry and makes their pairing look very relatable. The songs, composed by Siddhartha Khosla and performed by Galitzine are nice and breezy adding freshness to the story.&nbsp;

<img alt="t" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3c3bb29c-cb27-4280-bb95-6094985c7973" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Your%20paragraph%20text%20%2886%29_0.jpg" /> 
 
The Idea Of You is a feel-good romance and despite its predictability, it manages to put a smile on your face. Hathaway and Galitzine make for a good-looking couple on screen. A modern-day fairy tale romance, The Idea Of You is candid and honest, and throws light on the double standards that exist in our society without being too preachy. The film is not meant for teenagers but for their parents, and talks of finding love and giving it a second chance. 
&nbsp; 
The Idea Of You is releasing on Amazon Prime Video on May 2.&nbsp;

Amid thrillers, biopics, and dramas that release each week on the big screen and OTT, the heart yearns to watch a feel-good love story. The good old fashion story where the boy meets a girl, falls in love, separates briefly due to some misunderstanding and eventually reunites for eternity.

Amid thrillers, biopics, and dramas that release each week on the big screen and OTT, the heart yearns to watch a feel-good love story. The good old fashion story where the boy meets a girl, falls in love, separates briefly due to some misunderstanding and eventually reunites for eternity. Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine's The Idea Of You ticks most boxes of a quintessential rom-com but then takes it a notch higher addressing middle-aged women and their desires in the most effective way possible. Helmed by Michael Showalter, The Idea Of You is breezy enough for you to enjoy the leads falling in love but also deep dives into the dangerous side effects of the paparazzi culture, societal prejudices and more which makes the film slightly different and not as casual as a romantic comedy perceives to be. Anne Hathaway plays Solene, an LA-based art gallery owner who reluctantly takes her 16-year-old daughter and her pals to Coachella for a meet-and-greet event with popular band August Moon. Solene's ex-husband has paid for the meet-and-greet but has bailed out. At Coachella, Solene meets Hayes (Galitzine), unaware that he is the lead singer of August Moon. Hayes is enamoured by Solene. She finds herself being drawn to him but hesitates initially because he is 24 and she is 40 and he is the crush of millions of teenagers. Hayes, an emotionally complex but kind and gentle man, is unassuming about his celebrity status. He pursues and charms his way to Solene's heart and the two embark on what seems like a summer romance initially with Solene travelling with Hayes as his 'Art Consultant' as he and his band tour Europe. As the paparazzi get to know, the couple is followed and photos of their romance are splashed across various tabloids. Solene gets labelled not Hayes. From being called a cougar to being targeted for her age and looks, the internet and society at large come down harshly on the woman while calling the man the victim. As one of Solene's friend rightly points out, "People hate happy women," the society is quick to make judgements about her integrity and character, Solene initially makes peace with it and puts her happiness first. And Hayes gives her happiness but later the dynamics change when Solene's daughter Izzy starts getting affected. Based on a novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, The Idea Of You has 40-year-old single mother taking the centre stage where she lives an unapologetic life. Even though bitter about her ex-husband cheating on her, Solene is someone who has moved on and made her teenage daughter her best friend while finding solace in her work. Love happens by chance for her and she fights back thinking of society and its norms. But as she finds herself drawn deeply to a much younger man, she realises the hypocritical nature of the society that she has been afraid of all this while. Romantic comedies or love stories have that feel-good factor. But not too many make you think deeper, which fortunately The Idea Of You does. It helps that Hathaway and Galitzine share incredible onscreen chemistry and makes their pairing look very relatable. The songs, composed by Siddhartha Khosla and performed by Galitzine are nice and breezy adding freshness to the story. The Idea Of You is a feel-good romance and despite its predictability, it manages to put a smile on your face. Hathaway and Galitzine make for a good-looking couple on screen. A modern-day fairy tale romance, The Idea Of You is candid and honest, and throws light on the double standards that exist in our society without being too preachy. The film is not meant for teenagers but for their parents, and talks of finding love and giving it a second chance. The Idea Of You is releasing on Amazon Prime Video on May 2.

Tired of losing keys? Now, get chip installed for unlocking doors hassle-free

Sony has now sold over 10 million PS5 consoles. This comes after Sony clocked around 7.8 million units as sold by March-end. Even though PS5 continues to be the hottest selling gaming console by Sony to date, the supply is constrained and it is extremely difficult to purchase a console right now due to a global chip shortage.

Sony has now sold over 10 million PS5 consoles. This comes after Sony clocked around 7.8 million units as sold by March-end. Even though PS5 continues to be the hottest selling gaming console by Sony to date, the supply is constrained and it is extremely difficult to purchase a console right now due to a global chip shortage. Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, was quoted by The Verge saying, "While PS5 has reached more households faster than any of our previous consoles, we still have a lot of work ahead of us as demand for PS5 continues to outstrip supply". He added, "I want gamers to know that while we continue to face unique challenges throughout the world that affect our industry and many others, improving inventory levels remains a top priority for SIE". Also read | Twitter set to test 'shop' feature for select brands The supply constraint is not likely to go away anytime soon. It is because of the periodic sales through online channels that the buyers are unable to get their hands on a PS5 unit. Sony has also shared some milestones around the PS5 launch titles. Spider-Man: Miles Morales has sold more than 6.5 million copies since its launch in November, with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart selling more than 1.1 million copies since its launch last month. Returnal has also sold more than 560,000 copies since its April launch. As Sony continues to share console hardware figures, Microsoft has stopped sharing Xbox sales numbers in the Xbox One era. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has been quoted by The Verge saying, "We’re all in on games". He added, "The Xbox Series S and X are our fastest selling consoles ever, with more consoles sold life-to-date than any previous generation".

Sony has sold 10 million PS5 consoles while chip shortage continues

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics' net profits surged more than 70 percent in the second quarter thanks to higher memory chip prices fuelled by pandemic-led demand, the South Korean tech giant reported Thursday.

Coronavirus-driven working from home boosted demand for devices and appliances powered by&nbsp;Samsung's memory chips. The company said that "memory shipments exceeded previous guidance and price increases were higher than expected".

The world's biggest smartphone maker saw net profits rise 73.4 percent year-on-year to 9.6 trillion won ($8.4 billion) for April-June, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Operating profit increased 54.3 percent to 12.6 trillion won from 8.1 trillion won a year earlier, more than half of which came from the firm's semiconductor business.

The strong results come despite an on-quarter decline in&nbsp;Samsung's earnings from its smartphone business because of supply chain problems that disrupted global production.

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of the giant&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;group, by far the largest of the family-controlled empires that dominate business in South Korea, the world's 12th largest economy.&nbsp;

The conglomerate's overall turnover is equivalent to one-fifth of gross domestic product.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/samsung-may-launch-flagship-phone-early-to-grab-huawei-share-341786">Also read |&nbsp;Samsung may launch flagship phone early to grab Huawei share</a>

Analysts say the chip unit's proportion of the firm's profit is likely to grow in the months ahead.

"Samsung&nbsp;will benefit from memory chip prices that are likely to go higher in the third and fourth quarter," Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment &amp; Securities, told AFP.

The firm anticipates favourable market conditions for the rest of the year, with continued demand for memory chips in the server and mobile markets.&nbsp;

But it warned pandemic-fuelled uncertainty would persist in the second half, noting "continued disruptions in component supply".

Shares in&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics closed down 0.25 percent on Thursday.&nbsp;

Eligible for parole

Samsung&nbsp;is expected to showcase the latest foldable smartphone models of its Galaxy Z and clamshell Galaxy Z Flip next month.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Makers of foldables are increasingly competitive, and include rivals such as China's Huawei and Xiaomi.&nbsp;

The upcoming gadgets will be equipped with "new multitasking capabilities and enhanced durability", said TM Roh, head of&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics' mobile communications business.&nbsp;

Samsung&nbsp;aims to solidify its position in the smartphone market "with the rollout of its premium mobile lineups as well as cheaper models in the third quarter", said James Kang, senior analyst at Euromonitor International.&nbsp;

But Kang said the company could face headwinds next year, as consumer demand is likely to be weaker than in 2021.&nbsp;

Samsung&nbsp;also faces legal challenges.&nbsp;

Its leader Lee Jae-yong is currently on trial, charged with manipulating a takeover to smooth his succession at the top of the&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;group.

Lee was separately jailed in January over a sprawling corruption scandal that brought down former president Park Geun-hye.

South Korea's corporate leaders and scholars say a leadership vacuum could hamper the firm's decision-making about large-scale investments, previously key to its global rise.

But Lee's absence would not have much of an impact on&nbsp;Samsung's earnings for the second half, said Park of Cape Investment.&nbsp;

Still, his return to management "could accelerate the decision-making process for long term investments", he added. &nbsp;

Lee is eligible for parole next month after completing more than half of his two-and-a-half year jail term.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics, South Korea's second-largest appliance firm after&nbsp;Samsung, posted a 65.5 percent jump in operating profit for the second quarter, to 1.1 trillion won.&nbsp;Its shares rose 1.5 percent.&nbsp;

Samsung Electronics' net profits surged more than 70 percent in the second quarter thanks to higher memory chip prices fuelled by pandemic-led demand, the South Korean tech giant reported Thursday.

Samsung Electronics' net profits surged more than 70 percent in the second quarter thanks to higher memory chip prices fuelled by pandemic-led demand, the South Korean tech giant reported Thursday. Coronavirus-driven working from home boosted demand for devices and appliances powered by Samsung's memory chips. The company said that "memory shipments exceeded previous guidance and price increases were higher than expected". The world's biggest smartphone maker saw net profits rise 73.4 percent year-on-year to 9.6 trillion won ($8.4 billion) for April-June, the company said in a regulatory filing. Operating profit increased 54.3 percent to 12.6 trillion won from 8.1 trillion won a year earlier, more than half of which came from the firm's semiconductor business. The strong results come despite an on-quarter decline in Samsung's earnings from its smartphone business because of supply chain problems that disrupted global production. Samsung Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of the giant Samsung group, by far the largest of the family-controlled empires that dominate business in South Korea, the world's 12th largest economy. The conglomerate's overall turnover is equivalent to one-fifth of gross domestic product. Also read | Samsung may launch flagship phone early to grab Huawei share Analysts say the chip unit's proportion of the firm's profit is likely to grow in the months ahead. "Samsung will benefit from memory chip prices that are likely to go higher in the third and fourth quarter," Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment & Securities, told AFP. The firm anticipates favourable market conditions for the rest of the year, with continued demand for memory chips in the server and mobile markets. But it warned pandemic-fuelled uncertainty would persist in the second half, noting "continued disruptions in component supply". Shares in Samsung Electronics closed down 0.25 percent on Thursday. Eligible for parole Samsung is expected to showcase the latest foldable smartphone models of its Galaxy Z and clamshell Galaxy Z Flip next month. Makers of foldables are increasingly competitive, and include rivals such as China's Huawei and Xiaomi. The upcoming gadgets will be equipped with "new multitasking capabilities and enhanced durability", said TM Roh, head of Samsung Electronics' mobile communications business. Samsung aims to solidify its position in the smartphone market "with the rollout of its premium mobile lineups as well as cheaper models in the third quarter", said James Kang, senior analyst at Euromonitor International. But Kang said the company could face headwinds next year, as consumer demand is likely to be weaker than in 2021. Samsung also faces legal challenges. Its leader Lee Jae-yong is currently on trial, charged with manipulating a takeover to smooth his succession at the top of the Samsung group. Lee was separately jailed in January over a sprawling corruption scandal that brought down former president Park Geun-hye. South Korea's corporate leaders and scholars say a leadership vacuum could hamper the firm's decision-making about large-scale investments, previously key to its global rise. But Lee's absence would not have much of an impact on Samsung's earnings for the second half, said Park of Cape Investment. Still, his return to management "could accelerate the decision-making process for long term investments", he added. Lee is eligible for parole next month after completing more than half of his two-and-a-half year jail term. Meanwhile, LG Electronics, South Korea's second-largest appliance firm after Samsung, posted a 65.5 percent jump in operating profit for the second quarter, to 1.1 trillion won. Its shares rose 1.5 percent.

Samsung reports surge in profit on pandemic-led demand for chips

German carmaker BMW warned a chip shortage that has plagued the car industry may lead to further lost production, it showed no signs of abating and supply would remain tight in the second half of the year.

World Business Watch: BMW warns on chip shortage, output to suffer on critical supply

Intel Corp's CEO said on Monday it could take several years for a global shortage of semiconductors to be resolved, a problem that has shuttered some auto production lines and is also being felt in other areas, including consumer electronics. 
 
Pat Gelsinger told a virtual session of the Computex trade show in Taipei that the work-and-study-from-home trend during the COVID-19 pandemic had led to a "cycle of explosive growth in semiconductors" that has placed huge strain on global supply chains. 
 
"But while the industry has taken steps to address near term constraints it could still take a couple of years for the ecosystem to address shortages of foundry capacity, substrates and components." 
 
Gelsinger had told The Washington Post in an interview in mid-April the shortage was going to take "a couple of years" to abate, and that it planned to start producing chips within six to nine months to address shortages at U.S. car plants. 
 
Intel announced a $20 billion plan in March to expand its advanced chip manufacturing capacity, building two factories in Arizona and opening its plants to outside customers. 
 
"We plan to expand to other locations in the U.S. and Europe, ensuring a sustainable and secure semiconductor supply chain for the world," Gelsinger said, without elaborating. 
 
Intel`s plans could directly challenge the two other companies in the world that can make the most advanced chips - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) and South Korea`s Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. 
 
The two have come to dominate the semiconductor manufacturing business, moving its centre of gravity from the United States, where much of the technology was once invented, to Asia, where more than two-thirds of advanced chips are now manufactured.

Intel Corp's CEO said on Monday it could take several years for a global shortage of semiconductors to be resolved, a problem that has shuttered some auto production lines and is also being felt in other areas, including consumer electronics.

Intel Corp's CEO said on Monday it could take several years for a global shortage of semiconductors to be resolved, a problem that has shuttered some auto production lines and is also being felt in other areas, including consumer electronics. Pat Gelsinger told a virtual session of the Computex trade show in Taipei that the work-and-study-from-home trend during the COVID-19 pandemic had led to a "cycle of explosive growth in semiconductors" that has placed huge strain on global supply chains. "But while the industry has taken steps to address near term constraints it could still take a couple of years for the ecosystem to address shortages of foundry capacity, substrates and components." Gelsinger had told The Washington Post in an interview in mid-April the shortage was going to take "a couple of years" to abate, and that it planned to start producing chips within six to nine months to address shortages at U.S. car plants. Intel announced a $20 billion plan in March to expand its advanced chip manufacturing capacity, building two factories in Arizona and opening its plants to outside customers. "We plan to expand to other locations in the U.S. and Europe, ensuring a sustainable and secure semiconductor supply chain for the world," Gelsinger said, without elaborating. Intel`s plans could directly challenge the two other companies in the world that can make the most advanced chips - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) and South Korea`s Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. The two have come to dominate the semiconductor manufacturing business, moving its centre of gravity from the United States, where much of the technology was once invented, to Asia, where more than two-thirds of advanced chips are now manufactured.

Intel reiterates chip supply shortages could last several years

Huawei on Tuesday blamed the US for a global chip shortage as it called for cooperation with South Korea, Japan and Europe to form a new semiconductor supply chain.&nbsp;

The move came hours after US President Joe Biden urged more spending in the chipmaking sector to resolve the chip shortage and build up a stable supply chain, Yonhap news agency reported.&nbsp;

A recent shortage of semiconductors has stalled production across manufacturing industries, especially in the auto sector.&nbsp;

Karl Song, Huawei's Vice President of Corporate Communications, called for the lifting of US sanctions, which the Chinese network equipment maker claimed has led to the recent chip crisis.&nbsp;

Currently, the Chinese telecom equipment giant is being cut off from semiconductors made with US equipment, software and designs due to US sanctions over national security concerns.&nbsp;

"The current global chipset shortage is due to the sanctions (Huawei) faces and its impact on the companies that we cooperate with," Song said in a press conference.&nbsp;

"We hope to cooperate with advanced semiconductor countries, such as South Korea, Japan and Europe, to form a global supply chain again," he said.&nbsp;

Eric Xu, Huawei's Rotating Chairman, said on Monday that US sanctions against the company have hurt the broader semiconductor industry as they have created supply uncertainties.&nbsp;

The US has long alleged that Huawei's equipment is used to spy on foreign networks, a claim repeatedly rejected by the Chinese company.&nbsp;

The US sanctions have hurt the Chinese tech giant, which requires semiconductors for its telecom equipment and electronic devices.&nbsp;

Huawei said it still plans to further strengthen its presence in South Korea by collaborating with South Korean companies, adding that it has made purchases worth $37 billion from South Korea over the past five years.&nbsp;

LG Uplus, the smallest of South Korea's three major mobile carriers, currently uses equipment manufactured by Huawei for its 5G network.&nbsp;

In Washington, Biden said on Monday that the US will increase its investment in infrastructure to protect its supply chains, including the supply chain of semiconductors.&nbsp;

His remarks came in a meeting with the top executive officers of 19 global firms, including South Korea's tech giant Samsung Electronics, to discuss ways to address the ongoing shortage of semiconductors.&nbsp;

Huawei on Tuesday blamed the US for a global chip shortage as it called for cooperation with South Korea, Japan and Europe to form a new semiconductor supply chain.

Huawei on Tuesday blamed the US for a global chip shortage as it called for cooperation with South Korea, Japan and Europe to form a new semiconductor supply chain. The move came hours after US President Joe Biden urged more spending in the chipmaking sector to resolve the chip shortage and build up a stable supply chain, Yonhap news agency reported. A recent shortage of semiconductors has stalled production across manufacturing industries, especially in the auto sector. Karl Song, Huawei's Vice President of Corporate Communications, called for the lifting of US sanctions, which the Chinese network equipment maker claimed has led to the recent chip crisis. Currently, the Chinese telecom equipment giant is being cut off from semiconductors made with US equipment, software and designs due to US sanctions over national security concerns. "The current global chipset shortage is due to the sanctions (Huawei) faces and its impact on the companies that we cooperate with," Song said in a press conference. "We hope to cooperate with advanced semiconductor countries, such as South Korea, Japan and Europe, to form a global supply chain again," he said. Eric Xu, Huawei's Rotating Chairman, said on Monday that US sanctions against the company have hurt the broader semiconductor industry as they have created supply uncertainties. The US has long alleged that Huawei's equipment is used to spy on foreign networks, a claim repeatedly rejected by the Chinese company. The US sanctions have hurt the Chinese tech giant, which requires semiconductors for its telecom equipment and electronic devices. Huawei said it still plans to further strengthen its presence in South Korea by collaborating with South Korean companies, adding that it has made purchases worth $37 billion from South Korea over the past five years. LG Uplus, the smallest of South Korea's three major mobile carriers, currently uses equipment manufactured by Huawei for its 5G network. In Washington, Biden said on Monday that the US will increase its investment in infrastructure to protect its supply chains, including the supply chain of semiconductors. His remarks came in a meeting with the top executive officers of 19 global firms, including South Korea's tech giant Samsung Electronics, to discuss ways to address the ongoing shortage of semiconductors.

Huawei blames US for global chip shortage 

In an unexpected revelation, Taiwan has become Asia’s top-performing economy in 2020. The island nation outgrew adversary China for the first time in 30 years.&nbsp;

The result is the outcome of the strong global demand for the island’s tech exports, which have outweighed the hit forced on by the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-taiwan-to-jack-ma-chinas-troubles-are-growing-on-all-fronts-355475">Also read | From Taiwan to Jack Ma, China's troubles are growing on all fronts</a>

The economy of Taiwan grew 2.98% in 2020 compared to 2019, according to the advance estimates by the island’s statistics office on Friday.&nbsp;

The performance beat the 2.58% forecast made by the country’s central bank. It also edged out Vietnam’s 2.9% growth. Earlier, Vietnam was being predicted to be Asia’s fastest-growing economy in 2020 by some economists. &nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-refuses-to-renew-the-licence-of-china-friendly-news-channel-343923">Also read | Taiwan refuses to renew the licence of China-friendly news channel</a>

The island nation’s expansion last year was also greater than China’s 2.3% complete year growth in 2020. Taiwan had last outgrown its grand neighbour in 1990 when its 5.5% growth beat China’s 3.9%, as per the official data shared by both sides.&nbsp;

According to Angela Hsieh, an economist at British bank Barclays, 2020 has been a record year for Taiwan. And it is expected to continue the winning streak.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-gets-rare-win-in-china-naming-dispute-330814">Also read | Taiwan gets rare win in China naming dispute</a>

Taiwan’s robust strength in growing exports, particularly semiconductors, in the second half of last year helped the economy to nullify the dampening effects of the pandemic.&nbsp;

For Taiwan’s 2021 growth, the economist raised her forecast by 1.2 percentage points to 5.2%, much higher than the official figure of 3.83%. &nbsp;

Taiwan has also registered visible success in curtailing the spread of Covid-19, giving the much-needed relaxation to the economy by avoiding a strict lockdown.&nbsp;

Till recently, the island had 911 confirmed infections and eight deaths, as per the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control. &nbsp;

A global leader in the production of semiconductors, Taiwan has been benefitted in a big way by the coronavirus pandemic as it led to a surge in the demand for consumer electronics as people spent more time indoors. &nbsp;

Most of the consumer electronics, such as cars, computers and mobile phones, are powered by crucial semiconductors, which led to a significant rise in the exports for the country. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

In an unexpected revelation, Taiwan has become Asia’s top-performing economy in 2020. The island nation outgrew adversary China for the first time in 30 years. The result is the outcome of the strong global demand for the island’s tech exports, which have outweighed the hit forced on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an unexpected revelation, Taiwan has become Asia’s top-performing economy in 2020. The island nation outgrew adversary China for the first time in 30 years. The result is the outcome of the strong global demand for the island’s tech exports, which have outweighed the hit forced on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Also read | From Taiwan to Jack Ma, China's troubles are growing on all fronts The economy of Taiwan grew 2.98% in 2020 compared to 2019, according to the advance estimates by the island’s statistics office on Friday. The performance beat the 2.58% forecast made by the country’s central bank. It also edged out Vietnam’s 2.9% growth. Earlier, Vietnam was being predicted to be Asia’s fastest-growing economy in 2020 by some economists. Also read | Taiwan refuses to renew the licence of China-friendly news channel The island nation’s expansion last year was also greater than China’s 2.3% complete year growth in 2020. Taiwan had last outgrown its grand neighbour in 1990 when its 5.5% growth beat China’s 3.9%, as per the official data shared by both sides. According to Angela Hsieh, an economist at British bank Barclays, 2020 has been a record year for Taiwan. And it is expected to continue the winning streak. Also read | Taiwan gets rare win in China naming dispute Taiwan’s robust strength in growing exports, particularly semiconductors, in the second half of last year helped the economy to nullify the dampening effects of the pandemic. For Taiwan’s 2021 growth, the economist raised her forecast by 1.2 percentage points to 5.2%, much higher than the official figure of 3.83%. Taiwan has also registered visible success in curtailing the spread of Covid-19, giving the much-needed relaxation to the economy by avoiding a strict lockdown. Till recently, the island had 911 confirmed infections and eight deaths, as per the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control. A global leader in the production of semiconductors, Taiwan has been benefitted in a big way by the coronavirus pandemic as it led to a surge in the demand for consumer electronics as people spent more time indoors. Most of the consumer electronics, such as cars, computers and mobile phones, are powered by crucial semiconductors, which led to a significant rise in the exports for the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan pips China in economic showdown after 30 years, as chips demand soars

New microprocessors have been launched by Intel Corp, a device which includes a second-generation Xeon processor for data centres and a 10nm chip for wireless 5G base stations.

New microprocessors have been launched by Intel Corp, a device which includes a second-generation Xeon processor for data centres and a 10nm chip for wireless 5G base stations. Sales of server chips have been boosted after an increase in demand from cloud-computing companies, which has resulted in strong results from Intel and its rival AMD Corp. Also Read: Apple, Intel file antitrust case against SoftBank- Owned firm over patent practices The market for server chips has been dominated by Intel's Xeon chips, but the debut of its rival EPYC processors that earned positive reviews has allowed AMD to gain ground in the business. Though the new Xeon chips afford a better performance on the dollar as compared to its previous generation, Intel is confident that the 10nm chip, P5900, will help it become the leading silicon provider in base stations by 2021. 10nm and 7nm products will be launched by Intel in 2020, while AMD has already launched several chips based on the smaller 7nm architecture. Also Read: Wall Street falls as investors cautious on trade; Intel slides 10nm chip technology sale by Intel has been facing a lot of struggles, which has cost the company its lead to rivals in the race to supply to the new data economy which includes 5G chips, 5G devices, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. Though the company had intended to launch the new chip in Barcelona during the Mobile World Congress, the event was cancelled due to rising paranoia over the COVID-19 outbreak all over the world.

Intel unveils new Xeon chip, COVID-19 delays product

Japan said Monday it will tighten regulations on the export to South Korea of several chemicals used in chip and smartphone production amid a row with Seoul on wartime forced labour.

The move, which takes effect from July 4, comes after South Korean courts ordered Japanese firms to compensate people forced into wartime labour, an issue Tokyo says was resolved when the countries resumed diplomatic relations decades ago.

"The export control system is built based on international relations of trust," Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said in announcing the move.

"After reviews by relevant ministries, it must be said that the relations of trust between Japan and South Korea have been significantly harmed," METI added.

The new restrictions affect chemicals including fluorinated polyimide and hydrogen fluoride, as well as transfer of manufacturing technologies, removing them from a list that effectively allowed expedited export.

It means that exporters will now have to apply for permission for each batch they wish to export to South Korea, a process that takes around 90 days each time, local media reported.

METI said it would also begin soliciting public comment on the removal of South Korea from a list of "white" countries that face minimal restrictions on technology transfer with national security implications.

Japan and South Korea are both democracies, market economies and US allies, but their relationship has been strained for decades as a result of Tokyo's brutal 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.

And tensions have grown after a series of rulings from South Korean courts ordering Japanese firms that used wartime forced labour to compensate victims.

Last month, Tokyo proposed the issue be put to arbitration under the terms of an agreement signed by the two countries in 1965, when ties were normalised.

South Korea countered with a proposal for local and Japanese firms to set up a voluntary compensation fund, which Tokyo flatly rejected as "unacceptable".

When relations were normalised, Tokyo agreed a reparations package that included grants and cheap loans intended to cover victims of various wartime policies.

Japan argues that package should have permanently resolved the issue.

Analysts said the measure could harm Japanese producers, noting shares in some of the firms that make the affected chemicals were falling on Monday despite a rally in the market overall.

"It could have a short-term negative impact on Japanese manufacturers... whose sales to major South Korean producers constitute 10 to 20 per cent of their overall sales," said Kazuyoshi Saito, a chip analyst at IwaiCosmo Securities.

He pointed out that the measures do not amount to an export ban, but would make exports more complicated.

"At this point, the expected impact is a slowing of export procedures, which may temporarily affect both South Korean makers and Japanese suppliers," he told AFP

Japan said Monday it will tighten regulations on the export to South Korea of several chemicals used in chip and smartphone production amid a row with Seoul on wartime forced labour.

Japan said Monday it will tighten regulations on the export to South Korea of several chemicals used in chip and smartphone production amid a row with Seoul on wartime forced labour. The move, which takes effect from July 4, comes after South Korean courts ordered Japanese firms to compensate people forced into wartime labour, an issue Tokyo says was resolved when the countries resumed diplomatic relations decades ago. "The export control system is built based on international relations of trust," Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said in announcing the move. "After reviews by relevant ministries, it must be said that the relations of trust between Japan and South Korea have been significantly harmed," METI added. The new restrictions affect chemicals including fluorinated polyimide and hydrogen fluoride, as well as transfer of manufacturing technologies, removing them from a list that effectively allowed expedited export. It means that exporters will now have to apply for permission for each batch they wish to export to South Korea, a process that takes around 90 days each time, local media reported. METI said it would also begin soliciting public comment on the removal of South Korea from a list of "white" countries that face minimal restrictions on technology transfer with national security implications. Japan and South Korea are both democracies, market economies and US allies, but their relationship has been strained for decades as a result of Tokyo's brutal 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. And tensions have grown after a series of rulings from South Korean courts ordering Japanese firms that used wartime forced labour to compensate victims. Last month, Tokyo proposed the issue be put to arbitration under the terms of an agreement signed by the two countries in 1965, when ties were normalised. South Korea countered with a proposal for local and Japanese firms to set up a voluntary compensation fund, which Tokyo flatly rejected as "unacceptable". When relations were normalised, Tokyo agreed a reparations package that included grants and cheap loans intended to cover victims of various wartime policies. Japan argues that package should have permanently resolved the issue. Analysts said the measure could harm Japanese producers, noting shares in some of the firms that make the affected chemicals were falling on Monday despite a rally in the market overall. "It could have a short-term negative impact on Japanese manufacturers... whose sales to major South Korean producers constitute 10 to 20 per cent of their overall sales," said Kazuyoshi Saito, a chip analyst at IwaiCosmo Securities. He pointed out that the measures do not amount to an export ban, but would make exports more complicated. "At this point, the expected impact is a slowing of export procedures, which may temporarily affect both South Korean makers and Japanese suppliers," he told AFP

Japan restricts chip, smartphone materials exports to South Korea

Intel Corp shares fell nearly 2 percent on Thursday as investors worried about the potential financial liability and reputational hit from recently disclosed security flaws in its widely used microprocessors.

The largest chipmaker had confirmed on Wednesday that flaws reported by researchers could allow hackers to steal sensitive information from computers, phones and other devices.

Apple Inc, Microsoft Corp and other software makers have issued patches to protect against the vulnerabilities.

Intel may be on the hook for costs stemming from lawsuits claiming that the patches would slow computers and effectively force consumers to buy new hardware, and big customers will likely seek compensation from Intel for any software or hardware fixes they make, security experts said.

&quot;The potential liability is big for Intel,&rdquo; said Eric Johnson, dean of Vanderbilt University&rsquo;s Owen Graduate School of Management. &quot;Everybody will be scrambling over the next few days to figure out just how big it is.&quot;

Intel has said that the patches for the bugs would slow its chips down somewhat but that most users will not notice.

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the largest seller of cloud computing services, said in a statement it does not &quot;expect meaningful performance impact for most customer workloads.&quot;

Microsoft and Alphabet Inc&rsquo;s Google both said in statements on their websites that they expect few performance problems for most of their cloud computing customers.

But the incident is likely to spur cloud companies to press Intel for lower prices on chips in future talks, said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh, which owns shares in Intel.

&quot;What (Intel&rsquo;s cloud customers) are going to say is, &lsquo;You wronged us, we hate you, but if we can get a discount, we&rsquo;ll still buy from you,&quot; Forrest said.

Forrest also expects Intel will have to increase its chip development spending to focus on security.

<figure>
Government agencies and security experts said they knew of no cyber attacks that had exploited the vulnerabilities.

Financial services firms were studying information on the vulnerabilities to determine how to best respond, said the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, a global industry group known as FS-ISAC that shares data on cyber threats.

Banks and other firms are trying to understand what it will cost to respond to the issue, FS-ISAC said in an emailed statement.

&quot;In addition to the security considerations raised by this design flaw, performance degradation is expected, which could require more processing power for affected systems to compensate and maintain current baseline performance,&quot; FS-ISAC said.

&quot;There will need to be consideration and balance between fixing the potential security threat vs the performance and another possible impact on systems.&quot;

Lawyers filed a lawsuit in San Jose, California, federal court on Wednesday that sought class-action status and compensation for people who had bought vulnerable Intel chips or computers that came with them already installed.

Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday about the lawsuit.

While more lawsuits are expected, Intel&rsquo;s biggest customers are likely to quietly seek compensation for any harm caused by the vulnerabilities, including costs to patch machines or replace microprocessors, Johnson said.

Legal experts said that consumers would have to prove concrete damages and harm to proceed with claims.

Intel shares fell 1.8 percent, following a 3.4 percent decline Wednesday.

Shares in rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc climbed 4.9 percent as investors speculated the No. 2 maker of microprocessors would woo customers away from Intel.

Still, researchers had said some of AMD&rsquo;s chips had one of the two vulnerabilities disclosed on Wednesday, as do processors from ARM Holdings.
</figure>

The largest chipmaker had confirmed on Wednesday that flaws reported by researchers could allow hackers to steal sensitive information from computers, phones and other devices

Intel Corp shares fell nearly 2 percent on Thursday as investors worried about the potential financial liability and reputational hit from recently disclosed security flaws in its widely used microprocessors. The largest chipmaker had confirmed on Wednesday that flaws reported by researchers could allow hackers to steal sensitive information from computers, phones and other devices. Apple Inc, Microsoft Corp and other software makers have issued patches to protect against the vulnerabilities. Intel may be on the hook for costs stemming from lawsuits claiming that the patches would slow computers and effectively force consumers to buy new hardware, and big customers will likely seek compensation from Intel for any software or hardware fixes they make, security experts said. "The potential liability is big for Intel,” said Eric Johnson, dean of Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. "Everybody will be scrambling over the next few days to figure out just how big it is." Intel has said that the patches for the bugs would slow its chips down somewhat but that most users will not notice. Amazon Web Services (AWS), the largest seller of cloud computing services, said in a statement it does not "expect meaningful performance impact for most customer workloads." Microsoft and Alphabet Inc’s Google both said in statements on their websites that they expect few performance problems for most of their cloud computing customers. But the incident is likely to spur cloud companies to press Intel for lower prices on chips in future talks, said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh, which owns shares in Intel. "What (Intel’s cloud customers) are going to say is, ‘You wronged us, we hate you, but if we can get a discount, we’ll still buy from you," Forrest said. Forrest also expects Intel will have to increase its chip development spending to focus on security. Government agencies and security experts said they knew of no cyber attacks that had exploited the vulnerabilities. Financial services firms were studying information on the vulnerabilities to determine how to best respond, said the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, a global industry group known as FS-ISAC that shares data on cyber threats. Banks and other firms are trying to understand what it will cost to respond to the issue, FS-ISAC said in an emailed statement. "In addition to the security considerations raised by this design flaw, performance degradation is expected, which could require more processing power for affected systems to compensate and maintain current baseline performance," FS-ISAC said. "There will need to be consideration and balance between fixing the potential security threat vs the performance and another possible impact on systems." Lawyers filed a lawsuit in San Jose, California, federal court on Wednesday that sought class-action status and compensation for people who had bought vulnerable Intel chips or computers that came with them already installed. Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday about the lawsuit. While more lawsuits are expected, Intel’s biggest customers are likely to quietly seek compensation for any harm caused by the vulnerabilities, including costs to patch machines or replace microprocessors, Johnson said. Legal experts said that consumers would have to prove concrete damages and harm to proceed with claims. Intel shares fell 1.8 percent, following a 3.4 percent decline Wednesday. Shares in rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc climbed 4.9 percent as investors speculated the No. 2 maker of microprocessors would woo customers away from Intel. Still, researchers had said some of AMD’s chips had one of the two vulnerabilities disclosed on Wednesday, as do processors from ARM Holdings.

Intel shares fall as investors worry about costs of chip flaw

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke on the Kulbhushan Jadhav affair in Parliament on Thursday.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Live: EAM Sushma Swaraj delivers statement on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KulbhushanJadhav?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KulbhushanJadhav</a> in Lok Sabha (Source- LSTV) <a href="https://t.co/2NR2ScAZhZ">https://t.co/2NR2ScAZhZ</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946269014136721409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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She said the Pakistani claim that there was a camera or a recording chip in Jadhav&#39;s wife&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-hidden-camera-or-recording-chip-found-in-chetnas-shoe-27916" target="_blank">shoe</a> was absurd.&nbsp;

Swaraj said Jadhav&#39;s wife Chetna had taken two international flights in those same shoes to get from Mumbai to Islamabad.&nbsp;

Chetna had travelled from Mumbai to Dubai on an Air India flight, and from Dubai to Islamabad on an Emirates flight.&nbsp;

Swaraj said people might still believe Air India had helped Chetna, but asked how she could possibly have smuggled a hidden camera or a recording chip in her shoe onto an Emirates flight.&nbsp;

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A meeting of a mother with her son &amp; a wife with her husband was turned into a propaganda tool by Pakistan :EAM Sushma Swaraj in Rajya Sabha <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KulbhushanJadhav?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KulbhushanJadhav</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z5M28mVBGZ">pic.twitter.com/Z5M28mVBGZ</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946256013379846144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Swaraj added that not only were Chetna&#39;s bindi and mangalsutra removed but also those of Jadhav&#39;s mother&#39;s Avanti.&nbsp;

Swaraj said that when Kulbhushan first saw his mother like that, without her mangalsutra and bindi, he thought something might have happened to his father.&nbsp;

&quot;Baba kaise hain?&quot; was the first thing Kulbhushan asked his mother, said Swaraj.&nbsp;

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Jadhav Ji&#39;s mother who only wears a saree was forced to wear salwar-kurta. Bindi, bangles &amp; mangalsutras of both mother &amp; wife were removed. Both the married women were made to like widows: EAM Sushma Swaraj in Rajya Sabha <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KulbhushanJadhav?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KulbhushanJadhav</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946258931176824832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Swaraj spoke in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.&nbsp;

She said the meeting was started in absence of the Indian deputy high commissioner accompanying Jadhav&#39;s wife and mother and that if he had seen how their clothes were changed, he would have registered a protest there and then.&nbsp;

She also took up the heckling of the women by the Pakistani media.&nbsp;

She said it had been specifically agreed by both sides that media would not be allowed to come close to the family but that the Pakistani press not only came close to them but also harassed and hurled taunts at them:&nbsp;

&quot;Thank god they didn&#39;t say that there was a bomb in her shoes! If for security reasons she was made to take off shoes, they should have returned them when she was leaving but no, they had to commit some sort of cruelty,&quot;&nbsp;Swaraj said.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kulbhushan-jadhav-parroted-script-given-by-pakistan-during-meeting-with-family-mother-foils-attempt-reports-27934" target="_blank">Kulbhushan Jadhav parroted script given by Pakistan during meeting with family, mother foils attempt</a>

&quot;It was nothing like a humanitarian gesture. Human rights of the family members were violated again and again and an environment of fear was created for them,&quot; Swaraj added.&nbsp;

Swaraj said Jadhav's wife Chetna took two international flights in those same shoes. How then could she have hidden a camera or a chip inside them?

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke on the Kulbhushan Jadhav affair in Parliament on Thursday. #WATCH Live: EAM Sushma Swaraj delivers statement on #KulbhushanJadhav in Lok Sabha (Source- LSTV) https://t.co/2NR2ScAZhZ — ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2017 × She said the Pakistani claim that there was a camera or a recording chip in Jadhav's wife's shoe was absurd. Swaraj said Jadhav's wife Chetna had taken two international flights in those same shoes to get from Mumbai to Islamabad. Chetna had travelled from Mumbai to Dubai on an Air India flight, and from Dubai to Islamabad on an Emirates flight. Swaraj said people might still believe Air India had helped Chetna, but asked how she could possibly have smuggled a hidden camera or a recording chip in her shoe onto an Emirates flight. A meeting of a mother with her son & a wife with her husband was turned into a propaganda tool by Pakistan :EAM Sushma Swaraj in Rajya Sabha #KulbhushanJadhav pic.twitter.com/Z5M28mVBGZ — ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2017 × Swaraj added that not only were Chetna's bindi and mangalsutra removed but also those of Jadhav's mother's Avanti. Swaraj said that when Kulbhushan first saw his mother like that, without her mangalsutra and bindi, he thought something might have happened to his father. "Baba kaise hain?" was the first thing Kulbhushan asked his mother, said Swaraj. Jadhav Ji's mother who only wears a saree was forced to wear salwar-kurta. Bindi, bangles & mangalsutras of both mother & wife were removed. Both the married women were made to like widows: EAM Sushma Swaraj in Rajya Sabha #KulbhushanJadhav — ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2017 × Swaraj spoke in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. She said the meeting was started in absence of the Indian deputy high commissioner accompanying Jadhav's wife and mother and that if he had seen how their clothes were changed, he would have registered a protest there and then. She also took up the heckling of the women by the Pakistani media. She said it had been specifically agreed by both sides that media would not be allowed to come close to the family but that the Pakistani press not only came close to them but also harassed and hurled taunts at them: "Thank god they didn't say that there was a bomb in her shoes! If for security reasons she was made to take off shoes, they should have returned them when she was leaving but no, they had to commit some sort of cruelty," Swaraj said. Also read: Kulbhushan Jadhav parroted script given by Pakistan during meeting with family, mother foils attempt "It was nothing like a humanitarian gesture. Human rights of the family members were violated again and again and an environment of fear was created for them," Swaraj added.

Sushma Swaraj speaks on Jadhav row, says Pakistani claims of hidden camera absurd

Japan&#39;s SoftBank Group Corp is set to agree a deal to buy British chip designer ARM Holdings PLC for around $32 billion, a source familiar with the deal said, adding an announcement could come later in the day. 
 
ARM, the most valuable tech company listed in London, is a major presence in mobile processing, with its processor and graphics technology used by Samsung, Huaweiand Apple in their in-house designed microchips. 
 
SoftBank could not immediately be reached for comment. ARM officials were not reachable outside market hours. 
 
If confirmed, the deal would be one of the largest in European technology to date and SoftBank&#39;s largest ever - outranking the $22 billion acquisition of a controlling stake in wireless operator Sprint in 2013, a deal that left the group with hefty debts as the carrier&#39;s losses mounted. 
 
Softbank has announced plans over the past few weeks to raise $14 billion with the sale of assets including shares in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba - unusual for a group that has rarely exited investments. But analysts had expected it to use the cash to reduce debt or give shareholders a windfall by buying back its own shares. 
 
An announcement on Monday would come less than a month after the Japanese group&#39;s founder, Masayoshi Son, scrapped his plans to retire, effectively pushing out his heir apparent, former Google executive Nikesh Arora. 
 
Son, known as &quot;Masa&quot;, said then that he wanted to stay on to develop Sprint but also to complete the transformation of SoftBank into a tech investment powerhouse. Among the triggers for what Son has called the next &#39;paradigm shift&#39; in technology are artificial intelligence and the internet of things - a new focus for ARM as it weathers a smartphone slowdown. 
 
It bought UK imaging specialist Apical earlier this year, a company that specialises in technology to allow computers to analyse images - replicating human vision using software. 
 
A deal would also come just weeks after Britain voted to leave the European Union, a decision that has battered sterling and bolstered the yen. 
 
Though it has warned on the staffing impact of Brexit, ARM Holdings&#39; revenues are largely in dollars and it has a diverse portfolio of technologies it licenses. Its shares have actually climbed almost 17 per cent since the vote. 
 
According to a Financial Times report earlier on Monday, SoftBank will pay 17 Pounds in cash for each ARM share, a premium of more than 40 per cent to Friday&#39;s close at 11.89 Pounds. 
 
SoftBank shares were not traded on Monday, a market holiday in Tokyo. ($1 = 0.7539 Pounds) 
 
(Reuters)

If confirmed, the deal would be one of the largest in European technology to date and SoftBank's largest ever

Japan's SoftBank Group Corp is set to agree a deal to buy British chip designer ARM Holdings PLC for around $32 billion, a source familiar with the deal said, adding an announcement could come later in the day. ARM, the most valuable tech company listed in London, is a major presence in mobile processing, with its processor and graphics technology used by Samsung, Huaweiand Apple in their in-house designed microchips. SoftBank could not immediately be reached for comment. ARM officials were not reachable outside market hours. If confirmed, the deal would be one of the largest in European technology to date and SoftBank's largest ever - outranking the $22 billion acquisition of a controlling stake in wireless operator Sprint in 2013, a deal that left the group with hefty debts as the carrier's losses mounted. Softbank has announced plans over the past few weeks to raise $14 billion with the sale of assets including shares in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba - unusual for a group that has rarely exited investments. But analysts had expected it to use the cash to reduce debt or give shareholders a windfall by buying back its own shares. An announcement on Monday would come less than a month after the Japanese group's founder, Masayoshi Son, scrapped his plans to retire, effectively pushing out his heir apparent, former Google executive Nikesh Arora. Son, known as "Masa", said then that he wanted to stay on to develop Sprint but also to complete the transformation of SoftBank into a tech investment powerhouse. Among the triggers for what Son has called the next 'paradigm shift' in technology are artificial intelligence and the internet of things - a new focus for ARM as it weathers a smartphone slowdown. It bought UK imaging specialist Apical earlier this year, a company that specialises in technology to allow computers to analyse images - replicating human vision using software. A deal would also come just weeks after Britain voted to leave the European Union, a decision that has battered sterling and bolstered the yen. Though it has warned on the staffing impact of Brexit, ARM Holdings' revenues are largely in dollars and it has a diverse portfolio of technologies it licenses. Its shares have actually climbed almost 17 per cent since the vote. According to a Financial Times report earlier on Monday, SoftBank will pay 17 Pounds in cash for each ARM share, a premium of more than 40 per cent to Friday's close at 11.89 Pounds. SoftBank shares were not traded on Monday, a market holiday in Tokyo. ($1 = 0.7539 Pounds) (Reuters)

SoftBank set to buy UK chip designer ARM for around $32 billion

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