Slow Weeks Two

LEDE ONNeed a state-of-the-art semiconductor produced for your camera? Due to the process size race, there are only three companies that can really make super advanced chips for you: TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. Worse news? 70% of those advanced chips are currently being produced by TSMC (source: Taipei Times), and according to sources their fab orders are already full through the end of 2028. If you don’t need super small process size, then SMIC (China), United Microelectronics (Taiwan), GlobalFoundaries (US), Huang Group (China), Tower Semiconductor (Japan), Vanguard International (Taiwan), Powerchip Semiconductor (Taiwan), or NexChip (China) may be able to help you, but they, too, have little extra fab utilization they can provide in the near term. So how does this impact camera companies? Specifically in the BIONZ, DIGIC, or EXPEED. As we demand more intelligence and performance in the camera, these chips are becoming to cameras as Apple Silicon is to the iPhone, iPad, and iMac, i.e.…