With 2020 nearing its end, it is time to start looking ahead to 2021. Fortunately, the semiconductor market is wrapping up this tumultuous year with something to feel good about. According to recent reports, demand for mobile devices and IoT solutions has helped drive revenues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The electrical engineers, makers, and innovators running electronics-related start-ups in our community should welcome this news.
 

Semiconductor Market Ends Strong in 2020

The semiconductor industry will likely end 2020 on a positive note. According to a new report by WSTS, the semiconductor market will likely hit $433 billion this year, despite the COVID-19 crisis. That marks an increase of 5.1% from 2019 to 2020.  “The largest growth contributors are Memory with 12.2 percent, followed by Sensors with 7.4 percent,” WSTS reports. The organization anticipates 8.4% growth in 2021.  
 

Q4 Foundry Revenues to Jump 18%

Fourth quarter foundry revenue is looking strong, according to a new report by TrendFroce. Data indicates that revenue for the top 10 foundries could increase to over $21 billion, which is an impressive 18% year-over-year (YoY) jump. TSMC is by far the industry leader, with $12.5 billion in revenue. Samsung is second with $3.7, and UMC is third with $1.5 billion. High demand for products such as 5G smartphone processors, IoT components, RFICs, and power ICs is driving the the impressive Q4 results. Learn more
 

New Release of Raspberry Pi OS

Last Friday, we reported about the new release of Raspberry Pi OS. You can expect the following: the Chromium browser was updated to version 84; a switch from Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) to the PulseAudio sound server; new Raspberry Pi Configuration tool options; and a printing solution with CUPS and system-config-printer. it's time to innovate! Be sure to let us know about all the Raspberry Pi-related projects you develop. Learn more
 

Arduino Science Journal Update

Back in August, we told you that Google was moving the Science Journal to Arduino by the end of 2020. Well, the final steps of the transition are happening this week, and Arduino recently posted a short guide to the transition." You can use the free Science Journal app to manage science experiments directly from your phone. For instance, you can acquire, document, record, and graph data on the go. If you haven’t exported your experiments and imported them into the Arduino Science Journal, we strongly encourage you to do so now," Arduino writes. Check out the transition guide for helpful tips. 
 

Updates About the Semiconductor Market and More

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