Business News: Foundry Market, Mobile Demand, "Smart Highways"

Innovation abounds in the electronics industry. The world’s best and brightest engineers are rapidly revolutionizing everything from smartphone hardware to “smart road” technologies. Let’s review some of the most interesting electronics industry news stories from the past several days.

TSMC Tops the Foundry List – By a Lot
The global foundry market in 2017 was $62.3 billion, a change of 8% from 2016. According to a recent IC Insights report, Taiwan-based TSMC led the way with sales of $32.2 billion, a whopping 5 times more in sales than GlobalFoundries, which posted $6 billion. Based on such numbers, it seems likely that the foundry business will continue to grow in 2018 as demand increases for sensor, artificial intelligence, and power electronics solutions. Learn More

Smartphone Demand Drops in Q1 2018
Global smartphone demand dropped by 347 units, or 2%, in Q1 2018. According to research firm GfK, the decline was most notable in North America and China, which were down %5 and 6%, respectively. Interesting, despite the decline in demand, smartphone sales increased 21% year on year. GfK telecommunications expert Arndt Polifke suggested the sales boost was likely the result of consumers chasing newfangled technology and thus purchasing pricier units. Learn More

April = “Smart Road” Month?
This month, we’ve read a few stories about “smart road” projects in North America, Europe, and Asia. (Perhaps there’s a single PR agency represents all the “smart” transportation-related companies around the globe.) The projects will include innovative high-tech solutions such as a mobile work zone warning dynamic message signs (DMS), a pedestrian warning system, and more. For instance, the Connected Corridor smart road project in Minnesota, USA, will cover the TH-55 corridor between Minneapolis, MN and Interstate 494. According to Scott Shogan of ‎WSP USA, which is the engineering firm that’s planning the project, “the Connected Corridor is a vision for a key regional arterial to be outfitted with connected vehicle (CV) communications infrastructure, enabling exchange of information with nearby vehicles.” Learn More

ESP32 Design Contest 2018 Winners
The ESP32 Design Contest 2018, powered by Elektor, challenged DIYers to develop innovative ESP32-based projects for a chance to win a variety of electronics prizes. Check out the winners: