A lot has changed over the past 12 months. While the COVID-19 crisis still presents challenges for many businesses, the electronics industries in Western Europe and North America are showing signs of strength. In addition to return of some important in-person tradeshows, we’re seeing positive growth in a few key areas such as semiconductor equipment sales.
   

EU Leads in Semiconductor Equipment Sales

Semiconductor equipment suppliers, particularly those focused on business in Europe and the United States, posted revenue gains Q1 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. According to a new study by SEMI, semiconductor equipment billings jumped 5% year-over-year. Europe led the way with a 119% increase from Q1 2021 through Q1 2022. North America followed with a 96% increase, and then came China with 27%. Korea (-29%) and Taiwan (-15%) posted losses.

Tracking the Power of GaN

Elektor has been covering GaN and power device market for the past few weeks. And now we have more data to share. The GaN-powered device market is expected to grow from $126 million in 2021 and $2 billion in 2027, according to a recent report by Yole Developpement.  The consumer, telecom, and automotive industries will drive this increase. "In 2027, consumer applications including power supplies and Class D audio amplifiers will represent 48% of the total GaN market," the firm reported. 

Arduino In Person!

Want to talk and play with like-minded engineers and makers interested in Arduino? According to the Arduino team, in-person A User Group (AUGs) are back.  Arduino User Groups are back for innovators “who use, love and engage with Arduino’s products, services, software and online communities.” Want to get involved? Arduino maintains a webpage featuring a map and directory of official AUGs. Head over to the page to learn more and to even launch your own AUG.

Elektor’s Plans for Embedded World 2022

Embedded World will be a live event this year. Join Elektor from June 21 to 23 in Nuremberg, Germany, where you can visit our engineers, editors, and client managers in Hall 4A. This year, our editorial and lab team will be working live from our booth. Stop by to talk with Jens Nickel and Mathias Classen about Elektor projects, your design aspirations, new products, and much more. Subscribe to Elektor’s Embedded World tag for updates!

WEEF 2022

The 2021 World Ethical Electronics Forum (WEEF) featured in-person and remote speakers, inspired global innovators in the electronics community with an open discussion about ethics and SDGs. Looking for more engaging content about ethics-related topics? From now until the next WEEF event in November 2022, we will be publishing thought-provoking ethics-related articles, interviews, and polls. Here are a few links to recent ethics articles. Let us know what you think:
   
Stay tuned for more!

Semiconductor Equipment, WEEF 2022, and More

By subscribing to Elektor’s weekly Electronics News Byte tag, you will receive regular updates about the topics covered in this article, including semiconductor equipment, Embedded World, and WEEF 2022. And remember to read our weekly E-Zine for DIY electronics projects, news briefs, and product releases.