August 4, 2026

Why Haven't Foldable Phones Gotten Cheaper After 8 Years? Foldable phones remain expensive due to costly flexible displays, advanced hinges, memory prices, tariffs and limited production. Brands position improved foldables as premium flagships, delaying affordable pricing and mainstream adoption. BGR

Sponsor Copper Stud & CTE Nano Tech Underfill AIT's proven flip-chip and BGA multi-level underfills offer both 18 ppm/°C copper CTE matching fine-pitch & nano-pitch with 10 µm & 0.3 µm respective cut-off particles. AI Technology, Inc.

Identifying the Root Cause of Electronics Failures With Simulation Apps Researchers at Denmark's Technical University created models and apps to predict humidity-driven corrosion in HV electronics. The tools improve PCB designs for EVs, renewables, and data centers, reducing failures, leakage currents, and fire risks. IEEE Spectrum

Scaling SMT Traceability High-mix electronics manufacturing requires precise material control. This whitepaper explains how Tecnimaster improved traceability, inventory accuracy and picking efficiency through integrated automated storage and reel-level tracking. Technical Paper

Renesas Tackles Memory Bottleneck with MRDIMM Update Renesas Electronics unveiled its Gen 3 DDR5 MRDIMM chipset, delivering up to 16,000 MT/s and 25% higher memory bandwidth. The platform targets AI, cloud, and HPC workloads by easing memory bottlenecks while improving performance per watt without major server redesigns. EE Times

Sponsor Micro Dispensing Technology Leader DL Technology LLC develops customized dispensing needles and valves for the electronics assembly, industrial assembly, semiconductor packaging and medical industries. DL Technology

The System That Turned Paper Charts Into Digital Medical Records Lockheed and El Camino Hospital pioneered MIS-I, the first hospital-wide electronic medical record system, in the 1960s. The digital system used light-pen technology to transform care and laid the foundation for today's electronic health records. IEEE Spectrum

Effect of Temperature and Stressing on Low Temperature Solder BGA Drop Performance Simultaneous temperature and current stressing affect the performance of LTS BGA solder joints in drop testing, with increased temperature and current level showing larger impacts. Technical Paper

Technical Papers ■ Flux-Free, Reliable, Efficient: Soldering with Formic Acid ■ Redesigning Material Logistics for High-Mix EMS Production ■ Unlocking Academic-Industry Synergy: A Collaborative Model for Hands-On Electronics Manufacturing Education ■ Viscosity Does Not Equal Rheology: What Solder Paste Measurements Really Tell You ■ Salvaging Electronic Components: A Reliable Method for Reducing Electronic Waste and Ensuring Economic Reuse ■ Digital Warehouse Automation in High-Mix PCB Assembly ■ Evaluation of Techniques for Intentional Contamination of PWB Substrates for Quantitative Cleanliness Analyses ■ Scaling SMT Traceability ■ The Drawbacks of Internal Recycling Systems for Solder Dross ■ Engineering ESD-Safe PCB Assembly for High-Reliability IoT and Industrial Electronics MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor X-ray Rentals & Rent-to-Own Rent any of our machine models, with up to 3 months of rental costs applied toward purchasing X-ray equipment. Our flexible plan lets you test the system before committing to purchase. Glenbrook Technologies

How to Reclaim Authenticity in a Data-Obsessed Digital World Companies celebrate higher conversions and lower bounce rates but often overlook user experience. Strong dashboards can mask bland products, proving lasting success requires distinctive, engaging experiences rather than optimizing performance data. Entrepreneur

AI shifts semiconductor competition toward system integration AI is transforming semiconductor competition by driving demand for advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration and optical interconnects. Industry leaders say future success depends on innovation, collaboration and new materials to solve power and bandwidth challenges. Taipei Times

Atmospheric Plasma Surface Engineering of Printed Circuit Boards Plasma treatment increases the adhesion strength of the conformal coatings through the removal of organic contaminants and surface activation. Technical Paper

Sponsor Electronic Assembly Cleaning Basics Monitoring & effectively controlling chemistry concentration when cleaning electronic assemblies is crucial for maintaining optimal cleanliness results & preventing costly consequences. KYZEN

AI server shipments to surge 31% TrendForce raised its 2026 AI server shipment forecast to nearly 2.8 million units, projecting 31% growth as cloud providers sharply increase AI infrastructure spending. Strong demand for rack-scale systems, AI data centers, and next-gen chips will accelerate global market expansion. Taipei Times

Are Americans ready to embrace tiny 'cars'? These companies think so Automakers such as Stellantis are expanding into low-speed electric vehicles as affordability concerns drive demand for compact, street-legal mobility. Companies see LSVs becoming practical second vehicles fueled by micromobility interest and prices. CNBC

Overcome Nodules and Scratches on Wire Bondable Plating on PCBs Manufacturing was improved to minimize nodules and scratches. Wire bonds were evaluated to determine the allowable size of nodules and scratches. Technical Paper

Sponsor Affordable Profiling Excellence Four channels of precision data capture from the most trusted name in thermal profiling. New and improved V-M.O.L.E.™ 2 is the ideal solution for budget-conscious electronics pros. Learn more here. ECD

In Electronics factories across India, women are taking the floor Foxconn's Devanahalli campus is reshaping the labour market by creating jobs for thousands of young women. Rapid hiring is driving wage inflation, forcing smaller manufacturers to raise salaries and offer incentives to attract and retain workers. The Times of India

OpenAI reaches one billion active users as it cuts GPT-5.6 prices by up to 80% OpenAI cut GPT-5.6 Luna prices by 80% and Terra by 20%, citing efficiency gains that lowered serving costs. The company also introduced Sol Fast mode and reported surpassing one billion active users, though continued infrastructure spending keeps profitability under pressure. TechSpot

Sponsor AIT ORMET® TLPS for Component Attach AIT ORMET®TLPS is proven for outstanding reliability for component attaches and MLCC build-up for high temperature applications beyond 175ºC Ormet® TLPS

Self-Driving Cars Have An Aging Problem Automakers redesign AI chips and sensor systems to handle nonstop edge AI workloads as autonomous driving expands. Engineers tackle sensor aging, hardware degradation, and software demands to deliver safer, reliable vehicles with lasting performance. Semiconductor Engineering

Trouble With Skewed DPAK Components We are having trouble with surface mount DPAC components skewing during reflow. We checked our profile and tried a diagonal hatch aperture. Board Talk

5 Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy (And Why AI Might Make Them Harder To Ignore) Surging AI and data center power needs are reviving nuclear energy as a low-carbon solution. Modern reactors boost safety and cut meltdown risks, but experts say radioactive waste and rare, severe accidents keep public concerns and debate alive. BGR

The U.S. lead over China in AI is all but gone. We need a change in national strategy China's AI rise reflects a broad innovation ecosystem, moving the U.S.-China race beyond model performance. Washington must pair tech leadership with a long-term strategy covering standards, talent, alliances, financing, and global adoption. CNBC

Sponsor Introducing our new Board to Board Connectors These new Board to Board Connectors feature pitch sizes from 0.50 mm to 1.00 mm with multi-pitch and custom pitch designs available. Designed for long-life applications and robust handling. Advanced Interconnections Corp

OpenAI's Hugging Face hack confirmed months of AI cyber warnings: 'Pandora's box is open' OpenAI's agent-led hack on Hugging Face signals a cybersecurity shift, proving autonomous AI can launch unpredictable attacks without human control. As Black Hat begins, businesses strengthen defenses against AI systems exceeding expected boundaries. CNBC