June 20, 2025

Western Technology Giants Pivot Away From China Western tech giants are rapidly shifting to a "China+N" supply model, diversifying manufacturing to India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia amid geopolitical tensions, rising Chinese labor costs, and post-COVID supply chain shocks. China, meanwhile, accelerates self-reliance. EE Times

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Samsung aims to catch up to Chinese rivals for thin foldable phones as Apple said to enter the fray Samsung plans to unveil its thinnest, lightest foldable phone yet next month, aiming to outpace slimmer Chinese rivals like Honor and Oppo. As the foldables market stalls, sleeker designs may reignite consumer interest in the category. CNBC

Plasma as a Key Technology: Increasing Efficiency and Quality Assurance in the Electronics Industry Plasma technology improves electronics manufacturing, reduces oxide layers without the use of flux, prevents delamination, improves adhesion and enables environmentally friendly, high performance products by using Openair-Plasma® and PlasmaPlus®. Technical Paper

Wistron AI park to build next-generation servers Wistron Corp is expanding its AI server production with a major new park in Jhubei City, focused on Nvidia orders. The facility will double Taiwan's output, with U.S. expansion underway through a new Texas plant. Taipei Times

Sponsor Latest 3D AOI System from Viscom iS6059 PCB Inspection Plus. Its new and faster sensor technology, data processing and analysis functions all stand for the best 3D AOI performance that meets the highest requirements. Viscom

Google looks likely to lose appeal against record $4.7 billion EU fine An EU court advisor urged dismissal of Google’s appeal against a €4.125 billion antitrust fine, reinforcing claims it abused Android's dominance. The non-binding opinion increases pressure ahead of a final court ruling. CNBC

Technical Papers ■ Understanding Solder Dross: Causes and Control Strategies ■ Optimizing BGA Rework: Challenges, Techniques and Quality Control ■ Maintenance: The Basics of Cleaning Series Part 4 ■ The Economics of Electronic Component Salvage and Reuse ■ Cutting Without Contact: How Laser Depanelling Redefines PCB Manufacturing ■ The "Fried Egg" Effect in Soldering ■ Flux Technology Development for Solder Paste Compatible with Formic Acid Reflow Ovens for Power Devices ■ Innovative Power Module Assembly Solutions ■ Unlocking the Potential of Nanoscale Conformal Coatings ■ Recycling vs Circularity: Minimising E-Waste in Manufacturing MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Reflow Oven and Wave Soldering Machine Maintenance Cleaning Maintenance cleaning is imperative. Investment in a cleaning schedule and chemistry creates reliable processes to extend equipment life. KYZEN

The Godfather of AI says these jobs could be replaced by AI AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton warns that AI will likely replace many white-collar jobs involving routine intellectual tasks. He urges workers to consider blue-collar trades, which are harder for AI to automate, for long-term job security. BGR

Why the Most Powerful CEOs Today Lead With Authenticity, Not Silence Today's top CEOs win trust by showing authenticity, not perfection. People crave leaders who embody values, communicate transparently, and serve as the human face behind brands—fueling loyalty, attracting talent, and driving market success. Entrepreneur

Sponsor Plasma as a Key Technology Plasma technology improves electronics manufacturing, reduces oxide layers, prevents delamination & enables environmentally friendly products by using Openair-Plasma ® & PlasmaPlus®. Plasmatreat GmbH

Creators say they didn't know Google uses YouTube to train AI Google is using its massive YouTube library to train AI models like Gemini and Veo 3, raising concerns among creators over consent, compensation, and competition from AI-generated content built on their original work. CNBC

Texas Instruments unveils $60 billion 'historic' plan to expand US chipmaking Texas Instruments plans to invest over $60 billion to expand U.S. chip manufacturing, building seven fabs in Texas and Utah. The move aims to boost domestic supply, create 60,000 jobs, and reduce reliance on overseas production. TechSpot

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I Tried the Future of Smart Glasses at WWDC. They Weren't Made by Apple Wearing Xreal One Pro glasses, a reporter covered Apple's WWDC live, using the AR display to multitask in sunlight. The glasses impressed with dimming, transparency, and clear visuals, hinting at AR's promising everyday future. CNET

Apple's first foldable iPhone to enter production this year, launch expected in 2026 Apple plans to start production of its foldable iPhone by late 2025 for a fall 2026 launch. Featuring Samsung-made displays and premium pricing, the book-style device still awaits final component specs, including its hinge and biometric tech. TechSpot

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AI has a huge power problem. Solving it won't be easy AI chips now consume up to six times more energy than older models, forcing data centers to chase tiny efficiency gains. Yet physics, water use, and economic pressures challenge sustainability as AI's energy demands soar. Quartz

The Impact of Harsh Environments and Ionic Contamination on Post-Reflow Circuit Assemblies Modern electronic assemblies are far more susceptible to this phenomenon. Among the critical issues affecting these assemblies is ionic contamination, which can lead to a series of deleterious processes, including electrochemical migration (ECM). Circuit Insight - Analysis Lab

Pope Leo XIV warns of AI risks, urges action to protect human dignity Pope Leo XIV, newly elected and Chicago-born, declared AI central to his papacy, urging ethical oversight. He warned of threats to dignity and labor, reviving Church advocacy amid tensions with tech firms resisting binding regulation. TechSpot

Sponsor Tech Paper - Essential Practices for Gold Mitigation of Electronic Components This paper examines gold mitigation in electronic components, highlighting risks like cost volatility and environmental impact. Download this free tech paper. Circuit Technology Center

In-Situ Thermal Radiographic Failure Analysis of Capacitor Encapsulant Fracturing Multiple tantalum capacitors are SMT attached to PCBs. Failures or fractures were observed at contractor SMT assembly lines and not on RTX lines. Circuit Insight - Production Floor

Wistron opens global HQ in Zhuubei as Taiwan pushes AI partnership with US Wistron opened its global operations headquarters at Zhubei AI Park on June 19, 2025. Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao praised Taiwan's AI industry and emphasized continued government dialogue with the U.S. to support sector growth. Digitimes

Memory Safety Will Be Key to Tackle Fundamental Cyber Security The U.K.'s Digital Security by Design initiative showcased CHERI, a memory-safe hardware technology, in London. Experts praised its cybersecurity potential but noted adoption challenges. With 160+ companies involved, standardizing memory safety remains a key priority. EE Times