A summary of 5 noteworthy articles looking ahead to 2027. They cover the expanding semiconductor memory market and the rise of 2 Chinese companies, the use of liquid batteries in maritime transport, partnerships involving AI components, and the latest developments in autonomous vehicles that interact through touch.
The semiconductor memory market is expected to see continued demand growth and price increases in 2027, intensifying competition. China's ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) and Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) are cited as the market's key disruptors, with implications expected for established players including South Korea's Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, as well as Kioxia.
With a view to operating quantum computers, development of hybrid computing infrastructure that combines classical and quantum computing is set to accelerate in earnest in 2027. Research institutions and major IT companies are advancing connections between supercomputers and quantum devices, accelerating software development and infrastructure construction.
There is growing interest in liquid batteries as a core technology for transporting energy by sea. ARM Technologies, which is developing liquids that store energy electrochemically, is pursuing initiatives to address the challenges of maritime transport.
TDK and Taiyo Yuden are considering joint development of electronic components for AI. They are exploring the possibility of a future capital alliance and cooperation in procurement and manufacturing, against a backdrop of views that the rise of Asian players could trigger restructuring among Japanese companies.
At the forefront of overseas developments in technology that enables autonomous vehicles to interact through touch, the University of Michigan has developed a haptic steering wheel. Toyota's US research institute, TRI, is providing funding, with the aim of improving safety and confidence through interaction immediately before steering.