This week, TSMC company reported the results of the first quarter of 2016. In the middle of the quarter, TSMC factories has an earthquake in Taiwan, which made for a while lower production volumes. But this is easily remedied. Worse, economic situation does not improve in the world, forced the company to worsen its own forecast of individual markets and the industry in general. The revival of their own business the company expects in the second half of this year, and last but not least hopes for Apple's orders for the new smartphones generation .
Company Prediction changed for smartphones, which will increase sales than 8%, and 7% in 2016; PC market forecast falling increased from -3% to -6%, and forecast lower sales of tablets changed from -7% to -9%. The gaming industry and wireless devices, however, will gradually increase the volume. Overall, the company expects growth in the semiconductor industry by 1%, while the growth of contract manufacturing by 5%. Its growth in 2016, the company TSMC sees in the range of 5-10%. Last year, we will add, share TSMC on semiconductors market contract was 54.3%. In the first quarter of 2016 TSMC gained $ 6.14 billion -. 12.8% less than in the same quarter last year. Net revenue for the quarter was $ 2 billion., And also for the year decreased (by 18%).
Separately, the company enjoyed the first digital customer projects for the production of 10-nm semiconductors. During the year, we will be prepared more such projects, but "significant demand" for the 10-nm chips the company expects in the second quarter 2017. Development of 7-nm process technology "is in full swing." Since the production of 7 nm is 95% of the equipment used for discharging products 10 nm, the transition to the 7-nm process should occur relatively quickly. Chips with the norms of 7 nm are 60% thicker and 30-40% less consumption than the 10-nm chips.
Go to 7 nm will be of interest to developers of mobile electronics, GPU, video game consoles, FPGA, and other network processors. In total the company counted more than 20 customers who are interested in the 7-nm process technology, which in 2017 plans to create about 15 digital projects with a focus on the technological standards of production.
The company also continues to improve its 16-nm process technology and the increase in yield of crystals in this process technology. TSMC expects that this year the sales of plates with 16-nm chips will reach 20% of the annual volume of the company's revenue.