image sensors

Will Semicond

2026-09-02 12:04:09

Will Semiconductor’s profit drops nearly 40% in H1 as new businesses remain too small to offset core weakness

Will Semiconductor reported a sharp slowdown in earnings for the first half of 2026, even as revenue stayed almost flat. The company posted revenue of 14.02 billion yuan, up 0.49% year over year, while net profit attributable to shareholders fell 39.85% to 1.22 billion yuan. Net cash from operating activities dropped 78.40% to 408 million yuan, and inventory rose to 9.187 billion yuan, highlighting pressure on both cash generation and working capital. The company’s core image sensor business came under strain in two of its largest end markets at the same time. Revenue from image sensor solutions fell 10.55% to 9.254 billion yuan, with automotive revenue down 16.64% and consumer electronics revenue down 30.98%. At the same time, a higher contribution from lower-margin semiconductor distribution, along with increased R&D and finance costs, weighed on profitability. Will Semiconductor is now putting more emphasis on medical imaging, AI glasses, machine vision, sports cameras and automotive analog chips as a second growth engine. Those businesses are growing, but their revenue contribution remains limited. According to the report, their combined scale is still below 2.5 billion yuan and accounts for less than 18% of total revenue, leaving the company heavily reliant on its traditional image sensor operations.

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TSMC

2026-08-10 10:21:52

Nikkei: TSMC and Sony plan Kumamoto chip venture targeting automotive and robotics demand

Sony Group and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) plan to invest about 1 trillion yen, or roughly $6.3 billion, to form a joint venture in Kumamoto Prefecture, according to a report from Nikkei. The venture is intended to mass-produce next-generation semiconductors used in image sensors, with Sony expected to hold about 60% and TSMC about 40%. Commercial production could begin as early as 2029. Nikkei said the manufacturing base would use Sony Semiconductor Solutions’ existing site in Kumamoto rather than a newly built location. The report also said the two companies aim to establish the joint venture during fiscal 2026, while an investment agreement could be finalized in the coming months. The partnership builds on an announcement made in May, when Sony and TSMC said they would jointly develop and manufacture next-generation image sensors. Sony is expected to contribute sensor design capabilities, while TSMC would provide manufacturing and process technology. Nikkei added that Sony is already a minority shareholder in TSMC’s Kumamoto plant, meaning local cooperation between the two groups is already in place. The report said the effort is aimed not only at smartphones but also at Physical AI applications, including automotive and robotics, where demand for high-performance sensors is expected to matter more after 2029.

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