Mateusz Brzeziński

ASML is the sole supplier of EUV lithography machines, each costing $150–180 million and roughly the size of a bus. TSMC and Samsung launched the first commercial EUV chips in 2019. Export controls block ASML from selling EUV to China, though its 2024 China sales reached $7 billion from DUV tools. Nikon and Canon exited EUV development; Canon shipped nanoimprint tools for testing in 2024.

Verizon launched a 6G Innovation Forum with Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Qualcomm, and Meta to shape next-generation wireless networks. Vodafone–Three UK announced a £2 billion network upgrade deal with Nokia and Ericsson, replacing Huawei and Samsung equipment. T-Mobile US named Srini Gopalan as its next CEO, effective November 1. Australia’s Optus faces investigation after a 13-hour outage disrupted emergency calls and was linked to several deaths.

Apple has shifted all iPhone 17 production to India, exporting $7.5 billion in iPhones from April to July. Samsung leaks show the Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature an M14 OLED screen and a new privacy mode. Google’s Pixel 10 series launched with satellite support and AI features, while Xiaomi confirmed a rear “magic back screen” for its next flagship. OnePlus is ending its Hasselblad partnership and debuting a new camera engine.

Apple will produce all iPhone 17 models in India for the first time, shifting away from China, and early tests confirm the iPhone Air meets durability claims. Samsung’s leaked Galaxy S26 Ultra will use new M14 OLED panels and introduce a “Private Display” feature. Google’s Pixel 10 series launched with expanded AI photo editing. Xiaomi’s 17 series will debut soon with a rear “magic display” and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

Global 5G connections reached 2.6 billion in Q2 2025, up 37% year-on-year, with North America leading at 88% population coverage. The Philippines will fully shut down 3G by September 30 and is phasing out 2G to fight fraud. Vietnam’s VNPT won a $83 million 700 MHz spectrum license to expand 4G/5G. Tech firms announced an 8,000 km undersea cable linking Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia by 2028.

Honeywell Aerospace used 3D-printed ceramic molds for turbine blade production in May 2024, cutting development time from up to two years to under two months. SINTX Technologies partnered with Prodways in 2024 to supply alumina, zirconia, and silica ceramics for aerospace. 3DCeram launched the AI-driven CERIA process control system in 2025. Common printable ceramics include alumina, zirconia, and silicon carbide.

Researchers completed the full adult fruit fly connectome in 2023, mapping about 139,000 neurons and 54 million synapses. The MICrONS project in 2025 released a 1 mm³ map of mouse visual cortex with around 75,000 neurons and half a billion synapses. The human brain contains roughly 86 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses.

VodafoneThree (UK) awarded a £2 billion ($2.7 billion) 5G contract to Ericsson and Nokia, with Ericsson as main supplier. Optus in Australia suffered a 13-hour outage linked to four deaths after a failed upgrade; the CEO apologized. The Philippines and Qatar set deadlines to shut down 3G networks by late 2025. T-Mobile US completed its $4.4 billion purchase of UScellular, adding customers and spectrum.

Apple’s iPhone 17 pre-orders have surpassed last year’s iPhone 16, with production up 25% and the Pro Max model seeing a 60% output jump. iOS 26 launched September 15, introducing a major interface redesign and new on-device AI features. Samsung began rolling out Android 16 (One UI 8) to Galaxy S25 and other devices. Xiaomi’s 17 Pro series, with a rear display, launches September 26 in China.

SpaceX agreed to buy $17 billion in wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar to expand Starlink’s 5G services. UK launched its largest 5G spectrum release, while Turkey set October 16 for a long-awaited 5G auction. Gaza suffered a telecom blackout on September 18 amid intensified Israeli operations. EU officials rejected proposals to make Big Tech firms pay for 5G network costs.

Global semiconductor sales topped $600 billion in 2024 and could reach $1 trillion by 2030. TSMC held 55% of the foundry market in 2023, with Taiwan controlling 92% of advanced chip capacity. The 2021 chip shortage caused an estimated $210 billion loss in auto sales. The U.S. and EU have pledged over $100 billion combined to boost domestic chip production.