ComputInsights #17 – Weekly Computing Market Insights

Market Growth

Global Smartphone Shipments Rise in Q1 2025, But Outlook Dims Amid Tariff Concerns

Global smartphone shipments reached 294.7 million units in Q1 2025, up 4.1% year-over-year, signaling ongoing market recovery according to a reprot from Digitmes. Q2 shipments are projected to grow 4.9%, driven by brands stocking up ahead of new U.S. tariffs. However, DIGITIMES revised its full-year growth forecast down to 2.7% from 3.4%, citing economic uncertainty and weakening consumer confidence. Tariff policies under the Trump administration remain a key risk factor for the industry.

Global AI Server Shipments to Hit 1.81 Million in 2025 Amid Continued Investment Surge

Global AI server shipments are projected to reach 1.81 million units in 2025, despite ongoing tariff conflicts and concerns over generative AI returns. High-end server shipments with high-bandwidth memory (HBM) are expected to surpass 1 million units, marking a 40% year-over-year increase. Investment momentum is fueled by the steady progress of large language models (LLMs) and expanding AI datacenter deployments. North American cloud service providers are set to dominate high-end server procurement, accounting for 70% of the total.

M&A and Investments 

Micron Commits $200 Billion to Boost U.S. Chip Manufacturing and AI-Driven Memory Innovation

Micron, in partnership with the Trump Administration, announced a $200 billion investment to expand U.S. memory chip manufacturing and R&D across Idaho, New York, and Virginia. The plan includes new fabs, advanced HBM packaging, and a push to produce 40% of DRAM in the U.S., creating about 90,000 jobs. This initiative aims to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor supply chain and support the growing AI and high-performance computing markets.

Company-Specific News

Huawei Unveils Foldable HarmonyOS Laptop, Pura 80 Smartphone in Bold Bid to Challenge Apple

Huawei is stepping up its in-house tech game with the launch of the MateBook Fold—the world’s first HarmonyOS-powered foldable PC—and its Pura 80 smartphone series. The MateBook Fold is built almost entirely from Huawei’s own components, signaling deep vertical integration and independence from foreign tech. Meanwhile, the Pura 80 features a groundbreaking dual telephoto lens, continuing Huawei’s innovation in mobile imaging. Backed by a massive $25 billion annual R&D investment, Huawei is building a HarmonyOS ecosystem that now powers over 1 billion devices, positioning the company as a major force in shaping China’s self-reliant tech future.

AMD Unveils MI400 AI Chips with OpenAI Backing to Challenge Nvidia’s Dominance

AMD unveiled its next-gen Instinct MI400 AI chips and Helios rack system, with OpenAI confirming adoption. The chips aim to rival Nvidia by offering better power efficiency, high memory capacity, and aggressive pricing. AMD now counts major AI players like OpenAI, Tesla, and Meta among its customers.