Most Learn – xMCUs, NVHBM base dies, Qualcomm layoffs ⋆ Electronics Weekly

solely the information tales written throughout the final week, the preferred articles on the positioning cowl Google and Synaptics launching an xMCU, datacentre CPU progress outpacing GPUs and ASICs, and Microsoft pulling out of Nscale’s UK datacentre undertaking…

And there’s additionally Samsung, Micron and Hynix agreeing to make use of TSMC base dies for NVHBM, and Qualcomm planning worldwide layoffs…

As at all times, let’s take them in reverse order, in line with Google Analytics:

5. Google and Synaptics launch xMCUs
Synaptics and Google have launched the xMCU – an MCU that mixes heterogeneous, AI-native compute and acceleration with built-in high-bandwidth customized DRAM scalable to a whole lot of megabytes, enabling bigger AI fashions and richer multimodal workloads to run completely on-device. The Astra SR200 Sequence of xMCUs is designed for AI wearables, battery-powered sensing units…

4. Datacentre CPU progress outpaces GPUs and ASICs
Agentic AI is reviving information middle CPU demand, with CPU revenues up 35%, forward of AI ASICs (+23%) and GPUs (+13%), in line with the Information Facilities Processor Market Monitor, Q3 2026. GPU and AI ASIC designers are scaling again their roadmaps, generally drastically, in response to the sharp rise in DRAM costs.

3. MS pulls out of Nscale UK datacentre undertaking
Nscale, the London neocloud startup, has had one other setback to its IPO plans with Microsoft pulling out of a deal to be the anchor tenant on Nscale’s Loughton, Essex, datacentre. Neither MS nor Nscale gave any purpose for the pull-out, however UK Energy Networks has informed Nscale it can not provide sufficient energy for the positioning till the early to mid 2030s.

2. Samsung, Micron, Hynix to make use of TSMC base dies for NVHBM
Nvidia has requested Samsung, Hynix and Micron to make use of base dies made on TSMC’s 3nm node for its customized HBM referred to as NVHBM (pictured), stories the Seoul Financial Day by day. The bottom dies in HBM comprise the logic layer on the backside of the HBM stack that handles the reminiscence controller and interface. The rationale for Nvidia’s request…

1. Qualcomm to start out worldwide layoffs
Qualcomm is to put off workers worldwide in line with a memo from CEO Cristiano Amon to staff seen by Reuters. Notifications are to start out subsequent month. The quantity concerned is just not recognized. The corporate had 52k staff in September 2025. The memo describes the lay-offs as “a performance-focused discount after annual evaluations”…