As 2006 comes to a close the semiconductor manufacturing equipment picture is a bit cloudy. 2006 started with a bang and will end with a muffled boom as increasing inventories and overcapacity concerns slowed equipment purchases in the fourth quarter. The NAND flash memory boom appears to be slowing as the "low hanging fruits" among its applications have been harvested. Yet for DRAM, prospects hinge on the adoption speed and strength of Microsoft's new operating system Vista. Memory supply and demand will be the key to growth or decline in 2007. So, who will rule 2007, the bulls or the bears?
Topics Discussed Gartner analysts discussed with participants the following topics:
What is the macro environment for the semiconductor industry?
What is the latest outlook for semiconductor applications and device?
What is the supply and demand picture in semiconductors?
What is the latest forecast for the industry?s manufacturing services?
What is the latest forecast for the capital equipment and spending?
