The 1990s – A decade of consolidation and the internet-fueled boom

Recap 

By the 1980s, semiconductors had become a global industry, expanding beyond computing into consumer electronics, telecommunications, and industrial automation. The decade saw the rise of the microprocessor, memory market fluctuations, and the entry of new manufacturing regions like South Korea and Taiwan. U.S.-Japan trade tensions led to government intervention, while strategic pricing models—such as value-based differentiation and cost reductions through process node advances—became standard. The formation of SEMATECH and the foundry model’s emergence hinted at the shifts that would define the 1990s, where the internet and globalization would further reshape the industry. 

Introduction