[to11mtm]

Let's also not forget their digital imaging line, specifically their foray into Mirrorless cameras

Sure, they shelved it (Hard to compete with established players who can spread R&D over volume), but people were pretty amazed at how well Samsung did entering that market from a quality standpoint.

Why does that matter? Because that indicates they have plenty of skill in lens manufacture, which is another critical component to a good fab.

[totalZero]

Makes you wonder why one of the major semiconductor equipment companies doesn't team up with Canon or Nikon and compete with ASML/Zeiss.

[MarkSweep]

Canon and Nikon already makes their own lithography machines:

https://global.canon/en/product/indtech/semicon/

https://www.nikon.com/products/semi/

[totalZero]

That's right. Deep UV. They all but threw in the towel on EUV.

But the difference is that ASML + Carl Zeiss absolutely run the market.

Nikon has about 10% market share, and Canon 5%. The rest is basically ASML.

The thought on my mind is that any one of the major American semiconductor equipment manufacturers could partner with either of the two Japanese optics houses. Canon is worth about US $25B, and its semiconductor business generates about a fifth of its revenue. It's big enough to be useful, but small enough to be acquirable.