Meta Connect 2026 is set to begin on September 23, with the next generation of AI smart glasses expected to be a key focus. Among the products drawing particular industry attention is a device internally code-named "Luna," which is reportedly being designed without a camera.

Demand from high-tech companies for new research and manufacturing sites remains strong, prompting Taiwan to advance plans to expand Longtan Science Park by 104 hectares as the government seeks to accommodate continued growth in AI and semiconductor industries.

Apple is reportedly developing an enterprise AI inference server powered by its in-house M8 Ultra chips. This move could mark its return to the enterprise server market after more than a decade. If the project reaches market, it may also reshape Apple's infrastructure strategy, supplier relationships, and place in AI computing.

Europe intends to triple its data center capacity within five to seven years. On September 21, the European Commission set out how it plans to monitor that expansion: a common EU rating scheme that will attach a public electronic label, covering energy and water use, to every data center in the bloc with at least 500kW of installed IT power demand. The label provides ratings; it does not yet impose requirements. Binding minimum performance standards are a separate proposal, and the consultation on them opened only that day.

Industry sources say Valve is expected to launch a new Steam Deck in 2027, setting up a tougher contest for Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM) Quanta as China's Huaqin moves to win the manufacturing order. The winner has not yet been confirmed.

Microsoft is expanding its data center footprint in Taiwan from two facilities to four as global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing power continues to surge and industry players step up data center expansion. Microsoft Taiwan general manager Sean Pien said the new facilities will prioritize Taiwan customers.

EZconn said global fiber and optical cable supplies remain tight as AI data center demand overtakes demand from traditional telecom applications, pushing up raw material prices and boosting costs for optical passive components. The company expects the shortage to ease gradually from the second half of 2026 into 2027 as upstream suppliers add capacity, while it negotiates for larger allocations and longer-term supply contracts.