Samsung Electronics has continued to demonstrate its resilience in its Taiwan operations in 2025, even in the face of tariffs, inflation, and geopolitical risks. The company saw sustained year-over-year growth across its mobile phone, tablet, and wearable segments, while its home appliance division has also seen a notable turnaround against the market trend.
Taiwan's traditional industries are facing operational pressures from US reciprocal tariffs. However, to encourage companies to invest in the next phase of growth, the Legislative Yuan has passed law amendments proposed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), expanding tax credits for companies investing in smart machinery, 5G, cybersecurity, AI, and energy-saving carbon reduction equipment. Such companies can now receive tax credits up to NT$2 billion (US$61.8 million).
Cooling module manufacturer Microloops has achieved more than 100% year-over-year revenue growth for four consecutive months, driven by robust demand from AI server customers. In August 2025, the company posted consolidated revenue of NT$397 million (around US$13 million), marking a 129.14% increase compared to the same month in 2024.
The 26th China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE) and the Shenzhen International Semiconductor & IC Exhibition (SEMI-e 2025) are being held at the Shenzhen International Convention and Exhibition Center.
Industrial PC (IPC) companies have begun releasing their revenue figures for August 2025. Despite challenges from the global high-interest-rate environment and geopolitical tensions, overall performance continues to demonstrate resilience through regional and application expansion. Beyond ongoing development of integrated hardware-software solutions, emerging demands in military, edge computing, and semiconductor automation are becoming key strategic focuses for these companies.
At the SEMICON Taiwan event held in September, key international figures from the semiconductor, robotics, and future vehicle sectors convened, highlighting Taiwan's rising importance as a global technology supply chain center. The gathering underscored international confidence in Taiwan's semiconductor cluster and its electronic manufacturing expertise.
After two consecutive years of losses, Anli reported consolidated revenue of NT$171 million (approx. US$5.62 million) in August 2025, ranking as the company's third-highest monthly revenue for the year and maintaining steady growth momentum.
Czech Minister for Science, Research and Innovation Marek Ženíšek recently visited Taiwan to meet with National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) minister Cheng-wen Wu. In addition to in-depth discussions on their complementary strengths in laser technology, Wu also highlighted Taiwan's government initiatives in space and defense-related industries, with the hope of expanding collaboration with other countries.
Dell has reportedly launched a new wave of layoffs in China, affecting departments including the EMC storage division and the Client Solution Group (CSG), primarily concentrated in Shanghai and Xiamen. The scale of the layoffs remains unknown.
Taiwan-based Lianyou Metals, which was listed on September 9, 2025, is capitalizing on geopolitical shifts and supply chain disruptions by expanding its production of cobalt metal powder while maintaining a strong position in the global tungsten market. The company's unique status as a non-China manufacturer has made it a key supplier for major international clients amid tightening raw material controls and tariffs.
LG Electronics is planning to launch the initial public offering (IPO) of its Indian subsidiary in October 2025, aiming to raise approximately INR150 billion (US$1.7 billion). The Offer for Sale (OFS) will involve the parent company, LG Electronics Inc., divesting a 15% stake, or 101.8 million shares, in its India unit, according to KNN India.
AMD will launch new products in 2025 and 2026, with OpenAI set to adopt them. OpenAI and Broadcom are targeting mass production in 2026. Interest in diverse AI chip solutions is growing, challenging Nvidia's dominance.
Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and AI smart glasses have become hot topics recently, highlighting the growing interest in the optical industry. However, most developments remain more hype than substantial progress. Industry insiders note that while AR and VR products are advancing, their market growth is slower compared to smart glasses, with unclear demand surges. Despite high buzz around smart glasses, challenges persist.
US home appliance giant Whirlpool has claimed that the US subsidiary of Samsung Electronics and North American subsidiary of LG Electronics have adjusted their so-called "transfer pricing" to reduce their tariff burden. The company has reported the matter to the White House.
The Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) released the manufacturing business climate signals for July 2025 on September 2, 2025, revealing that out of 21 manufacturing sectors, 19 flashed "blue lights" indicating recession in its composite index. However, with 70% of Taiwan's exports falling under tariff-free electronic and tech products regulated by the WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA), the strong shipments in electronics and AI servers have softened concerns over traditional industries facing difficulties.
Taiwan's high-tech manufacturers are encountering significant challenges as they establish factories overseas, particularly due to cost pressures stemming from US President Donald Trump's Made in America policy. IBM Consulting Taiwan highlights that the competitive advantages enjoyed by Taiwanese high-tech firms are difficult to replicate abroad, complicating efforts to expand supply chains internationally.
China is accelerating automation with affordable domestically produced robots, maintaining competitiveness in low-end manufacturing amid rising labor wages by leveraging the "robot dividend." This strategy continues to expand its manufacturing export share.
The explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI) is fueling a global boom in AI data centers, driving electricity demand to record highs. Taiwanese heavy electrical firms — Fortune Electric, Teco Electric & Machinery, Shihlin Electric, and Allis Electric — are vying for contracts by slashing delivery lead times and positioning themselves as turnkey suppliers of mission-critical power systems.
Samsung is rolling out its Galaxy S25 FE smartphone and Galaxy Tab S11 tablets a month early, unveiling the devices at the IFA 2025 tech show in Berlin. The move is aimed at filling a gap in its lineup ahead of the launch of its new tri-fold phones later this year.
As the retro wave sweeps in, digital still camera (DSC) demand is rebounding. Companies like Asia Optical and Ability have reported positive news, but while some celebrate, others face challenges. The supply chain for digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) lenses remains relatively subdued.
US President Donald Trump's imposition of reciprocal tariffs and aggressive "Make America Great Again" measures has deepened political and economic rifts even among allies, undermining long-standing trust and reliance on the US. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Tianjin, China, on September 1 brought together major powers including China, Russia, India, and Iran. This was soon followed by a grand military parade on September 3, during which the heads of state of North Korea and Russia joined Chinese leaders, in an alarming threat to global peace.
Data centers are often seen as battlegrounds among the three major CPU architectures (x86, Arm, RISC-V) and GPUs from Nvidia, AMD, and specialized ASIC vendors. The Arm architecture has already replaced Intel and AMD in the data processing unit (DPU) market, leveraging its efficient cores used in SmartNICs to dominate the ecosystem.
