CONNECT WITH US
May 27, 09:32
Taiwan smartphone shipments fell nearly 4% in April as component costs push prices higher
Taiwan's smartphone shipments declined in April 2026 as the market entered its traditional slow season and rising component prices pressured handset pricing, industry participants said. Mobile channel sources reported about 402,000 units shipped in April, down 4% from 418,000 units in March, and executives warned that elevated memory and other component costs are likely to keep retail prices up and weigh on demand into the second half.
Ennostar Holdings' transformation has begun to show clear results, with chairman Paul Peng saying the company's "3+1" strategy is taking shape, as higher-value applications now account for more than half of revenue. Despite continued uncertainty in the global environment, Peng remains cautiously optimistic about the second half of 2026 and expects the company to maintain relatively strong performance.
Huawei is expanding deeper into AI optical networking and silicon photonics (SiPh) through a new investment in an indium phosphide (InP) optical chip startup, as rising AI data center demand accelerates upgrades across the global optical communications industry.
China-based BOE Technology Group is reportedly looking to supply OLED panels for the standard model of the Samsung Galaxy S27 smartphone by offering a price that is US$5 lower than that of Samsung Display (SDC). The development has raised concerns in the industry that South Korean panel makers will come under pressure if BOE secures supply qualification for the Galaxy S series OLED panels through lower pricing.
China's smartphone sales fell 16% year‑over‑year during the two weeks surrounding the 2026 May Day holiday, a drop that signals wider implications for global supply chains and consumer demand as rising memory prices push up device costs and curb upgrades, according to Counterpoint Research's China Weekly Smartphone Sell‑Out Tracker data.
The rapid adoption of generative AI, large language models, and AI agents is accelerating global data center construction and driving a new growth cycle in optical communications. Wuhan East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, also known as Optics Valley of China, has re-emerged as a focal point in China's optoelectronics industry.

A global memory shortage is spreading into the smartphone OLED market, cutting handset production and adding pressure on display makers and their component suppliers, according to ETNews and UBI Research.

Samsung Electronics and its union signed a provisional agreement late at night, about an hour before a scheduled May 21 strike, averting an industry estimate of more than KRW100 trillion (approx. US$66.8 billion) in supply chain disruption. The deal eases an immediate labor crisis but leaves unresolved structural conflicts and rising personnel costs.
Far EasTone has secured Taiwan distribution rights for Amazon Leo, Amazon's low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet service formerly known as Project Kuiper, positioning the telecom operator to add satellite connectivity as a backup layer for its mobile and fixed-line networks.

At DIGITIMES' Tech Forum 2026 this week, analysts said satellite-based internet services are rapidly emerging as one of the most fiercely contested frontiers in the global connectivity market, with SpaceX's Starlink at the center of the battle.

Orient Semiconductor Electronics (OSE) said that strong memory market demand is lifting its outlook and expanding its role in the memory supply chain, while also strengthening its importance in surface-mount technology (SMT) for AI server boards with major US clients.
Lens Technology's bid for control of Ju Teng International Holdings is putting renewed focus on changes in the notebook supply chain, as the Chinese supplier seeks to reduce its reliance on Apple and broaden its product portfolio.