Notebook-use keyboard and CCM (compact camera module) maker Chicony Electronics saw its revenues, gross margins and operating profits all hit record highs in the first quarter of 2021, buoyed by a strong influx of orders for PC applications.
Suppliers including foundry TSMC are expected to kick off production for the redesign of Sony's PlayStation 5 (PS5) games console between the second and third quarters of 2022, according to industry sources.
With chip and component suppliers prioritizing their shipments supporting high-end products, such as the iMac, Apple is likely to overtake HP as the top all-in-one (AIO) PC brand vendor, according to industry sources.
The four major subsidiaries of Samsung Electronics in Vietnam garnered revenues of US$63.25 billion in 2020, decreasing 4% from a year earlier, with their combined earnings sliding to US$3.8 billion from US$4.3 billion during the same period, according to local media reports.
Global tablet shipments totaled 35.95 million units in the first quarter of 2021, down 22.7% sequentially, but 45.5% on year, meeting Digitimes Research's forecast in January.
Motherboard and graphics card maker Micro-Star International (MSI) has reported net profits climbed 109.3% sequentially and 233.5% on year to a record high of NT$4.17 billion (US$149.2 million) in the first quarter of 2021.
The recently launched 12.9-inch miniLED-backlit iPad Pro is expected to account for almost 10% of all Apple tablet shipments in 2021, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.
Sony's CIS orders may have failed to materialize, but strong demand from other major clients have quickly filled the gap that would have been occupied by the Japanese vendor at TSMC. Persistently tight supply in the semiconductor sector has sent IC substrate suppliers looking to expand capacity. But some major Taiwanese suppliers are asking AMD to fund new lines that would cater to the client alone. In the notebook market, global shipments are expected to exceed 62 million units in second-quarter 2021, driven by gaming and education devices.
Chromebook shipments worldwide remained at above 10 million units in the first quarter of 2021, despite an around 9% sequential decrease, according to Digitimes Research's figures.
Global notebook shipments not including devices with detachable keyboards went down only 8.7% sequentially in the first quarter of 2021 as demand for education and gaming models remained robust and previously unfulfilled orders were delivered, according to Digitimes Research.
Apple saw first-quarter 2021 sales of its MacBook series adopting M1 chips grow 4.9% sequentially and 70.09% on year to a record quarterly high of US$9.102 billion, mainly driven by growing popularity of in-house developed M1 processors and strong demand for stay-at-home applications, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Apple has announced financial results for its fiscal 2021 second quarter ended March 27, 2021, posting revenues of US$89.6 billion, up 54% on year, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of US$1.40.
Apple did not start P2 prototype testing for its AR glasses as expected by its supply chain partners in first-quarter 2021, which means it is unlikely for the device to begin volume production in first-quarter 2022, according to industry sources.
Most IT and TV brand vendors have been forced to raise their quotes in the end markets recently due to ever-rising component and material prices - a trend that could dampen the currently robust demand for panels, according to industry sources.
Although PC brand vendors are mostly keen about shifting production to India, eyeing its PC market's strong potential, their manufacturing partners are rather conservative, according to sources from ODMs.
Apple's newly launched 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pros are manufactured solely by Foxconn Technology Group (Hon Hai Precision Industry), which is expected to boost the manufacturer's April revenues, according to industry sources.
Strong demand from major clients has prompted TSMC to raise its output from its 5nm manufacturing process. The pure-play foundry house is expected to process up to 150,000 wafers monthly at the 5nm node through the end of the year. Morris Chang considers Samsung a strong competitor of the company he founded, but is skeptical about Intel's bid to expand its presence in the foundry sector. Apple has just unveiled its new miniLED-backlit iPad Pro devices powered by M1 chip. Shipments for the new devices are expected to reach 11 million units in 2021.
Quanta Computer will see shipments for Apple's new iMac series boost its total AIO (all-in-one) PC shipments this year, market sources believe. Hewlett-Packard (HP) is another major AIO PC customer of the Taiwan-based ODM.
Qualcomm has joined forces with Microsoft, Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), Acer, Asustek, ECS, Inventec and Taipei Computer Association (TCA) to set up "Enterprise Digital Transformation Action Front" seeking to offer total solutions for 5G private networks and 5G commercial notebooks to accelerate enterprises' digital transformation.
Quanta Computer has confirmed that its computer systems have been hacked, following reports that some of the ODM's files containing clients' notebook designs have been stolen by a hacker group that has demaned a ransom of XMR123,028 in cryptocurrency - equivalent to almost US$50 million.
Apple has announced a new iPad Pro equipped with in-house-designed M1 chip and a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, and has also unveiled an 11-inch model.
Asustek Computer is currently in talks with partners in India for manufacturing PCs there, and is looking to expand its share in the South Asian country's consumer PC market to 20%, according to a report by the Hindu citing Arnold Su, business head, Consumer & Gaming PC, System Business Group, Asustek India.
