China's leading smart-device original design manufacturer (ODM), Huaqin Technology, plans to invest CNY1 billion (approx. US$149.86 million) in a wafer foundry venture, strengthening upstream semiconductor ties while expanding its AI server and data center businesses.

Jiangsu HISI Semiconductor (HISIGK) has prepared 14 automated lithography systems for delivery across 300mm, 200mm and 150mm wafer platforms, expanding its specialty semiconductor equipment business in markets ranging from MEMS to AR optics and LED chips.

Qualcomm has identified Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology as its primary memory suppliers for certain products, including automotive applications, in its fiscal 2026 annual report. The disclosure was absent from the previous two years' filings and comes as Qualcomm's automotive revenue jumped 52%.

CATL is exploring lithium-air batteries as a long-term research direction, attracting attention to the prospect of electric vehicles travelling more than 2,000km (≈ 1,243 miles) on a charge. That range remains a theoretical scenario, with no announced production battery or vehicle test demonstrating it.

SK Hynix is using Nvidia's AI technology and GPU acceleration to speed up memory chip simulations, with improvements in etching-process development and tests of thermal and elastic deformation analysis. As memory structures and manufacturing processes become increasingly complex, the companies are working to reduce simulation time and computational demands to support process optimization during R&D.

China and the US have extended selected export-control, tariff, and maritime measures ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen on November 18-19. US President Donald Trump has said he expects to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit, though no bilateral meeting date has been formally announced.

Former colleagues and business associates describe Alice Huang as an executive skilled at turning relationships into commercial opportunities. Their accounts are now central to understanding how the former Megaspeed executive established credibility in AI infrastructure—and whether her access to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang influenced hardware supply.

Japan's state-backed chipmaker Rapidus is facing mounting technological challenges that could delay its plan to begin mass-producing 2nm semiconductors by March 2028, potentially undermining Tokyo's efforts to rebuild its domestic advanced semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.

Taiwanese passive component makers Yageo and Walsin Technology reported contrasting October results, with Yageo posting record monthly revenue on strong AI demand while Walsin's sales declined from September due to China's National Day holidays. Both companies recorded year-over-year revenue growth of more than 50%.

Nvidia showcased its work with South Korean manufacturers on robot simulation, precision sanding and factory digital twins as its AI Day Seoul event opened on November 9, despite the absence of senior director Madison Huang, who canceled her planned visit to South Korea.

An incoming Democratic majority in the US Congress is likely to place Nvidia under greater scrutiny in light of recent revelations that the chipmaker's CEO, Jensen Huang, had an affair with an alleged Chinese spy. The legislature is already advancing a series of bills that seek to halt the flow of advanced US chips to China.

Trinity Fab, a semiconductor testing facility backed by SK Hynix and South Korean public bodies, will begin testing chipmaking equipment and materials in October 2027, The Elec reported on November 8. The KRW874.6 billion (approx. US$651 million) facility will operate under SK Hynix's mass-production standards, giving domestic suppliers access to production-grade testing without building their own facilities.

South Korea has approved a seven-year national research program to support display technology development and provide companies with shared testing and commercialization facilities. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said the program will run from 2027 to 2033, with a total budget of KRW368.87 billion (US$272.15 million), including KRW278.9 billion in government funding.

Space-based data centers could open a new market for low-power AI chips, but moving computing workloads into orbit presents challenges involving radiation, cooling, and hardware reliability. South Korean AI chip developer Rebellions is calling for government support to help companies establish a track record in space, while researchers recommend adapting existing processors rather than developing new chips from scratch.