SK Hynix briefly overtook Samsung Electronics on June 22 to claim the top spot by common-share market capitalization on South Korea's KOSPI exchange, a milestone that reflects how high-bandwidth memory (HBM) has redefined the value of Korea's semiconductor industry.
Physical AI and ADAS-cockpit integration have become the two main forces driving upgrades in China's autonomous driving and smart cockpit supply chains, according to the latest report from DIGITIMES Research. Under this trend, automakers and tech companies are accelerating the deployment of world models and LLMs, with a new wave of mass production and commercial pilot runs expected in the second half of 2026.
AI-driven memory price spikes are presenting a challenge for Samsung's smartphone business, with rising component prices eroding the affordability of its budget phones. At the same time, Samsung is seeking to use its new AI features to encourage new device purchases as memory prices dampen smartphone sales globally.
Japanese bathroom fixture maker Toto is deepening its commitment to the semiconductor industry, unveiling plans to invest JPY80 billion (approx. US$495.3 million) over the next five years to expand production of advanced ceramic materials used in chip manufacturing. According to a Nikkei Asia report, the company aims to support future-generation semiconductor processes in the 1nm range, extending a business that has become a major profit driver amid the AI boom.
Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone appears to be moving closer to reality, with reports from multiple Chinese media outlets suggesting that parts of the supply chain have already begun small-volume shipments ahead of a planned launch next year later this year.
China began approving a new batch of indium phosphide (InP) substrate exports in late May 2026, but optical communications supply chain sources said the relief remains limited and is unlikely to fully resolve material shortages in the near term.
According to an announcement published by China's Ministry of Commerce on June 22, China has added 10 US entities to its export control list, prohibiting the export of dual-use items to these companies and banning any organization or individual from transferring China-origin dual-use items to them.
