Japanese automaker Nissan Motor has sharply reduced its reliance on critical minerals in its latest electric vehicle design, highlighting how automakers are re-engineering core components to navigate rising geopolitical risk and supply chain concentration

Samsung Electronics is accelerating its catch-up in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market against leader SK Hynix by advancing its sixth-generation HBM4. A key factor is Samsung's upgrade from traditional MBIST to programmable PMBIST testing architecture built on cutting-edge 4nm process technology, significantly enhancing production yield and efficiency

China semiconductor equipment maker Naura Technology delivered strong 2025 revenue growth on rising chip tool demand and domestic substitution, but weaker margins and intensifying competition signal a tougher next phase

South Korean AI semiconductor startup DeepX has entered mass production and supply for its in-house neural processing unit (NPU), the DX-M1, as it seeks to scale revenue amid tightening wafer capacity and rising memory costs. The company said it has secured more than 30 purchase orders and is targeting US$40 million in revenue in 2026, supported by demand for low-power, cost-efficient AI chips

China, the world's largest single automotive market, is also the most intense testing ground for the industry's shift toward smart and electric vehicles. DIGITIMES Research notes that China's adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and intelligent cockpits in new cars has rapidly outpaced other regions, reaching significant penetration, especially in mid- to high-end models. Electric vehicles (EVs) have overtaken internal combustion engine cars as the sales leader in the passenger car segment, with the speed and scale of this transformation surpassing prior market expectations

Taiwanese companies are shifting investment and repatriation patterns as the US-led containment policy and global resistance to Chinese tech firms reshape cross-strait business dynamics, potentially affecting supply chains, foreign investment flows, and technology partnerships worldwide, and prompting multinationals and policymakers to reassess exposure to China across manufacturing and finance sectors

Memory makers are accelerating the phase-out of older mobile DRAM generations, with policies on LPDDR4 and DDR4 increasingly converging toward end-of-life (EOL) management as the industry shifts capacity toward higher-value LPDDR5, LPDDR5X, and server-class memory products

Lens Technology supplied 132 types of core metal structural components for Honor's humanoid robot program, underscoring its expanding role in embodied intelligence manufacturing and signaling increased global industrial capacity in robot production, supply-chain integration, and overseas facility expansion that could affect robotics availability and development worldwide

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is considering raising external funding for the first time, a move that would mark a significant shift for a company that has so far relied on backing from its parent, hedge fund High-Flyer Capital Management, according to a report by The Information, citing five people familiar with the matter

A humanoid robot half-marathon held in Beijing's Yizhuang development zone on April 19, 2026, has highlighted the rapid evolution of robotics technology, with autonomous machines demonstrating major gains in speed, stability, and decision-making compared with the previous year

Glass core substrates, valued for their low dielectric loss and warpage reduction, are key to next-generation advanced semiconductor packaging. In South Korea, traditional glass makers KCC Glass and LX Glass have entered R&D efforts to capture market opportunities

Embodied AI is moving out of the lab and into real-world environments at increasing speed. The humanoid robot half-marathon scheduled for April 19 in Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town) is framed as a public race, but functions more as an industry stress test, compressing a full stack of technologies into a 21-kilometer trial

Rising memory prices are reshaping the global smartphone market. The shift is triggering a broad slowdown and accelerating structural shifts across China's handset industry. Data from Omdia and IDC point to weakening shipments in the first quarter of 2026, with cost pressure and product strategy adjustments weighing heavily on Chinese brands, particularly Xiaomi

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, China's dominant electric vehicle battery manufacturer, is accelerating its push up the supply chain, pairing strong earnings with an aggressive expansion into upstream mining as it positions for the next phase of growth in electric vehicles and energy storage