Xiaomi Auto moved aggressively in September 2026, officially launching its second product line, the SkyNomad extended-range SUV series, on September 7. The company also said cumulative deliveries have surpassed 800,000 vehicles and laid out a timetable to enter the European market in 2027. But behind the upbeat headlines, Taiwanese suppliers are settling for secondary-supplier roles.

ITRI held its 15th Laureate Ceremony on September 7, honoring three new laureates in 2026: TSMC executive vice president and co-COO Y.P. Chyn, Realtek chairman Sun-Chien Chiu, and superintendent of Taipei Veterans General Hospital Wei-Ming Chen.

OpenAI has signed a multi-year agreement with Australian AI infrastructure developer Firmus for dedicated computing capacity at two data center sites in Malaysia, becoming an anchor customer as demand for power and data-center capacity accelerates.

Samsung Electronics' Taylor foundry fab in Texas has reportedly reached full booking before 2nm volume production begins, signaling stronger demand for the company's incoming US advanced-node capacity as the site moves toward trial operations.

Cooling electric vehicle demand is forcing South Korean copper foil makers to rethink capital and capacity. Lotte Energy Materials has sold a 90% stake in its architectural exterior contracting subsidiary Lotte EcoWall for KRW170.8 billion (approx. US$120 million), and is redirecting the proceeds into its core copper foil business.

LCD panel supply could tighten around 2028 as Taiwan manufacturers exit the segment faster than expected, while China uses profits from LCD to ramp OLED investment. The shift is being driven by shrinking LCD line capacity, rising demand for advanced semiconductor packaging, and continued growth in large-screen TVs.

A battery quality controversy involving GAC Aion has put supplier CALB, the world's fourth-largest EV battery maker, under scrutiny and highlighted a less comfortable side of China's breakneck expansion in new energy industries.

A new electronics factory in Bengaluru is set to strengthen India's role in global supply chains, with potential benefits for customers in railways, industrial systems, energy, and medical devices worldwide. The facility highlights rising demand for high-reliability manufacturing and deeper India–Italy industrial ties.

Taiwan's Kian Shen is counting on chassis, lightweight panel frames, and the Lean3 electric vehicle to drive growth, with third-quarter 2026 performance expected to improve from the previous quarter as July returned to profitability and non-operating income provided additional support.

Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) said on September 7 that it won a 20-year full-life-cycle contract from Canadian aerospace group Bombardier for the Challenger 3500 business jet. The award was described as AIDC's most important recent breakthrough in civil aviation and was tied to Taiwan's aerospace supply chain.

As humanoid robots increasingly move from demonstrations toward factories and commercial deployments, competition is expanding beyond finished robots into the components that determine their cost, weight and ability to move precisely.

South Korea and the US are discussing semiconductor investments in the US as part of broader bilateral negotiations, bringing US chip tariff policy closer to the investment decisions facing Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

The flagship foldable market has reached a pivotal turning point as tech giants abandon tall, narrow cover screens in favor of wider aspect ratios and custom processing hardware. Xiaomi's newly launched Xiaomi 18 Fold brings direct competition to top-tier rivals such as the Huawei Pura X Max and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, while setting the stage for Apple's anticipated entry into the category later this week. For prospective buyers evaluating these premium devices, the ultimate purchasing decision hinges on core trade-offs including display usability and internal hardware performance.

This week, DIGITIMES heads to Shenzhen to cover an expo showcasing the world of optoelectronics, a class of technologies that serves as the link between electricity and light. In today's era of pervasive digital connectivity, from smart glasses to cars to phones, this event is expected to give us a glimpse into the hardware supply chain behind these devices, and increasingly behind the global AI infrastructure build-out.