Taiwan's large-size panel shipments (excluding Sharp's) are expected to decline 4.1% sequentially but up 16.1% on year in the fourth quarter of 2020, after growing 11.2% on quarter and 20.7% on year to 71.58 million units a quarter earlier, Digitimes Research figures show.The sequential declines of large-size panel shipments (9-inch and above) in the fourth quarter are likely to result from the short supplies of display driver ICs and power management (PWM) ICs.Digitimes Research expects fourth-quarter panel shipments for tablet and TV applications to stay in high gear. The growth of tablet panels shipped to non-iPad suppliers will be higher than that to Apple in the quarter - a peak season for sales of white-box tablets that will benefit Taiwan's panel makers who are not among the suppliers in the iPad supply chain.Given that TV panel prices already increased 30% in the third quarter and are likely to continue rising in the fourth quarter, Taiwan's panel makers are also likely to relocate more of their capacity previously designated for production of monitor panels to TV applications in order to help them ramp up revenues and profits.Nevertheless, shipments of notebook and monitor panels will remain the mainstream accounting for nearly 60% of total large-size panel shipments in the fourth quarter, up 2.4pp from a year earlier.

Under the efforts of the New South Bound Policy, Taiwan and Malaysia engage in active industrial collaborations to create win-win partnerships that foster the sharing of experiences in industrial, economic and human resource developments. Taiwan has built up a strong competitive edge as a result of its long-term devotion to and achievements in electronics manufacturing, refined agriculture, smart healthcare, biotechnology and particularly eye-catching artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT advances. Taiwan's strength in technology, industry and talent will enable it to play an important part helping drive Southeast Asia's economic growth.The Institute for Information Industry (III) organized the 2020 Malaysia-Taiwan Industrial Collaboration Summit - Smart City Sub-forum under the guidance of Industrial Development Bureau (IDB), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), with an aim to keep strengthening the integration of the industry value chain under the New South Bound Policy initiative. The two-day event took place on September 17 and 18, 2020 in an online format for the first time due to COVID-19. Participating Taiwan-based firms in IDB's Smart City Development Projects including Papago, MoGaMe Mobile Entertainment, Iscom Online International Information, Avalue Technology, OPEN LiFE, Quadlink, Kiwi Technology and GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology presented their smart applications and services that demonstrate their strong local R&D capabilities built in the three-year engagement in the projects. Malaysian investors and government delegates also joined the event to enhance communication between smart city industries of Taiwan and Malaysia and create matchmaking opportunities.Pingtung Da Long Wang farm uses AI to grow dragon fruitsPingtung Da Long Wang farm makes use of AI technologies to control fruit illumination and integrates AI with augmented reality (AR) smart glasses to build AI models for back-end flower thinning and artificial pollination. It is able to boost pollination success to 70% while lowering the error rate of manual fruit sorting by 20%. On top of that, AI technologies coupled with video cameras can detect the extent of surface damage on dragon fruits within one second. This can significantly help determine the quality and grade of dragon fruits and thereby hoist throughput.Malaysia-based Nexus Union saw the potential of the AI-enabled smart agriculture solution and entered into an agreement at the event to introduce the solution to a 500-hectare farm in Sabah. The deal will be supervised by a Malaysian investment consulting firm. A pilot project will kick off first on a 15-hectare area of farmland. Papago's AI-enabled face recognition solutionAside from the collaboration deal in smart agriculture, the event also successfully brought together Papago and a Malaysian investor. The two parties have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to use Papago's solution combining face recognition and body temperature detection at Kuala Lumpur International Airport to help Malaysia cope with a second wave of COVID-19 outbreak. Papago develops its face recognition platform Face8 on top of a strong AI-based image and face detection core coupled with protection and monitoring by robust information security implementations as well as cross-sector innovative applications enabled by blockchain technologies. Face8 has been widely used in banking institutions, fitness clubs and designated driver services in Taiwan. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Papago has added infrared (IR) temperature sensors to Face8 to incorporate temperature detection with face recognition. The aim is to drive the adoption of contactless detection solutions to prevent risks of cross infection while implementing real-name registration to allow traceability.MoGaMe develops IoT sensors based on low earth orbit satellite communication Another noteworthy MOU deal reached at the event was the one signed by MoGaMe Mobile Entertainment and Rui-Tang Tsai, director, IoT Technologies and Solutions, Smart System Institute, III. MoGaMe was awarded a tender project from National Space Organization and has since accumulated abundant experiences in developing smart IoT devices, for example, an electronic chart and automatic identification system (AIS) that tracks vessel positions and sends/receives messages via communication payloads on YUSAT. It can also be installed on islands for the purpose of making nautical charts.MoGaMe has also created a sensing device based on NB-IoT communication coupled with eSIM modules. Leveraging its experiences in developing sensors for use on low earth orbit satellites, MoGaMe was able to build an environment sensing device that maintains normal operation under harsh conditions. Powered by solar energy, the device is used in a smart water discharge monitoring system to address challenges arising from dramatic temperature changes in environments such farms, lakes or rivers.III's Smart System Institute has long been committed to the research of forward-looking and critical technologies. By providing a specialized platform for ICT technology and system development, wireless communication protocol technologies, wide-ranging technical spec platforms and assistance with UI/UX interactive app and website interface design, III's Smart System Institute effectively helps manufacturers consolidate their product and service portfolios and enhance their competitiveness. It is making an effort to build a platform bridging Taiwan's and Malaysia's industries, through which Taiwan's AIoT solutions can take root and flourish in Southeast Asian markets. By integrating software and hardware systems, III's Smart System Institute looks to foster engineering teams and actively connect them with the global community.Explosive growth of AIoT applicationsAIoT applications took center stage at this year's event. Apart from AI and IoT integration, the combination of AI with blockchain, big data analytics, image analysis, voice analysis or a slew of sensors gives rise to a diversity of smart applications that address information security. For smart surveillance, Iscom Online International Information built a secure campus solution combining AI-enabled image and voice monitoring. Using voice recognition to help enhance image recognition, the solution stands out from traditional video surveillance applications that only rely on image recognition.Among the AIoT solutions targeting diverse applications in precise agriculture presented at the event was Quadlink's Aquadlink Smart Aquaculture Application System, which makes use of remote monitoring, big data analytics and remote control IoT applications to improve aquafarm management and increase aquaculture production. In addition, an application that uses drones to spray farm chemicals on crops won a partnership opportunity engaging Taiwan-based GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology and Malaysia-based MATA Aerotech, which provides commercial drone services.Kiwi Technology built a smart temperature control solution supporting multiple wireless communication technologies including LoRa for cold chain management of refrigerated goods in transit or in storage. It can be combined with a smart air quality management solution to measure and monitor carbon dioxide levels as an indicator of air quality in buildings.IDB exerts active efforts in guiding Taiwan-based vendors to develop smart city solutions. In collaboration with 22 municipal governments, the central government allocates resources to address local needs raised by the governments of respective municipalities where vendors can test and refine their solutions. IDB has successfully guided 294 vendors who have created 223 smart applications, including AI-based air pollution monitoring and smart parking solutions. By consolidating resources from the government, industry, academia and research and integrating software and hardware systems, IDB aims to team up vendors with promising export potential, expand Taiwan's influence in Southeast Asia and lead the industry toward exporting high value-added integrated systems.The 2020 Malaysia-Taiwan Industrial Collaboration Summit takes place onlinePhoto: IDB

Demand for cloud servers may be rebounding in the fourth quarter of 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic remains a black swan threatening to disrupt components supply and assembly operations at server ODMs. But the long-term outlook for the server sector remains promising, with Microsoft having just announced a plan to build an Azure datacenter in Taiwan, which reportedly will install 15,000 servers. In the semiconductor sector, foundry capacity has been in shortages, and UMC is seeking acquisition targets to increase its 8-inch fab capacity.Cloud server demand picking up, but facing pandemic variables: Cloud server demand has started picking up in the fourth quarter of 2020, but concerns have emerged whether a fresh wave of coronavirus infections in the US and Europe will again hit shipments from the supply chain, according to industry sources.Around 15,000 servers needed for new Microsoft Azure datacenter in Taiwan: An estimated 15,000 servers will be needed to support Microsoft's new Azure datacenter that will be unveiled in Taiwan by the end of 2021 at the earliest, according to industry sources.UMC eyeing idle 8-inch fabs for acquisition: Pure-play foundry United Microelectronics (UMC) is looking at aging and idle 8-inch wafer fabs for acquisitions, according to company co-president SC Chien.

Global server shipments, after reaching the peak of 2020 in the second quarter, are estimated to have slipped 6% sequentially in the third quarter as demand began to weaken, and will drop further in the fourth quarter, according to the latest figures from Digitimes Research's Server Tracker.The shipment declines were a result of several factors including: the high comparison base formed in the second quarter amid clients' earlier-than-scheduled inventory buid-up; the lingering coronavirus pandemic; and delayed releases of Intel's next-generation server CPUs, which caused cloud datacenter operators and server brand vendors to slow down their order pull-ins in the second half of 2020.Global server shipments saw a nearly 20% on-year growth in the first half of 2020. Although the on-year shipment growth in the second half will not be as strong as that in the first, full-year 2020 shipments will still grow annually.US-based cloud datacenter operators and global first-tier server brands, including Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Dell, HPE, Lenovo and Supermicro, will still focus on digesting inventory in the fourth quarter, Digitimes Research believes. Server brands are also facing enterprise clients cutting their server procurement due to the pandemic's impact.Amazon will be the only first-tier cloud datacenter operator to see server shipment growth in the fourth quarter as the company has expanded hardware infrastructure for its e-commerce platform to cater to year-end shopping demand in addition to cloud computing services.In 2021, as the pandemic will continue to undermine the global economy, enterprises are likely to further reduce their capex. The US-China trade tensions may also decelerate Chinese server brands' shipment momentum in 2021.However, as Intel's and AMD's new-generation server CPUs will become widely available in the first half of 2021, a wave of server replacement trend in the enterprise market is to be expected. In addition to rising demand for cloud services from US and Chinese providers, global server shipments are expected to continue growing in 2021.

Shipments of smartphone-use application processors (AP) to China, including those for handset exports, grew 13.4% sequentially but declined 9.5% on year to 192.6 million units in the third quarter of 2020, Digitimes Research has found.The sequential growth comes as Huawei rushed to stock up APs from MediaTek prior to the US imposing fresh trade bans, and other Chinese brands were also ramping up smartphone shipments to India for inventory replenishments by channel operators there.MediaTek managed to maintain its top AP vendor ranking with a 44.9% share in the third quarter, up 6.6pp from a quarter earlier. Qualcomm was second with its share standing flat at 37% and HiSilicon Technologies saw its share slip 8.8pp to 13%.Despite off-peak season effects, smartphone AP shipments to China are expected to only edge down 0.9% on quarter and 2.8% in fourth-quarter 2020, as non-Huawei Chinese brands ramp up shipments to expand their market shares at the expense of Huawei, Digitimes Research estimates.While blocked from shipping 5G APs to Huawei in the fourth quarter by the US trade sanctions, MediaTek's shipments of 4G APs will also be constrained by the tight supply of power management (PWM) ICs, undermining its market share.Qualcomm is expected to outrace MediaTek to become the top smartphone AP vendor in China in the fourth quarter as it will be less affected by the US trade bans, having not yet begun shipping any 5G APs to Huawei. Qualcomm will start ramping up production of both entry-level and high-end 5G APs.

Less than one year after Mellanox was acquired by Nvidia for US$7 billion, Alon Webman, co-founder of Mellanox, started his second entrepreneurial project. The new company, Chain Reaction, targets the exponential growth to be set off by he calls a "cryptography everywhere" trend. His presentation on Zoom at the first US-Taiwan Startup Forum (UTSF) held in late September generated much interest from various venture capitalists and experts from the blockchain and semiconductor sectors.Blockchain's potential is widely expected. PriceWaterHouse predicts that the application of blockchain will boost global gross domestic product (GDP) by US1.76 trillion by 2030. IDC estimates that blockchain spending will grow at five-year (2018-2023) CAGR of 55.3% for the Asia-Pacific region and 57.1% worldwide, with global spending reaching US$14.4 billion by 2023. Despite the optimism, Webman and Oren Yokev, Chain Reaction co-founder and CTO, foresee some pain points ahead. They told Digitimes that combining the silicon/software engineering capability of their team and Taiwan's high-tech manufacturing supply chain can provide the best solution.Q: Why did you pick blockchain to combine with IC design as your second entrepreneurial project? What is your view toward the blockchain IC industry evolution and requirements?Webman (W): We came from different industries. I came from the high-tech industry, and Oren came from the government institution. But we were classmates some 28 years ago.All of the people who joined the company wanted to experience something they could start from the beginning. I brought in the experience of Mellanox as a startup, but this time in a different vertical, to build something we did not have 20 years ago. Many people who joined Chain Reaction could have decided to retire at this stage of their lives, but we did not feel what we learned over the years was enough. We wanted to take it to a new company, and this time to do it at the front seat, not from the backseat. This is the first thing. I think this goes along with Oren, goes along with Richard (Richard Lu, EVP of Sales and Operations).Richard and Joseph (Joseph Chen, deputy director of Global Supply Management) came from TSMC. And my team has been working with me for many years. We want to work together and enjoy a real new start to bring everything that we've learned in the last 20 years.We want to do something that works and has businesses around. I brought in the IC capability of our team; Oren brought in software, cyber security, and cryptography. And we started to look around different kind of verticals. All of those verticals didn't have two things that are important at the same time: if you go to cyber, you don't have the IC; if you go to networking, you have less security. We think IC, cryptography, security, software, all combined, are important. Blockchain combines them perfectly. But one thing we missed was someone who could help to make sure it would work on an ASIC. We contacted Richard. We brought in the engineering part. Richard brought in the relationships and the experiences in fab, sales, and overall silicon companies around the world.The combination of ASIC, cryptography, and algorithm - and to do it with TSMC's high-volume manufacturing - brings the maximum of the knowledge and experience that Oren, Richard and I have accumulated over the last 20 years.Q: You talked about the trilemma - scalability, privacy/security, and decentralization - of the blockchain industry. Could you explain that and how do your solutions solve those problems?W: You must have decentralization as it is one of blockchain core elements.You need to have security and privacy for your data. You work in the public domain, so you must secure all information and data. If you want the technology for millions of users, you must have scalability. As a silicon company you always want to work in a segment that has the potential for scalability to justify the business. The problem is that today you cannot have all these three elements taken care of at the same time. All the solutions available out there today are software based, and they only touch and optimize one or two of those three elements.We think, by providing efficient cryptography, we can optimize all of them. And we also realize that, if we want to do cryptography the right way, it must be through hardware acceleration. The software running the regular and generic processors available today, whether it's Intel processor or the most efficient graphic processing unit (GPU), are far from being efficient for the specific mathematic computation required for cryptography in order to boost all those three elements of blockchain I mentioned before. Doing decentralization basically means that you have a lot of computers which do the same calculation in parallel. Compared to one centralized computer doing one solution, if you do it with 100 decentralized computers, it takes 100 times of computing power to do the same solution.To do it efficiently and economically, the first step is to reduce the cost overhead coming with decentralization. Accelerating cryptography reduces computation cost of many computers doing the same calculation in parallel. You can use cryptography to improve performance. Performance is measured by two parameters: the number of transactions and the cost. You can use that cryptography to increase the number of transactions per second and reduce the cost, by taking many transactions and signing in with a simple cryptographic signature. The scale in this case is multiplied by the number of transactions you sign together. And last, anytime you make the transactions more efficient, faster, and requiring less resources, you make them cheaper. So that also covers the cost.After covering the decentralization, the number of transactions and the cost, we go into security and privacy. They are both done by cryptography, and both require lots of computing. To combine them with decentralization and scalability, you need to ensure efficiency. As I said, cryptography is the solution. We believe the most efficient and effective way is by far through hardware acceleration. The first solution we see it being 50-100 times more efficient, and the next solution we expect to be more than 1,000 times better.They sound like a big number, but you need to understand that cryptography is very inefficient today. Some operations can take minutes, hours, or even days. A thousand times more efficient will bring you to scale and bring in millions and millions of users in the future.Q: You've been talking about "cryptography everywhere." Any ballpark figure forecast for us?W: Tell you a secret: cryptography is already everywhere in our lives today. When you use your mobile phone, when you use your car, your computer, everything has cryptography. Today there are already some solutions in cryptography that do not require much computing. However, in the future, cryptography will step up into the next level with the privacy and security elements that we talked about in blockchain. To keep your data outside your premises secured and useful, you take cryptography and do analytics on the data while they are still crypted. That way, you can keep the data secured and still enjoy the benefit of your data. We see database everywhere in the future, in cloud service providers and in storage for data that will involve more advanced cryptography.Cryptography is already everywhere, but there will be more. That means you will need stronger computing power. Whether it is centralized or decentralized, cloud providers of services on your computer, mobile phones and cars, all of them require strong computing powers, and we will be able to play in all those verticals.Blockchain is the first area that have scale for us as a company to generate revenues that sustain efforts in other things. But blockchain will be popularized in 3-4 years. Multi-party computation with stronger cryptography will be the next stage, which is expected to happen in 5-7 years. And then we will see V2V communication, which is between cars and everything around them. You do not want anyone to mess around or hack into them. So, security must be strong but efficient. Let us not forget, in 5-10 years, quantum computers will be here. Quantum computers also take up a lot of computing powers. And this just touches the edge of everything. So, you see, cryptography is already here, and there will be much more. We will be able to supply the tools for everyone to use, and that will make Chain Reaction a successful company.Q: What is Oren's contribution in this regard?W: He is the smart guy. He is the one who defines how to do it and put the best solution into product. I am just the guy who tries to sell it.Yokev (Y): We have a lot of smart guys in the company. It is indeed a huge challenge to address the need of data privacy. For example, the COVID-19 situation calls for a lot of data sharing and quick actions. If there is a solution where you can share data but there is no trust between the agencies invovled, it would hurt people and even cause panic. That may be an extreme case, but we see data privacy as a big driver in the future for every cryptography we are doing.The challenge is to take those abstract ideas and very complicated mathematics and then turn them into transistors that run faster and at lower costs. Fortunately, we have a team of experts that can do all the process. We have a new processor architecture that is supportive of all these new ideas and mathematics, providing better solutions in the coming years.W: By the way, our product is called CrPU, Crypto Processor Unit or Chain Reaction Processing Unit. It was Oren's idea. He believes it is the way we should be doing.Q: What is your internationalization plan in terms of recruiting, supply chain management, and customers?W: It's not just for Chain Reaction, but also for others looking to become big and influential companies. You start a small design team usually located in one area. Because this is the easiest path: you work with people you know, and you have to work together. But to be successful, you have to be international and global. This process takes a while; it doesn't happen in one day. You have a product, and then you must sell it. We want to be a company that is all around the world. We are a young company that is 1.5 years old, and already have two offices in Israel, one in Taiwan, and one in the US. I am sure in the next few years, you will see us elsewhere in the world. There are no boundaries as long as we find the right people. Our company is based on the ability of people, and everyone brings to the table something different, whether it's engineering, or supply chain.Taiwan is such a strong technology hub. We are going to manufacture a lot of things in Taiwan, and with Richard's help, we are going to enhance our connections in the US and Taiwan. Certainly, TSMC, the best foundry out there, will be our partner. We will sell it in the US, to Europe, to Middle East, to Far East, and to the emerging markets in South America, etc. There will be no limitations. You will see Chain Reaction products everywhere in the future. We hope to change the world by what we do today.Y: We understand the supply chain is a huge challenge. That is very unusual for an Israeli company to start with a triangle. Many companies do it with the R&D, then sales, and then manufacturing. But we start it rather the opposite. Because of the vision, we know we would need a very strong supply chain and the ability to reach markets globally. Rather unusual, but we believe it's the right path.W: This is what we bring from what we had in the past. In Mellanox we often said, "high-volume manufacturing starts an architecture." If you don't understand that you will never be able to manufacture and to make a difference. We have Richard first communicate with the architecture guys about what to do, before we can enable the production of the products we sell. If it were the architecture guys to tell Richard what to do, we would only end up with great technology, but no revenues, no supply chain - just prototypes. If you think as a big company while you are a startup, and you know how the company should be, you know the next step to emphasize along the growth of the company, then you will be able to overcome the hurdles along the way. We think that the high-volume manufacturing, the connection with TSMC, and the dedicated sales team are the make or break of the company.Q: Do you have a timetable for your products to enter mass production? And what processing technology are you planning to use?W: For the foundry technology, we already know. We are going to use advanced-node processing technology at TSMC. We are going to start with 7nm and 6nm. By the end of 2022 we will already have a 5nm product. We will enjoy the best of what Taiwan's high-tech industry can bring. TSMC is the No. 1 foundry in every aspect. In the first half of 2021, we will have the first solution on top of the cloud, which is still based on our architecture on software. Our first hardware product will be available in the second half of 2021. From there, we will have a continuous line of products.Chain Reaction CEO Alon WebmanChain Reaction CTO Oren YokevPhotos: Company

Intel-SK Hynix's transaction of NAND flash business may be influenced by the memory chips' ongoing price drops in 2021 due to oversupply, while TV panel demand remains strong despite end market having been pushing for a boost in TV pricing. ASE is optimistic about its operation in 2021 as demand for its packaging capacity will stay in high gear.Lingering NAND price falls may affect Intel-Sk Hynix deal, say sources: NAND flash price falls have been accelerating in the second half of the year along with datacenter operators and server clients entering inventory adjustments, and may persist into 2021 with expanding oversupply. Whether this will serve as a new variable affecting Intel's planned sales of its NAND flash and SSD business including a manufacturing plant in China's Dalian to SK Hynix remains to be seen, according to industry sources.Demand for TV panels undeterred by rising TV prices: Demand for TV panels has not been affected by recent price movements at the end-market, where Chinese TV brands have adjusted upward their TV prices and major vendors in North America are still adopting a wait-and-see strategy for pricing, according to industry sources.ASE optimistic about 2021: OSAT provider ASE Technology has expressed optimism about its operations in the fourth quarter of 2020 and next year, as its packaging capacity remains tight and ASPs will rise.

Smartphone shipments in the China market are expected to grow 25.4% sequentially in the fourth quarter of 2020 due to increasing shipments of Apple's iPhone 12 lineup and aggressive marketing by first-tier Chinese brands including Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo for taking over the market share left over by Huawei, according to Digitimes Research.In the third quarter of 2020, sales of smartphones in China fell 25.2% sequentially and 26.2% on year amid weak demand in the local market and an escalation of the fresh US trade bans against Huawei, Digitimes Research says.Even so, Huawei still remained the top smartphone vendor in China in the third quarter, followed by Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi and Apple, with the top-5 vendors accounting for 97.2% of market share, down 0.8pp from the previous quarter.It is estimated that part of Huawei's market share in the fourth quarter would be snatched by brands including Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Apple, with the US smartphone vendor likely to step up one notch to replace Xiaomi as the fourth largest vendor in the quarter.

Trade tensions are accelerating decentralization of the notebook industry, particuarly in China and India where vendors are now keen on designing and making devices locally to cater to domestic needs or work around restrictions. Strong demand for notebooks in the wake of the coronavirus lockdowns has pushed up sales and profits for many in the IT ecosystem, including LCD display suppliers. AUO was able to return to profitablity in thrid-quarter 2020 after six quarters of losses. Foundry house UMC has also reported strong profits for the third quarter, thanks to the pandemic-boosted stay-at-home needs.Notebook vendors to step up production, design localization in China, India: Both China and India are on track to drive production and design localization for electronics devices including desktops and notebooks for sales in their domestic markets, with brand vendors stepping up relevant deployment to vie for more market opportunities, according to industry sources.AUO returns to profit in 3Q20: AU Optronics (AUO) managed to rake in net profits of NT$2.89 billion (US$101.02 million) in the third quarter of 2020, ending a streak of six consecutive quarterly losses, with its revenues for the quarter rising 15.3% sequentially to NT$73.23 billion, according to company statistics.UMC posts 36.4% profit surge in 3Q20: United Microelectronics (UMC) has reported net profits surged 36.4% sequentially and over 200% on year to NT$9.11 billion (US$318.4 million) in the third quarter of 2020. EPS for the quarter came to NT$0.75.

Demand for the iPhone 12 Pro has been so strong delivery lead time from manufacturers has had to be extended. And Apple is set to increase orders for VCSEL chips supporting the iPhone 12 Pro's LiDAR scanner for immersive augmented reality (AR). The PC market has seen risk sales in the wake of the pandemic, but graphics card vendors may see shipments decline in fourth-quarter 2020, due partly to shortages of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 30 series. And notebook components shortages continue to trouble Acer, whhich is able fufill only 30% of its orders.Apple to increase VCSEL chip orders for iPhone 12 Pro, says sources: Apple is poised to increase its orders for VCSEL chips for ToF-based LiDAR scanners used by the just released iPhone 12 Pro due to strong demand for the model, particularly in the US, according to sources at Taiwan-based supply chain makers.Graphics card brands to see shrinking 4Q20 sales due to Nvidia card shortages: Motherboard and graphics card manufacturers may see their revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2020 constrained by the tight supply of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 30 series, according to industry sources.Component shortages continue to disrupt Acer Chromebook shipments: Component shortages continue to disrupt Acer's Chromebook shipments, which can fulfill only 30% of customer orders, with shipments for the remainders having to be deferred, according to the company.