Commercialization of 5G services is expected to accelerate in 2020, with TSMC planning to expand its 2019 capex to meet robust growth in 5G chip demand. And 5G smartphone shipments next year may be much higher than many market observers expect...

Worldwide notebook shipments rose over 20% sequentially in the second quarter of 2019, but volumes in both the third and fourth quarters are expected to experience sequential declines, according to Digitimes Research's latest notebook tracker.

The US and China have restarted trade talks, but the cloud hanging over Chinese vendor Huawei remains. The latest news coming out of the supply chain is that Huawei has cut components orders for true wireless stereo (TWS) devices. But other IC designers, namely those supplying server chips, are upbeat about the second half of 2019...

Global server shipments are expected to increase 12.8% sequentially in the third quarter of 2019 with a flat on-year performance, but shipments for all of the year are likely to drop on year due to a sharp shipment decline in the first half, according to figures from Digitimes Research's latest server tracker.

Taiwan-based BE Accelerator, with business focus on digital medical care, application of AI to medical care and development of medical devices, aims to become a gateway to Asian markets for local and foreign startups engaged in medical technology, according to company executive director Arthur Chen.

Apple is said to be looking to boost its in-house IC design capability in a bid to stay competitive and its moves are expected to benefit TSMC. At the same time, the company is also set to release a new 16-inch MacBook Pro with an ultra-thin bezel design. Meanwhile, despite being banned by the US government, Huawei remains aggressive in development of 5G applications.

Taiwan's makers shipped 7.16 million LCD TVs in the second quarter of 2019 increasing 14.4% from the previous quarter, as US-based clients required advanced shipments to avoid their products likely being subject to higher tariffs to be imposed by the US government, according to Digitimes Research.

Supermicro, a first-tier server vendor worldwide, has been aggressively developing gaming-related products with its experience from the server business. Supermicro is able to offer customers products with server quality.

AUO expects its sales to remain flat sequentially in the third quarter despite the period being the traditional strong season as the US and China's trade tensions continue creating uncertainties to the market, but AUO has already started pushing for business diversification in a bid to keep up its revenue and profit performances...

Preparations for production of this year's new iPhone devices have started, but component suppliers are bracing for weaker shipments to Apple compared to last year. But one of Apple's major competitors, Huawei, has turned upbeat about its shipments for 2019 now that the US and China have agreed to restart trade talks...