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Jul 8
Beijing's rumored AI model debate signals new era of technology controls
Beijing appears to be edging toward restricting overseas access to its most advanced artificial-intelligence (AI) models, a shift that would mirror recent moves in Washington and signal that the world's two AI leaders increasingly regard cutting-edge models as strategic assets to be controlled rather than freely exported.
Wistron reported June 2026 revenue of NT$321.82 billion (approx. US$10.04 billion), up 10.9% from the previous month and 53.9% from a year earlier, marking the company's second-highest single-month revenue on record, while second-quarter and first-half 2026 revenues both reached record highs.
Inventec reported June 2026 revenue of NT$102.26 billion (approx. US$3.19 billion), up 23.5% from the previous month and 61.6% from a year earlier, reaching record highs for both the same period and a single month. Second-quarter revenue totaled NT$269.86 billion, also a record for the same period and a single quarter. First-half revenue reached NT$470.17 billion, up 36.83% year-over-year and hitting an all-time high.
Lynas Rare Earths has agreed to a long-term partnership with JS Link to develop a rare earth permanent magnet factory in Kuantan, Malaysia, a move that could reshape supply chains for electric vehicles, wind power, and electronics. The deal may help diversify global rare-earth processing, reduce dependence on China, and boost regional manufacturing capacity.

The 2026 smartphone market is facing a dark outlook as memory prices rise and shortages tighten supply, weighing on low- and mid-range handsets and hitting power amplifier (PA) shipments. Supply-chain companies said weaker gross margins are prompting brand owners to cut production and delay new model launches, while consumer caution is also dragging on demand.

SK Group chairman Tae-Won Chey is reportedly set to travel to the US for SK Hynix's American depositary receipt (ADR) listing on Nasdaq, where he will personally attend the celebration in New York. The move is being seen as more than a capital market event, as it marks an important moment in SK Hynix's effort to reposition itself from a traditional memory maker into a core company in AI infrastructure.

Server ODMs race to expand globally as parts shortages bite
Jul 9, 12:10
AI server orders are flooding in, and original design manufacturers (ODMs) are racing to expand factories across the US and Asia to keep up. From California and Texas to Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Taiwan, expansion projects are now visible across the industry.

The quiet death of a display program says more about where Apple is heading than any product launch: the company's ambition to sell an affordable, lightweight successor to the Vision Pro is dissolving into the supply chain, as a key panel effort is shelved and Apple's mixed-reality talent migrates toward AI-powered smart glasses.

Grab said on July 6, 2026, that Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi had formally resigned from its board as the Southeast Asia ride-hailing and delivery group moved forward with its planned acquisition of foodpanda's Taiwan business. The change came as Grab sought to reinforce the independence of its governance structure while pursuing entry into Taiwan's food delivery market.
Gem Terminal said June 2026 consolidated revenue fell from May because customers and internal teams carried out routine inventory counts, delaying some shipments. Even so, the Taiwan-based copper materials supplier said annual growth remained strong, supported by traditional products and newer applications tied to AI cooling and green energy projects.
Nvidia is increasingly embracing partnerships with emerging AI chip developers, signaling a broader shift from competing solely on hardware to enabling heterogeneous AI infrastructure, according to The Information. The latest example is a collaboration with inference chip startup d-Matrix, following a similar partnership announced with SambaNova, as Nvidia positions its GPUs alongside specialized accelerators rather than against them.

China has intensified its scrutiny of US AI software after issuing a security alert over Anthropic's AI coding assistant, Claude Code, further escalating technology tensions between Washington and Beijing.