The US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has revoked the "Validated End-User" (VEU) status for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, ending a key exemption that allowed the companies to ship equipment to their fabs in China without prior approval. The move tightens Washington's grip on the two South Korean chipmakers' operations in China, forcing future expansions and equipment upgrades through a burdensome case-by-case review
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has begun mass production and turned a profit at its Arizona plant in 2025, a milestone that marks not only a breakthrough in its global expansion but also a reversal of long-standing skepticism about America's ability to sustain advanced chip manufacturing
With global smartphone sales leveling off, Qualcomm and MediaTek are taking their long-running rivalry into the fast-growing cloud AI ASIC market. DIGITIMES Research estimates MediaTek controlled 37% of the smartphone application processor market in 2024, ahead of Qualcomm at 27%. Together, the two suppliers accounted for more than 60% of shipments. With handset growth expected to remain stuck in the low single digits, both companies are turning to cloud computing chips as a new source of expansion
The global market for high-end cloud AI accelerators is approaching a major turning point. DIGITIMES forecasts that beginning in 2026, the supply chain will enter a new "decentralized" phase shaped by three forces: the expansion of custom ASICs, diversification of advanced packaging, and intensifying competition in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) pricing
South Korea's Chosun Daily reported on September 1, 2025, that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is set to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju in October 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI) benefits many industries but is limited by the so-called "curse of dimensionality," which arises when machine learning models handle data with many features. This issue is particularly relevant in semiconductor manufacturing, where process parameters such as temperature, time, and thickness define a high-dimensional data space. Increased dimensionality exponentially expands the volume of this space, causing data points to become sparse and traditional machine learning models to struggle with capturing complex correlations
J-Star Holding, a composite materials company with extensive patents and expertise in carbon fiber design, supplies products for bicycles, rackets, automotive parts, and medical robotic arms. Its carbon fiber bicycles have supported athletes in winning major events like the Tour de France and Olympic road races. Recently, J-Star launched the electric-assisted bike brand Litzmo
Global electric vehicle (EV) sales rose 29.4% year-over-year to 9.29 million units in the first half of 2025, driven by strong momentum in China, Europe, and the US. The three markets delivered 8.4 million units, accounting for 90.4% of the total. China retained its position as the world's largest EV market and the sector's key growth driver
Since 2000, semiconductor manufacturing has increasingly depended on advanced computational techniques, notably first principles calculations and machine learning, with quantum computing anticipated to join these efforts by 2025. These approaches, collectively described as computing semiconductors, play a critical role in research, development, and production processes across the industry
On July 31, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing new tariffs—ranging from 10% to 41%—on imports from 68 countries and the European Union (EU). While many trade partners faced updated rates, tariffs on Vietnamese goods remained unchanged: a 20% duty on direct imports and a 40% levy on transshipped goods. In exchange, Vietnam has agreed to fully open its market and eliminate all tariffs on American imports
Since April 2025, tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump have cast a long shadow over Taiwan's car market, dragging down sales for most brands. Premium electric vehicles bore the brunt of the slump, with demand collapsing for models from Volkswagen, Luxgen Motor, and Toyota. In response, these automakers rushed to roll out time-limited discounts in a bid to salvage sales
Foxconn has been promoting its "3+3+3" innovation strategy, positioning digital health as a core element. Chih-Hsiung Chiang, general manager of Foxconn's Business Group B, clearly outlined in an exclusive interview with DIGITIMES how the unit has gradually transformed from focusing on EMS manufacturing for ICT products into a pioneer driving smart healthcare and digital health
Nvidia projected third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of about US$54 billion, beating market consensus but trailing the most optimistic forecasts of US$60 billion. Crucially, the outlook excludes sales of its H20 chips to China, underscoring how US export curbs continue to weigh on one of its biggest potential markets
Humanoid robots remain far from commercial readiness, with ongoing doubts about their practicality and technical feasibility. As debate continues over when — or even if — humanoids will gain traction, momentum is shifting to alternative designs. Quadruped and wheeled robots, prized for their stability and load capacity, are emerging as the more realistic entry point for companies seeking near-term robotics applications
Meta Platforms has reportedly signed a six-year agreement worth US$10 billion with Google Cloud, marking an unprecedented partnership between two dominant companies in digital advertising. The collaboration underscores both Meta's growing need for cloud computing resources and Alphabet's expanding presence in the cloud services market
