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Thursday 22 October 2026
Japan sets execution plan for 17 growth strategies
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will finalize a five-year plan by the end of 2026 outlining an investment blueprint for 17 strategic sectors. The plan will prioritize semiconductors and gaming for near-term investment, while physical AI and hydrogen are positioned as the next growth drivers.
LATEST STORIES
Friday 23 October 2026
SK hynix halts Solidigm IPO review in face of broader AI and market volatility
Solidigm, the US-based subsidiary established by SK hynix, has officially halted its review of potential pre-IPO and IPO options.
Friday 23 October 2026
Apple's foldable iPhone Duo launches in China with delivery stretching into 2027
Apple Inc.'s first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, went on sale in China on October 23, with limited initial supplies pushing some preorder delivery dates to late January 2027. The launch, just ahead of China's Single's Day shopping season, has become a key indicator for the country's smartphone market.
Friday 23 October 2026
From robot hands to shipyard trials, South Korea tests humanoid readiness
South Korean robot makers are taking different routes into industrial humanoids: Tesollo is building dexterous hands, AeiROBOT is preparing bipedal systems for shipyards and construction sites, and HD Hyundai Robotics is developing a dual-arm platform that may eventually gain wheels and legs.
Friday 23 October 2026
DeepSeek reportedly raises US$15B as IPO plans gather pace

Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek has raised about US$15 billion in its latest private funding round, giving it substantially more financial firepower as it prepares for a potential initial public offering (IPO) and intensifies its challenge to leading US AI developers.

Friday 23 October 2026
LG home appliance chip volume tops 1 million; spins off startup PADO to target GPU compute leasing
LG Electronics is expanding its artificial intelligence (AI) footprint on two fronts: in-house appliance chips and GPU compute services. On one hand, the company is scaling up the deployment of custom AI chips in its home appliances to boost product differentiation. On the other hand, PADO, a startup incubated and spun off by LG NOVA (LG's North American Innovation Center), is entering the GPU compute leasing and brokerage market to explore data center opportunities.
Friday 23 October 2026
Oppo targets premium smartphone growth with global Find X10 launch
Oppo unveiled the international version of its Find X10 smartphone series in Spain on October 22 (Taiwan Standard Time), following the line's China launch in late September. The move marked the company's latest effort to strengthen premium smartphone shipments as competition intensifies and overall demand remains under pressure.
Friday 23 October 2026
SK Hynix reportedly engages suppliers to bring 30% more efficient iHBM cooling to HBM5 production

SK Hynix is reportedly working with materials and equipment suppliers to commercialise its next-generation iHBM cooling technology, targeting a reduction of more than 30% in thermal resistance. The initiative aims to address mounting heat dissipation challenges in HBM and strengthen the company's competitiveness in AI memory.

Friday 23 October 2026
AMEC ships first Primo Domingo selective etching system, targeting critical gaps in China's advanced 3D chipmaking
China's Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) has shipped the first unit of its Primo Domingo high-selectivity vapor-phase etching system to a major domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing customer, marking a step forward in China's efforts to develop indigenous equipment for next-generation 3D chips.
Thursday 22 October 2026
Samsung reportedly overhauls DRAM, NAND R&D incentives to retain talent and accelerate next-gen memory chips
Samsung Electronics is reportedly restructuring its semiconductor research operations and performance-based compensation system to accelerate next-generation DRAM and NAND flash development, bringing researchers and production teams closer together while addressing concerns over incentives and talent retention.
Thursday 22 October 2026
China's L3 autonomous driving adoption tipped to top 35% by 2030, raising stakes for automakers
Level 3 (L3) autonomous driving penetration in China is forecast to exceed 35% by 2030, supported by falling sensor costs, advances in AI models, and tighter safety regulations. The forecast comes as the country expands autonomous driving trials and prepares for wider commercial deployment.
Thursday 22 October 2026
Why Terafab approached South Korean suppliers first
Elon Musk is moving ahead with Terafab, as Tesla and SpaceX reportedly negotiate with about 10 South Korean semiconductor materials, components, and equipment suppliers. The discussions cover process materials, piping and valves, wastewater recycling equipment, and semiconductor testing components, raising questions about whether Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain will benefit from the massive expansion.
Thursday 22 October 2026
Unitree showcases H2-X as China's humanoid robot output tops 100,000
Unitree Robotics unveiled its new H2-X humanoid robot on October 21, showcasing martial arts combat, landings from height, and vehicle rescue as China's humanoid robot production accelerates. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said humanoid robot output exceeded 40,000 units in 1H26 and is expected to surpass 100,000 units for the full year, signaling the industry's shift toward large-scale production and broader applications.
Thursday 22 October 2026
LG robot unit Bear Robotics expands China outsourcing
Bear Robotics, the robotics subsidiary of LG Electronics, is adopting a dual-track production strategy by expanding outsourcing from South Korean partners to manufacturers in China. The move is aimed at supporting rising shipments and lowering manufacturing costs, with some robots made in China already shipped to the US.
Thursday 22 October 2026
Charts: Nvidia's China AI chip lead shrinks 80% as Huawei closes in
Nvidia's lead over Huawei in China's AI accelerator market has narrowed by 80% in a year, bringing CEO Jensen Huang's warnings about losing the country's US$50 billion AI chip market closer to reality. According to IDC, Huawei shipped 572,000 Ascend chips in the first half of 2026, securing a 28% market share, just 6pp behind Nvidia, compared with a 31pp gap a year earlier.
Thursday 22 October 2026
Micron skips 4F² for 3D DRAM as CXMT pushes ahead
Micron does not plan to commercialize 4F² DRAM even as Chinese rival ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) advances the technology, saying the architecture offers limited benefits while adding cost and complexity.