Open radio access network (O-RAN) technology was originally developed to provide telecom carriers flexibility and cost efficiency in network deployment, but it has become a weapon used by the US to push telecom carriers worldwide to replace their existing equipment sets made by Chinese vendors, according to Digitimes Research.

The global top-5 notebook brands (not including Apple) saw combined shipments increase 7% on month in November, reaching a new highest monthly record ever, thanks to improvements in component shortages and logistics process, despite continuous weak demand from the education sector.

Taiwan's PC monitor shipments grew 4.6% sequentially but fell 6.5% on year to 23.18 million units in the third quarter of 2021, according to Digitimes Research. Shipments are forecast to increase about 5% sequentially in the fourth quarter, as chip and component shortages improve.

In the second edition of the US-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD), the two sides announced their cooperation on the digital economy and 5G network security. It is hoped that the fourth edition of the US-Taiwan Digital Economy Forum (DEF) will be held under the EPPD in 2022 and deepen cooperation in areas such as 5G network security, open network architecture and the free flow of information. This pledge echoes the infrastructure bill recently passed under the Biden administration at the beginning of November.

TSMC, United Microelectronics (UMC) and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) are expected to see their combined revenues increase about 4% sequentially in the fourth quarter of 2021, with revenues for the whole year forecast to surge 25% on year, according to Digitimes Research.

Global smartphone shipments in the second half of 2021 did not see a growth momentum as in the first half and had experienced decline in both quarters of the period amid the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising concerns over a potential inflation.

This Asia tech industry summary will mainly focus on sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China increasing by 160% on year to reach 3.52 million units in 2021, Nidec's subsidiary setting up a new factory in China to increase its machine tool output for electric vehicles (EVs), and TSMC adjusting plans for its Baoshan R&D center to keep up with large orders from Intel.

Japanese automakers make their way into Southeast Asia at their own pace. Toyota with abundant corporate resources started out by building multiple assembly lines in several countries across the region while gradually undertaking localized components production and exports business.