DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Foxconn's profit growth outpaces capex; no equity raise planned for 2027 buildout

Joseph(C) Chen — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:03:03 GMT

Foxconn told investors on August 12 that its earnings are now growing faster than the spending required to expand AI server capacity — and that it can fund a bigger 2027 buildout without issuing new shares.

Electronic paper sheds niche label as ESL demand surges

Lily Hess — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:55:00 GMT

Electronic paper, once a niche technology overlooked by the display industry, is gaining momentum as E Ink continues to expand its applications from early e-book readers into electronic shelf labels (ESL). Riding the global retail digitalization wave, the technology is now driving rapid market growth.

Column: AI jailbreak incident highlights fresh demand for supply-chain resilience

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:45:00 GMT

In July, an OpenAI AI agent model successfully bypassed safety restrictions during internal testing and even launched an automated cyberattack against Hugging Face, the world's largest open-source AI community platform, drawing intense attention. The incident, seen as the first publicly disclosed case of "AI attacking the AI ecosystem/platform," underscores how AI's rapid evolution is shifting cyber risk from "humans attacking systems" to "AI attacking AI."

OCP APAC 2026: Google says 48V hits wall as AI racks head toward megawatt scale

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:35:00 GMT

Google used its keynote at the OCP APAC Summit in Taipei on August 11 to argue that the 48V power architecture widely used in data centers is running out of headroom as AI racks move toward megawatt-scale designs, with converters and busbars taking up an increasing share of rack space as current rises. The summit is being held August 11–12 at TaiNEX2.

OCP APAC 2026: Ecosystem not yet ready for co-packaged optics, ASE's Nicole Tien warns

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:25:08 GMT

Co-packaged optics has become the inflection point for AI infrastructure, but the industry has not yet built the shared testing standards and simulation groundwork the technology needs, ASE senior technical program manager Nicole Tien said at the OCP APAC summit.

Manus breaks from Meta, returns to independence after China blocks US$2B AI deal

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:20:00 GMT

Chinese AI agent startup Manus is returning to independent operations, marking a concrete break from Meta months after Chinese regulators forced the US tech group to unwind its acquisition of the company.

OCP APAC 2026: AMD sees AI agents pushing CPU-GPU ratio toward 1:1

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:55:32 GMT

AMD expects the shift from chatbots to agentic AI to sharply increase CPU demand alongside GPU acceleration, potentially moving the traditional CPU-to-GPU ratio from roughly 1:4 toward 1:2 or even 1:1.

Aleees wins Tesla supply deal as new LFP plant eyes Tainan

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:55:00 GMT

Taiwanese lithium battery materials maker Aleees said it secured a 20-year supply contract with Tesla Inc. and plans to deliver at least 100,000 tons of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) precursor materials annually to support demand in the US market. The company is also searching for a new factory site, with Tainan emerging as the leading option.

Tesla emerges as biggest winner from Germany's EV subsidies, while China-made models gain ground

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:45:00 GMT

Whether Germany's renewed electric vehicle (EV) subsidies are inadvertently helping Chinese brands accelerate their push into Europe has become a closely watched issue across the global auto industry.

OCP photonics panel warns CPO packaging is still unsettled as pluggables fade

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:35:00 GMT

Pluggable front-panel optics still own the market, but Arista co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim gave them a deadline at an OCP APAC panel here: the form factor reaches its physical limit at the 49.6T switch generation, roughly 18 months out.

OCP APAC 2026: Nvidia SVP Shainer on taking CPO to mass production —'can't release something just because it's cool'

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Nvidia's Spectrum-6 co-packaged optics (CPO) switches are in production and shipping, Gilad Shainer, senior vice president of networking at Nvidia, stated at the OCP APAC Summit 2026 — and the manufacturing chain behind them runs heavily through Taiwan.

Sercomm expands beyond broadband into 5G, edge AI and IoT as 2Q26 revenue hits record high

Willis Ke — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Taiwan's Sercomm Corporation is repositioning itself for the next phase of network infrastructure demand by expanding beyond traditional broadband equipment into 5G, fixed wireless access (FWA), enterprise networking and IoT connectivity, areas expected to benefit from rising data traffic and AI-driven digitalization.

Nvidia reportedly planning trillion-parameter Nemotron 4 in open-source push

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:55:00 GMT

Nvidia is intensifying its open-source strategy through its upcoming trillion-parameter model in the Nemotron 4 family, which is meant to compete with the world's leading open-source models, according to The Information. While this may put it in the awkward position of vying against its customers, the chipmaker's advocacy for open-source AI could see the company benefit from more chip sales across the board.

CXMT DDR5 yield tops 90%, narrowing gap with Samsung

Levi Li — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:45:00 GMT

China's leading DRAM maker CXMT has reportedly raised its DDR5 production yield above 90%, narrowing the gap with Samsung Electronics and strengthening its position in the global PC memory supply chain.

OCP APAC 2026: Cloud AI's growth hits a new bottleneck— networking, not compute

Charlene Chen — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:30:00 GMT

At the 2026 OCP APAC Summit, debate over networking architectures in cloud AI data centers sharpened as industry players said the main bottleneck is no longer compute; beyond memory, networking has become a key constraint on how far AI infrastructure can scale.

FocalTech expects demand to improve in the second half of 2026

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:20:00 GMT

Touch controller and display driver IC maker FocalTech Systems said it saw revenue regain quarter-on-quarter momentum in the second quarter of 2026 as the 618 shopping festival, new device launches, and stronger notebook and tablet demand lifted sales. The company, which held an investor briefing, said persistent memory price pressure and weak peak-season demand for high-end Android phones still kept revenue below 2025 levels.

OCP APAC 2026: Applied Materials exec calls for hardware co-optimization to solve AI power crisis

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:15:00 GMT

Speaking at the OCP APAC Summit in Taipei, Subi Kengeri, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Systems to Materials at Applied Materials, delivered a keynote warning that the artificial intelligence boom faces a critical bottleneck: energy efficiency.

SK Hynix reportedly revives China NAND expansion as YMTC and global rivals race to meet AI storage demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:05:00 GMT

SK Hynix is restarting a long-frozen expansion of its Dalian, China, NAND flash plant, adding capacity that will lift output at the site by roughly 50%. The move comes as the AI boom turns memory chips into one of the tightest-supplied components in the industry, according to the Seoul Economic Daily.

Zhong Yang ramps up Thailand production as drone orders shift from China

Sherri Wang — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:05:00 GMT

Taiwan-based optical lens maker Zhong Yang Technology is benefiting from redirected orders from Europe and the US as customers seek alternatives to China-made components, a shift the company expects to drive sharp growth in its drone lens business through 2027.

Tesla FSD faces key EU review over regulations and transparency

Rodney Chan — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:55:00 GMT

Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system has entered a critical stage in seeking European Union (EU) market approval, but the review has shifted from a technical issue into a broader European policy debate.

Intel's Israel fab stirs back to life, but case for 14A remains unconfirmed

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:52:24 GMT

Intel appears to be restarting work on Fab 38, its long-idle facility in Kiryat Gat, Israel, though how far the project will go — and whether it will ultimately run the company's bleeding-edge 14A process — remains speculative rather than confirmed.

Japan's US$430B 2040 chip plan hinges on Rapidus 2nm

Levi Li — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:40:03 GMT

Japan has drawn up a plan for more than JPY370 trillion (approx. US$2.33 trillion) in combined public and private investment across 17 strategic sectors, including AI and space, through fiscal 2040, which runs from April 2040 to March 2041.

OCP APAC 2026: Microsoft leans on Taiwan supply chain for 'silicon-to-systems' AI buildout

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:40:00 GMT

Microsoft sources roughly 70% of the hardware content in its cloud infrastructure from Taiwan and the wider Asia-Pacific region, executives said at the OCP APAC 2026 summit here. The company is shifting from buying discrete components to co-designing entire AI systems from the silicon up.

MediaTek, Realtek, Himax, Elan eye optical communications boom in 2027

Lily Hess — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:00:14 GMT

The use of optical communications in cloud AI data-center interconnect architectures is rising sharply, and Taiwan IC design firms including MediaTek, Realtek Semiconductor, Himax Technologies, and Elan Microelectronics are moving into the market from different angles, with mass production for their product lines all pointing to 2027.

Cash deposits reshape memory supply deals

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:36:30 GMT

The global memory industry has embraced a new business model over the past two quarters. Memory manufacturers are not only signing multi-year supply agreements with customers, but also requiring substantial cash deposits or other financial commitments as guarantees against future demand.

Foxconn earnings call eyes four themes: AI racks, transaction models, Apple, EVs

Charlene Chen — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:29:50 GMT

Foxconn will hold its second quarter 2026 earnings call on the afternoon of August 12, as AI racks continue to ship and July consolidated revenue topped NT$900 billion (approx. US$27.9 billion) for the first time. Investors are expected to focus on the shipment pace of AI servers and racks, plus how changes in the underlying transaction model are reshaping the company's operating structure.

OCP APAC 2026: Nvidia, Broadcom diverge on how to scale AI networks beyond the rack

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:25:15 GMT

Nvidia and Broadcom outlined different paths for scaling AI networks at the OCP APAC Summit in Taipei on Aug. 11, as clusters expand from rack-scale systems to entire data centers and across multiple sites.

Supermicro defends margin outlook and order quality amid analyst scrutiny

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:13:20 GMT

Supermicro executives fielded a wave of questions from Wall Street analysts following the company's fourth-quarter and full-year fiscal 2026 earnings report. Much of the discussion centered on the sustainability of its gross margins, the composition of its record order backlog, and how the company is balancing rapid growth with profitability.

DB HiTek profit jumps 43% as TSMC, Samsung scale back 8-inch capacity

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:08:21 GMT

DB HiTek posted a 43% jump in second-quarter operating profit as tighter 8-inch foundry supply and stronger power semiconductor demand kept its fabs running near full capacity, with industry reports saying the company plans another round of price increases in the second half of 2026.

SpaceXAI launches Grok Bot as AI agent race shifts toward autonomous work

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:05:00 GMT

SpaceXAI has launched Grok Bot, an AI agent designed to take on workplace tasks and operate digital tools with limited human intervention, marking the company's latest move to push Grok beyond a conventional chatbot.

China's polysilicon makers draw cost floor after solar losses top US$1.9 billion

Levi Li — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:57:42 GMT

China's solar industry may be nearing a turning point after more than two years of price warfare, with major polysilicon producers drawing a line under below-cost sales.

Amazon builds 7.65 GW gas plant for Texas AI data center campus

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:55:00 GMT

Amazon is moving ahead with a dedicated gas-fired power plant for a new data center campus in Pecos County, Texas, as part of an effort to speed AI infrastructure deployment outside the state grid. The project, called GW Ranch, is designed to support behind-the-meter self-generation and avoid the interconnection delays that have slowed other power-heavy facilities.

Haechitech enters eSSD sensors as it prepares Kosdaq listing

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:40:00 GMT

South Korean sensor IC designer Haechitech is moving beyond smartphone compass chips into enterprise solid-state drive temperature sensors, with supply to a major South Korean memory maker set to begin in 2026. The shift would end a single-supplier setup previously dominated by Texas Instruments and give Haechitech a foothold in the data center and memory markets.

Nichidenbo sees MLCC supply tightness as AI pushes lead times to 36 weeks

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:25:00 GMT

Passive component distributor Nichidenbo said supply of MLCCs and other products remains tight as AI servers and ASIC applications continue to grow, with lead times for some products stretching to 36 weeks. The company said manufacturers are shifting capacity toward high-end applications, crowding out standard-spec products.

OCP APAC 2026: TSMC says AI advanced packaging enters system-level battle

Charlene Chen — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:05:00 GMT

AI computing demand is rapidly driving up chip integration complexity, pushing advanced packaging competition beyond single-device performance and into overall reliability and validation at the packaging, board, system, and even rack levels. Speaking at the 2026 OCP APAC Summit keynote on August 11, 2026, TSMC Vice President of Advanced Packaging Technology and Service Jun He said AI systems now demand far higher quality, reliability, and development speed, making traditional component-only qualification insufficient and forcing 3DIC verification methods and development flows to be redefined from the system level.

SPIL breaks ground on NT$100B Douliu plant, targeting operations in 2028

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:55:00 GMT

Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL), a subsidiary of ASE Technology Holding (ASEH), broke ground on a new plant in Douliu, Yunlin County, Taiwan, amid surging global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). The plant will cover an area of approximately six hectares and is expected to introduce chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) advanced packaging technology, with a total investment of about NT$100 billion (approx. US$3.1 billion). The first phase is scheduled to begin operations in 2028.

South Korea deepens semiconductor ceramics collaboration amid chip industry expansion

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:49:21 GMT

South Korea is moving to reinforce its semiconductor materials and components ecosystem as chipmakers accelerate capacity expansion and the government increases financial support for suppliers.

CoreWeave accelerates power expansion as AI infrastructure demand surges

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:32:14 GMT

CoreWeave reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of US$2.6 billion, up 112% year-over-year and 24% sequentially, and raised its full-year outlook as demand for its AI cloud infrastructure continued to outstrip supply, executives said on the company's August 11 earnings call.

Fudan's single-electron memory breakthrough opens new path for 2D chip scaling

Levi Li — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:30:00 GMT

China's effort to advance memory technology has gained a new research avenue, with a Fudan University team developing a room-temperature single-electron non-volatile memory device based on two-dimensional materials.

IBM, Together AI plan large-scale Nvidia cluster on IBM Cloud

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:15:00 GMT

IBM and Together AI have announced a collaboration to deploy a dedicated Nvidia-powered inference cluster on IBM Cloud, a move that could reshape how enterprises access open-source AI services worldwide. The planned system is designed to improve performance, lower token costs, and expand global access to scalable AI infrastructure as demand for real-time applications grows.

Lumentum targets US$2B quarterly run rate as optical capacity expansion accelerates

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:10:00 GMT

Lumentum Holdings said it is pulling forward capacity investments across lasers, transceivers, and optical circuit switches (OCS) after fiscal fourth-quarter revenue surged 109% year-over-year to US$1.01 billion, with the company now guiding to hit its long-stated US$1.25 billion quarterly revenue target more than a quarter ahead of schedule.

Lumentum's AI optics boom drives revenue past US$1 billion, though one-time charge masks underlying profit swing

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:07:38 GMT

Lumentum Holdings closed its fiscal 2026 with a fourth-quarter revenue surge that underscores the centrality of optical components to the AI data center buildout, even as a large one-time accounting charge tied to debt restructuring pushed the company to a steep headline loss.

OCP APAC 2026: ASE unveils AI packaging trilogy

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:05:00 GMT

Demand for AI infrastructure is forcing chipmakers and data-center operators to rethink how systems are built, with implications for computing costs, energy use, and bandwidth worldwide. At the 2026 OCP APAC Summit, ASE said next-generation packaging, optics, and power delivery will be critical to scaling AI systems for global markets.

Samsung HBM4 yield nears 80% in push to rival SK Hynix

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 01:55:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics' production yield for its sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, HBM4, has reportedly approached 80%, marking a sharp improvement since mass production began and strengthening its ability to compete with SK Hynix on volume and cost.

CoreWeave's revenue more than doubles as US$104 billion backlog tests its ability to build fast enough

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 01:49:42 GMT

CoreWeave's second-quarter results showed the AI cloud provider converting demand into revenue faster, even as its widening net loss and ballooning capital spending underline the central question hanging over the "neocloud" sector: whether infrastructure can be built out quickly enough to keep pace with contracted demand.

Supermicro's margin rebound and bullish outlook ease investor doubts on AI server orders

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 01:23:52 GMT

Supermicro posted a sharp gross-margin recovery and issued fiscal 2027 revenue guidance well above Wall Street's expectations, addressing investor concerns that had built around whether the server maker's swelling AI order backlog could actually convert into profit.

Apple's shadow looms over TSMC's Sony sensor deal

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 01:04:56 GMT

TSMC's board formalized its image-sensor tie-up with Sony on Tuesday as part of a broader capacity mandate that underscores how much of the partnership has been shaped by a customer neither company controls: Apple. At a two-day meeting that concluded August 11, directors approved a subscription of up to JPY282 billion(US$1.77 billion) for shares in the new joint venture with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp.

Synnex sees strong growth in value-added commercial IT, semiconductors

Yunnie Cheng — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 01:00:43 GMT

AI-driven enterprise procurement and a consumer shift toward higher-end products lifted Synnex Technology International's revenue and profit in the second quarter of 2026, with profit growing far faster than revenue, showing that volume growth is increasingly translating into stronger profitability.

TSMC-Sony's US$4.69B sensor venture is a defensive play against Samsung and China

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:54:31 GMT

TSMC and Sony Group are betting that closer integration, not just closer proximity, is what it will take to keep their combined lead in image sensors from eroding. The two companies said Tuesday they will form a joint venture, Advanced Vision Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, to develop and mass-produce next-generation CMOS image sensors in Kumamoto, Japan, with volume production targeted for 2029.

Silicon Motion raises private placement to US$1B, targets agentic AI

Charlene Chen — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:08:01 GMT

Silicon Motion announced the pricing of a private placement of US$1 billion in aggregate principal amount of 0% convertible senior notes due 2031, increasing the fundraising size from the previously announced US$800 million.

AI server tracker: King Slide, Quanta and AIC lead July growth

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:06:47 GMT

July revenue trends across Taiwan's server supply chain remained broadly positive year over year, although sequential performance varied sharply by segment and supplier. ODM/EMS companies continued to generate the largest revenue base, while rail-kit maker King Slide, server manufacturer QCI and chassis supplier AIC recorded some of the strongest annual growth rates among the companies tracked.

Laster Tech narrows second quarter loss as LED headlamp orders improve

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:05:54 GMT

Laster Tech, a maker of LED headlamp modules, narrowed its loss in the second quarter of 2026 as order visibility improved and new vehicle programs moved into mass production. The Taiwan-based supplier said first-half revenue reached NT$3.614 billion, with a net loss of NT$103 million and a loss per share of NT$0.86.

MediaTek July 2026 revenue falls as non-mobile units offset slowdown

Charlene Chen — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:04:39 GMT

MediaTek reported July 2026 revenue of NT$48.475 billion (US$1.5 billion), down 16.44% month-over-month but up 12.16% year-over-year, in line with its earlier conservative view that the third quarter would at best match the second quarter. The decline reflects weaker smartphone shipment momentum, even though the chipmaker still posted solid year-over-year growth.

Nvidia denies Rubin Ultra downgrade, cites flexible SKUs

Charlene Chen — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:04:02 GMT

Amid a swirl of rumors that Nvidia chip upgrades were being cut, scaled back, or delayed, the company has again pushed back on similar claims surrounding its latest Vera Rubin launch. Nvidia told Wccftech that its product strategy is not a downgrade but a flexible deployment model designed to meet different customer needs.

Tsang Yow's semiconductor parts business drives profit growth in 2Q

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:03:29 GMT

Tsang Yow said its semiconductor equipment components business had become a major growth driver in July, as the Taiwan transmission-system maker reported stronger profitability in the second quarter and the first seven months of 2026. The improvement came alongside a higher-margin product mix, tighter cost control, and gains from foreign-currency movements.

OCP APAC 2026: TSMC tackles CoWoS material risks while cutting 3DIC development cycle to one year

Levi Li — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:02:58 GMT

AI computing demand is rapidly increasing the complexity of chip integration, shifting advanced packaging competition beyond individual component performance to reliability and validation across packages, PCBs, systems, and even rack-level infrastructure.

Panel makers turn to AI packaging as old fabs gain value

Lily Hess — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:02:23 GMT

Taiwanese panel makers broadly reported weaker July revenue as some customers pulled in shipments in advance in the first half of the year and memory price increases weighed on consumer electronics demand. AUO, Innolux and Hannstar Display all posted month-over-month and year-over-year declines, while Giantplus Technology bucked the trend.

OCP APAC 2026: Murata upgrades power, optical products as AI data centers strain global infrastructure

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:01:48 GMT

Murata Manufacturing has unveiled upgraded power converters and optical components, highlighting how rising AI workloads are pushing data centers worldwide toward denser, more efficient power systems and higher-speed connectivity. The Japan-based company says its latest hardware is aimed at helping operators balance performance, heat, and space constraints.

Compal doubles AI server capacity, targets 30–40% revenue share by 2027

Levi Li — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:01:17 GMT

Compal officially opened its Daxi AI server manufacturing center on August 11, bringing new-generation AI server production capacity online. Compal chairman Ray Chen said the company was still a newcomer to AI servers two years ago but has since moved into the industry's middle tier, with plans to expand capacity simultaneously in Taoyuan, Vietnam and the US to capture growing AI demand.

Topco and Wah Lee post record July sales on semiconductor materials demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:23 GMT

Topco Scientific Co. and Wah Lee Industrial Corp. both reported record July revenue as chipmakers ran at full utilization and customers stocked up on semiconductor materials. Topco said monthly consolidated sales surpassed NT$8 billion for the first time, while Wah Lee also posted a new monthly high.

Taiwan's 20-qubit superconducting quantum computer wins 2026 Future Tech Award

Kevin Wang — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:59:50 GMT

Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) announced the winners of its annual Future Tech Award on August 10, with the aim of encouraging the licensing and commercialization of breakthrough research projects. Among the selected technologies were Academia Sinica's 20-qubit superconducting quantum computer and quantum chip process development project, headed by distinguished research fellow Chii-dong Chen, and research into complementary field-effect transistors and other advanced stacked transistors, led by Chee Wee Liu of the Department of Electrical Engineering at National Taiwan University (NTU).

Lite-On's LEO satellite power growth signals a deeper shift in global manufacturing

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:59:33 GMT

Lite-On Technology reported strong revenue growth in the first seven months of 2026, fueled by demand for AI, cloud, and LEO satellite power systems. The results underscore how the company's overseas production strategy, especially in Vietnam, is becoming central to its growth as customers seek more resilient supply chains.

Hyundai Motor Group's robot push could reshape South Korea's industrial competition

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:59:06 GMT

Hyundai Motor Group is accelerating its "Physical AI+" robot strategy, with Saemangeum in North Jeolla Province set to become its main manufacturing base. The plan also includes robot training and learning centers in South Korea, the US, and China, as the group seeks a larger role in global robotics.

Apple presses Samsung Display and LG Display for lower iPhone 18 OLED prices

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:58:18 GMT

Apple has asked Samsung Display and LG Display to sharply reduce OLED panel prices for the iPhone 18 as it works to offset rising production costs, according to South Korean media reports. The price pressure is intensifying competition among panel makers, with cost control becoming increasingly important alongside technology in supplier negotiations.

Samsung weighs power subsidiary to secure semiconductor electricity by 2027

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:51:07 GMT

Samsung Group was reported to be considering a dedicated in-house power-procurement subsidiary to secure electricity directly for its semiconductor production facilities, with operations targeted to begin in 2027. The move comes as artificial intelligence and chip production drive higher power demand at Samsung Electronics' wafer fabs, making stable electricity supply a growing factor in manufacturing competitiveness.

Ubiqconn July revenue rises 18% as satellite applications jump 415%

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:50:50 GMT

Ubiqconn Technology reported its second-quarter 2026 results and said July revenue strengthened as satellite applications became a bigger growth driver. The company said consolidated revenue in July reached about NT$182 million (US$5.65 million), up 28% from June and 18% from a year earlier, while cumulative revenue for the first seven months totaled about NT$1.124 billion, narrowing the year-over-year decline to 14%.

Samsung to add 1 million Galaxy Z Fold8 units as foldable demand surges

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:50:14 GMT

Samsung Electronics will increase production of the Galaxy Z Fold8 by 1 million units in 2026 after strong preorder demand for its wider foldable phone, according to ET News. The move comes as the company prepares for a new round of competition in foldables ahead of Apple's first 4:3 foldable iPhone, which is expected in September 2026.

DEEPX wins South Korean air base contract for domestic AI surveillance NPU

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:49:42 GMT

South Korean IC design firm DEEPX will deploy its neural processing unit in an AI perimeter surveillance system at a South Korean Air Force base. The project is the first in the country’s defense sector to replace foreign-made GPUs with a domestic NPU in AI video surveillance, according to ZDNet Korea.

Google DeepMind open-sources WeatherNext after hurricane forecast breakthrough

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:49:24 GMT

Google DeepMind said it has open-sourced the code and weights for WeatherNext, its weather AI model that predicted hurricane tracks one day earlier than traditional systems. In research published in Nature, the model was shown to match the 2-day performance of conventional forecasts with its 3-day hurricane outlook.

Power, not GPUs, is now AI data centers' real bottleneck: Wistron CTO

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:48:48 GMT

Surging demand for AI computing is accelerating server and data center infrastructure deployment. Speaking at Delta Electronics' Sustainable AI Summit on August 7, Wistron CTO Shen Ching-Yao said GPU lead times have shortened significantly. Orders now generally require around six months of advance planning.

As renewables overtake coal, microgrids become AI's next frontier

Lily Hess — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:48:19 GMT

AI-driven power demand is surging, and Delta Electronics Chairman Ping Cheng said microgrids and energy resilience are becoming the next key battleground for AI data centers and the broader electrification push. Speaking at the Delta Sustainable AI Summit, he said that, for the first time in 2026, global electrification and net-zero emissions will be discussed at the same level during UN climate talks, making Delta's business transformation path clearer.

South Korea elevates SMR to national strategy, boosts nuclear investment

Kevin Wang — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:47:59 GMT

The South Korean government has proposed adding small modular reactors (SMRs) to its national strategic-technology tax incentive program, a move backed by the country's nuclear industry. In a recent statement issued on behalf of its 561 member companies, the Korea Atomic Industrial Forum noted that the move would help reduce the financial burden on companies investing in R&D and equipment and lay the groundwork for a domestic SMR supply chain and global market expansion.

Taiwan ranks fifth globally for cyber threats, with semiconductors and finance prime targets

Levi Li — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:47:34 GMT

As companies accelerate the adoption of AI agents to reshape business processes, attackers are using the same technology to increase the speed and scale of cyberattacks.

Novatek sees 3Q26 growth resting on smartphone DDI and Edge AI demand

Levi Li — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:47:17 GMT

Novatek, a Taiwan-based display driver integrated circuit (DDI) supplier, said at its August 6 investor conference that second-quarter 2026 revenue and gross margin exceeded expectations, supported by stronger customer orders across all three major product lines and a sharp sequential increase in profit.

California satellite makers expand as office vacancies become factory space

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:44:36 GMT

California's satellite manufacturing sector kept growing despite high costs and strict regulation, as startups and established operators expanded across San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Los Angeles. According to SpaceNews, the state remained a central hub for the U.S. space supply chain because of its talent base, venture funding, customer access, and the ability to repurpose office space.

AI demand lifts Taiwan software firms as Galaxy, M-Power, Systex post gains

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:44:17 GMT

Several Taiwanese software companies reported stronger results in 2026, with generative AI and AI agents supporting rather than disrupting their businesses. Galaxy Software Services, M-Power Information, and Systex cited a combination of AI-related demand, digital transformation projects, and new product launches as growth drivers.

Everlight starts Thailand plant to boost AI server and auto supply chains

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:44:03 GMT

Everlight Electronics has broken ground on a new manufacturing base in Chachoengsao, Thailand, with construction starting in August and mass production planned for the second half of 2027. The project is aimed at expanding capacity in Southeast Asia, supporting customers' China-plus-one strategies, and strengthening supply chain resilience for AI servers, automotive electronics, and industrial control applications.

Etron reports record July revenue as memory prices surge

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:43:51 GMT

Etron Technology said July 2026 consolidated revenue jumped to NT$2.125 billion, a fourth straight monthly record, as rising memory prices lifted sales. The Taiwan-based memory IC design company also reported that revenue for the first seven months of 2026 climbed to NT$9.759 billion, up 481.09% from a year earlier.

TSMC commits JPY282 billion to Sony sensor JV as AI demand outruns Sony's 40nm process

DIGITIMES — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:43:29 GMT

TSMC and Sony Semiconductor Solutions have signed a legally binding definitive agreement to establish Advanced Vision Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, a joint venture in Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, that will develop and volume-produce next-generation smartphone image sensors on advanced process technology. Volume production is slated to begin in 2029.