DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Notebook shipment update, April 2026

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 09:58:58 GMT

Affected by weakened channel stocking momentum and a high base period, shipments of the top five notebook brands fell 33% sequentially in April 2026.

MIPS CEO makes the case for RISC-V in physical AI at Computex forum

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 09:03:57 GMT

Sameer Wasson, CEO of MIPS by GlobalFoundries, spoke at the MIPS Forum at Computex 2026 on June 3 in Taipei, held at the Taipei Courtyard by Marriott Nangang — one day after his company announced the completion of its acquisition of Synopsys' ARC Processor IP Solutions business.

Qisda chair eyes 2026 AI takeoff

Kevin Wang — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 08:33:47 GMT

Qisda Corp. chairman Peter Chen has pledged that the group will not miss out on the AI boom, with AI servers, 1.6T switches, cooling systems, and power solutions already in place. With orders already in hand and some products ready to ship, Qisda expects its AI business to begin taking off in 2026.

NXP chief says physical AI must think like a spine, not just a brain

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 07:48:37 GMT

As robots and autonomous systems move from factory floors into hospitals, warehouses, and public spaces, NXP Semiconductors CEO Rafael Sotoayo used his Computex 2026 keynote to argue that the defining challenge of physical AI is not raw intelligence, but the ability to act in milliseconds without waiting for instructions from the cloud.

Micron's HBM4 push signals bigger Nvidia supply role

Sherri Wang — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 07:42:34 GMT

Micron Technology may supply more HBM4 memory for Nvidia's next-generation Vera Rubin platform than the market currently expects, as the US memory maker ramps up equipment investment for the new technology, according to sources in South Korea's memory equipment industry.

Liteon: RTX Spark could turn AI PCs into personal assistants

Levi Li — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 07:39:00 GMT

Liteon Technology showcased AI power management and liquid cooling solutions at COMPUTEX 2026, highlighting technologies aimed at supporting both AI PCs and next-generation AI data centers.

Pegatron's Chairman sees a future where AI can think and act

Elaine Chen — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 07:13:06 GMT

As the artificial intelligence industry moves beyond chatbots and text generation, a new question is emerging: what happens when AI can act on the physical world, not just understand it?

MiniMax and Z.ai seek Shanghai listings as AI compute spending grows

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 07:12:34 GMT

MiniMax and Z.ai both plan to apply for listings in Shanghai's tech-focused STAR Market, months after the two AI companies successfully launched IPOs in Hong Kong's stock market in January, according to Nikkei Asia. This move indicates the pressure the AI companies face to raise capital amid high compute costs to stay ahead of the competition, even as profitability so far remains out of reach.

The robotics future will arrive in stages, Qualcomm exec predicts

Elaine Chen — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 07:12:01 GMT

Qualcomm's view of the robotics industry points to a market that is rapidly taking shape, but along sharply diverging paths of complexity and time horizon.

Delta highlights power gap as AI expansion pressures data centers worldwide

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 07:09:04 GMT

Global AI growth is increasingly colliding with electricity limits, a shift that could slow data center buildouts and reshape infrastructure planning from the US to Asia. Delta Electronics chairman Ping Cheng said the bottleneck is already delaying projects, pushing operators toward self-owned power systems and off-grid microgrids.

Tight laptop chip supply tests Intel's 18A comeback

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 07:07:13 GMT

Intel's effort to rebuild confidence in its manufacturing technology is facing an early test, as PC makers struggle to secure laptop processors built on the company's 18A process.

GlobalFoundries completes acquisition of Synopsys' ARC processor IP business to build physical AI platform

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 06:53:03 GMT

GlobalFoundries (GF) has completed its acquisition of Synopsys' ARC Processor IP Solutions business, the company announced on June 2. The acquisition adds to GF's existing MIPS subsidiary, combining two processor IP portfolios into a single offering that spans RISC-V processor IP, software tools, custom silicon design, and semiconductor manufacturing.

Nvidia to accelerate Vera Rubin production; Quanta Computer to add three US plants by end of 2026

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 06:51:44 GMT

Quanta Computer executive vice president and Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT) president Mike Yang said GPU applications are expanding across training, edge computing, and storage, as well as in the development of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). In response to future demand, the company is preparing for power needs and production capacity, planning to add three more plants in the US by the end of 2026.

xMEMS sees 2027 debut for cooling chips as AI glasses, SSDs face heat limits

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 06:49:37 GMT

xMEMS Labs is preparing to move its MEMS-based µCooling technology toward commercial production in 2027, with AI glasses and data-center SSDs expected to be among the first applications as sustained AI workloads push thermal constraints beyond GPUs.

OpenAI eyes CUDA killer to push AI infrastructure beyond Nvidia's grip

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 06:01:54 GMT

OpenAI is weighing whether to publicly release software designed to make advanced AI workloads run more easily across chips from multiple providers, a move that could weaken one of Nvidia's most durable advantages: the CUDA software ecosystem that has helped lock developers into its GPUs.

Lightmatter joins Nvidia NVLink Fusion ecosystem to expand optical AI connectivity

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 05:46:03 GMT

Lightmatter has joined Nvidia's NVLink Fusion ecosystem, a move that could accelerate the rollout of high-performance optical links for AI infrastructure worldwide. The collaboration is aimed at easing data-center bottlenecks, improving bandwidth, and giving global customers more options for building energy-efficient AI systems at scale.

Nvidia and Infineon press supply chain co-design as AI power limits tighten

Lily Hess — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 04:44:47 GMT

At the opening day of Computex 2026, Lite-On Technology hosted an AI industry summit under the theme "Powering the AI-driven Future," where DIGITIMES chairman Colley Hwang moderated a cross-industry panel with Nvidia, Infineon Technologies, and Gigabyte subsidiary Giga Computing at the exhibition venue.

MediaTek denies rumored EMIB adoption timeline

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 04:44:26 GMT

MediaTek denied a foreign report about a timeline for adopting Intel Corp.'s embedded multi-die interconnect bridge packaging at a recent investor event and said its supply-chain strategy remains focused on TSMC. The clarification came after a Goldman Sachs research note, and media coverage suggested MediaTek had set tape-out and mass-production dates for a project using Intel EMIB-T packaging.

AI cooling demand keeps booming, lifting suppliers' outlook through 2029

Charlene Chen — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 04:34:30 GMT

Strong demand for AI server cooling is extending visibility for the industry, with Asia Vital Components (AVC) and Auras Technology both forecasting sustained growth through 2029. Nvidia is driving a shift from air cooling to liquid cooling in AI servers, boosting both revenue and profits for cooling module makers.

SK Group weighs pausing SK Siltron sale as AI chip demand lifts wafer strategy

Lily Hess — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 04:25:08 GMT

SK Group is reportedly placing AI and semiconductors at the center of its next round of business restructuring, prompting a fresh internal review of the strategic value of SK Siltron, a major global silicon wafer maker. The planned sale of SK Siltron, once seen as a move to improve SK Group's financial structure, now faces uncertainty as the group reconsiders whether to push ahead with the deal.

Commentary: Why the world's memory giants are betting on Anthropic

Elaine Chen — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 04:00:12 GMT

The latest funding round for Anthropic produced a headline-grabbing figure: a US$65 billion capital raise that pushed the artificial intelligence (AI) startup's valuation to $965 billion, surpassing OpenAI and making Anthropic the world's most valuable AI startup.

Analysis: New AI race is redefining semiconductor industry at Computex

Elaine Chen — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 03:51:25 GMT

Computex 2026 showcased the industry's latest innovations with its usual fanfare. Yet beneath the spectacle, the event revealed something far more consequential: artificial intelligence is rewriting not only the rules of competition but also the relationships that have long defined the global semiconductor industry.

Exclusive: SK Group and Foxconn talks could signal deeper Taiwan-Korea AI supply chain ties

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 03:48:15 GMT

COMPUTEX drew major AI supply chain players to Taiwan, and industry sources said SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won was set for a private meeting with Foxconn chairman Young Liu, alongside his meetings with TSMC chairman C.C. Wei and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. The reported talks could signal broader cooperation on AI infrastructure.

NAND market hits record as YMTC closes in on global rivals

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 03:44:23 GMT

The global NAND flash memory market reached a record US$46 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026, driven by AI infrastructure demand, higher enterprise SSD shipments, and rising NAND prices, according to Counterpoint Research.

EU's EUR20B AI gigafactory ambition faces delays as global rivals surge ahead

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 03:43:06 GMT

The European Union's (EU) plan to mobilize EUR20 billion (US$23.3 billion) for a network of large-scale AI "gigafactories" is running into delays and funding uncertainty, stoking concerns about Europe's ability to compete in the global AI infrastructure race.

Pegatron expands Nvidia ties from AI servers to robot dogs

Sherri Wang — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 02:36:16 GMT

Pegatron is expanding its work with Nvidia from AI servers into physical AI, digital twins, and robot simulation, using its second-generation quadruped robot dog Simba as an early testbed for future intelligent robotics.

Tech giants step up investments in Taiwan as government vows supply chain stability

Rodney Chan — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 02:14:06 GMT

As Computex 2026 opened in Taipei on June 2, Taiwanese President Ching-te Lai said major international tech companies are increasing investment in Taiwan, underscoring confidence in the country's industrial efficiency and democratic system. He said protecting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the government's most responsible commitment to the global supply chain that relies on Taiwan's AI industry ecosystem.

Largan makes first Computex appearance with CPO push for AI data centers

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 01:50:54 GMT

Largan Precision's debut at Computex 2026 signals a broader push into optical communications that could matter for AI data center supply chains worldwide. The Taiwan company is seeking new growth beyond lenses, and its co-packaged optics efforts reflect rising industry interest in faster, denser, and more efficient connectivity.

Delta Electronics unveils prefabricated AI modular data center that cuts deployment time by 60%

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 01:46:54 GMT

Delta Electronics said at COMPUTEX 2026 that it has launched a prefabricated AI modular data center designed to speed deployment of AI infrastructure by cutting IT build time by about 60%. The move underscores how vendors are racing to support global demand for denser, faster, and more power-efficient AI facilities.

Indian states pitch for Taiwan's electronics exodus during COMPUTEX

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 01:39:43 GMT

Five of India's most industrialized states sent high-level officials to pitch their regions as the next anchors for global electronics and AI supply chains this week at the 2026 Taiwan–India Investment Partnership Forum.

Naura pushes into AI chip packaging with first 600mm PLP descum tool

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 01:37:39 GMT

Naura Technology Group has shipped its first 600mm × 600mm panel-level packaging descum tool, marking a key step in the Chinese semiconductor equipment maker's move from wafer-level packaging into panel-level packaging, according to ICviews and ICsmart.

Microsoft details Azure and AI roadmap to build, run, and govern agents at Build 2026

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 01:28:57 GMT

At Microsoft Build 2026 on June 2, Microsoft outlined how its Azure cloud and broader AI portfolio are being re-engineered for agentic AI — software agents that reason, retrieve knowledge, take actions, and run continuously rather than responding to one-off prompts. Spanning silicon, databases, runtimes, developer frameworks, and governance standards, the announcements describe a stack designed to enable organizations to build agents, deploy them in production, and keep them under control.

Ampak pushes AI SOM, 5G RedCap and drone edge solutions as revenue mix shifts

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 01:19:51 GMT

Ampak Technology unveiled plans to further pivot into AIoT and Edge AI integrated solutions at COMPUTEX 2026, announcing product launches including an AI system-on-module, 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap) offerings, and High Power Wi-Fi 6 drone communication modules. The wireless communication module designer said the moves respond to an industry shift from cloud data centers to endpoint and edge computing and aim to capture demand from enterprise and industrial applications in the US and other markets.

AI inference and agents push data centers to secure on-site power and storage

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 01:17:10 GMT

At COMPUTEX 2026, energy and data center executives warned that the industry shift from AI training to inference and agentic AI has driven a sharp rise in electricity demand and tightened requirements for power reliability and local supply. The discussions centered on Taiwan, where executives and energy suppliers said on-site power generation and energy storage systems have become essential for balancing volatile loads and ensuring uninterrupted operations.

Analysis: Lenovo hops on board Nvidia's AI train, but server profits still look thin

Levi Li — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 01:13:07 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's frequent appearances with global tech chairmen and CEOs signal more than AI hype. They point to a redistribution of influence across the next generation of AI infrastructure.

Microsoft's Majorana 2 quantum chip draws both industry interest and expert skepticism

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:59:28 GMT

Microsoft unveiled Majorana 2 on June 2, 2026, its latest quantum chip and the follow-up to Majorana 1, announced on February 19, 2025. The new chip continues Microsoft's bet on a distinctive approach to quantum computing, even as parts of the physics community continue to press for more independent evidence.

Microsoft expands its model lineup and management tools at Build 2026

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:56:25 GMT

At Microsoft Build 2026 on June 2, Microsoft broadened the range of AI models available through its Foundry platform, adding four first-party models, deepening partner access, and introducing tools designed to help developers choose, tune, and manage models across their lifecycle.

White House seeks access to frontier AI models under new security initiative

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:54:54 GMT

On June 2, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at promoting advanced artificial intelligence while addressing growing national security and cybersecurity concerns tied to increasingly powerful AI systems. The measure seeks to expand cooperation between the federal government and leading AI developers without imposing mandatory regulations.

Google's AI glasses to boost wearable shipments to 17.5 million in 2026

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:52:33 GMT

Google moved into the AI glasses market with new Android XR smart glasses co-developed with Samsung Electronics and partnerships with eyewear brands, and the entry is expected to lift global AI glasses shipments to 17.5 million units in 2026, according to DIGITIMES analyst Brandon Fang. The product roadmap under Google's plan divides offerings into voice-based AI glasses and display-type glasses, with the voice model slated for the third quarter of 2026 and the display version expected in the second half of 2026.

COMPUTEX 2026 highlights spatial AI for homes and turnkey enterprise edge solutions

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:47:26 GMT

At COMPUTEX 2026 in Taipei, HOMEE AI, Osense Technology, and Senao International unveiled new AI products aimed at shifting deployment from cloud training to real-world inference and edge applications. HOMEE AI presented a spatial AI ecosystem that combines 3D scanning, digital twins, and spatial computing to link home viewing, interior design, purchasing, and space management, while Osense and Senao showcased video generation, customer service, and enterprise edge computing offerings designed for rapid commercial rollout.

Microsoft uses Build 2026 to reposition Windows and Surface for the agentic AI era

DIGITIMES — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:15:36 GMT

At Microsoft Build 2026 on June 2, Microsoft outlined how it is reshaping its Windows and Surface portfolios around AI agents — software that acts autonomously on a user's behalf rather than waiting for manual commands. Across four announcements spanning silicon, devices, the cloud, and operating-system security, the company framed a shift it described as moving "from apps to agents — from software you open to intelligence you invoke."

Kentec aims to shorten the timeline for AI data center deployment

Elaine Chen — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:47:55 GMT

As artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure grows larger and more complex, the challenge is no longer simply building data centers. It is building them fast enough.

Middle East war drives LME aluminum to 4-year high, squeezing chip equipment margins

Lily Hess — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:47:44 GMT

Rising global geopolitical risk and tightening supply in some markets have pushed London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminum prices higher in volatile trading, adding cost pressures to industries across electronics components, semiconductor equipment, automobiles, and energy infrastructure.

Acer chair says AI agents could reignite PC demand

Lily Hess — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:47:36 GMT

Acer and Taipei Computer Association (TCA) Chairman Jason Chen said Nvidia's AI PCs, designed specifically for agentic AI functions, point to a new usage model in the AI era and could create fresh demand in the PC market. He said the PC industry, which had been stuck in stagnation or decline for years following a pandemic-era boom due to a shift toward working and studying from home, now has a chance to rebound as AI shifts from training to inference.

BYD is building its own chips and looking abroad to make them

DIGITIMES — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:47:26 GMT

China's electric vehicle (EV) makers are increasingly designing their own artificial-intelligence (AI) chips. Manufacturing them, however, remains a more complicated challenge.

Samsung Foundry eyes Anthropic as OpenAI chip project reportedly stalls

DIGITIMES — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:47:19 GMT

Samsung Electronics is seeking to secure major artificial intelligence (AI) logic-chip customers as its reported preliminary work on a custom SoC for OpenAI slows, while Anthropic emerges as another potential opportunity for Samsung Foundry.

GSEO sees CPO business as potential second growth engine from 2027 to 2028

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:47:09 GMT

Genius Electronic Optical Co. (GSEO) said on May 29 that its co-packaged optics (CPO) business is moving toward rapid growth in 2027 and 2028, with shipments that could eventually rival smartphone lenses as a second major revenue source.

oToBrite and Turing Drive partner on visual AI for autonomous vehicles

Lily Hess — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:46:37 GMT

oToBrite and Turing Drive announced a technology collaboration on June 2 to develop real-world autonomous vehicle applications using vehicle-grade vision AI, which combines oToBrite's automotive cameras and visual AI with Turing Drive's core self-driving system. The companies aim to give global special-purpose vehicles (SPVs) a smarter brain.

Commentary: China shifts exports toward higher-value tech as US trade pressure reshapes supply chains

DIGITIMES — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:46:20 GMT

China moved toward higher-value exports in response to escalating US trade and technology restrictions, reshaping global supply chains and forcing manufacturers to absorb higher costs, executives and research findings showed. The shift, visible in early 2026 trade patterns, came after rounds of US containment measures that began with 2018 tariffs and intensified following the 2025 policy expansion, according to a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council.

MediaTek and Foxtron partner to bring C-X1 AI cockpit platform to premium EVs

DIGITIMES — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:46:08 GMT

MediaTek announced a long-term global collaboration with Foxtron, the Foxconn-backed automotive unit, to deploy the Dimensity Auto Cockpit Platform C-X1 in premium electric vehicles, accelerating AI-enabled smart car development. The agreement, unveiled by the firms, will combine MediaTek’s semiconductor and AI platform capabilities with Foxtron’s EV architecture and manufacturing to deliver scalable smart-cockpit solutions.

Pegatron unveils Vera Rubin AI infrastructure and AI Factory validation at Computex 2026

DIGITIMES — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:45:55 GMT

Pegatron announced a new generation of AI infrastructure products and an AI Factory validation framework at Computex 2026, showcasing the Nvidia Vera Rubin platform, HGX Rubin NVL8, and RTX PRO servers integrated with the Nvidia DSX AI Factory reference design to support design, verification, and deployment from digital twin simulation to mass production. The firm said the portfolio aims to advance AI Factory capabilities for manufacturing customers by combining compute, cooling, and validation workflows.

Delta Electronics bets on microgrids in push for AI-powered energy management

Kevin Wang — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:45:43 GMT

The AI arms race is shaping up to be much more than a competition for computing power, with factors such as power supply, grid resilience, and carbon credits all playing a part in the ever-escalating battle.

Intel Foundry makes progress in advance processes, CEO Tan calls TSMC a key partner

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:45:24 GMT

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said Intel Foundry is making steady progress in advanced process technology, adding that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is one of Intel's most important partners. The remarks were made during a global media briefing with several senior executives on June 2.

SK Hynix to double capacity over next 5 years, as Nvidia CEO leaves 'Please make more' note on Computex booth

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 22:45:04 GMT

SK Group chairman Tae-won Chey said SK Hynix plans to double its overall production capacity over the next five years, as strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) drives a global memory shortage. He added that the expansion is tied to deeper cooperation with Taiwan's semiconductor and IT supply chains, particularly through a strategic alliance with foundry leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

Display to semiconductor: Panel makers weaponize large glass substrates for FOPLP

DIGITIMES — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 08:23:26 GMT

Panel makers' FOPLP strategies vary, with Innolux being the most active. AUO utilizes RDL technology to develop emerging applications such as satellite antennas.