DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Jensen and Musk both think aging GPUs are worth more than the books show

Yunnie Cheng — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:35:06 GMT

Speaking at GTC Berlin and on SpaceX's third-quarter 2026 earnings call, respectively, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Tesla CEO Elon Musk reached a rare consensus on a pivotal topic: GPUs are no longer rapidly depreciating consumables. Instead, their effective operational lifespans far exceed initial market expectations.

Tesla sees Cybercab becoming a new growth bet amid declining auto revenue

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:29:00 GMT

Tesla's automotive business weakened in the third quarter of 2026 as lower average vehicle prices and battery shortages pressured revenue and profit, while the company accelerated investment in artificial intelligence and its autonomous vehicle strategy. Total revenue was flat, automotive revenue fell 3% year-over-year to US$20.56 billion, and net income declined 4% to US$1.7 billion.

Australia's AI build-out hits the grid: how a delayed power line wiped out AUD3 billion

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:25:00 GMT

Australia's push to become an AI infrastructure hub for the Asia-Pacific is running into constraints that capital alone cannot solve: the last mile of grid connection, and the consent of the communities that power lines run through. That shift became clear this month when NextDC, one of the country's largest data center operators, cut its fiscal 2027 revenue forecast and reduced capital spending after a power connection delay at its Melbourne M3 facility, a project that already had a hyperscale customer under contract.

Chinese EVs push imported models ahead of South Korean vehicles

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:04:53 GMT

Imported electric vehicles captured more than half of South Korea's new electric passenger-car registrations during the first nine months of 2026, marking the first time the share of domestically made models fell below that threshold. About 258,000 new electric passenger cars were registered from January through September, with imported vehicles accounting for 51.3%, or approximately 132,000 units, according to data from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association cited by Money Today and Seoul Economic Daily.

Pat Gelsinger warns AI compute efficiency must jump 10,000x amid power, memory, and fab constraints

Yunnie Cheng — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:01:32 GMT

Silicon Valley venture capital firm Playground Global has returned to Taiwan alongside a cohort of portfolio companies specializing in memory, power management, optical communications, and advanced packaging to showcase joint technical breakthroughs and commercial strategies. The firm is also hosting an executive dinner with Foxconn Chairman Young Liu, highlighting their deep-seated partnership and ongoing commitment to Taiwan's technology ecosystem.

Nvidia DSX POD challenges traditional AI data center construction

Lily Hess — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 08:59:00 GMT

At its GTC conference in Berlin, Nvidia discussed the RTX Spark notebook, various implementations and partnerships involving physical AI, AI agents, and CUDA-X, as well as the DSX POD and European sovereign AI. Following its recently announced additional US$2 billion investment, Nvidia has committed nearly US$10 billion to Europe's technology ecosystem. The company said that building Europe's AI economy will require the region not only to consume AI, but also to produce it.

Infineon and ASMedia team up on end-to-end USB 20Gbps setup for AI cameras

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 08:58:26 GMT

Infineon Technologies and ASMedia have announced a partnership to speed up the adoption of 20Gbps USB, driven by demand from machine-learning cameras and other physical AI devices that need to move large amounts of data quickly.

JIMTOF 2026 draws 94 Taiwan machine tool exhibitors

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 07:56:00 GMT

One of the world's three major machine tool shows, Japan's International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF 2026), opened this week, with 94 Taiwan companies exhibiting. The exhibitors are showcasing precision machining, key components and smart automation while deepening manufacturing supply-chain cooperation between Taiwan and Japan.

Anthropic IPO filing shows the US govt is trying to be frontier AI's customer and gatekeeper

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 07:20:00 GMT

Anthropic's IPO filing does more than outline the economics of a rapidly scaling AI company. Its risk disclosures show frontier AI developers becoming increasingly exposed to governments that act not only as regulators, but also as customers, procurement authorities, export-control gatekeepers and national-security actors.

AI spending surges, Microsoft opens exit door to 60,000 employees

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:54:49 GMT

Microsoft launched a time-limited Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) for approximately 60,000 employees in the US, Canada, the UK and India, as the software and cloud provider reshapes its workforce around rising investment in artificial intelligence. The offer applies to eligible employees in participating teams at Level 70 and below and covers about one-quarter of Microsoft's global workforce of approximately 223,000 employees as of the end of June 2026.

SoftBank eyes US$50B Malaysia AI data-center expansion

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:51:46 GMT

SoftBank Group founder and CEO Masayoshi Son has selected investment sites in Malaysia and plans to invest US$50 billion in technology, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said. Following investments in the US and Europe, the group is expanding its AI infrastructure strategy into Asia.

AI data centers drive cooling, power, modular infrastructure demand

Ysi Chen — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:46:53 GMT

As AI server computing density and server rack power consumption rise, data center construction must also take into account cooling, power distribution, energy management, and electromechanical infrastructure. In light of these trends, the 2026 Taiwan Industry Week trade show features a dedicated section for data centers, with Auras Technology, Walrus Pump, and Teco Electric and Machinery among the exhibitors, a sign that AI data center-related opportunities are expanding to other segments of the industrial supply chain.

Anthropic IPO filing exposes massive compute buildout spanning TPUs, GPUs, and dedicated data centers

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:33:19 GMT

Anthropic's IPO filing reveals an infrastructure strategy extending far beyond conventional cloud procurement, as the Claude developer locks in hundreds of billions of dollars of compute capacity across Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Broadcom, and a growing roster of GPU infrastructure providers.

PSMC capacity crunch holds back Jeju Semiconductor's growth

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:00:12 GMT

South Korean memory chip designer Jeju Semiconductor is struggling to secure enough wafer capacity from Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing (PSMC), limiting its sales growth as strong memory demand drives up prices and manufacturing costs.

Server CPU shipments to exceed 50 million units in 2027; AMD's server CPU revenue will surpass Intel

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 05:56:41 GMT

According to DIGITIMES, Agentic AI, AI server expansion, cloud service provider (CSP) in-house CPU ramp-up, and replacement demand for general-purpose servers will lift global server CPU shipments to 52.6 million units in 2027, up 45.7% year-over-year, wi

Broadcom, financial firms agree on US$63 billion funding for Anthropic chip purchases

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 05:56:04 GMT

Broadcom has reached a deal with several financial firms for them to finance the purchase of US$63 billion worth of its chips for Anthropic. The agreement highlights how the line between supplier and lender is becoming blurred among some chipmakers, as well as Wall Street's growing involvement in funding arrangements as AI infrastructure spending continues to expand.

Mitsubishi Materials scales thermistor capacity sixfold amid AI boom

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:30:19 GMT

Mitsubishi Materials will expand production of thermistors, temperature sensors used in optical communications equipment, as the spread of generative AI drives demand for optical transceivers. Its Thailand facility will gradually add equipment and raise monthly capacity to about 12 million units by November 2027, roughly six times its 2025 capacity.

AI demand squeezes automotive memory, pushing automakers to take control of chip supply

Lily Hess — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:20:00 GMT

Expanding investment in AI data centers is putting pressure on memory supply and demand across the automotive industry. As semiconductor companies prioritize high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and server products, automotive memory faces rising prices and tighter supplies, making automakers' direct procurement, long-term partnerships, and in-house chip design increasingly strategic.

China AI token debate highlights challenge of monetizing compute

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:17:12 GMT

More than half of China's AI token usage is reportedly concentrated in short dramas and video generation, but ByteDance's Doubao has disputed the figure, saying video-generation models account for only about 10% of overall computing resources. The conflicting estimates highlight the difficulty of assessing AI compute consumption and its commercial value.

The Anthropic IPO filing: 14-fold 1H26 revenue growth behind a US$80.75 billion paper loss

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:15:17 GMT

Anthropic's first public filing for its IPO has opened the books on one of the world's fastest-growing AI companies, revealing extraordinary revenue growth alongside a headline net loss that substantially overstates the deterioration in its underlying operations.

Kazakhstan positions AI infrastructure as a potential export industry after Nvidia CEO's visit

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:14:16 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's visit to Kazakhstan highlighted plans to build an AI computing hub for Europe, with projects spanning GPU clusters, data centers, talent, and physical AI. The initiative depends on power infrastructure, foreign technology, and Kazakhstan's ambition to develop and export its own AI capabilities across Central Asia.

US designates helium as critical material amid Middle East supply shock

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:08:24 GMT

As military conflict in the Middle East cripples global energy infrastructure, the United States is emerging as the critical anchor for the world's high-tech manufacturing sector. Amid a historic supply crisis for helium, an indispensable element in the production of semiconductors and advanced electronics, as well as in medical imaging, the US Department of Energy has officially designated helium as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020.

Ennostar's optical push could add new growth engine for 2027 and onward

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:06:29 GMT

Ennostar Holdings is expanding into optical communications as Micro LED and Micro VCSEL products move into customer sample-validation stages. The company expects the business to enter substantive growth in 2027, supported by potential demand for short-distance transmission, active optical cables, and emerging co-packaged optics architectures as industry bandwidth requirements continue rising.

AMD, Nvidia target substrate capacity amid 4x expansion constraints

Charlene Chen — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:58:38 GMT

AMD and Nvidia have separately invested in supply-chain capacity expansion, making substrates, packaging, and testing key priorities as AI demand diversifies. The moves show that chipmakers are extending competition beyond performance and architecture design to control over critical manufacturing resources.

Fujifilm expands South Korean capacity to meet AI chip demand

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:56:00 GMT

Fujifilm Electronic Materials is expanding its advanced semiconductor materials footprint in South Korea by increasing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist capacity in Pyeongtaek and expanding chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) slurry production in Cheonan. The investments will deepen local support for customers including Samsung Electronics as AI and advanced-process demand grows.

FANUC raises forecast as AI, automation demand drives record revenue

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:55:00 GMT

Japanese robot maker FANUC raised its fiscal year 2026 revenue forecast on October 23 as demand for AI and automation strengthened, putting sales on track to surpass JPY1 trillion for the first time. The company also expects operating profit and net profit to reach record highs.

Charts: Why German automakers are becoming marginalized in US BEV market

Rodney Chan — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:50:00 GMT

German automakers maintained overall sales in the US during the third quarter, but that momentum came mainly from gasoline-powered vehicles. In the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi face three challenges: falling sales, a shrinking BEV market and diverging brand performance.

Nvidia says GPUs last 8 years, unlocking AI financing

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:47:40 GMT

After the GTC Berlin conference, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Silicon Valley technology investor Gavin Baker spoke with Yahoo Finance for about half an hour. Huang confirmed Nvidia GPUs can remain in service for up to eight years and said their high residual value could help unlock financing for AI infrastructure.

Malaysia conditionally approves first rare-earth export under new rules

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:36:25 GMT

Malaysia has approved its first export of unprocessed rare earths under a new regulatory framework, with the shipment intended for research and development, although officials did not identify the recipient.

Meta launches US$35 billion equity raise, funds US$60 billion at-the-market program for AI build-out

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:30:00 GMT

Meta Platforms has launched approximately US$35 billion of concurrent underwritten public offerings and plans an approximately US$60 billion at-the-market (ATM) program, as it funds capex it expects to reach US$135 billion to US$145 billion in 2026. The company said the equity raises complement operating cash flow, investment-grade debt, and strategic partnerships, and will further diversify its funding sources.

Applied Materials to raise Besi stake to 20% as hybrid-bonding orders surge

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:27:49 GMT

Applied Materials plans to increase its stake in Dutch semiconductor equipment maker BE Semiconductor Industries (Besi) to approximately 20% from 9%, deepening its involvement in advanced chip packaging as demand for hybrid-bonding equipment accelerates.

Nvidia's Berlin keynote highlights AI scaling challenges in Europe

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:24:09 GMT

Nvidia opened GTC 2026 in Berlin on October 21 with a keynote highlighting AI infrastructure, security architecture, and Physical AI, while a Greenpeace protest briefly interrupted proceedings. A robot demonstration also exposed limits in motion control, instruction comprehension, and execution stability as Europe weighs innovation, energy demand, regulation, and competitiveness.

Samsung, SK Hynix eye 2Q27 shipments of 8-layer HBM4 to Nvidia

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:06:24 GMT

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are targeting the second quarter of 2027 to begin volume shipments of eight-layer HBM4 memory to Nvidia, ZDNet Korea reported on October 26, as the AI chipmaker reassesses its memory strategy for next-generation Rubin Ultra accelerators.

AWS, Google challenge CUDA as AMD, Intel cut AI switch costs

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:53:47 GMT

AWS has launched the open-source TorchNeuron tool, allowing developers to port PyTorch artificial intelligence (AI) applications to its custom Trainium chips without rewriting code. Google has followed with TorchTPU, while AMD and Intel are integrating AI software optimizations as chipmakers challenge Nvidia's market advantage built on the CUDA ecosystem.

Inside SKT’s push to turn SK Hynix’s fabs into an AI business

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:51:28 GMT

South Korean telecommunications provider SK Telecom (SKT) has reportedly established Hy-TF, a task force dedicated to AI collaboration with SK Hynix, to upgrade its digital-twin and data-platform businesses and develop new B2B services.

China supply-chain price hikes strain domestic demand

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:42:01 GMT

China’s semiconductor and electronics supply chains are reporting a wave of price increases, from Goke Microelectronics raising quotes for hybrid-packaged memory products to Hygon considering higher CPU and deep computing unit (DCU) prices. The moves reflect rising costs for raw materials, components, and upstream supplies, but whether they can help China escape deflationary pressure remains uncertain.

Vietnam's first fab reportedly faces doubts over 2027 target

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:40:56 GMT

Vietnam's first wafer fab may miss its 2027 trial-production target, Reuters reported on October 26, citing concerns about project execution and equipment procurement. Developer Viettel, however, says the project remains on schedule.

Fine M-Tec rejects component blame as foldable market outlook remains positive

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:31:24 GMT

Fine M-Tec has rejected claims that components it supplied contributed to reported display damage in Apple's first foldable iPhone, saying the issue involves multiple components and precision mechanisms. The dispute could affect perceptions of the South Korean supplier even as analysts forecast growth from expanding foldable device demand ahead.

DRAM price gains fall short as supply shrinks up to 50%

Lily Hess — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:30:03 GMT

DRAM price growth has slowed sharply in the fourth quarter of 2026, but severe supply shortages are intensifying as manufacturers continue to restrict shipments. Industry sources expect DRAM supply from leading manufacturers to shrink by 30% to 50% for the next two to three quarters, widening the supply gap in 2027.

AI data center boom risks squeezing power chip supplies for auto, electronics

Sherri Wang — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:29:51 GMT

The rapid expansion of AI data centers is driving demand beyond GPUs, memory chips, and advanced packaging. As power consumption in GPU clusters rises, data centers need not only more chips but also more efficient power delivery systems. Power plants and electrical grids outside data centers are also under pressure to close supply gaps, potentially tightening power semiconductor supplies and spreading shortages to other applications.

Weekly news roundup: iPhone Duo shipment target revised upward amid display issues

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:20:13 GMT

This week's coverage highlights shifting technology supply chains and rising demand across foldable smartphones, memory, energy storage, robotics, and AI infrastructure. Apple lifted its iPhone Duo shipment target after strong preorders, while memory makers faced conflicting forecasts over Chinese capacity and sustained AI demand. Taiwan advanced industrial microgrids and saw its first semiconductor strike, as Texas Instruments reported tightening analog supply. Chinese energy storage suppliers reportedly retreated from the US amid reciprocal technology and ownership restrictions.

Japan sets JPY100 billion push to commercialize perovskite solar cells

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:19:55 GMT

Japan plans to provide about JPY100 billion (US$634.1 million) over four years to support mass production of next-generation perovskite solar cells, seeking to establish a domestic manufacturing base before China further widens its lead in the emerging technology, according to Nikkei Asia.

HCLTech and Rapidus open India centers to support semiconductor engineering

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:18:17 GMT

HCLTech and Japan's Rapidus have inaugurated development centers in Bengaluru and Hubli, India, expanding their semiconductor engineering collaboration across Asia. The facilities will support advanced chip work, while a planned talent pipeline could connect Indian engineers with Rapidus' manufacturing ambitions in Japan, highlighting the cross-border partnerships shaping semiconductor supply chains.

India's smartphone shipments hit a decade low in 3Q26 amid rising prices

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:18:10 GMT

India's smartphone shipments fell 20% year over year in the third quarter of 2026, reaching a decade low as higher memory costs pushed device prices up. The downturn highlights affordability pressures for consumers and could prompt manufacturers to raise prices, reshape portfolios, and rely on premium segments globally.

As iPhone Duo inner screens crack, Samsung capitalizes on foldable surge

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:14:43 GMT

Days after the launch of Apple's US$2,000 iPhone Duo, a wave of reports regarding broken inner screens has surfaced across Reddit, TechCrunch, and Forbes. Early buyers reported hearing a loud crunching noise before severe cracking appeared along the hinge. Others experienced complete display malfunctions or "big fat creases down the middle" after just hours or days of use.

Intel to acquire quantum computing software firm Classiq

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:09:37 GMT

Intel has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Classiq, a quantum computing software company, in a move aimed at combining Classiq's quantum algorithm synthesis platform with Intel's silicon-based quantum hardware and semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.

Anthropic's IPO filing puts TSMC, HBM, direct leasing at the center of AI compute risk

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:03:36 GMT

In its preliminary IPO registration statement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Anthropic describes how much of its capacity depends on a small group of chip and memory suppliers, most of them in East Asia.

Tamil Nadu adds independent chip subsidy route as Indian states vie for investment

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:55:21 GMT

India's semiconductor drive has largely been led by New Delhi, which selects projects for large central incentives while state governments add their own packages of land, infrastructure and financial support. Tamil Nadu is now giving semiconductor investors another route.

OPTOELEC seeks AI data center orders as Himax advances CPO optics

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:52:39 GMT

South Korean optics maker Optoelec is seeing growing interest from AI data center customers as it seeks to expand its wafer-level optics (WLO) business into high-speed optical communications, a market where Taiwanese suppliers are already moving toward commercial production.

NT1 plans to assemble Chinese delivery vans in Korea in 2027

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:46:21 GMT

South Korean autonomous delivery company NT1 plans to begin assembling Chinese-designed delivery vans locally in 2027, gradually adding Korean-made components as it seeks approval to operate the vehicles on public roads.

Hyundai supplier SL eyes first overseas robot deployment in US

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:38:21 GMT

South Korean automotive supplier SL is considering deploying its mobile dual-arm robot at a US factory in 2027 or 2028, potentially marking the system's first overseas deployment, a company representative said in an interview with DIGITIMES at FIX 2026 in Daegu on October 24.

Tata Communications plans up to US$450 million fibre network linking India's AI hubs

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:33:44 GMT

Tata Communications announced on October 26 that it plans to invest US$400-450 million in approximately 10,000 kilometers of long-haul fiber across India, linking data centers and AI hubs as it expands its connectivity business. The network will connect domestic corridors with its global backbone.

KAR bets on fleet monitoring as South Korea expands robotaxi trials

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:32:41 GMT

South Korean vehicle engineering company KAR plans to develop a monitoring system for the electronic controls it installs in autonomous vehicles, seeking recurring maintenance revenue as the country expands robotaxi trials.

ByteDance denies AI micro-dramas consume over half of China's AI computing power

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:23:58 GMT

The claim that more than half of China's artificial intelligence (AI) computing power is being used to produce micro-dramas has reignited debate in China's technology sector over whether the country is directing too much of its AI computing resources to entertainment content while neglecting productivity applications.

Amkor turns to customer prepayments as global packaging investment accelerates

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:20:32 GMT

Amkor Technology is using customer prepayments and longer-term commitments to support an expanding manufacturing network across the US, South Korea, and Vietnam, as demand for advanced packaging outpaces the consumer electronics recovery. Management said those arrangements provide greater visibility for investments that will keep capital spending elevated for several years.

Cadence bets on its own chip design AI models as Synopsys teams up with OpenAI

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:12:20 GMT

Cadence Design Systems is betting that chipmakers will want AI models trained on its own design tools and run wherever customers choose. That puts it on a different route from rival Synopsys, which is building its specialized model with OpenAI on OpenAI-hosted infrastructure. On October 26, alongside its third-quarter results, Cadence introduced Maestro, a portfolio of domain-specialized AI models that power its AI super agents for chip and system design.

Cadence says chip design demand is broadening beyond AI as analysts test margins, rival targets

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:07:13 GMT

Cadence Design Systems used its third-quarter earnings call to argue that demand for chip design tools is no longer tied only to the AI hardware buildout. It pointed to analog and memory chipmakers, system companies, and new entrants such as space and finance firms designing their own silicon. Analysts on the October 26 call pressed two questions that will shape the coming year: how much growth comes from agentic AI rather than hardware, and whether Cadence can match the long-term targets rival Synopsys set a month earlier.

India sets October 2028 target for homegrown smartphone brand

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:46:13 GMT

India's electronics and IT minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has set October 23, 2028, as the date by which the country will have mobile phones that are designed, manufactured, and branded domestically, as New Delhi seeks to move beyond assembling devices for foreign brands.

Celestica's AI growth puts capacity in focus as revenue outlook reaches US$40 billion

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:44:23 GMT

Celestica's latest results suggest that its next challenge will be expanding production fast enough to serve AI infrastructure customers while keeping cash requirements under control. The company forecast US$40 billion in revenue for 2027, putting manufacturing capacity and growth financing at the center of its outlook.

Cadence raises 2026 outlook as AI design demand drives record backlog

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:42:07 GMT

Cadence Design Systems' third quarter suggests demand for chip design tools is still rising, with AI-driven design work showing up in both revenue and backlog, while the cost of buying growth is hurting profitability. Revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2026, rose 22% from a year earlier, the company said on October 26, but operating income barely moved.

Amkor gross margin climbs to 18.3% as computing mix offsets consumer weakness

DIGITIMES — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:41:58 GMT

Amkor Technology's latest quarter shows how a shift toward advanced packaging can strengthen profitability even when overall sales barely grow. Computing and automotive demand lifted the value of the company's production mix, while smartphone and consumer electronics headwinds kept the revenue recovery uneven.

Samsung Executive Chairman reportedly eyes RX unit visit for humanoid robot push

Charlene Chen — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 23:51:05 GMT

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-Yong is reportedly set to visit the company's Robotics eXperience (RX) business unit in Seoul's Umyeon-dong by the end of October to review humanoid robot development and preparations for CES 2027. If the visit takes place, it will be Lee's first visit since the organization was established, highlighting Samsung's strategy of commercializing robots through manufacturing applications.

DIGITIMES Insights: AI servers move toward 800V DC as vertical power delivery promises higher efficiency, lower transmission losses

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 23:50:48 GMT

AI server power architectures are evolving toward high-voltage distribution and point-of-load voltage conversion, according to DIGITIMES Intelligence.

Cheng Mei develops materials for advanced packaging glass substrates

Lily Hess — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 23:50:23 GMT

As advanced packaging shifts toward large-size glass substrates, Cheng Mei Materials Technology is developing materials to address warpage, heat resistance, and drilling challenges. Its cutting and grinding tapes have entered customer validation and small-volume testing, while its anti-warpage film and heat-resistant tape remain in development.

Sunic System wins overseas OLEDoS equipment order

DIGITIMES — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 23:50:01 GMT

As AI expands into wearable devices, South Korean OLED deposition equipment maker Sunic System has secured another overseas order for OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon) deposition equipment, targeting growth in extended reality (XR) and smart glasses.

Interview: From afterthought to bottleneck, circuit boards move to the heart of AI hardware

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 02:59:13 GMT

In the era of AI and high-performance computing (HPC), the once-separate worlds of chip design, packaging, and circuit boards are converging. According to the Global Electronics Association, AI server motherboards have become the largest, thickest, and most structurally complex PCBs ever manufactured, drawing substrate and PCB makers, which historically reacted to decisions made by chipmakers and packaging clients, into the heart of AI hardware development.