DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

SpaceX's Starship reaches orbit, but engine issues raise stakes for NASA's Moon plan

Scarlett Yu — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:47:37 GMT

SpaceX's Starship reached Earth orbit for the first time on its 14th test flight and successfully deployed 26 third-generation Starlink satellites, marking a major milestone for the heavy-lift rocket. Engine anomalies during the flight, however, forced SpaceX to cut short a mission originally planned to last about 10 hours, with Starship deorbiting after roughly three hours.

DIGITIMES Insight: AI data demand surges as power and cooling become new bottlenecks

Scarlett Yu — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:47:12 GMT

As the number of AI computing transistors integrated within a single CoWoS package rises rapidly, DIGITIMES observes that moving massive volumes of data to compute chips fast enough is becoming increasingly critical to fully utilizing available computing power.

Tesla leads Taiwan registrations as it advances FSD road tests

DIGITIMES — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:46:45 GMT

Tesla ranked first in Taiwan's new-car registrations in September and said it is continuing the approval process for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised), or FSD (S), driver-assistance system. The automaker also presented a road-test framework at a technical review meeting as it works with government agencies and academic experts.

Acer tops Canada's Windows PC market in August

DIGITIMES — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:46:25 GMT

Acer said it led Canada's Windows personal computer market in August 2026, according to the latest Circana data. The company reported a 22.9% market share in the country and said its sales rose 18.3% from a year earlier, compared with an industrywide decline of 23.2%.

AI system integration eclipses chip specs

Lily Hess — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:46:12 GMT

As AI develops rapidly across both cloud and edge environments, major chipmakers are devoting less attention to chip specifications and more to system-level design and ecosystems. For IC design leaders, moving into the system layer has become a key factor for upgrading in the AI era, because simply supplying chips is no longer enough to stay competitive in AI product lines.

Nanya Tech expands 3D OSAT to chase HBM-like demand

Lily Hess — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:45:53 GMT

Nanya Technology is stepping up investment in new factory capacity to expand packaging and testing as some customers move into trial production for specification-based designs. The company said it has won approval from the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) park review committee to set up a 3D wafer packaging and testing plant in Pingtung Science Park, aiming to capture demand for high-performance, high-bandwidth memory solutions driven by fast-growing AI applications.

US-China truce extension lifts 4Q freight rates, tightens capacity

Yunnie Cheng — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:45:18 GMT

After US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two sides agreed to extend their trade truce, a move the market read positively. Industry participants expect previously delayed China-US shipments to be released gradually, pushing freight rates higher from October and tightening cargo space.

Podcast highlights: TSMC Texas plant talk is premature, Intel 18A hits backfiring criticism

Charlene Chen — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:44:58 GMT

This excerpt from DIGITIMES analyst Luke Lin's podcast looks at TSMC's rumored Texas expansion, Intel's 14A and 18A process debate, and Qualcomm's high bandwidth compute (HBC) push as AI workloads drive demand for hybrid bonding and advanced packaging.

AI-driven power crunch positions energy upstarts as key IT equipment buyers

Yunnie Cheng — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 23:44:27 GMT

Surging electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, combined with growing public backlash against data center developments, is elevating energy developers into the new powerbrokers of the AI economy. Beyond maximizing land value through grid access, some energy-rich operators are moving up the technology value chain and could become direct purchasers of IT equipment.

India roundup: India deepens its role in global technology supply chains

DIGITIMES — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 17:33:00 GMT

India is expanding its role across semiconductors, electronics and digital services, as new investment rules, supply-chain localization and Apple initiatives highlight both the country's progress and remaining constraints.

Musk confirms talks with TSMC over his Texas chip factory project

DIGITIMES — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 14:36:49 GMT

Elon Musk has confirmed that Terafab, the chipmaking venture backed by his SpaceX and Tesla, is in discussions with TSMC. The confirmation followed a report that the Taiwanese foundry is looking at running new chip factories in Texas.

Elon Musk, Jensen Huang see China closing lithography gap by 2030

Yunnie Cheng — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 00:31:55 GMT

While ASML executives explore how to scale extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography output beyond 110 units by 2028, China is pursuing indigenous advanced lithography systems. ASML plans to produce at least 80 EUV tools in 2027 and is investigating a further capacity increase of approximately 30% in 2028 to satisfy massive global capital expenditure in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. However, the prospect of domestic Chinese tools raises long-term uncertainty over the lithography landscape.

Synopsys reshapes EDA, IP business models as AI shifts revenue from seats to customer output

Scarlett Yu — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 00:31:41 GMT

Synopsys is reshaping how it monetizes its two core businesses, electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP, as AI transforms engineering workflows. Announcements at the company's 2026 Investor Day in New York, including new partnerships with OpenAI and Amazon, point to revenue models increasingly tied to customer consumption, design outcomes, and eventual chip shipments rather than primarily to engineer seats or upfront licensing.

Interview: AI PCs reach 65% of Europe's notebook channel, but what brings buyers to the market?

DIGITIMES — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 00:31:14 GMT

The rapid iteration of AI-capable hardware, following an industry-wide push toward integrating AI-processing capabilities into PCs, is bringing renewed attention to what AI could offer as its presence extends further into the notebook market. But beneath the expanding promise of these machines lies a less straightforward question: what is actually compelling buyers to bring them into their businesses and homes?

Biren readies BR20X, sharpening China's AI GPU challenge to Nvidia

DIGITIMES — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 00:31:01 GMT

Biren Technology is preparing its next-generation GPU for mass production, advancing a domestic AI accelerator roadmap built around broader low-precision support and locally available manufacturing.

Global annual AI server shipments, 2025-2026

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 10:10:30 GMT

Continued advances in top-tier LLM capabilities, coupled with the potential for business automation enabled by agentic AI, are prompting major North American cloud providers, Neo Clouds, and leading AI labs to accelerate AI data center buildouts in 2026.

Anthropic aims for mid-November IPO as it juggles relationship with Trump administration

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 10:01:12 GMT

Anthropic is reportedly eyeing an IPO as early as mid-November that could become the biggest IPO to date. The AI startup's run-up to the listing coincides with a shaky relationship with the US government, calls from its CEO Dario Amodei for more industry regulations, and nationwide public concerns about AI safety.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12 taps MediaTek Dimensity 9500 as 2nm successor arrives

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 09:58:27 GMT

MediaTek announced on September 30 that its flagship Dimensity 9500 chip powers Samsung's new Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S12+ tablets. The deal continues a long-running partnership between the two companies across Samsung's Galaxy Tab line.

LG Energy Solution and GM bet LMR can bridge the gap between LFP cost and high-nickel range

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 09:35:00 GMT

For years, automakers have grappled with an underlying paradox stemming from persistent EV raw-material pressures, as supply chains worldwide have been constrained by a familiar battery-chemistry trade-off: cost-effectiveness versus high-performance density.

Bull's France factory doubles capacity to capture growing orders as EU pushes AI sovereignty

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 09:03:45 GMT

Supercomputer maker Bull will double its production capacity using an expanded factory that reopened on October 1. The French creator of Europe's fastest supercomputers described unprecedented orders as the continent seeks to catch up to the US and China in AI infrastructure.

Climax Technology stays cautious on 2H26 as memory costs rise

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 09:01:24 GMT

Climax Technology said elevated memory prices are pressuring its gross margin in the second half of 2026, while longer customer validation cycles for substitute memory parts are also dampening its outlook. The wireless communications company said its overall second-half outlook remains conservative.

Meta to add Naver Map navigation to AI glasses in South Korea

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:54:10 GMT

Meta will link Naver Map's walking-navigation feature to its Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta AI glasses in 2026, as it moves to strengthen its presence in South Korea before rival AI glasses from Google and Samsung Electronics arrive. According to South Korean media outlets Seoul Economic Daily and ETNews, the deal would make Naver the first South Korean company to partner with Meta in the AI glasses category.

iPhone 18 Pro lifts Apple to 33% China share

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:48:45 GMT

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro series lifted first-week sales in China by 12% year over year, giving the soft smartphone market a much-needed boost and pushing Apple to the top of weekly sales with a 33% market share. The strong start underscores the brand loyalty that premium customers continue to show toward Apple's flagship phones, even amid market volatility.

Apple's Ternus pushes management cuts, faster hardware

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:46:37 GMT

After succeeding Tim Cook as Apple's chief executive, John Ternus is considering a broad organizational overhaul aimed at strengthening an engineering-centered R&D system, according to Bloomberg and Reuters. He is also weighing less reliance on Apple's traditional spring and fall product cycles in favor of more flexible and frequent device launches throughout the year.

OpenAI fires 3 safety researchers for sharing confidential information

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:45:00 GMT

OpenAI fired three safety researchers after they shared confidential information with a third-party artificial intelligence safety group, according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news. The case has drawn attention because a person familiar with the matter said some of the material concerned OpenAI's infrastructure architecture.

Huawei hikes flagship prices up to US$200 as memory shortages hit smartphone margins

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:45:00 GMT

Soaring memory procurement costs are pushing smartphone makers to pass expenses on to consumers. As artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure expansion continues to squeeze global memory supplies, Huawei has officially raised device prices, citing an average US$200 increase in per-unit manufacturing costs. The move follows similar price hikes by Samsung Electronics across its flagship portfolio.

BMW to make 20% of senior management redundant with AI

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:44:43 GMT

BMW AG said at its capital markets day on September 30 that it plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help streamline one-fifth of management roles by mid-2027. As BMW pushes to boost organizational agility through more efficient use of AI, the cuts will later extend to frontline ranks.

Japanese firms cut China presence 22.4% as trade risks mount

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:40:12 GMT

Japanese companies sharply reduced their footprint in China over the past two years, with the number operating there falling 22.4% from 13,034 to 10,118 as of the end of June 2026, according to a survey released by Teikoku Databank on September 28, 2026. The total was the lowest since the data series began in 2010, and 29.7% below the 2012 peak of 14,394.

ficonTEC, Hermes Testing target CPO testing scale-up with INS-2 platform

Levi Li — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:34:00 GMT

ficonTEC, a maker of optoelectronic automation assembly and test equipment, has announced a strategic partnership with Hermes Testing Solutions Inc. (HTSI) to support Taiwan's rapidly expanding co-packaged optics (CPO) ecosystem. The collaboration will initially focus on the INS-2 test platform, advancing ficonTEC's double-sided wafer-level testing architecture — with electrical testing from above and optical testing from below — towards commercialisation and scaled deployment.

Stellantis to pause four French plants amid EV battery shortages

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:27:37 GMT

Stellantis said it will suspend operations at four auto assembly plants in France in October, citing shortages of long-range electric vehicle batteries and the need to control dealer inventories. The cuts come as the automaker adjusts output to match demand, with strong orders for EVs that use longer-range batteries continuing to outpace supply.

Hitachi and Fanuc launch Physical AI partnership for factory automation

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:26:14 GMT

Hitachi and Fanuc announced on September 30, 2026, that they have formed a strategic partnership on Physical AI, with internal testing beginning immediately and customer promotion planned for fiscal 2027. The Japanese industrial companies said they intend to apply the technology in manufacturing and other sectors, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and nursing care.

Taiwan pledges to help TSMC expand domestic investment amid Singapore rumors

Charlene Chen — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:25:17 GMT

Rumors that TSMC is weighing a new semiconductor investment in Singapore have reignited concerns over its overseas expansion, while the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said on October 2, 2026, that the government will help the chipmaker expand investment in Taiwan.

Inside Volantis's photonic bid to break AI's memory wall after US$88 million raise

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:18:50 GMT

Semiconductor startup Volantis has raised US$88 million in Series A funding to develop an AI inference architecture that uses photonic interconnect technology to address memory bottlenecks in AI chips. The round, announced on October 1, 2026, and reported by Reuters, is aimed at breaking through the memory wall that has limited performance in current systems.

Amazon weighs US$8B chip sale-leaseback to support credit rating

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 08:08:02 GMT

Amazon is considering moving about US$8 billion worth of high-end Nvidia chips off its balance sheet through a sale-leaseback structure, according to the Financial Times and Reuters. The plan would shift thousands of Nvidia Grace Blackwell chips from data centers in Nevada and Virginia into an external special purpose vehicle, while Amazon would continue using the hardware under lease arrangements.

Nvidia weighs PTFE and HC for glass-free PCBs in Rubin Ultra

Levi Li — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 07:57:48 GMT

Nvidia is testing glass-free PCB material systems for its next-generation AI server platforms, evaluating polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and hydrocarbon (HC) resin formulations for possible use in the Rubin Ultra NVL576 Switch Tray, which is scheduled for mass production in the second half of 2027.