DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Intel prioritizes Xeon; CPU shortage opens door for AMD and MediaTek

Levi Li — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:37:34 GMT

Generative AI has driven a surge in GPU demand and accelerated a structural reshaping of the semiconductor industry. At the same time, CPUs are re-emerging after years of being sidelined, with demand rising sharply and pushing Intel into a rare supply shortage. Intel executives said demand is far exceeding supply, with capacity constraints costing billions of dollars in lost revenue.

Chinese EVs undercut global rivals by half, siren alarm in South Korea and beyond

Elaine Chen — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:06:10 GMT

China's auto industry is expanding at a striking pace, powered by electric vehicles and a surge in exports that is reshaping the global market order. Analysts in South Korea warn that China's rapid gains in price competitiveness and technological capability now pose an existential challenge to major automotive nations, including their own.

OpenAI eyes agentic AI phone but faces challenges beyond chip design

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:03:18 GMT

OpenAI's agentic AI phone could reshape mobile markets and supply chains by forcing incumbents to respond. Still, success depends on delivering both interface breakthroughs and competitive cost-performance for mainstream buyers and attracting users.

Wuhan unveils US$38 billion plan; YMTC and XMC lead memory expansion

Levi Li — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:51:00 GMT

China's central tech hub Wuhan has unveiled its 2026 major project plan, targeting 355 city-level projects with total investment exceeding CNY260 billion (approx. US$38.1 billion).

New flagship launches expected to narrow Taiwan phone shipment decline in the second quarter

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:48:31 GMT

The Taiwan smartphone market showed resilience after the Lunar New Year peak as manufacturers introduced multiple new flagship models, and industry sources said the launches should help narrow a forecasted decline in the second quarter. Mobile channel operators reported that Taiwan's phone shipments reached nearly 418,000 units in March 2026, down about 1% from February's 420,000 units, while revenue rose nearly 1% as premium device sales increased.

Rising component costs push Chinese phone makers to speed product cycles and favor high-end models

AI bot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:36:44 GMT

Chinese smartphone manufacturers accelerated product cycles in response to rising upstream component costs and weak sales, as memory price increases in 2026 squeezed margins and prompted firms to shift focus to higher-margin models. According to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, March 2026 shipments in China totaled 21.15 million units, down 7.1% year-over-year, while 5G phone shipments reached 19.67 million units, a 1.3% increase and 93% of total shipments.

Emerging supplier targets low-earth orbit satellite market with cryogenic high-frequency cables

AI bot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:32:37 GMT

An electronics components firm, U-leam, founded in September 2022, said it is targeting the low-earth orbit satellite market by supplying high-frequency connectors, cable assemblies, and battery modules designed for extreme environments. The company stated it has secured long-term supply partnerships with major international satellite manufacturers and is developing cryogenic cable technology for quantum computing as it expands into aerospace, industrial, medical, and automotive electronics.

Cadence signals strong start to 2026 as AI drives growth across EDA and IP

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:20:25 GMT

Cadence Design Systems reported a robust first quarter for 2026, underscoring how accelerating demand for AI is reshaping semiconductor design and expanding the role of electronic design automation (EDA) tools.

Taiwan payment firm targets small merchants to push non-cash transactions past NT$10 trillion

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:19:23 GMT

Systex Fintech said it will focus on onboarding small merchants who currently transact in cash to help drive the island's non-cash transaction value from NT$6 trillion in 2023 toward the Financial Supervisory Commission's NT$10 trillion (US$190.4 billion) goal by 2026. The company stated that the strategy centers on expanding acceptance among roughly 1.3 million corporate accounts, including more than 500,000 small businesses and cash-based street vendors that do not issue invoices, which it described as a blue ocean for growth.

End of exclusivity becomes industry norm as OpenAI-Microsoft reset signals broader AI shift

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:10:20 GMT

OpenAI and Microsoft have agreed to end one of the AI industry's most prominent exclusive partnerships, underscoring a wider shift toward multi-cloud deployment and cross-platform collaboration. The amended agreement, announced April 27, allows OpenAI to distribute its models across any cloud provider while maintaining Microsoft as its primary partner.

Why Big AI is hiring philosophers to tackle the ethics gap and how the approaches differ

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:05:00 GMT

Google DeepMind and Anthropic are increasingly recruiting philosophers to address the ethical and societal questions posed by advanced artificial intelligence, while OpenAI continues to treat safety largely as an engineering challenge without dedicated philosopher roles. The hires reflect diverging views within the industry about whether AI requires distinct governance and moral expertise.

China blocks Meta-Manus deal, signaling tougher stance as unwinding poses complex fallout

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:58:30 GMT

China's decision to block and unwind Meta Platforms' acquisition of AI startup Manus is reverberating across the global technology sector, highlighting Beijing's increasingly assertive approach to controlling strategic technologies and cross-border deals.

Radiant Opto-Electronics delays optical communications push by 2–3 years

Sherri Wang — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:45:00 GMT

Radiant Opto-Electronics will wait two to three years before accelerating investment in optical communications and co-packaged optics (CPO), as uncertainties around industry structure and business models persist, chairman Justin Wang said.

Strong demand and advanced packaging execution drive Amkor's upbeat quarter

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:40:10 GMT

Amkor Technology reported a strong start to 2026, with management attributing the performance to robust demand across multiple end markets and continued execution in advanced packaging.

Kakao Mobility launches Level 4 robotaxi, scales AI mobility platform

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:35:00 GMT

South Korea's leading mobility platform, Kakao Mobility is accelerating the commercial rollout of Level 4 autonomous driving, placing artificial intelligence at the center of a "physical AI" strategy that spans vehicles, robotics, and platform infrastructure.

AI-driven demand and record backlog fuel Cadence's strong start to 2026

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:32:12 GMT

Cadence Design Systems reported a solid first quarter for 2026, with growth driven by accelerating AI demand and sustained customer investment in chip and system design tools.

TSMC 2nm leak case results in NT$150M fine for TEL; company says no confidential data was leaked and discussions are underway

Charlene Chen — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:33:31 GMT

In the trade secret leak case involving TSMC's 2nm process, the Intellectual Property and Commercial Court ruled on April 27, 2026, that Tokyo Electron (TEL), the equipment supplier involved, must pay a fine of NT$150 million (US$4.8 million), marking the first penalty imposed on a legal entity under the National Security Act.

Why the AI boom still runs through Taiwan — and why that won't change

Kevin Wang — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:30:29 GMT

As trade tensions simmer and geopolitical flashpoints multiply, Taiwan's technology sector is holding firm. Anchored by surging AI infrastructure demand and a pivotal shift in how its chips reach the world, the island's economy is on track for its strongest growth in years — and industry experts say the fundamentals have rarely looked more solid.

Commentary: What Amap reveals about AI navigation, data control

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:30:15 GMT

AI-powered navigation platforms such as China's Amap are forcing a rethink of how convenience, competition, and data governance intersect. The debate in Taiwan over Amap's near-real-time traffic light countdown and high-precision navigation reflects a broader shift in how mobility data is collected, processed, and monetized.

DeepSeek V4 fails to close gap as US-China AI divide persists amid chip constraints

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:30:00 GMT

DeepSeek's latest flagship model, V4, has renewed debate over the trajectory of the US-China AI race, with analysts and industry voices suggesting that China's progress in model efficiency is not translating into a meaningful reduction in capability gaps with leading US systems.

AI chip testing complexity lifts probe card and upstream supply chain demand

Levi Li — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:29:45 GMT

As AI chips move to advanced process nodes and packaging technologies, semiconductor testing requirements are becoming significantly more complex.

AetherAI wins FDA and IVDR nods for digital pathology platform as it eyes global expansion

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:29:26 GMT

Amid rising global cancer rates and a shortage of pathology staff, Taiwan-based AetherAI says its FDA- and IVDR-certified digital pathology platform could ease diagnostic bottlenecks worldwide by enabling integrated AI tools and automated workflows, potentially accelerating access to faster, scalable cancer diagnostics across hospitals, healthcare systems, and clinics globally.

Alphabet's US$40bn Anthropic stake heats up AI cloud and compute race

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:29:10 GMT

Alphabet's decision to invest up to US$40 billion in Anthropic marks a defining shift in the artificial intelligence race: control over computing infrastructure is becoming as critical as model development itself.

Taiwan's Tmytek targets profitability with push into satellite communications

Elaine Chen — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:28:36 GMT

TMY Technology, a maker of millimeter-wave (mmWave) phased-array solutions, is reshaping its business as it pushes beyond its traditional reliance on test and measurement equipment, betting on satellites, defense, and next-generation communications to drive growth and a potential return to profitability as early as 2027.

GrandTech drives growth with AI cloud and 3D printing for drone market

Charlene Chen — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:28:13 GMT

GrandTech Chairman Frankie Hsu highlighted the company's successful transformation from a software agency to a dual-engine growth model, powered by its investment in GrandTech Cloud Services (GCS) and its 3D printing business. The former capitalizes on the booming cloud and AI wave, while the latter taps into expanding drone opportunities, providing strong and sustainable momentum.

Apple and Asus defy PC market slump with growth in 2026

Charlene Chen — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:27:58 GMT

The global PC industry faces a harsh downturn in 2026, with shipments expected to decline by up to 15% amid soaring DRAM and NAND prices, supply shortages, and CPU delivery issues. Despite this bleak outlook, Apple and Asus are bucking the trend, maintaining annual notebook shipment growth targets.

AI lifts memory: SK Hynix hits 72% margin as Samsung nears 70%

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:25:03 GMT

SK Hynix reported record results for the first quarter of 2026, with operating margin reaching about 72% — among the highest globally — as artificial intelligence (AI)-driven demand lifted memory pricing, according to company disclosures and Korean media reports.

Moore Threads hits first profit, AI compute orders drive growth

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:24:35 GMT

China's domestic GPU developer Moore Threads is shifting from heavy R&D spending to early monetisation, delivering triple-digit revenue growth in 2025 and its first quarterly profit in early 2026, driven by rising AI compute demand.

LG Display posts strongest 1Q26 profit in five years, signals end to job cuts

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:24:08 GMT

LG Display reported its strongest first-quarter operating profit in half a decade and signaled an end to years of workforce restructuring, as it continues to shift toward high-end OLED panels.

Commentary: Tim Cook's sole omission during 15-year tenor

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:23:51 GMT

On December 6, 2022, Tim Cook stood on a construction site in Phoenix, Arizona, alongside President Biden, TSMC founder Morris Chang, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. It was the tool-in ceremony for TSMC's first Arizona fab, a moment that crystallized how central Taiwan's semiconductor industry had become to American technology ambitions. For Cook, it was also the closest he ever got to TSMC's leadership in 15 years as Apple's CEO.

CPO revolution: Capitalizing on paradigm shift in AI data center connectivity

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:01:17 GMT

The CPO market is projected to grow sharply by a 142% CAGR from 2026 to 2030 (excl. ELS) and as AI clusters scale and 3.2T data rates push copper to its limits, CPO is emerging as the new star.
NVIDIA and Broadcom both started deploying CPO in switch p

DIGITIMES: Enterprise AI shifts toward inference as computing architectures undergo structural realignment

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:47:07 GMT

As enterprise adoption of generative AI accelerates, a new phase of infrastructure demand is beginning to take shape. According to DIGITIMES' special report, Accelerating enterprise AI: Hardware advancements and compute architecture transformation, the industry is moving beyond the initial buildout of training capacity and into a stage defined by large-scale deployment—where inference workloads are emerging as the primary driver of compute growth.

Samsung reportedly breaks 10nm barrier with first single-digit nanometer DRAM working die

Charlene Chen — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:44:42 GMT

Samsung Electronics has reportedly become the first company in the world to develop a single-digit nanometer-class 10a DRAM working die, using the prototype to fine-tune process conditions to rapidly improve yield.

Taiwan IPC players shift to edge AI solutions: Growth opportunities and supply chain challenges in 2026

DIGITIMES — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:43:24 GMT

Large Taiwanese IPC players begin reaping early edge AI deployment dividends in 2025, with estimated 2026 revenue growth of 12%.

Tmytek expands testing capacity with new high-frequency lab

Elaine Chen — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:39:39 GMT

As 6G standardization accelerates and low-Earth-orbit satellite applications gain traction, the communications industry is entering a new phase — one defined by the native integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. That shift is driving sharp demand for high-frequency technologies and the testing infrastructure required to validate them.