DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

China TPU chipmaker Zhonghao Xinying launches Xuyu AI processor to challenge GPU-based computing

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Zhonghao Xinying (Hangzhou) Technology has launched its new self-developed high-performance TPU AI processor, Xuyu, alongside Taize 2.0, a software-hardware integrated AI computing platform built around the chip.

AI supercycle could drive semiconductor market beyond US$2 trillion by 2030

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 23:29:29 GMT

The global semiconductor market is entering a historically significant growth phase. According to WSTS's latest June forecast, global semiconductor revenue is projected to grow by nearly 90% in 2026, reaching approximately US$1.5 trillion. Growth is expected to remain exceptionally strong in 2027, with year-on-year expansion of around 27%, pushing total market revenue close to US$1.9 trillion.

Asahi Kasei to expand Taiwan photoresist film capacity for AI chip packaging

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 23:29:13 GMT

Asahi Kasei, one of the notable suppliers of Sunfort dry film photoresist in Japan, has initiated a fab expansion project in Taiwan. The newly established plant is expected to further elevate capacity performance in cutting and processing semiconductor packaging substrates.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Sumitomo Chemical to form glass-core venture for chip substrates

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 23:28:56 GMT

Samsung Electro-Mechanics signed a final agreement on July 2 with Sumitomo Chemical's Korean subsidiary Dongwoo Fine-Chem to form a joint venture that will produce glass cores, a key material used in next-generation semiconductor package substrates, the companies said.

India roundup: India accelerates semiconductor ambitions through policy and global partnerships

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 23:28:27 GMT

India accelerated its semiconductor ambitions through deeper Japan cooperation, policy advances, new manufacturing partnerships, and local technology investments, reinforcing efforts to strengthen resilient supply chains and expand domestic electronics production despite infrastructure challenges and rising component costs amid intensifying global competition.

Analysis: Taiwan's semiconductor sector enters 2026 helium crunch, with nearly 90% dependent on Qatar

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 23:27:51 GMT

Taiwan's chipmakers walked into the 2026 helium supply shock more exposed to Qatar than any other major buyer, sourcing nearly 88% of their rare-gas imports from the Gulf state in 2025, up from 46% four years earlier. With war disrupting the Strait of Hormuz, that concentration leaves fabs vulnerable and the outlook uncertain.

ESMT revenue hits record high as DDR2 and DDR3 prices keep climbing

Levi Li — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 23:27:25 GMT

Elite Semiconductor Microelectronics Technology (ESMT), a memory IC design house, posted record monthly consolidated revenue of NT$4.85 billion (approx. US$152 million) in June 2026, up 8.48% from May and 328.35% from a year earlier, supported by rising prices for niche memory products.

AI reshapes supply chains as Tong Ming upgrades smart manufacturing

Charlene Chen — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 23:26:46 GMT

The AI boom is reshaping global supply chains and accelerating manufacturing's shift toward smarter operations. Tong Ming, the world's largest single stainless-steel fastener maker, said it will invest about NT$140 million (US$4.4 million) in the second half of 2026 to automate a semi-finished goods warehouse at its Changsheng plant, while strengthening automation, digital management, and precision services to boost competitiveness and address challenges from the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and supply-chain restructuring.

From Bloomberg to DIGITIMES: building a media model for the AI era

Scarlett Yu — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 02:45:33 GMT

Manhattan is where financial giants gather. By the weekend, the crowds become so dense that near Times Square, even moving through the streets can be difficult. At moments like this, a walk through Central Park becomes the best choice. With its forests, streams, and seemingly natural ecology, and with plane trees, pines, and olive trees arranged in irregular patterns, Central Park truly is the best place for New Yorkers to rest in the heart of the city.

AI PCs, AR glasses, and robots reshape display tech

Sherri Wang — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 02:45:05 GMT

The rapid expansion of AI applications is redefining what device makers need from display technology.

Applied Materials unveils integrated tools for HBM, chiplet, and 3D packaging scale-up

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 02:44:42 GMT

Applied Materials announced a new equipment platform aimed at addressing the memory bandwidth and energy-efficiency bottleneck confronting AI computing, unveiling tools across DRAM, advanced packaging, and process control to help chipmakers boost yields and accelerate mass production. The company said the platform combines materials engineering with process integration to support high-bandwidth memory (HBM), chiplet architectures, and multi-layer 3D stacking on advanced production lines.

Component inflation weighs on manufacturing momentum as Taiwan PMI growth moderates

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 02:44:12 GMT

Surging demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI servers has driven shortages and sharp price increases for conventional memory, while microcontroller (MCU) suppliers have also begun passing higher costs on to customers. Apple raised prices for certain Mac and iPad models in late June, and market rumors suggest the upcoming iPhone 18 could see price increases of as much as 30%.

AI, HPC test interface demand drives CHPT June revenue to new monthly high

Scarlett Yu — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 02:43:51 GMT

Test interface supplier Chunghwa Precision Test Tech. Co., Ltd. (CHPT) reported its June 2026 revenue, marking its sixth consecutive monthly revenue record as demand from the market remained strong. The company also posted record quarterly revenue in both the first and second quarters of 2026, underscoring its sustained growth momentum.

Advantest and OpenLight join forces on silicon photonics test platform for mass production

DIGITIMES — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 02:43:28 GMT

Advantest said it has partnered with OpenLight to develop a scalable silicon photonics (SiPh) test solution for mass production environments. The announcement comes as artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing workloads increase demand for silicon photonics and co-packaged optics in data centers.

CSCC advances carbon materials for AI data center BBU supply chain

Charlene Chen — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 02:43:04 GMT

CSCC is pushing its carbon materials, advanced carbon materials, and graphite blocks as a three-pronged strategy to target battery backup units (BBUs) for AI servers. Its advanced carbon materials have entered the final customer certification stage and are expected to secure an entry point into the AI data center supply chain.

Why enterprise AI in manufacturing is stuck at the pilot stage

Willis Ke — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 02:42:37 GMT

At a late-June industry forum, experts from Taiwan's TPIsoftware, the Institute for Information Industry (III), and Phison Electronics agreed that although AI is now indispensable for manufacturing, scaling it up depends less on raw model capability than on whether companies can actually trust it in operation. Fragmented data, weak governance, and cybersecurity concerns remain the primary hurdles keeping companies from moving past pilot projects into full adoption.

Infineon wins fourth German patent ruling against Innoscience, as GaN fight flares in Shanghai

DIGITIMES — Sat, 4 Jul 2026 06:06:22 GMT

Germany's District Court Munich I ruled on July 3 that Innoscience infringed Infineon Technologies' gallium nitride (GaN) patents, barring the Chinese chipmaker from importing, selling, or marketing the affected products in Germany and ordering it to pay damages.

Tesla tops Taiwan imports in June 2026, cuts Supercharger rates

Charlene Chen — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:58:38 GMT

Tesla led Taiwan's imported-car market in June 2026, posting 4,369 new registrations and surpassing its highest-ever quarterly delivery pace, as the company said its local owner base has now topped 80,000. Tesla also said more than 70% of its Supercharger stations across Taiwan will switch to a new discounted rate plan starting immediately, with weekend charging costs falling by up to 40% after the weekend peak-off-peak surcharge is removed.

Machvision's June revenue hits another record due to AI demand

Lily Hess — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:58:27 GMT

Machvision posted another record monthly revenue in June 2026, as surging demand for AI servers, high-performance computing (HPC), and advanced packaging continued to lift orders for the semiconductor and PCB inspection equipment maker. The company said the biggest challenge has now shifted from winning orders to managing supply chains and expanding capacity.

TSMC's median pay trails four smaller IC design houses, filings show

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:58:06 GMT

Fabless chip designers dominate the upper ranks of Taiwan's newly disclosed non-managerial employee pay data for fiscal year 2025, with only two capital-intensive manufacturers — TSMC and memory-testing equipment maker Phison — breaking into the top tier typically reserved for asset-light IC design houses.

China's CR Micro raises power chip prices as Chinese suppliers push fresh hikes

Sherri Wang — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:57:31 GMT

China Resources Microelectronics (CR Micro), a Chinese power semiconductor integrated device manufacturer, has notified customers and partners that it will raise prices across its entire product lineup starting July 1, with increases beginning at 15%.

SoftBank targets AI cloud market with 10GW US rental plan

Charlene Chen — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:55:50 GMT

SoftBank Group (SBG) and telecom subsidiary SoftBank said they will set up a new company in the US in July 2026 to rent out AI computing resources, aiming to challenge CoreWeave and Nebius in the fast-growing AI cloud market. The new unit, SB Neo, is scheduled to begin operations in fiscal 2027 (April 2027 to March 2028).

Samsung and SK Hynix seek substrate price cuts for the second half of 2026

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:55:38 GMT

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are reportedly pressing South Korean semiconductor substrate suppliers to lower prices for the second half of 2026, even as memory demand remains in a Super Cycle. According to ET News, the talks have intensified pressure across the supply chain as raw material costs stay high and substrate makers warn of margin erosion.

Anthropic tightens controls as Chinese firms route around Claude restrictions

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:55:29 GMT

Anthropic is stepping up efforts to block unauthorized access to Claude after reports that Chinese companies, including Ant Group and ByteDance, have used overseas entities, cloud services, and VPNs to work around its restrictions. Financial Times reported that the company has increased detection measures as it tries to prevent users in China from reaching its AI tools through indirect channels.

Commentary: Korea's KRW800tn chip bet risks US fab pressure while Apple profits from memory shock

Levi Li — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:55:08 GMT

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix have announced the country's largest-ever semiconductor expansion plan, while soaring memory prices have opened a separate fight between Micron and Apple.

Thinking wins varistor orders as Japanese rival exits amid silver prices hikes

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 23:54:44 GMT

Volatile precious metal prices weighed heavily on passive component suppliers in early 2026, but the cost pressures have also created unexpected order-transfer opportunities for Taiwanese manufacturers.

Infineon China pushes back after GaN products removed at Shanghai electronics show

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 08:22:12 GMT

Infineon China said on July 3 that it is pursuing legal remedies after several gallium nitride (GaN) products became the subject of a removal dispute at electronica Shanghai 2026, saying public accounts of the incident did not fully reflect the case's background or specific circumstances.

Ubtech's U1 companion robots test whether China is ready for AI intimacy

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 07:42:09 GMT

Ubtech has launched the U1 series, its first mass-produced full-size bionic humanoid robot line, under the U World sub-brand, testing China's market for AI companion robots beyond industrial and service uses.

Megawatt AI Racks: Infrastructure Evolution & Wide-Bandgap Power Semiconductor Opportunities by 2030

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 07:24:35 GMT

Megawatt AI Racks: Infrastructure Evolution & Wide-Bandgap Power Semiconductor Opportunities by 2030

Apple plans five iPhone launches to capture market share amid component shortages

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 07:20:22 GMT

Apple is reportedly planning to launch at least five new models by this time next year, with the company expanding its foldables' production. Amid surging component prices and a weakening smartphone market, these moves may be a bid to gain market share while rivals are on the back foot.

Chinese NOR Flash supplier Giantec raises prices 25% as memory market risks persist

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 07:12:50 GMT

China's memory price rally continues to gather momentum. Giantec Semiconductor Corporation, a Chinese NOR flash supplier, recently notified its distribution partners that prices for its entire NOR flash memory product portfolio will increase by 25% beginning July 6, 2026. The new pricing will apply to both newly signed orders and outstanding orders that have yet to be delivered.

China's polarizer makers seek price hikes as material bottlenecks bite

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 07:07:18 GMT

Chinese polarizer film suppliers are seeking higher prices from panel makers after raw-material and logistics costs rose in the second quarter, exposing a weak point in China's display-material supply chain.

Taiwan's Turvo confirms full management authority, reaffirms robotics expansion plans

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 07:00:29 GMT

Following recent reports of significant management changes at Turvo International Co., Ltd, President Steven Tsai addressed investors ahead of the company's earnings conference on July 2. He said representatives of the company's major shareholder, ZENG HSING Industrial Co., Ltd, were not present, and therefore he could not comment on their behalf. While acknowledging that the major shareholder has the legal authority to make such decisions, Tsai said the matter should be handled in a manner acceptable to all parties in order to avoid unnecessary controversy and disruption.

Turn Cloud shifts to AI infrastructure

Rodney Chan — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 06:59:08 GMT

Turn Cloud Technology is accelerating its transformation from a solution as a service (SolaaS) provider into an AI infrastructure provider for physical spaces, as demand for digital transformation across real-world venues continues to rise. The company says its new Tomorrow Space (TSpace) architecture will anchor its next phase of growth.

China's Z.ai ramps up AI rivalry with Anthropic, OpenAI via GLM-5.2

DIGITIMES — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 06:49:45 GMT

Chinese AI company Z.ai, also known as Zhipu AI, is escalating its challenge to US leaders Anthropic and OpenAI with the release of its open-weight GLM-5.2 model and a new AI coding assistant, underscoring China's growing competitiveness in frontier AI.

DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

China TPU chipmaker Zhonghao Xinying launches Xuyu AI processor to challenge GPU-based computing

AI supercycle could drive semiconductor market beyond US$2 trillion by 2030

Asahi Kasei to expand Taiwan photoresist film capacity for AI chip packaging

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Sumitomo Chemical to form glass-core venture for chip substrates

India roundup: India accelerates semiconductor ambitions through policy and global partnerships

Analysis: Taiwan's semiconductor sector enters 2026 helium crunch, with nearly 90% dependent on Qatar

ESMT revenue hits record high as DDR2 and DDR3 prices keep climbing

AI reshapes supply chains as Tong Ming upgrades smart manufacturing

From Bloomberg to DIGITIMES: building a media model for the AI era

AI PCs, AR glasses, and robots reshape display tech

Applied Materials unveils integrated tools for HBM, chiplet, and 3D packaging scale-up

Component inflation weighs on manufacturing momentum as Taiwan PMI growth moderates

AI, HPC test interface demand drives CHPT June revenue to new monthly high

Advantest and OpenLight join forces on silicon photonics test platform for mass production

CSCC advances carbon materials for AI data center BBU supply chain

Why enterprise AI in manufacturing is stuck at the pilot stage

Infineon wins fourth German patent ruling against Innoscience, as GaN fight flares in Shanghai

Tesla tops Taiwan imports in June 2026, cuts Supercharger rates

Machvision's June revenue hits another record due to AI demand

TSMC's median pay trails four smaller IC design houses, filings show

China's CR Micro raises power chip prices as Chinese suppliers push fresh hikes

SoftBank targets AI cloud market with 10GW US rental plan

Samsung and SK Hynix seek substrate price cuts for the second half of 2026

Anthropic tightens controls as Chinese firms route around Claude restrictions

Commentary: Korea's KRW800tn chip bet risks US fab pressure while Apple profits from memory shock

Thinking wins varistor orders as Japanese rival exits amid silver prices hikes

Infineon China pushes back after GaN products removed at Shanghai electronics show

Ubtech's U1 companion robots test whether China is ready for AI intimacy

Megawatt AI Racks: Infrastructure Evolution &amp; Wide-Bandgap Power Semiconductor Opportunities by 2030

Apple plans five iPhone launches to capture market share amid component shortages

Chinese NOR Flash supplier Giantec raises prices 25% as memory market risks persist

China's polarizer makers seek price hikes as material bottlenecks bite

Taiwan's Turvo confirms full management authority, reaffirms robotics expansion plans

Turn Cloud shifts to AI infrastructure

China's Z.ai ramps up AI rivalry with Anthropic, OpenAI via GLM-5.2

Megawatt AI Racks: Infrastructure Evolution & Wide-Bandgap Power Semiconductor Opportunities by 2030