DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Micron reaches deal with Taiwan union to introduce quarterly profit bonuses in FY27

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 11:24:45 GMT

Micron Technology's labor dispute in Taiwan appears set for resolution after its Taichung union signed a labor-management agreement with the company and withdrew from the mediation session scheduled for October 22. According to an internal email circulated by employees, Micron will introduce quarterly profit-sharing bonuses based on employee level in fiscal year 2027. The plan will cover employees at the director level and below.

Li Auto chip subsidiary Mahe Xin raises CNY1.6 billion in equity financing as automakers aim to become chipmakers

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:19:53 GMT

Li Auto's chip and domain controller subsidiary, Mahe Xin Technology, has entered a first-round equity financing agreement worth CNY 1.625 billion (approx. US$243.33 million). The fundraising follows the automaker's recent opening of its in-house technologies to external customers, mirroring similar moves by other Chinese EV companies.

Cloud AI to drive chip growth in 2027 as Taiwan suppliers seek opportunities beyond weak consumer edge AI

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:56:07 GMT

Market expectations for cloud AI demand have generally remained bullish through 2028-2029, with order visibility extending clearly over the next two to three years. The outlook for 2027 is therefore similarly positive.

Infineon, Wolfspeed pivot to 8-inch SiC to cut costs and meet rising AI power demand

Yunnie Cheng — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:18:06 GMT

Infineon Technologies and US-based silicon carbide (SiC) leader Wolfspeed announced on October 15 a new multi-year supply agreement for 8-inch SiC wafers. This deal transitions their existing supply partnership from 6-inch to 8-inch substrate technology, positioning both companies to meet future demand across electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy systems, and AI data center power infrastructure.

Sony keeps chip unit as imaging sensors, TSMC partnership drive strategy

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:05:02 GMT

Sony Group will not spin off its semiconductor business, which focuses on image sensors, president and CEO Hiroki Totoki said recently. The group is retaining the unit because its imaging-sensor expertise creates synergies between components and creative production, while a partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) will support future manufacturing investment.

Samsung shifts M2800 modem to 2nm, frees 4nm capacity for HBM base dies

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:04:56 GMT

Samsung Electronics is transitioning its 4nm production capacity to HBM, with its next-generation mobile modem, the M2800, set to move to a 2nm process. The freed 4nm capacity will primarily support production of HBM base dies, which handle control functions at the bottom of HBM stacks.

Samsung Display accelerates MPO and inkjet OLED development for laptops and monitors

Yunnie Cheng — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:03:37 GMT

Samsung Display (SDC) is reportedly advancing both micro-patterned OLED (MPO) and inkjet-printed OLED technologies in parallel, expanding its non-fine metal mask (non-FMM) RGB OLED lineup. SDC is currently validating high-resolution fabrication processes using a 7-inch engineering sample for MPO, while evaluating a pilot line for inkjet printing, with initial commercial targets focused on IT panels such as notebooks and desktop monitors.

HD Hyundai Robotics unveils dual-arm robot as FIX 2026 opens

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:58:30 GMT

HD Hyundai Robotics unveiled a dual-arm robot under development at FIX 2026 in Daegu, South Korea, on October 21, marking its first public showing as the company seeks to expand beyond conventional industrial automation into humanoid systems designed for factory work.

Samsung, SK Hynix reportedly upgrading China NAND fabs to fend off YMTC amid softening US stance

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:57:45 GMT

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are upgrading their NAND flash factories in China to make chips with more than 200 layers, Reuters reported on October 21, citing four people familiar with the plans. The move would let the South Korean memory makers win back ground lost to Yangtze Memory Technologies Co (YMTC), even though US curbs on upgrading their China operations remain formally in place.

AMD and Intel align PyTorch CPU optimizations around oneDNN

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:56:00 GMT

AMD and Intel plan to consolidate their PyTorch optimizations for x86 processors in oneDNN, aiming to give AI developers a common path to performance improvements across both companies' CPUs and reduce the work of maintaining separate software paths.

Micron's Taichung union deal eases Taiwan DRAM strike risk; Taoyuan dispute remains unresolved

Levi Li — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:53:19 GMT

With a strike by Micron Taiwan employees looming, Micron Technology said Micron Memory Taiwan and the Taichung chapter of the Taiwan Micron Memory Union had reached agreement on several issues after multiple rounds of constructive discussions. The two sides signed a labour-management agreement and agreed to withdraw the mediation scheduled for October 22. Micron will continue talks with its Taoyuan union, which has planned a one-day strike for that date.

Qisda integrates four companies to build scalable rack-scale AI solutions

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:25:00 GMT

Qisda Group is targeting rack-scale AI opportunities in data centers by accelerating development of its rack-scale AI solutions. Through in-house design, manufacturing, and cross-domain integration, Qisda is bringing together Alpha Networks, Aewin Technologies, Arivor Technologies, and GrAndvance Technology to combine high-speed connectivity, modular computing, and advanced liquid cooling. Together, they are building flexible, scalable AI infrastructure, from individual equipment to complete rack-level systems.

Anthropic's IPO spotlight falls on its potential US$750 billion AI compute tab

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:03:56 GMT

Anthropic's draft IPO prospectus captures the tension behind its rapid growth: first-half revenue surged to US$16.3 billion, while the company reported a US$80.7 billion net loss and outlined potential computing commitments of up to US$750 billion.

Murata develops world's smallest NTC thermistor, targets 2027 mass production

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:02:57 GMT

Japan's Murata Manufacturing has developed the world's smallest NTC thermistor, the 008004 NCU01 series, measuring 0.25mm × 0.125mm. Compared with Murata's previous smallest 01005-inch thermistor, measuring 0.4mm × 0.2mm, the new product cuts mounting area by about 60% while maintaining equivalent temperature-sensing performance, with both resistance and B-constant tolerances at ±1%.

China launches state-owned data group as market-facing arm of its AI infrastructure push

Levi Li — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 06:51:46 GMT

China has established a new state-owned enterprise, National Data Group, headquartered in Xiong'an, Hebei province. Ding Xuexiang, a vice-premier of the State Council, attended its inauguration on October 20.

PCB material shortages persist as capacity expansion extends beyond 2029

Charlene Chen — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 06:41:00 GMT

Rapid advances in AI and high-performance computing (HPC) are driving printed circuit boards (PCBs) toward higher layer counts, greater density, and higher-performance materials, triggering an open-ended shortage of upstream materials and equipment. Key suppliers of copper-clad laminates (CCL), copper foil and drill bits are launching capacity expansion plans covering the next 3-4 years.

Taiwan PCB output set to top NT$1 trillion as VP touts AI opportunity

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 06:23:00 GMT

The 27th Taiwan Printed Circuit Industry International Exhibition (TPCA Show 2026) opened in Nangang on October 20, with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim calling on the PCB industry to seize opportunities created by the AI boom. Taiwan's PCB industry is expected to generate more than NT$1 trillion in output for the first time in 2026 as AI infrastructure drives demand across the technology supply chain.

Qualcomm plans global performance-based layoffs from November

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 05:58:01 GMT

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told employees in a memo on October 19 that the company will conduct global, performance-based layoffs after completing its annual employee evaluations, with notifications expected to begin in November. The move aims to build a stronger performance culture and address the company's continued failure to meet expectations.

US sanctions five Chinese entities over trade secret theft tied to ex-Google engineer

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 05:54:03 GMT

The US imposed sanctions on five Chinese entities tied to ex-Google engineer Linwei Ding for theft of trade secrets. The action follows his conviction for stealing confidential AI technology from Google, apparently to benefit Chinese firms.

Micron funds critical minerals processing at Indium Corporation's New York facility

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 05:13:56 GMT

Micron Technology said Tuesday it will fund critical minerals processing and high-purity materials manufacturing at Indium Corporation's facilities in Rome, New York.

CXMT's next DRAM milestone: 4F² server memory with hybrid bonding by end-2026

Levi Li — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 04:41:48 GMT

Chinese DRAM maker CXMT is targeting higher-density manufacturing. At a recent shareholder meeting, management pledged to enter what it called the "uncharted territory" of extreme memory scaling, using process innovation to overcome technical barriers.

CATL's profit growth slows, sharpening focus on 50% energy-storage revenue target

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 04:32:09 GMT

CATL's third-quarter revenue rose 58.58% year-over-year to CNY165.22 billion (approx. US$24.73 billion), but net profit attributable to shareholders increased just 14.54% to CNY21.25 billion. For the first nine months of 2026, revenue reached CNY442.14 billion, up 56.19%, while net profit rose 31.6% to CNY64.53 billion, according to its filing on Cninfo.

AMD: Physical AI demands more than TOPS

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 04:22:00 GMT

Physical AI that can sense, reason, control machines and interact with people, Salil Raje, senior vice president of AMD's Embedded Computing Group, said TOPS (trillions of operations per second) no longer adequately measures performance, and that the industry must rethink how it defines performance for systems that require end-to-end, real-time responsiveness.

DIGITIMES Insights: AI server PCB upgrades drive explosive demand for advanced backdrilling equipment

Yunnie Cheng — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 04:08:54 GMT

DIGITIMES observes that as AI servers and high-speed networking equipment continuously pursue higher data transmission rates, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are being upgraded through higher layer counts and lower-loss materials. In this transition, via structures have become critical bottlenecks affecting signal integrity. When high-frequency signals route between layers in a multilayer board, residual barrel copper can impair transmission, generating robust demand for high-precision backdrilling equipment.

AMEC seeks South Korean foothold through MOCVD trials with SK Keyfoundry, Magnachip

Levi Li — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:54:56 GMT

AMEC is seeking an entry into South Korea's power semiconductor market through MOCVD equipment trials with SK Keyfoundry and Magnachip. The Chinese equipment supplier holds a large share of its domestic MOCVD market but remains unable to supply Samsung Electronics' and SK Hynix's South Korean fabs.

Chinese nickel producers weigh coordinated HPAL cuts in Indonesia

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:46:00 GMT

Executives from Chinese nickel producers plan to meet as early as October 20 to seek coordinated production cuts at Indonesian processing plants as weaker prices and rising costs pressure margins. The talks could affect global nickel and battery supply chains, but their timing and outcome remain uncertain amid ongoing policy challenges in Indonesia.

TSMC and others turn LCD plants into AI assets as LG Innotek weighs acquisition

Lily Hess — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:45:00 GMT

Growing demand for AI servers, advanced packaging, and data centers is reviving interest in idle LCD plants, with companies acquiring and converting existing sites into semiconductor packaging substrate lines, advanced packaging facilities, and AI computing hubs. LG Innotek is reportedly evaluating the acquisition of an LCD plant operated by LG Display, following similar deals in Japan and Taiwan.

Zhen Ding Technology showcases AI infrastructure and terminal PCB lineup

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:35:00 GMT

PCB manufacturer Zhen Ding Technology (ZDT) Group is exhibiting at TPCA Show 2026 under the theme "One ZDT, Next AI," highlighting its latest technology and R&D achievements in AI servers, high-speed optical communications, and AI terminal devices. The company is presenting comprehensive PCB solutions spanning AI infrastructure and smart terminals.

Axcelis plans US$35 million semiconductor facility in South Korea

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:34:07 GMT

Axcelis Technologies plans to break ground on a US$35 million ion implantation equipment manufacturing facility in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, expanding its semiconductor infrastructure for customers worldwide. The project highlights investment in advanced semiconductor capacity as the global economy enters the artificial intelligence era, with production scheduled to begin in 2028.

Analysis: From rockets to fabs, SpaceX's TeraFab bet pushes vertical integration into the semiconductor era

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:28:02 GMT

SpaceX has spent two decades proving that hardware once considered too complex, too capital-intensive, or too dependent on entrenched suppliers could sometimes be pulled in-house. Its Q3 earnings call suggests the company now wants to test that philosophy on perhaps the hardest manufacturing problem of all: advanced semiconductor production.

Micron faces potential Taiwan strike, union cites Samsung, SK Hynix profit-sharing benchmark

Levi Li — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:17:57 GMT

Micron Technology's Taoyuan union has announced a one-day warning strike for October 22, coinciding with a second round of labour mediation between the company and its Taichung union. The Taoyuan union is demanding a concrete response to its profit-sharing proposals, particularly the percentage and amount of a one-off bonus for 2026 and a future profit-sharing framework.

Sony bets on cinema-grade audio, mobile accessories to counter smartphone sales slump

Willis Ke — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:17:53 GMT

Sony's smartphone business continues to struggle amid fierce competition from Apple, Samsung Electronics, and Chinese rivals, with annual shipments falling to just several million units. However, the growing adoption of cinema-grade video capabilities in smartphones could open new opportunities for Sony to leverage its imaging and audio expertise in the mobile accessory market.

Apple expands US iPhone supply ties with Perryman and Qnity

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:14:33 GMT

Apple announced new and expanded US supplier partnerships on October 20, 2026, including plans to commit up to US$100 million to titanium producer Perryman Company over three years and broaden its camera-technology partnership with Qnity Electronics.

SpaceX pushes AI scaling into industrial realm as power equipment becomes limiting factor

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:08:35 GMT

The AI infrastructure race is increasingly becoming a contest over who can turn electrical capacity, cooling systems, and hardware into usable compute the fastest.

How ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent are testing the boundaries of US AI chip restrictions

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:51:16 GMT

Chinese tech giants ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent have collectively ordered more than 3 million units of Nvidia's new RTX PRO 5500 graphics cards, representing a total value exceeding US$35 billion, as reported by Reuters.

Memory costs weaken e-reader demand as E Ink cuts 2026 outlook

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:40:00 GMT

Surging memory prices are forcing e-reader makers to raise prices, weakening demand and clouding E Ink Holdings' 2026 outlook. E Ink has cut its revenue-growth forecast, while Netronix expects shipments to remain flat. The companies are looking to electronic shelf labels, advertising displays, and products to offset pressure on consumer electronics.

REI targets drone, robot markets

Rodney Chan — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:39:09 GMT

Racing Electric Instrument (REI), which built its business on defense and aerospace motors, is expanding into the commercial unmanned vehicle market, targeting power systems for drones and robots. REI chairman Chieh-tsun Lai said the company's experience in designing, manufacturing, and validating motors for highly demanding defense and aerospace applications gives it advantages over conventional industrial motor suppliers.

Vertical Aerospace's liquidity squeeze clouds 2029 eVTOL certification target

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:39:00 GMT

As Tesla showcases the new "flying" capability of its next-generation Roadster electric sports car, Vertical Aerospace, a key player in the flying-car sector, is facing regulatory delays and tightening operating funds. The UK electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company says its Valo air taxi continues to hit development milestones, but liquidity constraints, a depressed share price and financing-related dilution are raising questions about whether it can secure certification by 2029.

AI chip scaling shifts into 3D, with performance per watt the new benchmark, says former TSMC VP

Levi Li — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:17:39 GMT

Growing AI computing demand is bringing the semiconductor industry to a technological turning point. Transistor scaling has long driven gains in chip density, performance, and energy efficiency. Advancing process nodes now bring greater complexity in device architectures, materials, process integration, and design, extending innovation beyond individual chips.

Toppan, Keio University validate quantum AI image generation

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:10:00 GMT

Toppan Holdings and Japan's Keio University have completed a proof of concept for technology that combines quantum computers with generative AI to support manga and anime production, and have launched follow-up research. The research team generated images through quantum circuits and used AI for background completion, coloring, and resolution enhancement, demonstrating the feasibility of applying quantum technology to content production.

Samsung reportedly shifts foundry focus to 4nm, 5nm as 2nm deals take longer

Charlene Chen — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:08:08 GMT

Samsung Electronics is increasingly relying on its 4nm and 5nm foundry processes to improve near-term profitability as negotiations with major customers for its next-generation 2nm technology take longer than expected.

Advanced PCB drilling faces growing demand from AI and high-speed applications

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:05:00 GMT

Topoint Technology is positioning its precision PCB drilling business for rising demand from AI servers, high-performance computing, and high-speed transmission applications. At TPCA Show 2026, the company presented tools and processing technologies for advanced materials, including ABF substrates, quartz cloth, and PTFE, while outlining its capacity expansion in Taiwan and China.

Supermicro lifts quarterly sales estimate as AI demand outpaces forecasts

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:51:57 GMT

Supermicro expects quarterly revenue and gross margin to exceed its earlier guidance, citing stronger demand for AI platforms and a more favorable customer and product mix. The October 20 update comes as investors question the financing behind the AI data center expansion.

Foxconn and Mitsubishi Electric target SDV with L4 autonomy and EV drive systems

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:50:00 GMT

Foxconn's planned JPY115 billion (US$726.83 million) investment in Mitsubishi Electric Mobility will create a joint venture to expand their electric-vehicle and autonomous-driving businesses globally. The deal combines Mitsubishi Electric's automotive technology and customer relationships with Foxconn's flexible contract development and manufacturing model, while testing whether shared ownership could speed future growth.

Beyond broadband: SpaceX maps Starlink's expansion into aviation, mobile, next-gen capacity

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:44:56 GMT

What began as a satellite broadband service is increasingly becoming SpaceX's platform for connecting homes, aircraft, mobile devices, and government networks.

iPhone Duo finally debuts, but with price increases across models, Apple's 4Q26 shipments will take hit

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:42:05 GMT

DIGITIMES says the most closely watched model in Apple's high-end iPhone 18 lineup, launched in September 2026, is the long-anticipated first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo.

Starlink, FPT deploy satellite internet terminals on Vietnam islands

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:42:00 GMT

Vietnam has installed 10 Starlink satellite internet terminals on islands near Haiphong, highlighting how low Earth orbit networks are being used to extend connectivity beyond conventional infrastructure. The deployment provides backup communications for emergencies and could support digital development, while also illustrating the service's regulatory limits, cost challenges, and focus on remote users.

LX Semicon uses AI agents to cut display chip design time by 80%

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:38:00 GMT

South Korean IC design firm LX Semicon has deployed AI agents in the development of display driver ICs (DDIs), reducing the design time for a benchmark image-processing engine from 10 days to two. The company said two large-size LCD TV DDI products developed with the technology have reached tape-out, with mass production planned for early to mid-2027 for television panels in Greater China.

AI customers seek 3-year partnerships as Unimicron calls for Taiwan PCB supply chain collab

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:30:00 GMT

TPCA Show Taipei 2026, organized by the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA), opened on October 20. Unimicron Technology chairman S.C. Chien delivered a keynote at the opening ceremony, discussing key opportunities for printed circuit board (PCB) industry development in the artificial intelligence (AI) era.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics wins KRW360.5 billion memory substrate deal as AI demand drives expansion

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:23:11 GMT

Samsung Electro-Mechanics has secured a KRW360.5 billion (US$271.8 million) long-term contract to supply package substrates for memory semiconductors, strengthening its position in the growing AI server component market.

Memory chip inflation accelerates smartphone brands' retreat from low-end devices

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:20:00 GMT

Rising memory prices are squeezing smartphone makers and consumers, pushing shipments to their lowest third-quarter level since 2012, and accelerating the market's retreat from entry-level devices. Brands are raising prices, cutting low-margin models, and limiting production, while delayed upgrades and interest in used and refurbished phones further weigh on demand.

Breaking AI's memory wall: former TSMC VP charts a path with HBM, optical links and 3D stacking

Levi Li — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:15:00 GMT

AI processor performance continues to improve, but memory bandwidth is growing more slowly, making data supply a major constraint on AI chip performance and energy efficiency. Efforts to shorten the distance between memory and compute units and increase die-to-die interconnect density are driving advances in HBM, advanced packaging and 3D integration.

Taiwan's September export orders jump 62.4% on AI demand

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:05:00 GMT

Taiwan's export orders totaled US$114.21 billion in September 2026, up US$11.25 billion, or 10.9%, from the previous month, according to data released by Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) on October 20. After seasonal adjustment, orders rose 1.1%. Compared with September 2025, export orders increased US$42.87 billion, or 62.4%, while growth in New Taiwan dollar terms reached 69.5%.

Nvidia's Vera CPU signals a broader shift in AI infrastructure

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:45:47 GMT

Nvidia is positioning its Vera CPU as a central component of data-center infrastructure for agentic artificial intelligence, as multistep reasoning and tool calls increase demand for fast serial processing. The company says CPU resources are gaining importance alongside GPUs, while declining GPU-to-CPU ratios signal a potential redesign of AI computing architectures.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics extends long-term contracts to memory substrates, totaling KRW4.3T

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:45:00 GMT

Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEMCO) has signed a long-term supply agreement worth KRW360.487 billion (approximately US$260 million) with a major global company for memory packaging substrates, with shipments scheduled to begin in 2027. The company did not disclose the customer or specific application, but the deal expands its long-term contract coverage from multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and silicon capacitors into substrates.

Contrel, FSE combine laser and plasma processes for advanced packaging

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:37:05 GMT

Contrel Technology and FSE jointly showcased dual-core laser micromachining and plasma process technologies at TPCA Show 2026, targeting advanced packaging and high-end substrate manufacturing. The companies' solutions span key processes from surface treatment and residue removal to laser trimming, debonding, grooving, and cutting.

Taiwan promotes Hsinchu science-park model to Mexico and Poland

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:36:22 GMT

Taiwan is promoting its science-park development model as Mexico's Sonora state and Poland explore partnerships to attract investment and build industrial hubs. The effort could shape how regions worldwide develop global supply chains by combining research, manufacturing, infrastructure, talent, and sustainability, while Taiwan's companies seek opportunities beyond established overseas clusters.

Packaging-to-board integration emerges as key gap as AI reshapes electronics supply chain

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:35:39 GMT

Packaging, substrate, printed circuit board (PCB), and assembly makers need closer coordination to meet the demands of AI and high-performance computing (HPC), as package-to-board integration becomes a growing technical bottleneck, industry executives said at IMPACT 2026 in Taipei.

Robot hands get cheaper, but factories still want proof

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:35:14 GMT

Competition among Chinese suppliers is driving down prices for dexterous robotic hands, but cheaper hardware has yet to resolve a bigger challenge for humanoid developers: proving that multi-finger systems can perform industrial tasks reliably and at a competitive cost.

Huawei-linked Yinwang gives CATL battery swapping a wider route into smart vehicles

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:35:01 GMT

Chinese battery giant CATL is giving its battery-service business a distinctive boost through a three-party battery-swapping agreement linking Huawei-affiliated Yinwang Intelligent Technology, CATL, and CATL's battery-swapping subsidiary, Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology (CAES).

Foreign suppliers stand to gain first as India's chemical makers chase Tata's chip fab

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:34:29 GMT

India's first commercial chip fab is opening a long-awaited new market for the country's chemical makers, but the companies best placed to profit in the near term are Japanese, South Korean, and European materials suppliers that already have the purification know-how and customer trust that chipmakers demand.

Amazon open-sources TorchNeuron to bridge PyTorch, AWS Trainium

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:34:14 GMT

To lower AI hardware adoption barriers and offer alternative compute choices, Amazon has announced TorchNeuron—a native backend allowing existing PyTorch code to run directly on AWS Trainium chips with minimal code changes. The tool enters public beta under the Apache 2.0 open-source license today at the PyTorch Conference North America.

Japan plans JPY400 billion boost for Rapidus 2nm push

Charlene Chen — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:33:56 GMT

Japan plans to provide an additional JPY400 billion (US$2.5 billion) to support Rapidus' advanced semiconductor production between fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2029, as the government seeks to achieve mass production of 2nm chips in fiscal 2027. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) presented the latest policy on October 19, according to reports from Reuters, Nikkei Asia, and BigGo Finance. The funding would be provided as an industrial investment between April 2027 and March 2030.

SpaceX returns to operating profit in 3Q26; Super Intelligence revenue overtakes Connectivity

DIGITIMES — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:20:00 GMT

SpaceX's third quarter of 2026 reshaped the business. Its Super Intelligence (SI) segment, the compute and AI unit previously reported as Artificial Intelligence, generated more revenue than the Starlink-led Connectivity segment, reversing the previous quarter's order, and the group posted an operating profit after losses in each of the four preceding quarters. The quarter also showed what the shift costs: capital spending again ran ahead of revenue, and most of it went into compute.

AI infrastructure faces four hurdles: Power, construction, technology, funding

Charlene Chen — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 17:01:00 GMT

At last week's SEMICON West 2026 industry outlook forum, research firms said investment in US AI data centers continues to accelerate, but the industry still faces multiple hurdles before it can turn demand into operational computing capacity. Constraints now extend beyond chips to power and the grid, construction speed, immature technologies, and funding pressure behind capital spending, all of which could slow expansion.

Musk and Anthropic test rival models for sharing AI wealth with the public

DIGITIMES — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:01:00 GMT

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) is best understood as revolutionary in modern society, transforming industries and reshaping daily life as successive rounds of rapid growth push AI deeper into nearly every aspect of social and economic activity.

Unimicron chairman sees substrate sizes reaching 14x current scale by 2030

Charlene Chen — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:09:19 GMT

TPCA Show 2026 officially opened, with Unimicron Chairman Shan-Chieh Chien saying in his opening address that solving the three major challenges facing AI accelerators in high-performance computing (HPC) will require more than semiconductor process scaling. Advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration technologies must be introduced in parallel, significantly raising the technical requirements for the PCB and substrate industries.