DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

TBI Motion taps humanoid robot demand with small-batch shipments

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 07:35:00 GMT

TBI Motion has begun shipping parts for humanoid robots as the global race to commercialize the technology gathers pace. The move highlights how suppliers, from Asia to Europe, are positioning for new industrial demand while also seeking growth in automotive and medical markets amid intense price pressure and competition.

Interview: Qnity's Taiwan investment to focus on advanced packaging, CPO, and cooling

Charlene Chen — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 07:15:00 GMT

Qnity, the independent company spun off from US chemicals giant DuPont, is ramping up investment in Taiwan as the island cements its role at the center of the global AI hardware supply chain. Asia-Pacific president Dennis Chen said in an interview with DIGITIMES that future spending will focus on three main battlegrounds: advanced packaging, co-packaged optics (CPOs), and thermal management.

China unveils national AI agent standards to accelerate interoperable AI ecosystem

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 07:05:00 GMT

China has released seven national standards for AI agent interconnection, establishing a unified framework for how AI agents identify themselves, discover one another, collaborate, and invoke external tools as artificial intelligence advances from content generation toward autonomous decision-making and execution.

Corning's East Coast edge: IP, manufacturing depth, and AI-era return of optical fiber

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 07:02:59 GMT

Protecting patents around the world is a core value for any R&D-driven company. It is also a commitment to partnering with customers. In 2025, glass giant Corning filed nearly 400 patent applications and close to 1,000 international applications. Its active patent portfolio now totals around 11,400 patents worldwide.

Taiwan's Chief Telecom says raid over alleged AI server smuggling has no financial impact

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:55:57 GMT

Chief Telecom Inc. said a June 29 search by prosecutors and investigators over an alleged illegal smuggling case involving high-end AI servers bound for Hong Kong, Macau, and China has not materially affected its finances or operations. The case highlights growing global scrutiny of AI hardware supply chains and data center controls.

Samsung commits KRW2,655 trillion to future industries, anchoring new Gwangju fab

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:40:46 GMT

Samsung said on June 29 it will invest a combined KRW2,655 trillion (approx. US$1.72 trillion as of June 30, 2026) across its domestic operations, splitting the figure between continued buildout of its existing Pyeongtaek and Yongin semiconductor clusters and a fresh push into Korea's southwestern Honam region, where the bulk of the new money is aimed at memory capacity.

HKC IPO gives China's display sector a third heavyweight

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:30:00 GMT

HKC Corporation has debuted on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange main board, cementing a three-way leadership structure in China's display panel industry alongside BOE and TCL CSOT while securing fresh capital to expand OLED, oxide semiconductor, and Mini LED technologies.

Memory suppliers lock down buyers as contract prices continue surging in 2H26

Emily Kuo — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:59:42 GMT

Memory pricing pressure continues to intensify. Contract prices have already recorded substantial gains for two consecutive quarters in the first half of 2026. The pace of quarterly increases may now moderate as the pricing base climbs higher. Still, the memory industry remains firmly in a seller's market. Supply constraints have spread beyond high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and premium DRAM products to virtually all memory categories. Industry sources expect pricing increases to vary by product segment, but the long-term upward trend remains intact, with overall memory prices potentially rising another 60–75% in the second half of the year.

Apple faces iPhone 18 Pro price pressure as memory crunch tests AI upgrade strategy

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:45:00 GMT

Apple's next iPhone Pro lineup could be heading toward one of its sharpest pricing tests in years, as surging memory costs threaten to raise hardware expenses just as the company pushes deeper into on-device AI.

Commentary: AI memory boom rewrites chip pricing power, leaving Apple searching for leverage with CXMT

Levi Li — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:49:14 GMT

For more than a decade, Apple built one of the industry's most profitable business models by using its purchasing power to drive down memory and component costs before turning hardware upgrades into high-margin revenue. The AI-driven boom in HBM and DRAM is now challenging that strategy.

IC design firms brace for uncertain peak season as prices rise

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:35:46 GMT

The 2026 peak season for IC design firms remains unclear, with global readers likely to feel the effects through pricier smartphones, PCs, and other devices. Supply-chain costs are rising, demand is hard to gauge, and companies are preparing for customer stockpiling that could keep chip orders elevated into the third quarter.

New GPU and ASIC platforms to drive stronger server shipments in 2H26

Charlene Chen — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:24:21 GMT

The AI infrastructure order boom is spilling into the second half of 2026, and server supply-chain players are turning increasingly upbeat about demand as Nvidia Vera Rubin, AMD Helios, AWS Trainium 3, and Google TPU all move into mass production.

Networking demand stays resilient in 3Q26, but component shortages and price hikes cloud outlook

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:20:39 GMT

The networking industry is entering its traditional third-quarter peak season, with demand remaining robust in 2026 as AI infrastructure upgrades and the adoption of Wi-Fi 7 continue to drive orders. However, tightening supplies and rising prices for memory, passive components, and other key parts are beginning to disrupt customers' procurement schedules, emerging as one of the industry's most significant variables for the second half of the year.

Optiemus, Quectel launch India manufacturing tie-up for automotive and connectivity modules

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:11:02 GMT

Optiemus Electronics and Quectel have launched a manufacturing partnership in India to localize advanced wireless modules for vehicles, telecom networks, and industrial systems. The tie-up could improve supply chain resilience, accelerate product launches, and expand access to next-generation connectivity across global markets.

AI hands foundries pricing power: TSMC leads, but the boom spreads industry-wide

Charlene Chen — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:07:44 GMT

AI demand in 2026 is no longer confined to GPUs, but is broadening into ASICs, networking, PMICs, and a wide range of peripheral ICs, tightening capacity across both 8-inch mature processes and 12-inch advanced nodes. CoWoS's advanced packaging and HBM capacity are also set for a prolonged supply shortage, effectively rewriting the foundry industry's business cycle.

Samsung revives 1.4nm foundry push as 2029 timeline takes shape

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:55:42 GMT

Samsung Electronics is moving forward again on its 1.4nm foundry process, but on a slower schedule than originally planned, The Bell reported, citing industry sources.

SK Hynix accelerates Yongin fab timeline by 12 years as HBM strains memory capacity

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:54:56 GMT

SK Hynix said on June 29 it will spend KRW1,100 trillion (approx. US$710 billion) across three sites in South Korea over the coming decades, accelerating its Yongin cluster timeline by 12 years as it warned that even faster construction will not be enough to meet projected AI memory demand.

AI super cycle lifts semiconductors, but China chip group warns of a distorted boom

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:42:46 GMT

AI has pushed the global semiconductor industry into a new "super cycle," but the AI boom is also creating distorted demand, tighter capacity, soaring memory prices, and overheated capital spending, according to China Semiconductor Industry Association executive secretary-general Wang Junjie.

China's third-largest pure-play foundry's HK filing shows growth, but also rising risks

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:40:00 GMT

Nexchip Semiconductor has filed for a Hong Kong listing to fund expansion, following rapid revenue growth and a stronger market position. The prospectus highlights its scale in display driver chips and image sensors, while also warning investors about customer concentration, heavy capital needs, and exposure to shifting trade policy.

Notebook supply chains brace for weaker 2026 peak season

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:39:57 GMT

Notebook supply chains are preparing for a softer-than-usual 2026 peak season, with shipments expected to ease from the third quarter of 2026 as early replacement buying fades. For global readers, the shift points to higher device costs, slower demand later in the year, and broader pressure across PC and component markets.

South Korea looks to Taiwan as model for semiconductor decentralization

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:17:42 GMT

South Korea is overhauling its semiconductor manufacturing footprint to secure an edge in the AI era, drawing direct inspiration from a fierce competitor: Taiwan.

Rocket Lab challenges SpaceX with US$8 billion Iridium deal to build fully integrated space company

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:01:08 GMT

Rocket Lab is taking a major step toward competing more directly with SpaceX, announcing an agreement to acquire satellite communications provider Iridium Communications in an approximately US$8 billion cash-and-stock transaction. The deal transforms Rocket Lab from a launch and spacecraft manufacturer into a fully vertically integrated space company with its own global satellite communications network, a strategy widely viewed by the market as mirroring SpaceX's integrated business model.

DRAM price surge tests South Korean memory makers' HBM4 push

Sherri Wang — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:49:49 GMT

Reports in South Korea that SK Hynix is slowing the pace of converting production lines to sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, or HBM4, and shifting more capacity toward commodity DRAM have drawn market attention.

Analysis: Will 3Q26 be peak season? Cloud AI stands alone; demand signals become distorted

Emily Kuo — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:45:54 GMT

As the electronics industry enters the second half of 2026, it is approaching what has traditionally been the peak season for demand. However, macroeconomic and geopolitical factors have disrupted normal business cycles across many applications, making seasonal patterns far less predictable. According to industry sources, this season is particularly uncertain. Rising component prices and supply shortages have made downstream procurement behavior and end-market consumption patterns more difficult to predict than in the past. Demand signals that the industry once relied upon have become distorted.

Taiwan optics sector heads into peak season as Apple demand, camera orders rise

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:35:33 GMT

Taiwan's optics industry is entering its traditional peak period, with global smartphone demand, Apple's new-device cycle, and rising camera shipments expected to support revenue into late 2026 and beyond for leading suppliers. Firms also see AI-related shifts and new business lines adding to longer-term momentum.

Taiwan elevator maker Golden Friends targets AI infrastructure market amid tech investment boom

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:32:29 GMT

Taiwanese elevator manufacturer Golden Friends (GFC) announced on June 29 that it had secured a major contract to supply high-end elevators for the new headquarters of Kinpo Group. The project is set for completion and revenue recognition in 2028, and will further boost the company's order backlog to nearly NT$10 billion (approx. US$313.8 million), supporting solid operating momentum over the next three years.

Forget prompts: Nvidia's Huang sees 'loop engineering' as AI's next frontier

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:29:04 GMT

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is drawing attention to a new AI concept called loop engineering, which shifts emphasis from writing prompts to building systems that test, evaluate, and improve results over time. The idea could shape how companies worldwide deploy AI, especially in repetitive tasks, automation, and software workflows.

EU's push for cloud sovereignty draws fragmentation warnings

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:26:47 GMT

The EU is accelerating efforts to cut reliance on foreign cloud, AI, and semiconductor suppliers as it seeks to block so-called "kill switch" risks, with plans to introduce the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), alongside a Chips Act 2.0, in a bid to strengthen technology sovereignty and reduce external dependence. But an InfoWorld analysis says the policy, framed as digital sovereignty, may not make the market safer and could instead worsen fragmentation, procurement confusion, and vendor consolidation.

Commentary: Behind Micron's bet for long memory demand cycles

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:20:44 GMT

Micron's latest earnings call pointed to a broader AI shift that could reshape memory demand far beyond data centers, with investors taking note of the company's comments on robots, autonomous vehicles, and other physical systems. The message suggested that the next leg of growth may come from devices that bring AI into the real world.

Nvidia, Firmus partner on Indonesia AI infrastructure project

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:20:10 GMT

A new partnership between Nvidia and Firmus aims to expand access to advanced AI computing for customers worldwide, including AI-native companies, enterprises, and independent software vendors. The deal underscores how demand for large-scale AI infrastructure is reshaping global technology markets, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

Taiwan reportedly expands AI server smuggling probe, searches Supermicro and listed firms

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:18:50 GMT

Taiwanese prosecutors have reportedly expanded their investigation into the alleged illegal export of high-end AI servers to China, Hong Kong, and Macau, launching a second round of raids targeting Supermicro's Taiwan branch and two listed Taiwanese technology companies.

Expected MCU price hike drives early 1H26 pull-ins

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:14:18 GMT

Microcontroller customers are accelerating shipments into the first half of 2026 as higher production costs ripple through the supply chain, with global implications for electronics pricing and availability. Industry sources said buyers are seeking to secure supply before further increases, while weak demand and AI-related capacity pressure continue to shape the market.

OpenAI IPO filing exposes US$665bn spending web and Altman conflict risks

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:57:22 GMT

OpenAI has confidentially filed for an initial public offering with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), setting the stage for closer scrutiny of its related-party transactions and potential conflicts of interest involving CEO Sam Altman's extensive personal investment portfolio.

Taiwanese smartphone shipments face deeper pressure as component costs rise

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:46:48 GMT

Rising inflation and higher prices for memory and processors are squeezing smartphone shipments in Taiwan, with the market's recovery likely to remain uneven for many readers worldwide. Vendors and forecasters said demand weakened in the first half of 2026, and that higher handset prices could continue to reshape buying patterns across major markets.

Shuotong expects stronger demand for liquid cooling in 2H26

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:40:28 GMT

Shuotong, a liquid-cooling solutions provider, said it expects a positive outlook for the second half of 2026 as AI-driven thermal management sustains demand for liquid cooling. The firm, which is listed on the Emerging Stock Board on June 26, announced that it supplies microchannel cold plates, high-reliability manifolds, flexible hose assemblies, and fatigue-resistant metal tube parts to major international Tier 1 liquid-cooling players and several leading thermal module makers in Taiwan and abroad.

Riken and Taiwan academia join forces on next-gen compound semiconductors

Charlene Chen — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:40:20 GMT

Japan's world-renowned Riken institute announced in late March 2026 that its homegrown superconducting quantum computer, "Ei-II," jointly developed with the University of Osaka, had officially gone online with 144 qubits and 99.9% fidelity. Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said Riken will next work with Taiwan's academic community on research, including next-generation compound semiconductors.

Honda, GM, and Ford redirect capacity to energy storage as EV demand slows

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:40:12 GMT

Honda Motor has begun producing data-center batteries at an Ohio factory originally built to supply electric vehicles, as automakers and battery suppliers seek new uses for capacity while EV demand cools.

Samsung, SK Hynix step up CO₂ buying as supplies tighten

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:40:04 GMT

South Korea's inventories of high-purity carbon dioxide, a critical material used in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, have fallen below normal buffer levels, raising procurement concerns across the chip industry, according to The Elec.

China's LineShine puts Beijing back on top of supercomputer race

Sherri Wang — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:39:43 GMT

A name largely absent from the global supercomputing stage for years returned to the spotlight at ISC 2026 in Hamburg, Germany.

China's SiC race shifts from EVs to AI data centers as SICC overtakes Wolfspeed

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:30:58 GMT

China's silicon carbide (SiC) supply chain is finding a new growth engine as AI strains data-center power systems, extending a market long driven by electric vehicles.

Halos signals Nvidia's bid to make safety certification the robotics gateway

Lily Hess — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:30:07 GMT

Nvidia does not make robots, but it is becoming a key force behind embodied intelligence companies. At Automate 2026, North America's largest industrial automation show, on June 22, Deepu Talla, vice president of Nvidia's robotics business, said on stage that the company hired 18,600 man-years of engineers to bring the safety architecture of autonomous driving to robots.

Arm says it tops 50% share in hyperscale cloud as x86 grip slips

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:29:42 GMT

Arm Holdings says its chip architecture has crossed the 50% threshold in the hyperscale cloud market, a milestone in a segment long dominated by Intel and AMD. The SoftBank-backed chip designer is now pushing further into the hardware business itself, even as supply chains strain under the weight of the AI infrastructure buildout.

Anthropic tops global unicorn list as China shifts to hard tech

Lily Hess — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:29:04 GMT

Hurun Research Institute released its Hurun Global Unicorn List on June 25, a ranking covering 1,603 companies across 52 countries and 299 cities. The number of companies is up 5.3% from the prior year, while total global unicorn value has surged 43% year on year to US$8 trillion, far outpacing growth in the number of companies.

PlayNitride expects 2H26 to outperform 1H26, driven by displays and AI glasses

Charlene Chen — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:28:24 GMT

PlayNitride reported revenue of NT$238 million (approx. US$7.5 million) in the first five months of 2026, down 41% year-over-year. The microLED company said stronger custom design orders and a higher mix of high-margin products will lift second-half revenue and gross margin above the first half, while it aims to improve again in the fourth quarter. Large-format TVs, wearables, and transparent displays remain the company's core businesses. Over the medium to long term, it is targeting high-end displays, AI glasses, and AI optical communications as its three growth engines.

Hyundai says one year of output beats Tesla's 10-year sales; manufacturing capacity crucial in physical AI race

Kevin Wang — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:27:52 GMT

Amid the ongoing AI race between the US and China, industry players in South Korea are now focusing on physical AI as a competitive factor, with manufacturing momentum as a core advantage, according to Park Min-woo, head of Hyundai Motor's Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) division and CEO of 42dot.

Commentary: Apple raises prices, markets flinch— but demand proves more resilient than feared

Willis Ke — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:27:27 GMT

Apple's latest round of price increases for Macs, MacBooks, and iPads has unsettled investors and weighed on Asian technology markets, but the reaction may be disproportionate to the likely impact on demand. While higher prices will inevitably slow some purchases, Apple's premium positioning, loyal customer base, and selective pricing strategy suggest the broader implications for shipments and the supply chain are likely to remain manageable.

Red Hat sees cloud-to-edge shift in Taiwan AI deployment

Rodney Chan — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:27:04 GMT

Enterprises are increasingly moving AI deployments from public cloud to on-premises systems as demand rises for data sovereignty, compliance, and local data control. Irene Sun, general manager for Red Hat Taiwan, said the same shift is taking hold in Taiwan, where companies are paying far more attention to who controls critical data, core models, and computing environments.

Intel-UMC tie-up talk runs into hard realities of process gaps and cash needs

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:26:42 GMT

Rumors in Taiwan's capital markets that United Microelectronics Corp. may deepen cooperation with Intel from 12nm to Intel 3 are drawing skepticism from DIGITIMES analyst Luke Lin. He said the main obstacles are the technology gap and Intel's internal capacity allocation, which make a near-term move commercially difficult.

Yao Sheng bets on four new product lines, names Te-ching Shen as president

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:26:08 GMT

Taiwanese electronic components manufacturer Yao Sheng Electronic held its 2026 annual shareholders meeting on June 25, noting that its transformation strategy in recent years has focused on optimizing its profit structure, targeting high total wattage, high technological barrier, and high gross margin applications. The company added that prior R&D investments and automation spending have helped incubate four niche product lines: artificial intelligence (AI) high-power power supplies, patented low-temperature heat dissipation materials, semiconductor testing, and medical devices certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

China memory makers fuel local chip equipment push as CXMT lands Tencent deal

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:29:05 GMT

ChangXin Memory Technologies has signed a long-term DRAM supply agreement with Tencent Holdings valued at more than CNY20 billion (approx. US$2.94 billion), three people with knowledge of the deal told Reuters, as the Hefei-based chipmaker prepares for one of China's largest stock listings in years.