DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

US escalates chip war, targets Hua Hong's 7nm ambitions just ahead of Trump-Xi Summit

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:47:28 GMT

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has reportedly issued "is-informed" letters to several major wafer fab equipment (WFE) manufacturers, ordering an immediate halt to tool shipments destined for Hua Hong Semiconductor, China's second-largest foundry.

UMT identifies UK partner linked to Starlink supply chain

Elaine Chen — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:42:27 GMT

Universal Microwave Technology, a Taiwanese maker of satellite and millimeter-wave components, has disclosed a previously unnamed European customer supplying high-power amplifiers for SpaceX, underscoring the growing role of Taiwan's supply chain in the global race to build low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks.

China's GPU IPO wave meets its hardest test: cluster stability

Levi Li — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:20:49 GMT

China's GPU startups, including Moore Threads, MetaX, and Biren, are gaining ground in the AI accelerator market. But as demand shifts from training to inference, cluster stability, software maturity, and cost efficiency are emerging as the real constraints.

Hsinchu water restrictions ease as reservoirs rebound

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:19:45 GMT

Taiwan's Water Resources Agency (WRA) disaster emergency response team held its third working meeting on April 27, deciding to downgrade the water status signal in Hsinchu from a "pressure-reducing" yellow light to a "conservation" green light. This change follows a rise in water levels at Baoshan Reservoir and Second Baoshan Reservoir to nearly 70%. The voluntary water-saving target for science parks and industrial parks was also lowered from 7% to 5%.

Supreme's 1Q26 server revenue surpasses mobile as CSP demand boosts memory prices

Lily Hess — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:00:00 GMT

Memory distributor Supreme Electronics (Supreme) saw its revenue double in the first quarter of 2026, driven by a sharp rise in memory prices. DRAM and Flash accounted for nearly 90% of total sales, with server revenue share reaching about 40%—surpassing mobile for the first time. Strong demand from cloud service providers (CSPs) is driving server memory prices higher, a trend expected to extend into the second quarter of 2026.

Commentary: China's chip-model strategy pressures Nvidia's AI economics

Levi Li — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:49:54 GMT

The global AI industry is shifting into an inference cost war in 2026, with DeepSeek V4 accelerating changes across China's semiconductor supply chain. By positioning Huawei's Ascend chips as viable alternatives to Nvidia GPUs, DeepSeek reframes competition beyond software versus hardware. The shift cuts deeper, reshaping how AI systems are architected from the ground up.

The AI funding loop: Cloud giants pour billions into Anthropic to sell it back compute

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:45:00 GMT

Google has pledged up to US$40 billion to Anthropic — US$10 billion upfront and US$30 billion contingent — reshaping global AI competition by tying compute access to funding. For international enterprises and policymakers, the deal signals that cloud providers are increasingly using capital to secure AI customers and influence which models dominate the next phase of AI development.

AI token demand drives TSMC node expansion, buoying Taiwan's economy

Willis Ke — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:30:00 GMT

A global surge in artificial intelligence computing is accelerating demand for advanced semiconductors and reinforcing Taiwan's near-term economic momentum, even as leading indicators soften.

AI server demand locks up memory supply through 2027, prices seen holding firm

Sherri Wang — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:16:04 GMT

Artificial intelligence (AI) server demand is tightening memory supply through 2027, with a large share of upstream capacity already committed under long-term agreements, according to memory module maker Team Group.

Data center power and cooling overhaul will reshape global AI infrastructure

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:15:00 GMT

Rising AI server power density is forcing data centers to adopt centralized, higher-voltage power and upgraded cooling, with implications for operators, suppliers, and investors. Shifts toward 400V and 800V DC distribution, centralized power racks, and broader adoption of liquid cooling will affect design costs, efficiency, and worldwide supply-chain competition and resilience.

OpenAI's growth slowdown raises questions over AI expenditure

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:14:17 GMT

OpenAI is confronting a growing tension between its aggressive infrastructure spending and signs of softer-than-expected business momentum, as internal targets for both user growth and revenue have reportedly been missed.

Nvidia launches Nemotron 3 Nano Omni to power unified multimodal AI agents

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:08:18 GMT

On April 28, Nvidia introduced Nemotron 3 Nano Omni, a new open multimodal AI model designed to simplify the development of agent-based systems by combining vision, audio, and language capabilities into a single framework.

NXP signals structural growth as automotive and industrial drive momentum

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:02:46 GMT

NXP Semiconductors outlined a strengthening business outlook, with management pointing to clearer demand visibility and improving operational indicators across its end markets. CEO Rafael Sotomayor told investors that the company's trajectory has become more predictable, supported by a stronger direct order book and improving distribution backlog.

Taiwan logs record chip exports, AI demand outpaces geopolitical risk

Willis Ke — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

As the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran enters its second month, a fragile ceasefire has tempered immediate market shocks, yet economists warn that prolonged tensions could still ripple through global energy and trade. For Taiwan, however, strong export momentum — driven by surging demand for AI and semiconductor technologies — has so far cushioned the impact.

Meta reportedly to cancel Manus acquisition as China clamps down on 'Singapore washing' in AI

Charlene Chen — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:53:38 GMT

After China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) banned Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus, the social media giant is reportedly preparing to unwind the deal and allow the founding team to exit in compliance with the cancellation. Original investors, including Tencent, HSG, and ZhenFund, have pledged cooperation should Meta finalize the termination.

Osense develops baseball hawk-eye system to capture US$10 billion sports tech market

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:45:00 GMT

Taiwanese artificial intelligence (AI) software company Osense Technology is targeting the rapidly growing sports technology market — valued at more than US$10 billion — by independently developing a domestically produced baseball hawk-eye system and smart bullpen training solution.

Taiwan makes its quantum move, rallying 18 companies

Sherri Wang — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:30:00 GMT

Quantum computing has long been regarded as one of the defining technology races of the coming decade — and Taiwan, a global powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing, is now making its most deliberate move yet to stake a claim. Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) on April 27 established the Quantum Industry Technology Promotion Office (QITPO), naming 18 companies as potential participants in a bid to accelerate the island's development of the quantum computing sector.

NXP advances VSMC and ESMC projects with ramp timelines on track

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:13:01 GMT

NXP Semiconductors and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) are making steady progress on the VSMC manufacturing project, with execution now entering a more advanced stage as the facility approaches initial ramp.

Kemflo bets on BIM and recycling tech to target US$100 billion semiconductor water market

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:00:27 GMT

Kemflo announced it is positioning its BIM design and recycling technologies to capture growing demand for industrial water treatment from the semiconductor and electronics sectors, driven by tightening environmental rules and rising expectations for recycled water and wastewater processing.

Huizuan Technology breaks ground on Thailand plant to scale high-end CPO, AI HDD and cooling

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:55:04 GMT

Superior Plating Technology announced a groundbreaking for a new factory in Ayutthaya, Thailand, with the first phase involving an investment of NT$300 million (US$9.52 million) for construction and equipment to establish a high-end transformation hub for optical communications and hard disk drives. The facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with mass production beginning after client validation and the company aiming to double production capacity by year-end.

Faraday Technology posts profit decline in the first quarter as gross margin hits 13-quarter high

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:49:31 GMT

Faraday Technology reported consolidated revenue of NT$2.59 billion (US$82.4 million) in the first quarter, with net income after tax of NT$100 million and earnings per share of NT$0.40, the company announced. The results reflected an 8% quarter-over-quarter revenue decline and a 65% year-over-year drop, while gross margin surged to 47.3%, the highest in nearly 13 quarters, driven by an optimized revenue mix and non-recurring engineering contributions.

NetApp inks four-year deal with Google Cloud to bring sovereign private clouds to air-gapped environments

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:46:18 GMT

NetApp signed a four-year enterprise agreement with Google Cloud to expand their collaboration and accelerate deployment of NetApp storage solutions on Google Distributed Cloud within air-gapped environments managed by World Wide Technology for Google's sovereign cloud platform. The deal aims to provide physically isolated private cloud offerings that embed NetApp's data platform and built-in security controls to meet data sovereignty requirements.

Hotai warns hybrid vehicle shortages could persist through 2027 amid high oil prices

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:44:30 GMT

Hotai Motor said hybrid demand has surged as elevated oil prices pushed consumers toward fuel-efficient models, but global supply constraints could keep delivery delays in place through 2027. Executives reported steady Lexus and Toyota orders and rising consumer acceptance of hybrid battery longevity and replacement costs, which has supported greater uptake.

Europe turns into battleground as Chinese automakers surge and Kia trims price gap

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:41:34 GMT

Competition in Europe's car market is intensifying, with Tesla's March price-driven rebound of the Model Y and record sales by Chinese brands prompting established automakers to rethink pricing, production and partnerships, with implications for manufacturers, suppliers and consumers worldwide, including shifts in investment and market share dynamics.

Samsung exits China's TV and appliance market to double down on US growth

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:36:07 GMT

Samsung Electronics is reportedly preparing a significant strategic pivot: a withdrawal from China's home appliance and television sales market by the end of 2026. According to Nikkei Asia, the company is expected to reach a final decision by the end of April, after which it will begin disposing of its inventory and communicating the transition to employees and partners.

Toyota leans on hybrids and affordable sedans to hit record global sales

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:36:00 GMT

Toyota Motor reported record global vehicle deliveries of 11.28 million units for the fiscal year ending March 31, as executives said the automaker capitalized on strong demand for hybrid electric vehicles and affordable sedans to offset market headwinds. The company achieved those results despite a 15% US tariff on Japanese imported vehicles and ongoing shifts in global electrification strategies.

Lexus launches eighth-generation ES in Taiwan with hybrid share nearing 60%

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:31:38 GMT

Hotai Motor Co., the official distributor of Lexus in Taiwan, launched the all-new eighth-generation ES on April 28, unveiling hybrid and pure electric versions as part of a multi-pathway electrification strategy. The company positioned the model as a next-generation midsize luxury sedan featuring updated design language, new powertrain options, and expanded smart technology aimed at strengthening Lexus's standing in the Taiwanese premium segment.

OpenAI revises five core principles, signaling tougher competitive posture and oversight

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:29:33 GMT

OpenAI updated its five core operational principles in late April 2026, replacing its 2018 founding charter and framing a new stance on democratization, empowerment, universal prosperity, resilience, and adaptability.

NXP beats expectations and lifts outlook on improving chip demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:13:34 GMT

NXP Semiconductors reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of US$3.18 billion, rising 12.2% year on year but down 4.6% sequentially, according to company data. Gross profit increased 14.6% year on year to US$1.79 billion, while operating income more than doubled to US$1.51 billion. Net profit rose 129% year on year to US$1.12 billion, reflecting margin expansion and operating leverage.

Oracle moves Supermicro orders to Taiwan, elevating local server makers

Emily Kuo — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:12:37 GMT

Outsourcing by US cloud service providers (CSPs) has become an increasingly dominant trend, with Taiwanese manufacturers taking on a larger share of global production. Oracle has not only expanded its supplier network but is also reportedly reallocating orders originally assigned to Supermicro to Taiwanese firms, further boosting their strategic importance.

Nvidia's LPX cabinet and Foxconn's supply lead reshape inference-era AI infrastructure

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:12:22 GMT

The shift from model training to real-time inference, driven by open-source agent applications, is reshaping global data center design and supplier dynamics, with implications for cloud providers and hardware makers worldwide. Demand for inference-dedicated systems is accelerating production and favoring manufacturers with liquid-cooling and vertical-integration capabilities across the industry.

CPUs reclaim the core of AI architecture as multicore trend tightens substrate supply

Emily Kuo — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:11:46 GMT

Workloads are shifting from training to inference. In this transition, CPUs are regaining a central role in coordinating diverse computing tasks, significantly boosting their importance. Industry estimates suggest that CPU demand could eventually rival that of GPUs, with the ratio between the two trending toward 1:1.

Commentary: At Beijing Auto Show, hardware takes the wheel

Elaine Chen — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:11:31 GMT

For years, the global auto industry has been enveloped in the promise of the software-defined vehicle. But at the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, a more grounded reality came into focus: without sufficiently powerful hardware, software ambitions risk remaining just that—ambitions.

Ex-DeepSeek insider Fuli Luo targets former employer with Xiaomi's MiMo-V2.5

Lily Hess — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:11:03 GMT

The global competition in open-source large language models is heating up again. On April 28, Xiaomi officially unveiled the "MiMo-V2.5" series of models developed under the leadership of Fuli Luo, a former core member of DeepSeek and current head of Xiaomi's MiMo large model team. The lineup includes the flagship MiMo-V2.5-Pro and the general-purpose MiMo-V2.5 model.

Adata reports soaring earnings on strong memory demand

Elaine Chen — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:10:40 GMT

A surge in demand for AI is fueling a powerful upswing in the memory market, propelling Adata to record-breaking results at the start of 2026.

Coretronic posts first quarterly loss since 2008, plans holding company overhaul

Levi Li — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:10:05 GMT

Coretronic has reported its first quarterly loss since the 2008 global financial crisis, even as revenue reached a multi-year high, underscoring margin pressure and shifting product dynamics across its business.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense plans to deploy robotic dogs for unmanned reconnaissance

Charlene Chen — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:09:53 GMT

Ghost Robotics, a leading US maker of robotic dogs, has confirmed collaboration with Taiwanese manufacturers to eliminate reliance on the red supply chain. Beyond adoption by the US Department of Defense, Ghost Robotics is targeting Taiwan's military needs for unmanned capabilities. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) recently announced that Taiwan's armed forces have comprehensive plans for unmanned vehicles across land, sea, and air domains. This includes introducing quadruped robotic dogs designed for deep-area and urban combat missions such as reconnaissance, enemy elimination, and logistics support.

Taiwan drone exports exceed 2025 in 1Q26, with Czech Republic as top buyer

Joseph(C) Chen — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:09:32 GMT

Taiwan's drone export momentum continues to surge, with first-quarter 2026 shipments already surpassing the entire 2025 annual total. The market landscape has shifted as well, with the Czech Republic overtaking Poland as Taiwan's largest drone export destination.

Samsung doubles down on 2nm as TSMC pushes toward 1nm

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:09:19 GMT

Samsung Electronics and TSMC have taken increasingly different approaches to advanced semiconductor manufacturing as the industry moves beyond the 3nm generation. Although being the first to introduce mass production of a 3nm-class process in 2022, Samsung Electronics now plans to take a cautious path, focusing on improving 2nm node yields and meeting customer demands.

American-made Fords are selling out in Taiwan — and prices are going up to match

Joseph(C) Chen — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:09:07 GMT

Ford's Taiwan distributor, Ford Lio Ho, is raising prices on 2026 model-year vehicles built in the US, citing rising shipping costs and surging demand that has outpaced supply.

CATL and HyperStrong sign record sodium-ion battery deal as storage market scales up

DIGITIMES — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:08:42 GMT

On April 27, CATL and HyperStrong signed a strategic cooperation agreement for sodium-ion batteries, marking what multiple reports described as a major step toward large-scale commercialization of the technology. According to Jiemian and Security Times, the two companies agreed on a three-year, 60GWh supply contract, which CATL said is "the largest sodium-ion battery order globally to date." The deal was signed in Ningde, Fujian province.

Texas Instruments VP makes the case for 800V power and GaN in AI data centers

Charlene Chen — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:46 GMT

Texas Instruments (TI) plans to showcase its 800V power architecture-based AI data center solutions at Computex 2026, featuring applications in humanoid robots, automotive, and edge AI. Ahead of the event, TI executives have been engaging with local Taiwanese supply chains to explore collaborations.

Analysis: Taiwan's two major panel makers enter semiconductor packaging; CPO and FOPLP become key

Emily Kuo — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:57:04 GMT

Optical communication technology is shifting from traditional pluggable optics toward co-packaged optics (CPO) architectures. Advanced packaging technologies are extending from wafer-level to panel-level, bringing fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) into the spotlight. At the intersection of these trends, Taiwan's panel manufacturers are actively entering the semiconductor packaging field in search of new growth momentum.

Memory test capacity stays high as substrate prices may rise in 2Q26

Charlene Chen — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:56:46 GMT

The memory industry cycle is on the upswing, driven by strong customer orders, rising OSAT prices, and high capacity utilization rates. Memory OSAT companies reported a surprisingly robust first quarter of 2026 despite the usual seasonal slowdown. With DRAM demand remaining strong and upstream substrate material costs increasing, market watchers expect key raw material price hikes to become a trend. Continued healthy customer demand should further boost OSAT capacity utilization, supporting revenue growth into the second quarter of 2026.

PCB industry urges four policy moves in Thailand expansion

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:56:12 GMT

Amid global supply chain restructuring, Asia's PCB industry is moving toward closer regional collaboration. Industry experts say that as southbound expansion in the PCB sector takes shape, the next phase for Thailand's PCB industry will shift from capacity expansion to accelerating the development of an advanced manufacturing ecosystem. Future competitiveness will hinge on localizing supply chains, developing talent, and continuously improving related supporting infrastructure and systems.

China high-end AI accelerator market 2026: Localization trends, competitive landscape, and supply chain constraints

DIGITIMES — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:03:11 GMT

Government policies drive China's chip autonomy; 2026 Chinese cloud AI accelerator shipments to top 2.12 million units, with Huawei taking over 50%.