DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Japan power semiconductor deal stalls as Rohm, Toshiba, Mitsubishi haggle

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:56:44 GMT

Japan's three major power semiconductor makers — Rohm Semiconductor, Toshiba, and Mitsubishi Electric — have failed to complete integration talks on the original schedule, as leadership disputes and a surge in AI demand slow the effort to boost the competitiveness of Japanese manufacturers.

Chinese automakers' shift to the US may reshape supply chains and supplier margins

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:56:17 GMT

Hiroca said two major Chinese automakers are likely to build factories in the US, a move that could redraw supply chains across North America, alter supplier demand patterns, and deepen pressure on parts makers already facing tighter pricing, faster product cycles, and weaker visibility in China's increasingly competitive auto market.

SK Hynix says Solidigm IPO remains undecided as AI storage demand drives investment

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:51:57 GMT

SK Hynix has reiterated that no decision has been made on a potential US initial public offering (IPO) or other external financing for its Solidigm subsidiary, as the company weighs investment needs driven by growing demand for AI data center storage.

Wi-Fi 8 races ahead of the standard, putting networking chips on a faster 2027 growth track

Levi Li — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:48:26 GMT

Wi-Fi 8 adoption is accelerating well ahead of the standard's expected finalization in the first half of 2028, with device brands and chipmakers already moving into early commercial deployment. The first Wi-Fi 8 routers have opened for pre-orders over the past month, while flagship smartphone platforms are beginning to integrate Wi-Fi 8 chips, reinforcing expectations of stronger downstream demand and a faster market ramp in 2027.

Toshiba reportedly to double HDD production as AI drives storage demand

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:41:27 GMT

Toshiba plans to double production capacity for hard disk drives (HDDs) used in AI data centers by fiscal 2027, investing about JPY60 billion (US$379.4 million) to expand its Philippine operations, according to Nikkei Asia. The expansion will mark Toshiba's first major HDD investment in roughly five years and is intended to strengthen supplies as AI workloads drive demand for high-capacity storage.

Meta hires MongoDB CEO to lead AI enterprise platform

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:37:41 GMT

Meta has launched a new business unit, "Meta Enterprise Platform," to package its artificial intelligence (AI) models, agent tools, and infrastructure for enterprise customers, and has tapped MongoDB chief executive CJ Desai to lead it.

Climax Technology sets up AI center, targets 3Q27 sampling

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:32:25 GMT

Wireless communications company Climax Technology is accelerating its AI push by launching an "AI and Advanced Technology Center," with its first project a next-generation AI sensing platform slated for sampling in the third quarter of 2027 and small-volume shipments in the fourth quarter.

GMI Cloud secures NT$14.05 billion loan for AI factory

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:30:07 GMT

CTBC Bank and GMI Cloud on October 1 announced the closing of an NT$14.05 billion (about US$445 million) syndicated credit facility to fund Taiwan's first AI factory. The deal is the first in Taiwan to fully back GPU financing with a commercial banking syndicate.

Southern Taiwan Science Park approves three new companies, pushing 2026 investment over NT$100 billion

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:29:11 GMT

The Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) has approved the entry of three new companies—Fangsco, Nanya Technology, and South Korea's Hansol Chemical—pushing the park's cumulative investment to more than NT$100 billion (approx. US$3.13 billion) in 2026. The STSP Bureau said the park system has attracted 21 new companies this year, with total approved investment reaching NT$108.11 billion.

Swancor expands recycled materials, eyes recyclable carbon fiber for drone components

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:20:24 GMT

Swancor Holding subsidiary Swancor Regener is jointly exhibiting with Aeraxa Aerospace Technology at the Taichung AI and Smart Manufacturing Show in Taichung, Taiwan, showcasing products and technologies including recycled raw materials, drone structural components, and smart flight-control core modules.

Onsemi revises Synaptics takeover deal after rival bid

DIGITIMES — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 01:15:01 GMT

Onsemi has amended its agreement to buy Synaptics in an all-cash deal, a move that could reshape semiconductor competition and affect global technology supply chains. The revised cash transaction offers Synaptics shareholders value certainty, while regulators, customers, and investors now await decisions that may influence AI, sensing, and connected-compute markets worldwide.

Samsung SDI's new LFP battery shows how AI is reshaping battery markets beyond EVs

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:53:47 GMT

The aggressive rollout of large-scale infrastructure projects has brought increasingly visible changes across global economies and major technology supply chains, with much of that transformation now unfolding under the expanding influence of AI.

Huawei leads global smartwatch market, but earbuds reveal different competitive picture

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:52:27 GMT

Huawei has regained momentum across its consumer device business, but its position in the global wearables market is becoming increasingly uneven: the Chinese technology giant has taken the global smartwatch crown, while its wireless earbuds remain a more distant fourth behind Apple, Xiaomi, and Samsung Electronics.

Nanya Technology wins approval for Southern 3D packaging plant

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:51:36 GMT

The Science Park Review Committee under Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) approved 13 investment projects at its 35th meeting on the 1st, including Nanya Technology's plan to enter the Pingtung area of the Southern Taiwan Science Park and build advanced 3D semiconductor packaging and testing operations.

CSPs embrace multi-vendor co-design for custom ASICs, ending single-supplier era

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:51:05 GMT

Hyperscale cloud service providers (CSPs) are expanding their custom ASIC partner networks, accelerating a shift toward multi-vendor technology integration. Industry insiders note that the era of a single design partner handling an ASIC project end-to-end is largely over, replaced by a co-design model where vendors compete for functional silicon footprint within single-chip architectures.

China car exports to Europe severely underestimated, warns UBS

Kevin Wang — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:49:44 GMT

According to UBS, nearly twice as many China-made automobiles are being shipped to Europe as are being registered there, partly because trucking shortages delay deliveries from ports to dealers. The gap adds a new wrinkle in the battle for Europe between US and Chinese carmakers. Meanwhile, the vote on EU-wide approval of Tesla's supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) system is unlikely before December 2026. Even as US and Chinese automakers face short-term challenges in their push in Europe, they continue to put ever-intensifying pressure on European automakers.

Commentary: AMD challenges Nvidia in embodied AI as Lisa Su acquires Fei-Fei Li's World Labs

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:48:58 GMT

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has agreed to acquire World Labs in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately US$8.2 billion. Following the closing, World Labs will operate as a dedicated frontier research organization for large language models (LLMs) and spatial intelligence, with founder Fei-Fei Li joining AMD as executive vice president and chief scientist, reporting directly to Chair and CEO Lisa Su.

A look at the startup winning Nvidia, Intel backing for AI scale-up optics

Levi Li — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:48:25 GMT

Silicon Valley data center optical interconnect startup CScale emerged from stealth on September 30 after raising US$145 million in a Series C funding round backed by Nvidia and Intel Capital. The latest financing brings the company's total funding to US$188 million.

NextDrive tops Japan HEMS market, speeds IPO push

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:44:22 GMT

Taiwan energy management startup NextDrive said that it has secured the No. 1 market share in Japan's home energy management system (HEMS) segment and has received key support from the Tokyo Stock Exchange for three straight years, adding momentum to its Japan IPO plans.

Champ-ray targets Japan drone market with power modules

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:43:35 GMT

Champ-Ray Industrial is stepping up efforts to expand in Japan's drone market, using a recent sponsorship tie-in with the Oita Trinita professional football team in Japan's J2 League to open deeper exchanges with the Oita Prefectural Government and local drone operators. The DC motor and ceiling fan maker said it is mapping local drone industry needs and evaluating whether to submit samples for testing as it moves toward practical cooperation.

Machvision expands early to chase NT$10B revenue

Lily Hess — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:43:01 GMT

Machvision is expanding capacity earlier than planned to meet rising demand from semiconductors, substrates, and optical modules, while tight computer numerical control (CNC) and machining supply chains have emerged as its biggest operating challenge. The inspection equipment maker is reshaping its Hsinchu and Kunshan facilities and expects the new footprint to support NT$10 billion (US$313.03 million) in revenue starting in 2027.

Samsung's mobile unit faces more than KRW1 trillion loss as memory costs surge

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:42:18 GMT

Samsung Electronics is expected to report another operating loss at its Mobile eXperience and network business in the third quarter of 2026, even as strong Galaxy Z foldable sales support handset demand. The preliminary earnings release is due in early October 2026, with the pressure coming from sharply higher memory prices and limited ability to raise device prices.

GM begins U.S. battery cell trial runs with South Korean equipment

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:41:42 GMT

General Motors (GM) has started trial runs at a new battery cell line in Warren, Michigan, moving into the validation stage of its next-generation mass production plan. The line at the Battery Cell Development Center (BCDC) is being built with main process equipment sourced from South Korean suppliers.

Charts: Micron earns its best margins from PCs, phones, not AI

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 09:22:39 GMT

Micron's best margins aren't coming from AI data centers. They come from PCs and smartphones, markets where Micron warns that unit sales could fall.

Topco opens Fukuoka office to link Japan chip hubs

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 09:02:46 GMT

Topco Scientific said its Japanese subsidiary, Shunkawa, officially opened its Fukuoka office on October 1, making it the company’s third base in Japan alongside its Tokyo headquarters and Kumamoto office. The move is designed to leverage Fukuoka’s location and industrial clustering to strengthen real-time technical support and new business development in Kyushu’s semiconductor hub.

Taiwan aligns green certifications with Japan and EPEAT to speed electronics market entry

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 08:55:00 GMT

Taiwan is moving to align its Green Mark ecolabel with international certification systems in an effort to reduce green trade barriers and shorten time to market for electronics products.

China ramps up Micro OLED capacity ahead of proven smart glasses demand

Sherri Wang — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 08:35:00 GMT

As smart glasses draw growing market attention, Chinese suppliers including BOE, SeeYA Technology and Sidtek are expanding Micro OLED production. Display industry sources caution, however, that demand for the panels remains uncertain and that capacity coming online ahead of proven demand could leave the market oversupplied.

Infineon opens new backend chip plant in Thailand, eyes growth to up to five modules

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 08:20:36 GMT

Infineon Technologies officially inaugurated a new backend manufacturing site in Samut Prakan, south of Bangkok, on October 1, expanding the German chipmaker's production network in Southeast Asia starting with an initial investment of over EUR100 million (US$113.1 million).

ASE expands smart OSAT push with six university research partnerships

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 08:17:38 GMT

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) held its 11th Automation Industry-Academia Project Results Presentation on September 30, unveiling 12 technology projects developed with six Taiwanese universities as it works to advance smart outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) and digital manufacturing. The projects were designed to support semiconductor factory efficiency, quality control, resilience, and climate adaptation.

Taiwan extends fuel freeze, seeks extra subsidies for CPC, Taipower

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 08:13:24 GMT

Taiwan's Executive Yuan has moved to extend price controls and seek additional subsidies for CPC Corporation and Taiwan Power Company as Middle East conflict has lifted global oil and gas costs. The government said the extra budget is intended to keep fuel, electricity, and bottled gas prices stable for households and businesses.

Shinko Electric acquires JDI's Mobara Fab to expand AI packaging capacity

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 08:07:19 GMT

Shinko Electric Industries announced on September 30 it has signed a purchase agreement to acquire the Mobara Fab from Japan Display (JDI) in Mobara City, Chiba Prefecture. The transaction is intended to establish a new core production hub dedicated to high-end semiconductor packaging, addressing surging global demand for AI accelerators and data center applications.

SiC substrate market shows signs of recovery, driven by demand from vehicles, energy and AI infrastructure

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 08:02:14 GMT

DIGITIMES has observed that since Tesla equipped the Model 3 with a traction inverter integrated with SiC power modules in 2018, the application of SiC power devices in the electric vehicle (EV) sector has gradually expanded, prompting suppliers to aggres

DB HiTek raises foundry prices by up to 30% as Chinese demand strains 200mm capacity

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 07:34:48 GMT

DB HiTek has raised foundry prices by as much as 30%, with Chinese customers facing the steepest increases as rising orders push the South Korean foundry's 8-inch capacity close to full utilization, according to The Elec.

Ascend now ahead of Nvidia in China, with domestic supply driving AI chip substitution, says Huawei chairman

Levi Li — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 07:22:20 GMT

Huawei rotating chairman Eric Xu said the company's Ascend AI accelerators have surpassed Nvidia in both sales and market share in China, highlighting how US export controls on advanced AI chips are accelerating the shift of China's data center and AI industries toward domestic suppliers.

Meta's Muse lifts server CPU demand, with AMD EPYC orders extending into 2028

DIGITIMES — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 07:09:28 GMT

Meta's rapid rollout of its Muse AI agent is emerging as an early test of how agentic AI could reshape server infrastructure demand, with CPU suppliers already seeing longer lead times and AMD's latest EPYC processors reportedly booked deep into 2027.