DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Aker to expand capacity by 20% as auto demand drives growth

Sherri Wang — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:46:47 GMT

Aker Technology plans to expand capacity by 20% in 2026 as automotive demand grows and the quartz component supplier pushes further into AI servers, optical modules, and industrial control applications.

OpenAI reportedly nears 10GW Ohio lease with Nvidia backing, sealing its pivot from building to renting compute

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:25:36 GMT

OpenAI is in advanced talks to lease a planned 10-gigawatt data center campus on federal land in Ohio, in what would be the company's largest infrastructure commitment to date, The Information reported, citing people familiar with the negotiations. The deal — developed by SoftBank's SB Energy on land owned by the US Department of Energy, with Nvidia weighing a role as credit guarantor — would crystallize a year-long shift in OpenAI's strategy: away from owning massive computing assets, and toward leasing them.

Tech analyst unpacks why AI eats the world at SuperAI Singapore

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:54:41 GMT

Sam Altman's vision of artificial intelligence as a utility bought by the meter — like electricity — may be the wrong model entirely, and the telecommunications industry's last decade shows why. Benedict Evans, the technology analyst and former Andreessen Horowitz partner, made that case Wednesday in the second keynote of SuperAI Singapore 2026, drawing on mobile data's growth trajectory to argue that volume and valuation do not travel together in commodity infrastructure businesses.

Commentary: How AI boom gave Nokia and BlackBerry a second life

Elaine Chen — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:52:10 GMT

The artificial intelligence boom has created clear winners among semiconductor and memory manufacturers. Shares of companies such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology have climbed as demand for AI memory chips continues to surge.

ByteDance takes direct aim at Claude Code and Codex at SuperAI Singapore

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:47:37 GMT

ByteDance's enterprise technology arm took a direct shot at Anthropic and OpenAI's coding tools at SuperAI Singapore 2026 on Wednesday, with Kan Yang, head of solutions at BytePlus, naming Claude Code and Codex as competitors to ByteDance's own agentic engineering product, Trae.

Commentary: Nvidia CEO visit spotlights Samsung in HBM supply race

Charlene Chen — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:44:24 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's multi-day trip to South Korea put the "triangle relationship" among Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Nvidia over high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in the spotlight, even as he toured AI factories and sealed partnerships in robotics and physical AI. The visit underscored how HBM has become a strategic supply asset for Nvidia's expanding AI platform.

Powerchip taps AI-driven chip boom with US$833 million overseas fundraising push

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:36:58 GMT

Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC) has priced a cash capital increase tied to an overseas depositary receipt offering, a move that may matter to global investors tracking Asia's semiconductor supply chain. The Taiwan-based company said the deal will fund equipment purchases and foreign-currency materials, while modestly diluting existing shareholders.

Closed AI models face a capex reckoning as open-weight alternatives close gap, SuperAI speaker warns

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:21:07 GMT

The economics of closed artificial intelligence (AI) models may be fundamentally broken, and the centralized cloud infrastructure supporting them is the next target — that was the sharpest argument to emerge from the opening keynote of SuperAI Singapore 2026 on Wednesday, where entrepreneur and former Coinbase chief technology officer Balaji Srinivasan laid out a case for why the software industry may have no choice but to decentralize.

Taiwan exports hit record high as AI servers and chip price hikes fuel trade surge

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:18:03 GMT

Taiwan's exports hit new highs in May 2026 and in the first five months of the year, powered by AI supply-chain demand and rising electronics prices, the Ministry of Finance said on June 9.

China's CNY2tn data center plan puts domestic AI chips at the core

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:12:55 GMT

Beijing is preparing a plan to spend CNY2 trillion (US$295 billion) over the next five years to build data centers across China, a move aimed at strengthening the country's domestic AI computing infrastructure and reducing reliance on US chip suppliers, according to Bloomberg.

TSMC's May revenue grows 30% as AI demand and tight capacity support outlook

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:10:25 GMT

TSMC reported consolidated net revenue of about NT$416.98 billion (approx. US$13.2 billion) in May 2026, up 1.5% from April and 30.1% from a year earlier. The figure set a new monthly record and reinforced expectations that demand for leading-edge chips remains strong.

Microsoft Azure's China retreat shows data sovereignty is squeezing global cloud providers

Levi Li — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:53:16 GMT

Microsoft is reportedly scaling back parts of its China operations again, with the latest adjustment focused on its Azure cloud business, as both the US and China tighten scrutiny over data security and cross-border data flows.

World Cup demand and advertising economics keep TV prices stable despite rising memory costs

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:41:53 GMT

Global TV shipments rose 6% year-over-year to 50.3 million units in the first quarter of 2026, driven by retailer inventory build-ups ahead of the FIFA World Cup and resilient consumer demand outside China, according to market research firm Omdia.

Samsung weighs Gwangju packaging plant as power strains Seoul-area chip expansion

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:41:08 GMT

Samsung Electronics is considering building an advanced semiconductor packaging facility in the southwestern city of Gwangju, a move that would expand its backend chipmaking footprint as demand for high-bandwidth memory and AI-related chips grows.

Malaysia urges ASEAN to build regional power grid in response to geopolitical tensions, AI-driven power demand

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:28:13 GMT

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has once again called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to establish a regional power grid, as geopolitical developments and growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure simultaneously affect energy supply and demand.

AI equipment, telecom upgrades lift network equipment vendors in May

Kevin Wang — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:03:23 GMT

Taiwan-based network equipment makers have seen revenue trend higher in May 2026, buoyed by rising AI infrastructure spending, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite orders, and a telecom upgrade cycle. In their recently announced results for the month, several companies posted year-on-year growth, with some setting all-time highs for the month or the same period.

Chang Wah says semiconductor inventory correction has ended, sees 2026 sales growth

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:22 GMT

Chang Wah Technology has declared that the global semiconductor inventory correction has ended, with demand recovering in industrial control, networking, and AI data center power management. The shift signals firmer supply-chain conditions, rising leadframe demand, and broader pressure on packaging capacity across Asia — factors with direct implications for global electronics buyers and investors.

Trend Micro COO sees Taiwan as model for AI regulation

Kevin Wang — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:58:29 GMT

Trend Micro COO Kevin Simzer believes Taiwan has the potential to become a global model for AI regulation, as AI technologies evolve from simple tools to become autonomous agentic systems capable of handling complex tasks and decision-making.

Trump administration reportedly halts public AI capability reports amid national security push

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:58:26 GMT

The Trump administration has reportedly directed a Commerce Department-affiliated body responsible for evaluating advanced artificial intelligence systems to stop publishing public reports on the capabilities of leading AI models, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited multiple people familiar with the matter. The move has intensified debate in Washington over who should oversee the assessment of increasingly powerful AI technologies and how governments should balance innovation with national security concerns.

Taiwan reportedly weighs tougher AI chip export curbs as US lawmakers push for tighter China controls

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:43:00 GMT

Taiwan is considering significantly tougher restrictions on exports of advanced AI chips to China, a move that would bring the island's regulations closer to those of the US and strengthen efforts to combat semiconductor smuggling, according to Bloomberg.

Apple's Siri AI finally arrives, but China blockage threatens iPhone's next upgrade cycle

Levi Li — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:27:21 GMT

Apple's new Siri AI has finally arrived, but its absence from China threatens to weaken the company's artificial intelligence (AI) strategy in one of the world's most important smartphone markets.

Grab eyes Taiwan as first move beyond SEA market

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:23:22 GMT

Grab is preparing to enter Taiwan, and once its acquisition of foodpanda is approved by regulators, Taiwan will become the company's first market outside Southeast Asia. Grab's Operating Director and Managing Director Yee Wee Tang recently visited Taiwan to outline the company's post-deal operating plans, as it braces for a full transition of foodpanda users to its platform.

Apple's OLED MacBook push raises stakes for BOE and Samsung display race

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:14:15 GMT

Apple's anticipated adoption of OLED screens in MacBook Pro models is set to lift demand for notebook panels, as Samsung Display and BOE prepare to begin mass production of 8.6-generation OLED panels.

Interview: Taiwan's INFINITIX expands in South Korea to tap sovereign AI demand

Sherri Wang — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:13:10 GMT

As AI adoption accelerates globally, computing infrastructure is becoming a key competitive battleground. Taiwan-based AI software company INFINITIX is expanding in South Korea with GPU optimization software, aiming to meet demand for localized infrastructure and sovereign AI development.

Apple moves private cloud compute to third party with Google Cloud AI

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:55:27 GMT

Apple unveiled its third-generation foundation models at WWDC 2026, marking a major shift in its artificial intelligence strategy with implications for users worldwide. The new Siri, deeper Apple Intelligence integration, and a move to Google Cloud for its top model highlight how global device experiences may increasingly depend on cross-company cloud infrastructure.

Broadcom, Apollo, Blackstone launch US$35B AI infrastructure platform to power next wave of AI growth

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:53:58 GMT

Broadcom has partnered with Apollo Global Management and Blackstone's Credit & Insurance business to launch the AI XPV Platform, a new financing vehicle backed by an initial US$35 billion commitment aimed at accelerating AI infrastructure deployment. According to The Wall Street Journal, the platform is designed to support more than 20GW of AI compute capacity by 2028 using Broadcom's chips and networking technologies, with customers including Anthropic and OpenAI.

Supermicro's US$7 billion fundraising shines spotlight on mounting governance and compliance challenges

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:50:22 GMT

According to Bloomberg and Reuters, Supermicro said it plans to raise US$7 billion through a series of equity and equity-linked offerings to support purchases of components needed to fulfill a growing backlog of artificial intelligence server orders, marking the latest chapter in a turbulent period for the company.

Microsoft cuts hundreds of Azure jobs in China as another step in its global restructuring

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:49:02 GMT

Microsoft is laying off hundreds of employees in its Azure cloud division in China, marking the latest step in the company's ongoing restructuring efforts as it navigates increasingly complex regulatory environments in both the US and China.

EZConn posts record May revenue and aims for quarter-to-quarter growth through 2026

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:42:55 GMT

EZConn's record May revenue points to continued demand in optical communications, with implications for customers, suppliers, and investors tracking global data center expansion. The company said deferred April orders helped shipments, and it expects capacity to stay tight, margins to improve, and full-year growth to remain in double digits.

WinWay revenue rises on AI and HPC demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:40:13 GMT

WinWay Technologies said shipments linked to artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, central processing units, and application processors lifted consolidated revenue to NT$1.073 billion (US$33.9 million) in May 2026, the company's second-highest monthly total on record. For global readers tracking the semiconductor supply chain, the results signal how AI infrastructure demand is reshaping testing capacity and equipment needs worldwide.

Delta and Lite-On poised to benefit as AI pushes data centers toward megawatt power levels

Elaine Chen — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:34:28 GMT

AI's relentless expansion is forcing a structural overhaul of data-center power infrastructure, creating a new investment cycle that extends well beyond servers and semiconductors.

India reportedly delays Starlink launch amid Iran war security concerns

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:26:11 GMT

India has effectively paused Starlink's commercial entry, underscoring how geopolitical tensions can shape global internet access and slow satellite expansion in major markets. For readers worldwide, the case shows how regulators may tighten scrutiny when foreign-controlled communications systems are seen as a security risk during conflict.

Commentary: YMTC, CXMT relisting shows US-China tech controls are moving beyond chips

Levi Li — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:10:33 GMT

YMTC and CXMT have returned to Washington's Chinese Military Companies list, placing China's two leading memory chipmakers back at the center of US scrutiny over semiconductors, military-civil fusion, and China's technology supply chain.

AI shift to inference opens new supply-chain opportunities for InWin and Y.S. Tech

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:00:00 GMT

As AI moves from large-model training to inference, more applications and business models are emerging across the supply chain. InWin is expanding from components into system assembly, while Y.S. Tech is ramping up production as it expects AI-related growth momentum to build in 2027.

HVLP4 copper foil battle heats up as Nvidia courts Co-Tech

Charlene Chen — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:45:00 GMT

Co-Tech said on June 8, 2026, that Nvidia has directly approached it to discuss long-term capacity planning for high-end HVLP4 copper foil, as AI GPU and ASIC demand accelerates and a structural supply bottleneck looms in 2026. Chairman Frank Lee said the market could face a 15–25% supply shortfall in 2026, setting up a two-to-three year upcycle in prices.

China rejects US military-linked listing of Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, calls move unjustified

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:40:48 GMT

The US Department of Defense has added major Chinese companies, including Alibaba Group, Baidu, and BYD, to its Chinese Military Companies list, drawing swift public rejection from the firms and fresh criticism from Beijing. The designations matter globally because they can shape investor sentiment, government procurement, and cross-border business expectations, even when direct operational limits remain narrow.

Taiwan AI industry plan targets silicon photonics as new moat

Rodney Chan — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:30:00 GMT

The Taiwanese government has launched an AI infrastructure initiative aiming to further strengthen its semiconductor industry prowess by leveraging silicon photonics (SiPh) to form a new moat, as AI-driven demand for high-speed data transfer accelerates.

Largan targets CPO multilayer stacking with first FAU pilot line

Levi Li — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:26:31 GMT

Lens maker Largan Precision held its shareholders' meeting on June 9, where chairman Adam Lin, long known for his terse public remarks, appeared relaxed and offered unusually detailed views on the industry, technology, and Largan's own operations. His comments showed clear optimism toward the company's development of fiber array units (FAUs).

Malaysia electronics exports seen rising through 2026 despite trade and cost pressures

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:55:07 GMT

Malaysia's electronics sector is expected to keep expanding into 2026, even as tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and rising input costs weigh on manufacturers. Industry leaders say the country's neutral position in the US-China contest, along with a deepening semiconductor ecosystem, should help sustain export growth for global supply chains.

QBit Semiconductor to buy 60% of Singapore-based Sinchip to boost ASIC design services

DIGITIMES — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:52:50 GMT

QBit Semiconductor said it will buy a 60% stake in Singapore-based Sinchip Technology, a move that gives it control of the company and expands its reach across major chip markets. The deal could affect global demand for customized semiconductors used in AI, computing, communications, and vehicles.

Column: Robotics' razor's edge is finally cutting into the real world

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:19:53 GMT

In early June in Vienna, a robotics startup used its keynote at ICRA 2026 — the International Conference on Robotics and Automation — to show a robotic arm slowly and precisely shaving its founder's face.

Sysgration scales drone ground control and smart glasses as industrial edge revenue rises

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:19:41 GMT

Sysgration expanded its industrial PC and edge-computing business into drone ground control systems and smart glasses, and said shipments of IPCs and drone GCS flight control systems scaled up to help lift May 2026 revenue. The firm reported consolidated revenue of about NT$308 million (approx. US$9.7 milllion) in May 2026, up 0.96% month-over-month and 15.29% year-over-year, and said related businesses now accounted for nearly 40% of revenue as IPC and drone shipments increased.

Flytech pivots from POS hardware to all-scenario payment and edge-computing systems

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:19:32 GMT

Flytech announced a strategic shift from being primarily a point-of-sale hardware supplier toward a systems-provider model focused on payments, edge computing, and recurring services. At Computex 2026, the firm unveiled a full payment solution covering counter POS, self-service kiosks, and handheld payment terminals designed for retail and food service, and said the move reflects changing customer mixes and a push to embed computing power across store operations.

GEM Terminals cites AI-driven demand as May 2026 copper sales jump 72%

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:19:10 GMT

GEM Terminals reported consolidated revenue of about NT$428 million (US$13.6 million) in May 2026, up 71.83% year-over-year from NT$249 million, saying expanding global investment in AI infrastructure drove a surge in demand for specialty copper materials used in cooling applications. The firm linked the month's performance to rising cooling needs at servers and data centers as computing density increased, and described the result as evidence of strong long-term momentum for its materials transformation strategy.

COMPUTEX highlights a shift to prefabricated AI data centers

Elaine Chen — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:18:56 GMT

At COMPUTEX 2026, held under the theme "AI Together," a clear shift was visible across the exhibition floor: the focus has moved beyond individual chips and server specifications toward a far more practical challenge — how to rapidly deploy full-scale computing infrastructure under tight constraints of power, time, and construction capacity.

Posiflex sees orders through 3Q26, shuns price war

Sherri Wang — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:18:43 GMT

Posiflex said order visibility for the second and third quarters of 2026 remains relatively clear, though the industrial PC and POS hardware supplier is taking a cautious view of the fourth quarter as component supply, geopolitical risks, and broader market conditions remain uncertain.

Chenbro Micom posts May revenue jump and projects strong second-half momentum

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:18:24 GMT

Server chassis maker Chenbro Micom reported that May 2026 revenue reached NT$2.51 billion (approx. US$79 million), up 37.3% year-over-year and 21.8% month-over-month, and said it expects robust operating momentum in the second half of 2026. The firm disclosed that consolidated revenue for the first five months of 2026 totaled NT$11.69 billion, a 46.8% increase compared with the same period last year, and attributed near-term strength to smooth handovers between legacy and new projects.

Chinese AI startup StepFun seeks US$12 billion valuation in Hong Kong IPO

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:18:12 GMT

Chinese artificial-intelligence (AI) startup StepFun is preparing to file for a Hong Kong initial public offering as early as Monday, according to people familiar with the matter, in what could become one of the city's largest technology listings in recent years.

A COMPUTEX beyond PCs: Taiwanese suppliers target robot data and parts

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:17:59 GMT

COMPUTEX 2026 has made clearer a shift already underway in Taiwan's robotics supply chain, with suppliers looking beyond humanoid showcases toward less visible technologies — including motion data, vision, sensing, embedded control, actuators, and system integration — that could determine which robots reach commercial deployment first.

PCIM 2026: Every company is now a semiconductor company

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:17:42 GMT

Global hardware growth is facing an increasingly fragile and fragmented supply chain. At PCIM Europe 2026, software intelligence firm Luminovo's OEM Growth Lead, Inga Schwarz, made a compelling case for why AI is no longer enough to save hardware companies from costly operational challenges. The industry, she argued, must embrace a transition toward deep, native domain enterprise integration to build a unified "digital thread." With the fast-moving advancement of generative models set against modern supply chain complexity, Schwarz delivered a reality check for OEMs and EMS providers navigating the global market.

Column: Computex 2026 shows Taiwan rewriting its role — from building AI to designing it

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:16:47 GMT

Computex Taipei 2026, held from June 2 to 5 under the theme "AI Together," drew more than 1,500 exhibitors from 33 countries and set a new record in scale. The show underscored a new AI industry reality: competition has moved far beyond standalone chip compute and into a systems-level battle spanning compute, connectivity, power, and cooling.

CATL locks in 770,000 tons of electrolyte supply as battery demand accelerates

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:13:28 GMT

China's battery materials supply chain is showing fresh signs of tightening as major electrolyte producers secure multiyear contracts with the world's largest electric-vehicle battery maker.

AI use in PCB manufacturing has gone mainstream, but scaling remains lagging

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 23:13:01 GMT

AI adoption in PCB manufacturing is now widespread, yet fewer than 10% of companies have fully scaled deployments, underscoring a global gap between experimentation and factory-wide integration. For readers worldwide, the findings point to a sector where quality gains are real, but talent, data, and governance constraints are slowing broader industrial change.

Alibaba puts CEO directly in charge of new unit as AI model race turns commercial

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 09:19:17 GMT

Alibaba Group Holding has created a new artificial intelligence unit called Token Foundry, putting it directly under CEO Eddie Wu as the Chinese technology giant further consolidates its model-development teams and pushes AI applications toward commercialization.