DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

MiniMax H3 pairs 2K video with native stereo audio in China's multimodal AI race

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:33:29 GMT

Chinese AI start-up MiniMax launched MiniMax H3 on July 31, expanding its position in multimodal generative AI as competition among China's model developers spreads beyond large language models into video, audio, and AI agents.

AWS chip business passes US$25 billion run rate; CEO Jassy says there is 'real chance' of selling Trainium outside AWS

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:33:14 GMT

Amazon's custom silicon business has reached an annual revenue run rate of more than US$25 billion and is growing at triple-digit percentages yearly, CEO Andy Jassy said on the company's second-quarter earnings call. For the first time, he indicated the company may sell its Trainium accelerators to data centers it does not operate.

Research Insight: AIDVs reshape smart cars with world models and agents

Charlene Chen — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:32:53 GMT

DIGITIMES Intelligence said its observations from the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) show that AI is rapidly reshaping the automotive industry, with smart-car competition shifting from software-defined vehicles (SDV) toward AI-defined vehicles (AIDVs), as the sector moves beyond software upgrades into a new stage driven by AI.

Interview: Governance layer key to deploying AI agents in the finance sector

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:32:42 GMT

AI agents are being rolled out in companies, promising efficiency and automated workflows. But as they enter regulated industries such as financial institutions, questions remain over how to manage them in sectors where mistakes could lead to lasting damage and broken trust.

Roborock's overseas push lifts Chinese brands in robot vacuum market

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:32:20 GMT

Shanghai-based Roborock has emerged as a global leader in robot vacuums, underscoring how Chinese brands are reshaping the smart cleaning market for consumers worldwide. The company's overseas sales, regional product localization, and Shenzhen operations hub have helped it secure the No. 1 position in a still-growing industry.

Memory costs overtake smartphone chip costs as SoC shipments are set to fall 14%

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:30:56 GMT

Memory costs have moved ahead of smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) costs, and Counterpoint Research said the shift was already reshaping handset pricing and demand. The research firm expects global smartphone SoC shipments to fall 14% in 2026, with the entry-level segment taking the biggest hit and declining by more than 30%.

Xiaomi adds SkyNomad N90 and N70 with 370,000 deliveries still needed for 2026 target

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:30:43 GMT

Xiaomi has entered China's range-extended electric vehicle market with two large intelligent SUVs, expanding beyond battery-only models as it confronts slowing deliveries, renewed losses and intensifying competition from technology groups including Huawei and ByteDance.

TASA opens space startup base to push Taiwan toward satellite ODM

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:30:30 GMT

The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) opened its new space startup accelerator, TASA iSPARK, on July 31 at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University's Boai campus in Hsinchu. The center said it leased an entire floor in the Xianqi Hall building to create a base that links research, industry, investment, and international partners.

Lawmakers debate wealth-sharing policies as AI-related gains push Taiwan toward K-shaped economy

Kevin Wang — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:30:16 GMT

Taiwanese electronics companies listed on the stock exchange posted a combined 33.7% increase in pre-tax profits for 2025, outpacing the 12.86% growth for all listed companies, while their employees saw an average pay rise of 10%. However, a survey conducted by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics has found signals of a pronounced K-shaped economy, as two-thirds of Taiwan's salaried workers earn below the average wage.

Pittsburgh, Switzerland experts challenge Taiwan to move beyond robotics hardware

Lily Hess — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:30:00 GMT

As AI shifts toward agentic and physical applications, industry observers say competition will no longer hinge on hardware manufacturing alone, but on the ability to integrate hardware and software. At this year's AI WAVE SHOW, foreign experts urged Taiwan to move beyond its role as a hardware supplier and become a key player in the global AI ecosystem.

ESMT posts record second-quarter profit on higher contract memory prices

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:29:48 GMT

Elite Semiconductor Microelectronics Technology (ESMT) reported a record second-quarter 2026 profit as contract prices rose for niche memory products, lifting results sharply from the previous quarter and a year earlier. The Taiwanese chipmaker said net income reached NT$5.908 billion, while earnings per share hit NT$20.21, both all-time highs.

Ennoconn tender for Kontron closes as Germany reviews foreign investment approval

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 23:29:36 GMT

Ennoconn Technologies' public tender offer for its subsidiary Kontron AG closed after the offer period ended, but the final outcome still depends on a German foreign direct investment review. The company said 12,289,840 Kontron shares were tendered, representing about 19.5% of Kontron's issued shares.

MediaTek eyes high-single-digit revenue growth, 20% ASIC share by 2027

Charlene Chen — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 01:45:22 GMT

MediaTek held an investor conference on July 31, 2026, with CEO Rick Tsai reiterating that ASIC revenue will reach US$2 billion in 2026. He also said the total addressable market for cloud ASICs will reach US$80 billion in 2027, while lifting the company's target market share to 15-20%.

AUO commits US$721M to TGV, glass core and CPO expansion

Levi Li — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 01:44:51 GMT

AUO sold three factories within two days, with disposal gains expected to reach NT$17.7 billion (approx. US$548 million). Chairman Paul Peng said the proceeds would be reinvested in high-value products, new technologies and AI-related initiatives.

Obituary: Powerchip chairman Frank Huang dies after reshaping Taiwan's DRAM and foundry industry

Joseph(C) Chen — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 01:44:09 GMT

Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC) chairman Frank Huang died on July 31, 2026, at age 76, closing a career that spanned medicine, electronics, DRAM and foundry manufacturing. His life traced nearly 30 years of booms and busts in Taiwan's memory and semiconductor industries.

Tandem OLED clears key automotive qualification hurdle, wider adoption expected after 2030

Scarlett Yu — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:42:27 GMT

LCD panels still account for more than 90% of automotive display shipments, but OLED has now crossed a critical qualification threshold in the sector. That progress stems from advances in Tandem OLED technology, which have significantly improved lifetime and reliability. As validation data accumulates and production costs decline, industry researchers expect automotive OLED adoption to accelerate after 2030.

Arcadyan targets satellite supply chain through smaller operators before pursuing top-tier customers

Scarlett Yu — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:42:17 GMT

Taiwan networking equipment maker Arcadyan Technology is accelerating its expansion beyond the residential broadband market.

Posiflex revenue rises 46% in the second quarter on Europe and Asia demand

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:41:51 GMT

Posiflex Technology reported a sharp sequential rebound in the second quarter of 2026, with consolidated revenue climbing 46% to NT$5.183 billion (US$160.3 million). The industrial PC maker said net profit after tax increased 58% from the prior quarter to NT$467 million, or NT$4.34 per share, even as higher memory and CPU costs weighed on margins.

Elite Material posts record 2Q result on strong AI-related demand

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:41:40 GMT

Elite Material Co. said booming demand for advanced materials used in AI hardware kept its factories fully loaded in the second quarter of 2026, lifting revenue and profit to record levels. The Taiwan-based copper-clad laminate (CCL) maker expects tight production, broad customer demand, and expanding capacity to support growth across global markets over the coming year.

AUO sells two plants in two days and expects up to NT$17.7 billion gain

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:41:29 GMT

AUO said it moved to accelerate asset monetization in Taiwan by selling another factory on July 30 after announcing a separate disposal. The display maker agreed to sell its C5E plant and related facility infrastructure in Kaohsiung’s Lujhu district to Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) for NT$6.3 billion (US$193.6 million) before tax, with an estimated disposal gain of about NT$4.28 billion.

Realtek, Elan, and Parade set the tone for PC chip demand

Lily Hess — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:41:19 GMT

As the second half of the year begins, major Taiwanese IC design firms including Realtek Semiconductor, Elan Microelectronics, and Parade Technologies are holding earnings briefings this week to outline market conditions for the traditional peak season. Because the three companies hold key positions in the PC chip market, their comments are being watched as a barometer for PC chip demand in the second half of the year.

Silicon Motion posts record Q2 revenue and 2026 sales growth over 100%

Lily Hess — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:41:08 GMT

NAND controller maker Silicon Motion Technology reported record second-quarter 2026 revenue of US$451 million, up 32% quarter-on-quarter and 127% from a year earlier, as profit and margins also hit new highs. The company said third-quarter revenue will rise another 15% to 20% sequentially, and full-year 2026 revenue is set to reach a new record, with growth of more than 100% year-on-year.

Thintronics wins proposed US CHIPS incentives for advanced substrate technology

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:40:57 GMT

Thintronics, a semiconductor interconnect company, said in a press release on July 29 that it had signed a letter of intent with the US Department of Commerce and the CHIPS Research and Development Office for up to US$50 million in incentives under the CHIPS and Science Act.

Huawei's Kirin X90 Plus and XE90 power its lightest laptop and next foldable PC

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:40:42 GMT

Huawei has introduced two PC processors, the Kirin X90 Plus and Kirin XE90, alongside new HarmonyOS laptops designed to extend its in-house chip strategy across high-performance and ultra-light computing.

Chinese display makers move deeper into Korean cockpits as BOE wins Hyundai's flagship display program

DIGITIMES — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 00:40:21 GMT

Chinese display suppliers are expanding into South Korea's automotive supply chain as competition shifts beyond televisions and smartphones toward software-defined vehicles, where cockpit displays are becoming a defining part of the user experience.

At OCP's Taiwan summit, servers take a back seat to optics and advanced packaging

DIGITIMES — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:57:00 GMT

When the agenda for this year's OCP APAC Summit landed, seasoned observers noticed something unusual. TSMC, Applied Materials, Advantest, and ASE are sharing the stage with Microsoft, Nvidia, and Google.

Lite-On expands InP optical push with US$34.3 million stake in Singapore's DenseLight

Joseph(C) Chen — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:35:00 GMT

Lite-On Technology is extending its optical core competencies into system-level optical communications for AI data centers, announcing a US$34.3 million investment for a 21% stake in Singapore-based indium phosphide (InP) optical component maker DenseLight Photonics, along with a seat on its board.

Powerchip founder Frank Huang dies at 76; vice chair steps in as acting chief

DIGITIMES — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:41:58 GMT

Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC, TWSE: 6770) said in a material-information filing on July 31 that its chairman, Frank Huang, died peacefully in his sleep at his home around midday that day of cardiopulmonary failure. He was 76.

Analysis: The AI buildout stopped being a demand story

DIGITIMES — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:22:38 GMT

For three years, the constraint on artificial intelligence was how much compute the hyperscalers wanted to buy. The June-quarter filings of seven companies say the constraint has moved. It is now about who sets the price — and on that question the past five quarters have already taught a lesson from which most readers drew the wrong conclusion.

MJ Taiwan names Maverick Shih chair, prioritizes AI, cybersecurity and space technologies

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:55:00 GMT

The Monte Jade Science and Technology Association of Taiwan (MJ Taiwan) elected Maverick Shih, chairman of Acer Cyber Security (ACSI), as its 13th chairman during the association's first board meeting of its new term on July 30.

Delta Electronics eyes HVDC shipments in 4Q26, scale-up in 2027

Charlene Chen — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:25:00 GMT

Delta Electronics expects capital spending to rise to roughly NT$70 billion(US$2.17 billion) in 2026 from NT$46.1 billion(US$1.43 billion) in 2025, driven by growing demand from AI data centers and energy infrastructure projects.

Elon Musk denies rumored Tesla China contingency plans; discussions on supply chain localization shifts persist

DIGITIMES — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:55:00 GMT

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has denied a Wall Street Journal report on an internal plan within Tesla to prepare for a possible separation of its China operations. Despite his rebuttal, the report has still drawn attention to a wider transformation underway across the technology industry,

Exclusive: Asian chipmakers' shift to US helium raises concentration risk

DIGITIMES — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:11:15 GMT

Chipmakers in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan have avoided broad helium-related production disruptions so far, but their rapid shift toward US supply is creating a new concentration risk.

Exclusive Interview: Helium shock threatens advanced chipmaking as Asia shifts dependence to the US

DIGITIMES — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 06:55:00 GMT

As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to intensify, shifting export conditions and a broader realignment of supply from Qatar to the United States are reshaping global access to one of semiconductor manufacturing's most fundamental materials: helium.

ASE lifts 2026 capex to record US$10.5 billion, expects LEAP revenue to double in 2027

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 06:36:30 GMT

Driven by robust AI-related demand for advanced packaging and testing, ASE Technology Holding has raised its 2026 capital expenditure budget for a second time this year to a record US$10.5 billion, up from its original plan of US$8.5 billion.