DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Charts: Taiwan's chip packaging growth runs deeper than ASE

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:43:00 GMT

Taiwan's back-end semiconductor sector is growing well beyond its largest player. The 24 listed packaging and testing firms tracked by DIGITIMES posted combined January-August 2026 revenue of NT$768.9 billion (approx. US$24.1 billion), up 27.1% from a year earlier. Without ASE Technology Holding, the rest of the group still grew 25.4%.

Samsung looks to outside suppliers as HBM boom shifts priorities

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:54:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics has long benefited from a level of vertical integration few technology companies can match, spanning smartphones, memory, chip design, foundry manufacturing and packaging. However, recent sourcing moves suggest those internal links are becoming more selective as individual businesses pursue their own customers, margins and capacity priorities.

Apple's foldable phone puts thinness, weight in focus

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:49:00 GMT

Apple's first foldable phone has sharpened global attention on smartphone design trade-offs, with weight, thickness, and component miniaturization becoming key benchmarks for consumers and competitors alike. For buyers worldwide, the latest competition suggests future handsets may be lighter, slimmer, and more expensive.

DIGITIMES Insight: SiC substrate capacity expansion continued; 6-inch substrate prices expected to rebound in 2027

Yunnie Cheng — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:39:00 GMT

DIGITIMES has observed that demand for silicon carbide (SiC) power devices has climbed rapidly in recent years as the EV market expands, triggering a massive wave of capacity expansion among SiC substrate makers. However, as SiC substrate capacity continued to surge, actual demand for SiC power devices from the EV sector fell short of expectations. This imbalance triggered a collapse in SiC substrate prices starting in 2024, extending the downward trend through 2026.

Huawei's 3D data center redesign targets the next AI compute density wall

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:38:00 GMT

Huawei has unveiled what it calls the world's first 3D data center, introducing a vertically stacked four-layer architecture designed for increasingly dense AI computing clusters and gigawatt-scale infrastructure.

TSMC's C.C. Wei says to solve problems, put customers first

Charlene Chen — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:40:00 GMT

TSMC chairman C.C. Wei and co-COO Y.J. Mii joined a forum on September 15, 2026, where Wei shared lessons from school, R&D and corporate management with National Taiwan University students via video, while Mii led a deeper discussion on advanced process technology and AI tools.

Jensen Huang's Galaxy Z Fold8 spotlights Nvidia-Samsung ties

Lily Hess — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:39:00 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has again been photographed using Samsung Electronics' latest foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold8, after being seen with a Galaxy Z Fold7 earlier in 2026. The latest sighting has drawn fresh attention to the close partnership between Samsung Electronics and Nvidia.

Charts: Memory chip designers carry Taiwan's IC design rebound

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:36:00 GMT

Taiwan's IC design sector is growing fast, but the gains are concentrated in memory. Combined January–August 2026 revenue at the 105 listed chip designers tracked by DIGITIMES reached NT$1.15 trillion, up 29.6% from a year earlier. Five memory-related companies added two-thirds of the NT$261.8 billion increase.

Huawei aims to become 'China's Nvidia,' rules out building satellites or spacecraft

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:10:00 GMT

Huawei's internal Heart Voice Community recently published minutes from a discussion between Guo Ping, chairman of Huawei's supervisory board, and newly hired employees, offering a glimpse into the company's ambitions in AI, computing, semiconductors, and future technologies.

Analysis: Jensen Huang is in Trump's ear; what it means for Taiwan's chip supply chain

Sherri Wang — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:51:16 GMT

"The narrative is much more practical," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said of China's approach to artificial intelligence (AI) at the All-In Summit 2026, contrasting it with US warnings about AI bringing civilization to an end.

Infineon exits NOR Flash with US$1.12 billion sale to Winbond, reviving Spansion name

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:18:52 GMT

Winbond Electronics will buy Infineon Technologies' NOR Flash and F-RAM business for US$1.12 billion in cash and rename it Spansion, the name of the US memory pioneer whose NOR Flash line forms the core of the business.

Samsung advances jump 70% amid shift to long-term memory deals

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:43:55 GMT

Samsung Electronics' total advances received rose 70.4% in the first half of 2026, while memory suppliers and their largest customers increasingly turn to multi-year agreements to secure supply and improve demand visibility.

Taiwan, South Korea should stop comparing, says DIGITIMES chairman

Charlene Chen — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:17:28 GMT

As global AI investment continues to expand and US-China geopolitical pressure intensifies, how Taiwan and South Korea can preserve their semiconductor and manufacturing advantages has become a focal point. DIGITIMES and IC975 chairman Colley Hwang said the two sides should look for complementary strengths, work together to help Vietnam, Malaysia, and other countries develop, and first increase corporate exchanges to build a positive environment for cooperation.

DIGITIMES Insight: Google outlines AI compute expansion, speeds TPU cycle to 6 months

Charlene Chen — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:55:00 GMT

DIGITIMES Intelligence said Google used SEMICON Taiwan 2026 to outline the direction of its AI infrastructure strategy, focusing not only on next-generation TPU products but also on how rising AI compute demand is accelerating TPU iteration and deployment.

India's Eastern state clears SiCSem's SiC unit in SEZ

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:55:00 GMT

The Falta Special Economic Zone unit approval committee has cleared a proposal from SiCSem Private Limited to build an integrated silicon carbide (SiC) device plant near Bhubaneswar, a project with an investment of INR34.06 billion (US$355 million) and expected to employ about 1,270 people directly.

LEOTEK completes real-world test of AI traffic system at US smart city lab

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:31:00 GMT

Leotek Electronics has completed a real-world deployment of its Interlux AI Traffic Signal System in Georgia, highlighting how cities worldwide can adopt smarter traffic management, connected-vehicle tools, and AI-based road safety systems. The test could inform future urban transport upgrades in the US and beyond.

Nvidia's Jensen Huang expected to attend Trump-Xi Summit as tech and trade take center stage

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:15:00 GMT

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet on September 24 in Washington for a state dinner now dubbed the "G2 Summit". The meeting follows a turbulent economic period marked by an April 2025 tariff surge where both nations raised levies above 100% before reaching a temporary stalemate. Alongside traditional trade discussions and potential climate change or pandemic prevention talks, technology leadership, export controls, and regulatory frameworks are set to dominate the agenda.

Why Wiwynn chose El Paso for its first US plant

Lily Hess — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:05:30 GMT

Wiwynn held the grand opening for its first US factory on September 14 local time, choosing El Paso, Texas, over larger cities such as Dallas and Houston. Chief manufacturing officer Robin Wang said the site gives the company the best support from its Ciudad Juarez, Mexico plant, which is less than an hour away.

Samsung and Qualcomm jointly developing organic bridges for 2.1D packaging

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:02:41 GMT

Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Qualcomm are working together to develop an organic bridge for 2.1D packaging architectures. The partnership takes place as AI chips grow larger, denser, and higher-performing, bolstering the value of the advanced packaging end of the chip process.

BizLink's CPO breakthrough hits the hard part: scaling

Levi Li — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:57:00 GMT

BizLink has begun small-volume shipments of co-packaged optics (CPO), but chairman Roger Liang said mass deployment remains constrained by fiber array unit (FAU) assembly, thermal management and system reliability rather than production capacity.

AI slowdown calls expose the financial strain of the frontier race

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:45:00 GMT

Calls to moderate frontier AI development are exposing a financial dilemma alongside the safety debate: AI labs must fund successive research cycles while securing infrastructure to serve rapidly growing demand. A coordinated slowdown could offer financial breathing room, although public evidence does not establish that cost pressure motivated the latest appeals.

EV batteries cannot simply power humanoid robots, with energy density and costs posing key hurdles

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:43:00 GMT

Power battery technology has reached maturity in the new energy vehicle (NEV) market, but transferring it to humanoid robots presents two major barriers: the need for significant technological upgrades and the difficulty of spreading costs across a market characterized by low-volume, highly customized demand.

Soaring memory costs threaten Netronix's e-reader growth, even as new display markets stay on track

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:35:00 GMT

Netronix said rapidly rising memory prices are squeezing the consumer electronics supply chain, raising e-book reader costs and slowing some e-paper display projects. Even so, the company still expects growth from color readers and advertising displays in 2027, helped by resilient supply-chain execution and demand for higher-value products.

SK Hynix union approves revised pay deal after 25-vote rejection

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:26:24 GMT

SK Hynix's production workers' union has approved a revised pay agreement that raises the cash share of employee profit-sharing bonuses, ending weeks of uncertainty after members rejected the previous proposal by just 25 votes.

TSMC's overseas expansion faces talent management gap, says co-COO Y.J. Mii

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:15:00 GMT

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) chairman C.C. Wei and co-chief operating officer (co-COO) Y.J. Mii participated in the "Cross-Generational Dialogue: Questions and Answers for the AI Era" forum on September 15.

SK Hynix, Intel in talks on US production to ease memory crunch

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:07:24 GMT

SK Hynix is in talks with Intel about a potential deal that could give the South Korean company its first memory chip manufacturing operation in the US, as tight supply pushes customers and governments to secure more domestic capacity.

Taiwan CCL makers ride Nvidia's M9 shift as AI servers move to 52-layer PCBs

Levi Li — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:30:00 GMT

Global cloud service providers are continuing to expand AI infrastructure, driving a surge in demand for high-frequency, high-speed PCBs and making copper-clad laminate (CCL) upgrades increasingly critical to system performance. With both PCB layer counts and material specifications rising, Taiwan suppliers including Elite Material (EMC), Taiwan Union Technology (TUC), Iteq, Nan Ya Plastics, and Ventec are expected to sustain strong shipments through the second half of 2026.

CPO ramp pushes silicon photonics testing upstream to catch defects early

Sherri Wang — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:30:00 GMT

As AI servers drive demand for higher-speed optical interconnects and co-packaged optics (CPO) moves toward volume production, silicon photonics testing is shifting from component-performance verification toward wafer-yield protection and earlier risk screening.

Geckos sees copper paste as a lower-cost answer to shrinking glass via challenges

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMT

AI, high-performance computing, and advanced packaging are accelerating demand for glass substrates, but smaller through-glass vias are making conventional filling methods harder to use. Geckos is promoting a copper paste process with vacuum printing as an alternative that could improve yield, lower costs, and support denser interconnects.

Samsung Exynos regains share as Galaxy phones test 2nm

Lily Hess — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 05:30:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics' in-house Exynos application processors (APs) are steadily regaining lost ground in the global smartphone market. Samsung's share of the global smartphone AP market rose to 9% in the second quarter of 2026, up 2 percentage points from the previous quarter and 3 percentage points from a year earlier, marking a second straight quarterly increase.

Geopolitical shocks add business pressure as CBAM free carbon quotas extend to 2038

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 05:05:00 GMT

International conflicts, shifting trade rules, and rising carbon costs are forcing companies worldwide to rethink investment plans and supply chains. The EU has proposed extending free carbon allowances for sectors covered by its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), while tightening decarbonization expectations, underscoring how climate policy and geopolitics are becoming increasingly linked for global industry.

Meta globally rolls out Meta One subscription, tops 15 million sign-ups

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:37:04 GMT

Meta on Sept. 15 announced the global rollout of Meta One, a new subscription service combining premium features across its social media platforms with expanded access to AI tools, as the company seeks to broaden monetization of its growing AI ecosystem.

Physical AI could reshape industrial computing as Ennoconn sees a long growth cycle

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:35:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond software and into physical systems, and Ennoconn Technology says that shift could create a multi-year expansion for industrial computing vendors. Ennoconn president Nelson Tsay said the next phase of AI is expected to open broad opportunities across robots, factories, and transport applications.

Samsung reportedly weighs Micron's newest memory for Galaxy S27

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:28:01 GMT

Samsung Electronics is reportedly testing Micron's most advanced 1γ LPDDR5X memory for possible use in the Galaxy S27 series, as rising costs around next-generation mobile DRAM complicate supply decisions. South Korean media say higher prices for advanced-process chips, plus the prospect of further mobile DRAM increases in the fourth quarter of 2026, are weighing on Samsung's plans.

Apple reportedly accepts Samsung's 1Q27 memory hike, raising the 2027 smartphone cost floor

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:19:29 GMT

Apple's acceptance of sharply higher Samsung Electronics memory prices for early 2027 is putting a number on the cost of the AI boom for smartphones. The reported agreement comes just days after Apple limited the iPhone 18 Pro price increase to US$100, highlighting its willingness to absorb part of a historic rise in memory costs to defend shipments and market position.