DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

CXMT sees tight DRAM supply through 2H26, accelerates server memory and China-made tool validation

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 07:01:23 GMT

Chinese DRAM maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) expects global memory supply to remain tight through the second half of 2026, with AI-driven demand supporting prices while the company expands capacity, upgrades processes and pushes further into server memory.

Samsung boosts Galaxy A series output as rivals cut lower-end phones

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 07:00:42 GMT

Samsung Electronics has moved to expand production of mid- to low-end smartphones from August to November 2026, according to South Korean media Maeil Business Newspaper. The plan comes as rising memory chip prices are forcing other handset makers to pull back on lower-margin models, and Samsung is looking to use the shift to gain more smartphone market share.

ChenFull Precision expands from defense and semiconductor equipment into quantum computing

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 06:28:45 GMT

ChenFull Precision has expanded rapidly in recent years from traditional precision manufacturing operations such as welding and surface treatment into the semiconductor process equipment supply chain. Its overall business portfolio is also shifting increasingly toward semiconductors, with the company formally reclassified as a semiconductor stock on the Taipei Stock Exchange in 2025.

ASML lines up Intel, TSMC and Samsung behind 12-inch masks — TSMC alone sets a timeline

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 06:16:21 GMT

ASML issued joint statements with Intel Foundry, TSMC and Samsung Electronics on September 8, converging the three leading-edge chipmakers on a transition from the semiconductor industry's decades-old 6-inch photomask to a larger 12-inch format for High NA EUV lithography. Only TSMC attached a schedule to it.

Xiaomi debuts Xiaomi 18 Fold and mid-to-high-end lineup to defend 100M shipment target amid rising memory costs

Yunnie Cheng — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 06:07:00 GMT

Xiaomi unveiled its new wide-fold Xiaomi 18 Fold on the evening of the 7th to address demand and competition in the foldable smartphone market. Despite a recent smartphone market slowdown caused by surging memory prices, Xiaomi has kept up a rapid launch pace, including the new Redmi Note 17 series and the Poco F9 series.

Ennoconn reports August growth as Kontron stake rises to 48.36%

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 06:05:00 GMT

Industrial computer maker Ennoconn Technologies said its business recorded growth in August 2026 across all three of its main business units, supported by stronger demand for Physical AI applications and continued progress in semiconductor high-tech fab construction projects. The company also said its public tender offer for Kontron AG had been completed, raising its stake to about 48.36%.

CPO testing faces hurdles from Insertion 1 to 4, with '100% testing' expected to accelerate in 2027

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 05:57:23 GMT

Co-packaged optics (CPO) has officially entered the mass-production deployment stage, but the critical testing processes responsible for safeguarding yield continue to face different challenges across Insertion 1 through Insertion 4.

Advantech to open North America HQ and expand US manufacturing

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 05:35:00 GMT

Advantech will open its new North America headquarters campus in Tustin, California, on October 21, Taipei time, adding localized manufacturing and service capacity as demand linked to AI deployment continues to rise in the US. The industrial computer maker said the site will support faster delivery, more customization and stronger technical support for regional customers.

Nvidia reportedly shifts Rubin Ultra toward 8-high HBM as memory costs rise

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 04:50:52 GMT

Nvidia is reportedly shifting its Rubin Ultra AI accelerator toward an eight-high high-bandwidth memory (HBM) configuration, down from an earlier 12-high design, as rising memory costs put greater emphasis on bandwidth efficiency and overall system economics.

Huawei shifts AI battle to HarmonyOS 7, turning Celia into system-level agent

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 04:30:26 GMT

Huawei's September 7 product launch was more than a Mate XT 2 and Kirin 9050 Pro refresh. HarmonyOS 7 and an upgraded Celia reveal a broader strategy: make the operating system the control layer connecting on-device AI, applications, user data, and multiple devices.

Kinko revenue climbs monthly, August sales jump 107%

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 04:14:44 GMT

Kinko announced its consolidated revenue for August 2026 on September 8, reaching NT$557 million, up 6.2% from NT$524 million in July and surging 106.8% from NT$269 million(US$17.58 million) a year earlier. It marked the company's largest year-on-year monthly revenue increase so far in 2026.

Intel CPU prices reportedly rising 10% again as Qualcomm and MediaTek target IPC and IoT gaps

Charlene Chen — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 04:13:05 GMT

Intel's PC CPU prices have continued to rise since the end of 2025, and supply chain sources said the company is expected to raise them by another 10%. Its low-margin small-core line is likely heading toward end-of-life (EOL) as CEO Lip-Bu Tan reshapes the business to cut low-margin products and lift overall profitability.

Renewable power shortage puts Taiwan's chip cluster under scrutiny

Yunnie Cheng — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 04:10:04 GMT

As semiconductor and AI infrastructure expansions elevate Taiwan's strategic profile on the global stage, mandates for a "green chip" supply chain are intensifying pressure on major manufacturers to scale up renewable energy adoption. An investigation by RE100 reveals that Taiwanese enterprises face prohibitive green power costs and severe supply constraints, leaving the island ill-equipped to satisfy its rapidly expanding industrial power demand.

CIOE 2026 opens in Shenzhen: 5,000 exhibitors chase the AI-driven optics boom

Willis Ke — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 04:06:03 GMT

The 27th China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE 2026) will run September 9-11 in Shenzhen, bringing together more than 5,000 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions as AI infrastructure, high-speed optical communications and AR/VR applications reshape the optoelectronics industry.

Samsung allocates more than half of 4nm foundry capacity to HBM4

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 03:56:38 GMT

Samsung Electronics is allocating more than half of its 4nm foundry capacity to base dies for sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) as it accelerates shipments to major AI chip customers. The share is estimated at 50–60% as of August, according to ZDNet Korea.

iPhone 18 Pro prices tipped to cross CNY10,000 as Apple faces China pricing test

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 03:54:12 GMT

Apple's fall product launch is approaching, and leaked pricing for the iPhone 18 lineup is beginning to circulate in China, pointing to higher prices for the company's next-generation flagship smartphones.

Chicony targets 2027 robot startup shipments as notebook sales soften

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 03:37:27 GMT

Chicony Electronics said August 2026 revenue came under pressure as higher raw-material costs and shortages of key semiconductor components slowed customer orders, with notebook shipments weakening in particular. The Taiwan-based supplier also said it had secured an exclusive position in the supply chain of a well-known U.S. robotics startup, with shipments expected to begin in 2027.

Malaysia weighs Huawei Ascend 910C for MYR2 billion sovereign AI cloud

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 03:24:27 GMT

Malaysia is evaluating Huawei Technologies' Ascend 910C accelerators as the compute backbone of its MYR2 billion (US$494 million) sovereign AI initiative, which is designed to keep national data under domestic control, Bloomberg reported on Sept. 7, citing people familiar with the matter. The number of chips under consideration remains unclear, and no supplier decision has been announced.

ViTrox rides AI demand, expands Taiwan push as Malaysia semiconductor base grows

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 03:05:00 GMT

After several years away from SEMICON Taiwan, Malaysia-based inspection equipment maker ViTrox returned to the show this year and has already confirmed plans to exhibit again next year, signaling a renewed push into a market where AI and advanced packaging are raising the stakes for equipment suppliers.

Sercomm revenue surges past 3Q25 on North America upgrades

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 02:41:01 GMT

Sercomm Corporation reported August revenue of NT$7.044 billion on the 7th, up 45% year-over-year, extending its run of monthly sales above NT$7 billion(US$222.1 million) to a third straight month. The networking and broadband equipment maker also said July and August combined revenue reached NT$15.024 billion, already exceeding the NT$14.75 billion it booked in the third quarter of 2025.

Taiwan panel capacity shifts push TV brands to stock up as LCD price declines slow

Sherri Wang — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 02:33:14 GMT

The global LCD TV panel market is gradually moving toward supply-demand balance as activity recovers across the supply chain, with price declines expected to ease in September. The improvement reflects a pickup in third-quarter demand, along with market expectations that Chinese panel makers could cut production around China's National Day holiday in early October.

Analysis: Imec's EUV edge raises question over how far Taiwan should replicate research fab model

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 02:27:44 GMT

If Taiwan's government is determined enough, finding funding and land for the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) or the National Institutes of Applied Research (NIAR) is not necessarily the hardest part. The more difficult question comes later: who will shoulder the enormous and recurring cost of keeping advanced semiconductor research infrastructure running?

Chinese smartphone price hikes squeeze Southeast Asia: shipments fall 23%, low-end demand retreats

Levi Li — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 02:27:32 GMT

Rising smartphone prices are spreading beyond China, with Southeast Asia already showing the strain from rising handset costs and weaker replacement demand.

Huawei holds the price line for new Kirin-powered Mate XT 2

AI bot — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 02:16:41 GMT

Huawei held a product launch event on the afternoon of September 7, putting the tri-fold Mate XT 2 flagship smartphone and its Kirin 9050 Pro chipset in the spotlight while also rolling out HarmonyOS 7.

Huawei Kirin 9050 Pro puts LogicFolding to the test with 55% density gain, 66% lower NPU power

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 02:05:02 GMT

Huawei's Kirin 9050 Pro is the first commercial test of its Tau Scaling Law, with the company claiming a 55% increase in transistor density at the same process node while cutting NPU, GPU and CPU performance-core power by 66%, 58% and 41%, respectively.

Privacy displays become a premium smartphone battleground as Huawei brings one to a foldable

DIGITIMES — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 02:00:59 GMT

Huawei's Mate XT 2 combines an inward-folding tri-fold design with a built-in hardware privacy display, bringing two concepts already prominent in Samsung's premium smartphones into one device. The overlap reflects a broader shift in foldables toward screen protection, privacy and everyday usability.

Macronix, Winbond, Etron see revenue surge through August as memory price rally continues

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 01:51:22 GMT

Memory manufacturers Macronix International, Etron Technology, and Winbond Electronics all reported surging revenue for the first eight months of 2026. As the memory upcycle continues, all three companies posted strong August revenue growth, with executives noting that demand remains tight.

Adata, Team Group post record August revenue as memory module makers build inventory for 2027

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 01:42:12 GMT

Major Taiwanese memory module manufacturers saw revenue remain at high levels in August 2026, as memory prices continued to rise. Adata Technology and Team Group both posted record-high single-month revenue in August. Industry players believe demand will continue to be strong in the artificial intelligence (AI) market, with prices expected to continue rising in the third quarter. As supply is anticipated to tighten further in 2027, inventory management and market positioning will become critical to operating performance.

TSMC's co-COO left ITRI in 1987 for a startup foundry — ITRI just named him a laureate

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 01:21:15 GMT

TSMC Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer Y.P. Chin was named an Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) Laureate on September 7, marking another milestone in a semiconductor career spanning nearly four decades.

Infineon COO leaves a US fab open, says GlobalFoundries and ESMC already cover it

Charlene Chen — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 01:17:51 GMT

Infineon COO Alexander Gorski said the company is balancing in-house production, outsourcing, and global expansion as supply-chain resilience becomes a key customer requirement. In an exclusive interview with DIGITIMES at SEMICON Taiwan 2026, he also discussed chip shortages and progress at Infineon's new Dresden fab.

Nvidia underwrites its own demand, and that may be harder to copy than its chips

Levi Li — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 01:16:36 GMT

Venture capital firm a16z recently hosted investor Gavin Baker and a16z partner David George for a discussion on Nvidia's competitive position. Baker argued that CEO Jensen Huang has built a formidable moat around a strategy of being "vertically integrated but horizontally open."

SK Hynix weighs Gwangju investment as Yongin buildout continues

DIGITIMES — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:53:20 GMT

SK Hynix is considering accelerating investment in South Korea's planned Gwangju semiconductor cluster so that development proceeds alongside its ongoing Yongin buildout, rather than waiting for Yongin to advance further, according to Dealsite, citing industry sources. The potential overlap is raising a key question for semiconductor equipment suppliers: whether Gwangju will generate additional orders or absorb some spending previously expected for later stages of Yongin.

South Korea's UBATT targets 500 Wh/kg lithium-metal batteries for drone and defense markets

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:52:49 GMT

South Korean battery startup UBATT is targeting aerospace and defense applications such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries, aiming at applications that require 400–500 Wh/kg or more and are difficult for conventional lithium-ion batteries to serve.

SST market grows 32% as global players race to secure position

Lily Hess — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:50:38 GMT

As AI server computing power and per-rack power density continue to rise, traditional 54VDC power architectures are hitting bottlenecks such as excessive current, higher copper usage, and greater transmission losses. This is pushing next-generation AI data center power designs toward 800V high-voltage direct current (HVDC).

Taiwan and Saxony start building the talent pipeline behind TSMC's German fab

Charlene Chen — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:50:17 GMT

TSMC's investment in a fab in Germany's Free State of Saxony has drawn close attention from across Europe. Eva Ins Obergfell, Rector of Leipzig University, one of Germany's leading universities, recently visited Taiwan and toured National Taiwan University and National Tsing Hua University, among others, to explore ideas for research cooperation. Experts said Taiwan and Germany had opportunities to build long-term partnerships in quantum sensing technology, semiconductor materials processes and cross-border biomedical research.

Acer Asia units post double-digit growth on strong AI orders

Lily Hess — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:49:15 GMT

Acer's Asia operations posted double-digit revenue growth at three subsidiaries in the first half of 2026, led by Altos Computing, Acerpure, and Highpoint Service Network. Altos is seeing particularly strong demand for AI servers, prompting Acer's president of Pan-Asia Pacific operations Andrew Hou to say the unit will need to double its headcount to meet customer demand.

BYD weighs US$1B car-carrier order to support surging EV exports

Levi Li — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:48:53 GMT

BYD is extending its global expansion beyond factories and sales networks into ocean transport, building greater control over the car-carrier capacity needed to support rapidly rising overseas electric vehicle exports.

FitTech shifts from LED to optical communications, eyes InP relief

Charlene Chen — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:48:05 GMT

FitTech is pivoting away from the crowded LED market into optical communications, with outsourced chip testing and sorting orders set to rise month by month from the third quarter as a shortage of indium phosphide (InP) materials that had constrained shipments in the first half of 2026 gradually eases. The company said it has already secured outsourced orders from at least two major customers, while downstream customers have recently raised their 2027 order outlook.

US-China space race expands from Moon landings to LEO satellite constellations and orbital computing

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:47:31 GMT

The US-China space race is broadening beyond rocket launches and crewed lunar missions into a growing array of strategic arenas, including lunar resources, low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, space computing and military capabilities in orbit.

Accton sets August revenue record as AI networking demand surges

DIGITIMES — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:46:38 GMT

Accton Technology reported on September 7 that August consolidated revenue reached NT$40.873 billion, a record high and the first time the network equipment maker has exceeded NT$40 billion in monthly sales. The result was up 59.42% from the same period in 2025, while cumulative consolidated revenue through the end of August climbed to NT$246.004 billion, also a record for that period.

India's IndieSemiC targets 3 to 5 million Wi-Fi camera modules as local CCTV rules spur demand

Prasanth Aby Thomas — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:44:56 GMT

Indian chip design company IndieSemiC is targeting shipments of 3 to 5 million locally made Wi-Fi modules in FY27-28, betting that security requirements for CCTV equipment will encourage camera makers to replace imported connectivity modules with products sourced in India.

Interview: California companies highlight synergy between the state and Taiwan

DIGITIMES — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:44:15 GMT

This year's SEMICON Taiwan saw companies worldwide flock to Taipei to learn new industry developments and score potential business opportunities. Many came from elsewhere in Asia, but some came from as far as California, where business leaders highlighted the complementary relationship between the state's research and start-up ecosystem and Taiwan's manufacturing capabilities.

Black Sesame, Horizon Robotics unveil China's smart driving chip race

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:43:33 GMT

China's intelligent driving market continues to surge, with Black Sesame Technologies and Horizon Robotics both reporting solid top-line revenue growth for the first half of 2026. Highlighting the rapid commercialization curve, Horizon Robotics announced on September 3 that cumulative mass production of its Journey series smart driving processors surpassed 15 million units—signaling that competition in China's automotive IC sector is shifting from raw computing battles to large-scale mass deployment and market penetration.

Innolux, AUO take display technology into AI chips with FOPLP, glass substrates, Micro LED CPO

Levi Li — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:42:23 GMT

AI demand is accelerating advanced packaging and high-speed optical interconnect development, pushing Taiwan display makers Innolux and AUO deeper into the semiconductor supply chain.

LG bets on in-cabin AI agents as South Korea races to catch China in autonomous driving

Sherri Wang — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:41:01 GMT

Rapid advances in China's autonomous-driving technology are increasing pressure on South Korea's auto industry to catch up, and LG Electronics is responding by expanding its push from in-cabin AI experiences and AI agents to an AI-SDV platform as it seeks a foothold in the emerging AI-defined vehicle (AIDV) market.

AI demand gives Aspeed visibility into 2027 as supply constraints ease

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:39:25 GMT

Aspeed chairman Chris Lin said the company's order visibility has now extended into 2027, with 2027 backlog already exceeding expected full-year 2026 revenue for the first time. He added that easing supply-chain bottlenecks should support sequential growth in the second half of 2026 and stronger pricing from the fourth quarter onward.

Shield AI, AeroVironment deepen ties with Taiwan drone supply chain

Rodney Chan — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:38:57 GMT

US drone tech companies Shield AI and AeroVironment have strengthened ties with Taiwan's defense sector, and they have opened offices in Taiwan in recent years. At Semicon Taiwan 2026, both companies updated their cooperation plans and outlook for the island's drone industry.

Analysis: Taiwan manufacturers put 78.9% of new investment into machines as hiring fails

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:38:24 GMT

Taiwan's traditional manufacturers are warning that the island's growth story is widening a long-running labor gap, as semiconductor and AI server demand lifts the economy even as factories struggle to hire and retain skilled workers. In the auto supply chain, where smart vehicle electronics are increasingly essential, companies say the workforce shortage is becoming a structural risk.

Acer India tablet deal points to deeper push in Asia-Pacific

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:37:31 GMT

Acer has landed a nearly US$200 million tablet order from the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, underscoring the company's growing public-sector business in one of its fastest-expanding markets. Acer Pan-Asia Pacific operations president Andrew Hou said India revenue exceeded US$700 million in 2025 and could top US$800 million in 2026 as the company moves closer to a US$1 billion revenue target.

Taiwan sets out 2027 plan to reinforce AI, chip leadership

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 23:37:07 GMT

Taiwan plans to deepen its role in global technology supply chains as demand for AI chips, advanced packaging, and memory tightens worldwide. A new policy agenda aims to bolster semiconductor output, expand AI deployment, and strengthen resilience in industries that affect manufacturers, investors, and consumers across regions.

SK Hynix reportedly ends LG eSSD talks as ASICLAND deal expands

DIGITIMES — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 09:51:01 GMT

SK Hynix reportedly ended talks with LG Electronics over outsourcing part of the backend design for a next-generation enterprise SSD (eSSD) controller, but the memory maker told DIGITIMES that it had not discussed commissioning eSSD controller design work.