DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Alibaba unveils biggest Qwen model as DeepSeek deepens China's AI price war

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 04:48:14 GMT

Alibaba Group unveiled Qwen3.8-Max on August 3, calling it its largest and most capable artificial intelligence (AI) model to date, as DeepSeek's low-cost V4-Flash intensified competition over the price of running advanced AI systems.

China tightens chip layout design protection to strengthen domestic semiconductor innovation

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 04:19:43 GMT

China has revised its regulations on the protection of integrated circuit (IC) layout designs, introducing stricter registration requirements, stronger enforcement measures and clearer commercialization rules as Beijing steps up efforts to strengthen its domestic semiconductor industry amid ongoing US technology restrictions.

Kumamoto semiconductor production recovers, TSMC's Japan subsidiary returns to normal operations

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 04:09:51 GMT

TSMC has announced that Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing (JASM), its subsidiary in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture, has resumed normal operations following production disruptions caused by the recent Kumamoto earthquake.

AI's payback math: how long can servers last?

Sherri Wang — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 03:57:19 GMT

Amazon's second-quarter 2026 results beat market expectations by a wide margin, but rapidly expanding investment in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure pushed the company's trailing 12-month free cash flow into negative territory for the first time since 2023.

CXMT reportedly weighs second Beijing DRAM fab as Chinese cities compete for memory chip investment

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 03:52:39 GMT

China's leading DRAM maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is considering building a second 12-inch memory chip fabrication plant in Beijing's Yizhuang district while holding early-stage financing talks with entities backed by the Beijing municipal government, according to a Reuters report. The proposed project would further expand the company's manufacturing footprint as AI-driven demand continues to tighten global memory supply.

Taiwan specialty chemical firm expands Taiwan, China capacity on AI materials boom, eyes 20% revenue gain in 2026

Willis Ke — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 03:46:35 GMT

Taiwan-based specialty chemicals supplier Johnson Fine Chemical expects robust growth in electronic materials demand driven by AI, high-performance computing (HPC) and advanced communications applications. The company is expanding production capacity in both Taiwan and China and plans to raise prices for selected products by 10-20% in the third quarter of 2026 to offset higher raw material costs. Management forecasts revenue growth of about 20% in 2026 from a year earlier, with profits also expected to increase, while 2027 is projected to deliver even stronger results.

Kinsus boosts spending as global IC substrate supply stays tight

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 03:11:38 GMT

Kinsus said stronger second-quarter results and fresh capital spending reflect continued strain in the global IC substrate market, where demand from AI, CPU, GPU, and ASIC customers is keeping capacity tight. For global readers, the company's expansion plan points to prolonged supply constraints and firmer pricing ahead.

Taiwan-Japan semiconductor ties go beyond supply chain partnerships

Rodney Chan — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:57:02 GMT

Cooperation between Taiwan and Japan in semiconductors will go beyond supply-chain partnerships towards joint technological innovation and talent development, according to Taiwan's former Minister of Economic Affairs Jyh-huei Kuo.

Team Group 2Q26 profit surges more than 200-fold, expects DRAM shortage to persist through 2027

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:54:59 GMT

Memory module maker Team Group posted record profit in the first half of 2026, as surging demand and a persistent DRAM supply-demand gap lifted earnings to all-time highs.

Key material shortages prompt suppliers to prioritize three customer groups

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:41:07 GMT

Taiwanese research institute Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER) released Taiwan's manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) for July 2026 on August 3. The seasonally adjusted PMI rose 0.8pp to 61.5%, marking the tenth consecutive month of growth and the fastest pace of expansion since September 2021. The six-month outlook index also edged up 0.3pp to 64.5%, remaining above the 60.0% expansion threshold for a seventh consecutive month.

MediaTek sees SerDes 448G as copper's final battleground

Lily Hess — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:27:48 GMT

The question of where the limits of cloud AI high-speed interconnects will fall has been a major market focus over the past six months. MediaTek addressed the issue for the first time in its 2026 second-quarter earnings call, saying its work on the more advanced SerDes 448G specification is roughly halfway complete.

India rumored to move to extend electronics tax breaks to 2041, widening pitch against China

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:19:48 GMT

India is reportedly proposing to extend key tax exemptions for foreign electronics manufacturers until 2041, a move that hands Apple a lobbying win and deepens a widening set of incentives designed to pull global hardware production away from China.

White House finalizes voluntary AI testing framework, keeps details under wraps

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:18:11 GMT

The White House said on August 3 it had finalized a voluntary framework for evaluating advanced AI models, but has not disclosed the document, the testing metrics or when companies will begin using it.

Palantir raises outlook as US commercial AI demand accelerates, sharpening sovereignty strategy

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:15:51 GMT

Palantir Technologies raised its full-year revenue and profitability forecasts after reporting a sharp acceleration in commercial demand, particularly in the US, underscoring the growing role of AI deployment and data sovereignty in enterprise software spending. The company's results also highlight a widening geographic divide: US sales are expanding rapidly, while procurement complexity, data-sovereignty concerns, and resistance to US technology providers constrain international growth.

Interview: Topco Scientific expands to Fukuoka signaling chip regionalization

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:07:32 GMT

Topco Scientific is expanding in Japan and other markets to support a global semiconductor buildout that is reshaping supply chains for customers, vendors, and investors worldwide. The move underscores how chip manufacturing is spreading across multiple regions, creating demand for local service hubs, materials, and logistics support.

AI glasses partners drive growth as eye and head tracking take center stage

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:05:07 GMT

AI glasses partners drive growth as eye and head tracking take center stage

2027 memory capacity reportedly sold out as buyers quietly lock in supply

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 02:04:52 GMT

Tight memory supply is expected to persist into 2027, with industry sources saying manufacturers have already completed much of their capacity-allocation negotiations for next year.

Onsemi expects AI data-center revenue to more than double in 2026 as cyclical recovery takes hold

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 01:37:07 GMT

Onsemi's second-quarter results pointed to a broadening recovery in semiconductor demand, with AI data-center applications emerging as the company's fastest-growing business, while the automotive and industrial markets are showing signs of stabilization. The outlook suggests that improving utilization and product mix could support further margin expansion, though the absence of a major upside surprise in third-quarter guidance suggests a broader inventory-replenishment cycle has yet to begin.

L&F Plus ships trial samples from South Korea’s first LFP cathode line

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 01:23:51 GMT

South Korean cathode materials maker L&F said its subsidiary L&F Plus has shipped the first trial-production samples from South Korea’s first lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode materials mass-production line. The shipment marked a step toward formal production as the company works to build a non-China supply chain for batteries used in energy storage systems (ESS) and electric vehicles.

China’s in-house auto chip push could reshape costs, supply chains, and regulatory risks

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 01:14:42 GMT

As Chinese automakers accelerate in-house chip development, the strategy is increasingly about more than smart vehicles. It is also tied to supply chain self-reliance, overseas expansion, and the longer-term push into artificial intelligence robots, even as advanced chips still rely on external foundries.

Interview: Rising material costs and FOUP shortages threaten semiconductor supply chains

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 01:04:46 GMT

AI-driven demand, new fab construction, and conflict-led raw material inflation are combining to squeeze semiconductor suppliers in 2026, according to Topco Scientific Co. senior CEO Dennis Chen. He said higher upstream costs are flowing through the industry, while shortages in wafer front-opening unified pods (FOUPs) are adding another layer of strain as manufacturers expand capacity and compete for inventory.

CXMT listing fuels concerns over DRAM prices and global memory competition

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 01:04:39 GMT

China's CXMT drew fresh attention after its parent ChangXin Memory Technology (CXMT) went public, with market estimates of the firm's future valuation ranging from US$160 billion to US$1.1 trillion. The gap underscores uncertainty over how much the memory maker could disrupt the global DRAM market, including competition, pricing, and supply-chain dynamics.

Sandisk and SK Hynix release HBF spec to advance AI memory standard

DIGITIMES — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 00:50:08 GMT

Sandisk and SK Hynix have published a technical specification for high-bandwidth flash through the Open Compute Project, a move that could shape future AI infrastructure worldwide. The standard is meant to help developers build faster, more efficient inference systems as demand rises for memory that sits closer to compute and handles larger workloads.

Advantech bets on Physical AI as WEDA accelerates edge AI commercialization

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:55:51 GMT

Riding continued investment in AI infrastructure, industrial PC (IPC) maker Advantech extended its strong growth momentum in the second quarter of 2026, posting record second-quarter revenue and earnings.

J&V Energy buys BlackRock's 187MW solar portfolio, doubling annual power output

Charlene Chen — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:55:31 GMT

J&V Energy announced on August 3, 2026, that it had completed the acquisition of a portfolio of operational solar projects in Taiwan held by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), the global infrastructure investment arm of BlackRock. With a total installed capacity of 187MW, the portfolio marks the largest domestic solar asset transaction by installed capacity in 2026.

YMTC rejects patent-loss claims in global 3D NAND clash with Micron

DIGITIMES — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:55:04 GMT

Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp. (YMTC) has rejected claims that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) invalidated all 19 claims of a core 3D NAND patent, calling the reports "seriously misleading" while its patent battle with Micron Technology expands across the US, China, and Europe.

ispace turns to H3 for 2028 mission as Japan builds domestic lunar transport stack

DIGITIMES — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:54:32 GMT

Japan's effort to localize lunar transportation is gaining momentum as the government and private sector seek to reduce reliance on overseas launch services and establish a domestically supported lunar logistics system.

Montage brings CXL 3.2 memory expansion to AI data centres with Samsung, SK Hynix support

DIGITIMES — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:54:13 GMT

Montage Technology has begun pilot production of what it says is the industry's first CXL 3.2 memory expansion controller, targeting growing memory capacity and pooling requirements across AI, cloud computing and data centres.

Unitree sees 1H26 revenue rise over 35% on humanoid robot demand

Lily Hess — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:53:53 GMT

China's leading humanoid robot maker Unitree Technology expects first-half 2026 revenue to reach roughly CNY1.1 billion (US$155.8 million), an increase of 35.6% to 45.4% year on year, as demand for embodied AI continues to grow and the company expands its business scale.

Reliability gaps keep just 5% of firms scaling AI agents, Chunghwa Telecom says

Willis Ke — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:53:30 GMT

As generative AI moves from personal productivity tools into enterprise operations, most companies are discovering that scaling AI agents is less about ambition than reliability. Chunghwa Telecom Laboratories estimates that only about 5% of enterprises are using AI agents at scale, while roughly 80% remain stuck at the stage of making AI systems accurate, dependable, and controllable enough for production deployment.

RichWave says Wi-Fi 7 momentum stays strong in 2H26

Lily Hess — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:52:30 GMT

RichWave Technology said at a recent earnings call that Wi-Fi 7 adoption continues to rise rapidly, with strong demand from telecom operators and retailers. The radio frequency (RF) front-end supplier said that the second half of 2026 should be slightly better than the first half of the year overall, but warned that tight supply of memory and passive components could affect shipment timing.

Micron, MediaTek back ChipAgents as agentic AI startup extends series A to US$134 million

DIGITIMES — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:52:04 GMT

ChipAgents, a two-year-old startup building autonomous AI agents for chip design and verification, has raised an additional US$60 million in Series A2 funding, taking its total Series A financing to US$134 million just six months after the round first closed.

Roborock beats Samsung, LG to win over 70% of South Korea's robot vacuum market

Kevin Wang — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:51:44 GMT

Roborock Technology has grown from its roots in China to become the world's leading robot vacuum brand, securing the top spot in the global market for three years in a row and beating the runner-up in 2025 by more than 10pp with a commanding 27% share of the market worldwide. As competition in its home market of China grows increasingly fierce, Roborock has instead seen overseas revenue surpass domestic revenue for the first time in 2025.

Taiwan targets NT$500 billion space industry by 2031 as U.S. cooperation expands

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:51:29 GMT

Taiwan's Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) has launched its TASA iSPARK startup incubation center to accelerate commercialization of space technologies and strengthen the country's space industry ecosystem.

China revamps EV battery reuse rules, cuts whitelist firms by 70%

Rodney Chan — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:51:13 GMT

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has abolished all clauses related to cascade utilization in its rules governing used power batteries dismantled from new-energy vehicles in a major regulatory shift aimed at curbing unsafe repurposing practices. The move ends the policy label for battery second-life use and ushers in a full overhaul of used power battery management.

Delta's move into HVDC signals a shift in AI data-center power

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 23:50:48 GMT

Delta Electronics is moving from planning to early shipments in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems as rising power demand from Nvidia's next-generation AI platforms pushes data center infrastructure toward a new architecture. Chairman Ping Cheng said HVDC has reached the shipment stage, with larger volumes still expected in 2027.

Memory makers lift capex as Kioxia holds spending to defend NAND lead

DIGITIMES — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 09:22:04 GMT

Major memory suppliers are increasing capital spending as AI-related demand from U.S. technology companies accelerates, but Kioxia is keeping investment comparatively tight. According to Nikkei Asia, the Japanese NAND maker is prioritizing technology leadership over a rapid expansion of equipment spending, reflecting caution shaped by earlier downturns in the memory market.

DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Alibaba unveils biggest Qwen model as DeepSeek deepens China's AI price war

China tightens chip layout design protection to strengthen domestic semiconductor innovation

Kumamoto semiconductor production recovers, TSMC's Japan subsidiary returns to normal operations

AI's payback math: how long can servers last?

CXMT reportedly weighs second Beijing DRAM fab as Chinese cities compete for memory chip investment

Taiwan specialty chemical firm expands Taiwan, China capacity on AI materials boom, eyes 20% revenue gain in 2026

Kinsus boosts spending as global IC substrate supply stays tight

Taiwan-Japan semiconductor ties go beyond supply chain partnerships

Team Group 2Q26 profit surges more than 200-fold, expects DRAM shortage to persist through 2027

Key material shortages prompt suppliers to prioritize three customer groups

MediaTek sees SerDes 448G as copper's final battleground

India rumored to move to extend electronics tax breaks to 2041, widening pitch against China

White House finalizes voluntary AI testing framework, keeps details under wraps

Palantir raises outlook as US commercial AI demand accelerates, sharpening sovereignty strategy

Interview: Topco Scientific expands to Fukuoka signaling chip regionalization

AI glasses partners drive growth as eye and head tracking take center stage

2027 memory capacity reportedly sold out as buyers quietly lock in supply

Onsemi expects AI data-center revenue to more than double in 2026 as cyclical recovery takes hold

L&amp;F Plus ships trial samples from South Korea&rsquo;s first LFP cathode line

China&rsquo;s in-house auto chip push could reshape costs, supply chains, and regulatory risks

Interview: Rising material costs and FOUP shortages threaten semiconductor supply chains

CXMT listing fuels concerns over DRAM prices and global memory competition

Sandisk and SK Hynix release HBF spec to advance AI memory standard

Advantech bets on Physical AI as WEDA accelerates edge AI commercialization

J&amp;V Energy buys BlackRock's 187MW solar portfolio, doubling annual power output

YMTC rejects patent-loss claims in global 3D NAND clash with Micron

ispace turns to H3 for 2028 mission as Japan builds domestic lunar transport stack

Montage brings CXL 3.2 memory expansion to AI data centres with Samsung, SK Hynix support

Unitree sees 1H26 revenue rise over 35% on humanoid robot demand

Reliability gaps keep just 5% of firms scaling AI agents, Chunghwa Telecom says

RichWave says Wi-Fi 7 momentum stays strong in 2H26

Micron, MediaTek back ChipAgents as agentic AI startup extends series A to US$134 million

Roborock beats Samsung, LG to win over 70% of South Korea's robot vacuum market

Taiwan targets NT$500 billion space industry by 2031 as U.S. cooperation expands

China revamps EV battery reuse rules, cuts whitelist firms by 70%

Delta's move into HVDC signals a shift in AI data-center power

Memory makers lift capex as Kioxia holds spending to defend NAND lead

L&F Plus ships trial samples from South Korea’s first LFP cathode line

China’s in-house auto chip push could reshape costs, supply chains, and regulatory risks

J&V Energy buys BlackRock's 187MW solar portfolio, doubling annual power output