DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

WAIC 2026 unveils AIDV shift as physical AI gains ground

Lily Hess — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:02:41 GMT

DIGITIMES Intelligence said its observations at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) show the automotive industry's transformation moving from software-defined vehicles (SDV) toward AI-defined vehicles (AIDV). This shows that physical AI is becoming the key driver of change as carmakers shift from adding functions to building full AI capabilities.

Unimicron says Intel's EMIB-T will not reach mass production until 2027, sharpening advanced packaging rivalry

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:02:07 GMT

TSMC's CoWoS capacity remains tight, and demand for a second supply route is strengthening, according to Unimicron, which said Intel's EMIB-T advanced packaging platform will not reach true mass production until 2027. The substrate maker said the new platform is already drawing three suppliers, all targeting an initial 50% yield.

SPIL AI packaging investment boosts CTSP Erlin Park as first standard factory opens in 2H26

Willis Ke — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:01:29 GMT

The Central Taiwan Science Park's (CTSP) Erlin Park is set to reach a long-awaited milestone when its first standard factory building begins operations in the second half of 2026, signaling a potential turning point for a development that has struggled for nearly two decades to establish an industrial foothold.

UMC raises capex to US$2B, eyes AI SiPh

Charlene Chen — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:01:07 GMT

UMC said on July 29 that it will raise 2026 capex from US$1.5 billion to US$2 billion, while unveiling expansion plans in Singapore and a new fab in STSP. The foundry also disclosed its first AI business target, forecasting AI-related revenue of about US$300 million in 2026 and aiming to reach US$1 billion within the next three years.

ams OSRAM's Micro LED links trade speed for scale in AI data centres

Levi Li — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:43 GMT

ams OSRAM is developing Micro LED-based optical data links for AI data centres, positioning the technology as a high-density, scalable alternative to copper interconnects. To support adoption, the company has built a high-precision simulation platform that evaluates Micro LED optical links under real AI workloads.

TAIONE foundation launches with NT$300 million to build Taiwan's open source AI push

DIGITIMES — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:20 GMT

The TAIONE Open Source Foundation was officially launched on the 30th and said it will deploy NT$300 million in private-sector resources over the next three years to advance open-source AI engineering, talent development, sovereign AI, and enterprise adoption. The move was framed as a way to fill a gap in Taiwan's AI strategy as global competition shifts from chips and compute into models, toolchains, software ecosystems, and standards.

Shield AI and Thunder Tiger demo autonomous USV swarm in Taiwan

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:59:52 GMT

Shield AI and Thunder Tiger Group completed their first autonomous maritime unmanned vehicle swarm demonstration in Taiwan, combining Shield AI's Hivemind AI system with Thunder Tiger's SeaShark unmanned surface vehicles. The test, conducted in Pingtung, showed multiple boats carrying out coordinated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions without direct human control.

US manufacturing push draws Taiwan suppliers; electronics investment up nearly 500%

Kevin Wang — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:59:36 GMT

TSMC chairman C.C. Wei has announced an additional US$100 billion investment for building capacity in the US, on top of the company's existing US$165 billion investment in the country. The announcement has sparked widespread speculation, with some viewing the move as bowing to pressure from the US government, while others see it as a carefully weighted decision balancing customer demand in the US with Taiwan's national security concerns.

Qualcomm, MediaTek set Sept flagship SoC showdown

Lily Hess — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:59:16 GMT

Qualcomm and MediaTek are preparing to unveil their latest 2nm flagship smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) platforms in September 2026, with both brands expected to launch standard and upgraded chips at the same time to meet different customer needs. Supply chain sources say the two chipmakers will no longer rely on a single product for flagship phones in 2026, but instead offer two separate specifications.

Chang Wah sees broadening demand recovery and higher margins in 2Q26

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:58:51 GMT

Chang Wah Technology said stronger demand and tighter inventories are lifting its business across multiple markets, a sign that the recovery in electronics supply chains is widening for global customers. The Taiwan-based lead-frame maker also expects third-quarter sales to keep rising, underscoring improved momentum in semiconductors and related end markets.

AI server BBU demand triples battery-module capacity ahead of 800V HVDC rollout

Levi Li — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:58:30 GMT

Backup battery units are set to become standard equipment in AI servers using 800V high-voltage direct current architectures, according to Dynapack president Chang Chung-hsing.

Coretronic drone unit shifts to four fronts amid procurement delay

Charlene Chen — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:57:21 GMT

Coretronic said its robotics subsidiary, Coretronic Intelligent Robotics (CIRC), is focusing on four development priorities as a large domestic government drone procurement plan remains unapproved, leaving suppliers facing a demand gap. The company said the strategy is designed to reduce the impact of uncertainty over the government buying schedule on its drone business.

Automakers shift to larger in-car displays as smaller center screens decline

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:56:40 GMT

Global automakers are moving toward larger, more integrated cockpit displays as in-car screens become the main interface between drivers, passengers, and vehicles. According to Counterpoint Research, center stacks, rear-seat entertainment systems, and head-up displays are all expanding, while traditional sub-9-inch center displays continue to lose ground.

Samsung boosts Hwaseong DRAM capacity as it converts older NAND lines

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:56:25 GMT

Samsung Electronics completed the shutdown and equipment transfer of an older NAND flash wafer fab at its Hwaseong campus in South Korea and is expanding DRAM production at the site. By the end of 2026, general-purpose DRAM capacity is expected to rise about 15%.

CSCC develops SiC crucibles to strengthen Taiwan’s AI data center supply chain

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:56:06 GMT

China Steel Corporation affiliate CSCC has developed 6N high-purity isotropic graphite blocks for 8-inch and 12-inch silicon carbide (SiC) crystal growth crucibles, aiming to reduce Taiwan manufacturers’ reliance on overseas suppliers. The effort comes as demand rises for 800V data center power management and power devices tied to AI infrastructure.

Roborock sees AI and niche features driving robot vacuum growth

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:55:43 GMT

Roborock said the robot vacuum market still had room to expand as competition intensified across China, Europe, the US and Southeast Asia. The company outlined two main growth paths for the category as adoption rose and market penetration remained relatively low in many regions.

OpenAI's ChatGPT about to reach 1B weekly users as AI rivalry heats up

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 09:41:45 GMT

OpenAI's chatbot is about to reach a new milestone of 1 billion weekly users, according to internal company data. Although this target was intended to be hit by the end of 2025, it nevertheless remains among the fastest-growing online applications to hit that many users in the short time since the startup was founded.

ASE sees full-year LEAP revenue topping US$3.5 billion amid tight packaging capacity

Sherri Wang — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 09:41:33 GMT

ASE Technology Holding said growing demand for advanced packaging and testing, combined with stronger momentum in its electronics manufacturing services (EMS) business, has tightened capacity across both advanced and conventional packaging. Wafer sorting and final test capacity are also nearing full utilization.

Samsung signs five-year memory deals as chip shortage stretches to 2028

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:54:04 GMT

Samsung Electronics has signed five-year memory supply agreements with five leading global data center customers and is in the final stages of talks with five more, tying a growing share of its DRAM and NAND output to commitments that run years into the future.

South Korean chip exports increasingly flow to Taiwan for TSMC packaging amid rising AI demand

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:52:00 GMT

Growing demand for AI chips is sending a larger share of South Korea's semiconductor exports to Taiwan, where Korean-made high-bandwidth memory (HBM) moves into advanced packaging processes led by TSMC.

Microsoft's AI buildout: 88 new data centers, broader model catalog, silicon gains

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:58:25 GMT

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella laid out how the company is scaling its AI infrastructure and platform to keep pace with demand. He outlined these plans during an earnings call on July 29, when he also announced record revenue above US$331 billion for fiscal year 2026 (ending on June 30), with Microsoft Cloud earnings surpassing US$214 billion and Azure earnings surpassing US$100 billion.

China's DUV shock: the secretive Aishengna rattles ASML with US$1B state backing

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:47:59 GMT

China's immersion DUV lithography programme has brought a little-known state-backed company into focus. Shanghai Aishengna Electronic Technology Group, founded in August 2023 with CNY7 billion (approx. US$1.03 billion) in registered capital, is reportedly coordinating limited production of domestically developed lithography systems.

Kumamoto quake exposes Kyushu auto supply-chain fault lines

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:00:04 GMT

Japan's July 28 Kumamoto earthquake disrupted vehicle and component production across Kyushu, forcing Toyota Motor Kyushu, Honda Motor, Nissan Motor and major suppliers to halt or curtail output while assessing factory damage, parts availability and logistics. The stoppages spread beyond Kumamoto into Fukuoka and Oita, exposing the vulnerability of the region's tightly sequenced automotive network.

South Korean suppliers win HBM4 tester orders from SK Hynix

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 06:50:42 GMT

South Korean test-equipment suppliers Digital Frontier and UniTest have secured four orders for HBM4 wafer testers from SK Hynix worth a combined KRW247.84 billion (approx. US$172 million) in 2026, expanding domestic vendors' role in a memory-testing segment where Japan's Advantest has long been an established supplier.

GlobalFoundries lands US$300M CHIPS backing for AI silicon photonics

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 06:48:06 GMT

GlobalFoundries has signed a letter of intent with the US Department of Commerce for a potential US$300 million award to accelerate US development of silicon photonics technologies used in AI and high-performance computing data centres.

High memory prices could slow China's AI push, analyst says

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 06:41:59 GMT

Memory prices are expected to remain elevated through 2026 as AI and data-center demand strains supply, with meaningful supply relief unlikely until well into 2027. A South Korean securities analyst argues that the squeeze could also make it harder for China to expand AI use, although Washington has not identified high memory prices as a policy tool.

Lam Research raises WFE outlook as AI drives NAND, DRAM, advanced packaging demand

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:57:35 GMT

Lam Research delivered record quarterly results and raised its outlook for global wafer fab equipment (WFE) spending, citing accelerating AI-driven demand across memory, advanced logic and packaging.

Commentary: How AMD and Anthropic plan to build an AI factory not dependent on CUDA

Charlene Chen — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:56:09 GMT

Nvidia's power in AI has never rested on GPU performance alone — it has also depended on the CUDA software ecosystem. That moat is now facing a new variable as AMD deepens its challenge through software, systems, and partnerships with Anthropic.

China's 28nm DUV lithography enters fab validation, reportedly guided by State Council-level experts

Levi Li — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:33:50 GMT

China's 28nm DUV lithography programme has entered a new phase after Shanghai Aishengna Electronic Technology delivered its first five immersion deep ultraviolet lithography systems.

Samsung foundry to double 2nm design wins in 2026 on Broadcom talks; claims profit turnaround 'possible in near term'

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:29:49 GMT

Samsung Electronics' foundry business expects its 2nm project wins to more than double year-on-year in 2026, and the company is in talks with Broadcom and other major customers on multiple projects, foundry business EVP Sukchae Kang said on Samsung's earnings call for the second quarter of 2026. This is the clearest sign yet that its advanced-node business is gaining commercial traction after years of trailing TSMC.

Taiwan delays car tax cuts over supply chain concerns

Rodney Chan — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:05:40 GMT

Taiwan will not move ahead for now with proposed passenger car tariff cuts, as the government weighs the risk of disrupting the domestic vehicle supply chain and related jobs. Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun said the policy cannot currently be implemented because the Taiwan-US agreement tied to US-made cars has been rendered invalid.

US rallies global partners on 6G as competition with China intensifies

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:04:55 GMT

The US government has launched a multinational initiative to coordinate 6G development, signaling a new phase in the global race to shape next-generation wireless technology and international standards.

Advantest lifts fiscal 2026 forecast as AI chip test demand surges

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:03:02 GMT

Advantest raised its outlook for the fiscal year ending March 2027 after demand for chip-test equipment tied to AI data centers strengthened, pushing results above market expectations. According to Bloomberg and Nikkei, the Japanese semiconductor equipment maker now expects operating profit to rise 70% in fiscal 2026, compared with a prior forecast of 26% and above the 42% average analyst estimate.

Ennoconn deepens Singapore push with SMF pact and AI forum

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:02:20 GMT

Ennoconn Technologies held its 2026 Semiconductor x AI Applications Forum at Google's Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore on July 29 and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Singapore Manufacturers' Federation (SMF) on the same occasion. The event marked a further step in the Taiwanese technology group's expansion into Southeast Asia's semiconductor and artificial intelligence markets.

China rejects 'overcapacity' claims in new policy paper, defends industrial strategy

DIGITIMES — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 03:58:56 GMT

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has released a policy paper rejecting allegations that the country's manufacturing sector suffers from "overcapacity," arguing that the concept has been misused to justify protectionist trade measures against Chinese exports. The document, published on July 28, 2026, outlines Beijing's position on industrial policy, trade balances and global supply chains.