DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Marvell says SerDes and packaging are key hurdles in switch chip development

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 02:45:47 GMT

Marvell says the next gains in switch chip performance will depend on faster SerDes and better packaging — issues that affect network capacity, signal quality, and cost across global data centers. The company is advancing its 100T TerraLynx T100 chip while preparing for more complex designs, higher speeds, and tighter integration ahead.

Analysis: Intel turns to Foxconn partnership to strengthen position in evolving AI market

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 02:28:55 GMT

Foxconn and Intel have announced a strategic partnership focused on AI racks, Edge AI, and Physical AI. The move signals Intel's effort to rebuild competitiveness in a market increasingly shaped by Nvidia's dominance in AI training and inference.

AI cooling demand is pushing server pumps into sharper focus

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 02:26:14 GMT

As AI pushes liquid cooling into mainstream server thermal design, suppliers are widening their focus beyond Nvidia's benchmark thermal designs. Industry players say pumps are emerging as a key lever for improving cooling efficiency, alongside flow rate and fluid speed.

CXMT's South Korean hiring spree puts Samsung, SK Hynix memory lead on alert

Levi Li — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 02:17:19 GMT

More than 200 South Korean engineers are conservatively estimated to be working at CXMT, China's leading DRAM maker, according to industry sources. Chinese semiconductor companies are stepping up talent acquisition, moving from broad outreach to targeted recruitment of core semiconductor R&D personnel in South Korea and the US. Observers say the shift could accelerate the narrowing of the semiconductor technology gap between China and South Korea.

Commentary: EU tariff barrier may weaken as Japanese automakers lean on China's EV tech

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 01:52:09 GMT

Japanese automakers' growing reliance on Chinese EV technology could weaken the EU's tariff strategy and reshape global car trade. As Mazda, Nissan, Honda, and Toyota adjust their electric plans, Europe may face more China-linked vehicles entering through third-country partners, altering competition, costs, and the pace of EV adoption worldwide.

Memory crunch pushes low-end smartphones toward 2026 breaking point

DIGITIMES — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 01:42:50 GMT

The global smartphone market performed better than expected in the first quarter of 2026 after some brands pulled forward orders, but shipments still fell by about 3.1% from a year earlier, ending nine consecutive quarters of growth.

Commentary: Memory boom driven by DRAM now, but HBM will decide future

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 01:37:19 GMT

AI demand is fueling a broad semiconductor upswing and pushing the memory industry into what many see as a long-awaited super-cycle. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have both reported strong earnings, prompting the market to reassess the strategic role of memory in AI infrastructure.

Arm says Taiwan powers its rise as agentic AI lifts PC growth

Lily Hess — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:54:32 GMT

Arm CEO Rene Haas told the COMPUTEX keynote on June 2 that Taiwan has been inseparable from Arm's growth over the past 30 years, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that agentic AI will trigger the biggest PC industry transformation in 40 years and could expand the global PC market by 10 times.

TSMC CEO says rising profits mean greater social responsibility, clarifies bonus considerations

Eifeh Strom — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:53:01 GMT

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) held its shareholders meeting on June 4, during which CEO C.C. Wei addressed recent talk surrounding its employee bonus system. He opened the meeting by preemptively clarifying the issue, saying there are misconceptions in the public discussion.

TSMC says AI demand is straining the entire supply chain, not just chipmakers

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:50:11 GMT

TSMC chairman C.C. Wei said on Wednesday that AI demand is rising so quickly that the whole supply chain is struggling to keep up, with bottlenecks spanning power, chip capacity, equipment, and upstream suppliers.

Hiwin targets logistics automation with Dexterity dual-arm robot

Lily Hess — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:47:48 GMT

Motion control component maker Hiwin made its first cross-sector appearance at COMPUTEX 2026, showcasing a full technology stack spanning precision transmission, actuator modules, and system integration. The company also unveiled a dual-arm logistics robot developed in partnership with US logistics firm Dexterity for the first time.

Local Chinese brands challenge dominant brands in AI glasses innovation; limitations hinder mass adoption

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:47:38 GMT

This year's Global Connect Show (GSC) in Shenzhen, China, has become a medium for local tech brands to showcase AI wearable innovation. Two leading brands at GCS, Rokid and INMO, demoed their feature-packed AI glasses. Many companies featured AI translation as their flagship capability, paired with lightweight hardware, hands-free controls, customizable designs, and flexible model support. While on-site demos proved these up-and-coming brands' AI glasses may outperform dominant players such as Meta and Apple, there are still lingering flaws, such as battery life and privacy ethics, that stand in the way of mainstream mass adoption.

Hanmi Semiconductor eyes record sales in Computex debut as HBM4 demand grows

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:47:11 GMT

Hanmi Semiconductor is projecting record annual revenue this year, as rising demand for high-bandwidth memory equipment lifts prospects for the South Korean chip-equipment maker and gives it a prominent stage for its Computex debut.

AI energy demand drives a shift to vertical power delivery and smaller modules

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:46:17 GMT

As the global demand for AI accelerates, a new industrial challenge has emerged: the sheer scale of energy required to power the "AI factories" of the future. This concern was the centerpiece of presentations by several industry figures at Computex in Taipei, where they presented solutions under development, from raw material innovations to shrinking component sizes.

SYNergy ScienTech eyes drone market with semi-solid cells

Charlene Chen — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:45:30 GMT

SYNergy ScienTech is developing semi-solid and all-solid-state cell product lines, with semi-solid cells already in trial production and all-solid-state cells slated for trial production in 2027, both targeting the drone market. President Colin Hsieh said drones will be a key market for the company.

Foxconn, Intel link chips, racks and systems in AI infrastructure push

Levi Li — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:45:16 GMT

Foxconn announced on June 4 a strategic partnership with Intel to explore end-to-end AI solutions spanning chips, racks, systems, and applications, with cooperation covering AI rack infrastructure, edge AI, and physical AI platforms. The partnership will also extend to design services for custom ASICs, SoCs, and system integration, combining Intel's processor, silicon photonics, and software ecosystem with Foxconn's global manufacturing scale, system integration capabilities, and AI data center deployment experience.

South Korea's only SRAM-CIM IP firm Articron targets edge AI

Charlene Chen — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:44:42 GMT

South Korean semiconductor IP startup Articron is challenging the traditional AI chip design bottleneck by using a memory-centric architecture, with its self-developed SRAM-CIM compute chip IP "ART" now in testing and aimed at the power- and area-sensitive edge AI device market. The company says it expects to launch a commercial product in about two years.

RTX Spark rekindles memory shortages, TeamGroup shifts to industrial control

Charlene Chen — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:44:20 GMT

Although PC market sales have slumped amid rising memory prices, Nvidia's "N1X" RTX Spark superchip is also fueling hopes for AI PC potential. TeamGroup General Manager Gerry Chen said the N1X can be configured with up to 128GB of memory, but there is simply not enough memory available right now, meaning supply shortages will grow even more severe.

Qualcomm says Wi-Fi 8 prioritizes reliability over speed

Charlene Chen — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:44:05 GMT

Qualcomm recently outlined its vision for Wi-Fi 8, saying the next-generation standard is designed to improve overall reliability, lower latency, and expand coverage. The company said the shift from Wi-Fi 7 to Wi-Fi 8 reflects a broader end-to-end ecosystem approach, from infrastructure to the client side.

Foxconn says Nvidia's Vera Rubin AI products remain on track for 2026 shipment

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:43:29 GMT

Foxconn and Foxconn Industrial Internet (FII) said at Computex that production of Nvidia's next-generation AI products is progressing smoothly, with shipments expected before the end of the third quarter of 2026. The outlook matters globally because it signals faster AI hardware deployment, lower computing costs, and wider adoption across consumer, enterprise, and automotive markets.

Ventec wins spillover high-speed CCL orders, revenue rises

Charlene Chen — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 08:36:02 GMT

Ventec International said May 2026 revenue kept growing, driven by sustained demand for high-margin aerospace polyimide (PI) materials, the start of mass production after high-speed material certifications, and record-high sales of non-flow PP sheets. The copper-clad laminate (CCL) maker also benefited from strong demand for high-end drilling applications and a rising European distribution business, lifting revenue across its niche businesses.

Foxconn, SK Group eye deeper AI infrastructure ties in Asia

Sherri Wang — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 08:34:29 GMT

Foxconn chairman Young Liu met SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won on June 3, as the two companies explore broader cooperation in AI servers, data centers, and energy solutions.

Samsung's rumored CIS production shift highlights industry debate over fab ownership

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 08:24:44 GMT

Samsung Electronics' decision to place a key image sensor production line under its System LSI division highlights a broader question facing the CMOS image sensor (CIS) industry: whether chip designers should own manufacturing capacity or rely on external foundries as competition intensifies across smartphones, automotive systems, and AI-enabled devices.

TSMC chairman dismisses rival cluster pushes, says Taiwan's supply chain remains unmatched

Charlene Chen — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 08:10:00 GMT

TSMC chairman C.C. Wei spoke at a media briefing on June 4, 2026, after the company's shareholders' meeting. South Korea's push to build a semiconductor cluster, Arizona's efforts to establish a supply chain ecosystem, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's recent trip to South Korea were all topics of discussion.

Tripo AI raises nearly US$200 million to expand 3D and world model research

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 08:08:27 GMT

Tripo AI said it has completed its Series A+ and Series A++ financing rounds, raising nearly US$200 million as it pushes deeper into AI 3D foundation models and world models.

Chenbro targets server rack global leadership in 3 years

Rodney Chan — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 07:38:49 GMT

Server chassis maker Chenbro is continuing to evolve, aiming to perfect the craftsmanship of mechanical components to become the world's top rack supplier, according to company CEO Corona Chen.

Adlink ramps robotics and edge AI expansion as US market drives growth

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 07:21:34 GMT

Adlink Technologies said it pushed into a growth phase for robotics, edge AI, and vertical markets in 2026 as the US became its largest revenue engine, accounting for more than 30% of sales. The industrial PC maker reported broad-based demand across healthcare, transportation, defense, energy, and industrial automation and said design-in projects will start contributing shipments from 2026 into 2027.

Anduril and Taiwan sign drone cooperation MOU to deepen AI-autonomy and localize supply chains

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 07:14:16 GMT

Anduril Industries and Taiwan's Metal Industries Research and Development Center signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen collaboration on unmanned aerial vehicle key technologies, executives announced during a recent visit that included a stop at Computex 2026. The agreement targets AI autonomous systems, drone manufacturing, supply-chain localization, and the construction of non-red supply chains to boost Taiwan's international cooperation and global competitiveness in the drone sector.

Nvidia's Jensen Huang courts Korean giants in robotics expansion

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 07:07:40 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is visiting South Korea this week as the company seeks to expand its partnerships with major Korean conglomerates beyond semiconductors and into robotics, autonomous driving, and industrial automation, ETNews reported.

TSMC shareholders clear record 2025 results, putting AI capacity roadmap in focus

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 06:53:31 GMT

TSMC shareholders approved the company's 2025 business report and financial statements at its 2026 annual shareholders' meeting on June 4, giving investors a formal look at a year in which the world's largest contract chipmaker converted the AI semiconductor boom into record-scale earnings.

LG Innotek targets Intel EMIB substrate chain with SK Hynix samples

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 06:47:23 GMT

LG Innotek is seeking to enter the supply chain for substrates used in Intel's EMIB advanced-packaging technology, supplying early samples to SK Hynix as it tries to move deeper into high-end semiconductor substrates, according to ZDNet Korea.

Commentary: Wired or wireless, connectivity steals the spotlight at Computex 2026

Levi Li — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 06:42:19 GMT

Computex 2026 was again dominated by the latest computing chips, with Nvidia's RTX Spark drawing heavy attention and debate. Yet another theme is moving closer to the centre of the show: connectivity.

Taiwan test interface maker CHPT rides AI chip orders to record May revenue

Levi Li — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 06:41:33 GMT

Chunghwa Precision Test Tech. (CHPT), a supplier of semiconductor test interfaces, reported revenue in May 2026 that reached another monthly record, supported by sustained orders from major AI chipmakers as global demand for AI applications continued to rise. Overall operations in the second quarter of 2026 remained on a growth track, the company said.

Apple's MacBook Neo shines amid PC market memory crunch

Kevin Wang — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 04:54:53 GMT

Global PC shipments are forecast to fall by 11.3% in 2026, as the PC market worldwide suffers under a memory crunch that is not expected to ease until the end of 2027. However, Apple has emerged as the only company to shine amid the bleak landscape, driven by surprisingly strong demand for its MacBook Neo.

HBM4 supply in focus as SK's Chey meets TSMC's Wei

DIGITIMES — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 04:50:21 GMT

SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won met TSMC chairman C.C. Wei in Taiwan on June 3, as SK Hynix and TSMC map out future cooperation in HBM4 base dies, advanced logic processes, and custom AI memory.