DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

India-based Raana Semiconductors in talks to raise US$10.4 million Series A for crystal-growth expansion

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:57:53 GMT

According to Inc42, Indian semiconductor startup Raana Semiconductors is in advanced discussions to raise about INR100 crore (US$10.44 million) in a Series A funding round, as the company seeks to expand its work in semiconductor and advanced-material crystal growth.

Jeilin shifts upmarket as high-end image SoCs drive margins higher

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:56:47 GMT

Jeilin's move into higher-end image-processing chips is reshaping its revenue mix and boosting profitability, with implications for cameras, security devices, and drones used by customers worldwide. The Taiwan-based chip designer said new products, tighter cost controls, and broader market reach are helping it compete in a consolidating industry.

Robots shift from POC to ROI as logistics, manufacturing lead

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:43:40 GMT

The 2026 World Robot Conference (WRC 2026) ran from Aug. 19 to 23 in Beijing, and one question dominated the show floor: whether robots are truly ready for real work settings and whether customers can calculate a clear return on investment (ROI).

USITC opens cylindrical battery probe as China-Korea competition intensifies

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:43:21 GMT

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) has opened a trade investigation into certain cylindrical batteries and related products. This case could affect battery supply chains spanning Asia, Europe, and North America. The move adds uncertainty for manufacturers, automakers, and consumers worldwide who depend on imported energy-storage components.

Weekly news roundup: Google diversifies custom chips, TSMC share falls, SK Hynix deepens HBM co-design

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:34:40 GMT

Semiconductor supply chains, custom silicon, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), robotics, and India's chip buildout shaped this week's technology agenda, with major moves from Google, Marvell, SK Hynix, Micron, Samsung, and Taiwan's chipmakers. Below are the most-read DIGITIMES stories from the week of August 17-23, 2026.

Half of GenAI projects stall at PoC as data gaps widen

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:33:39 GMT

As generative AI spreads rapidly across enterprise operations, gaps in data foundations and governance are emerging as a key dividing line in how quickly AI projects move forward. Anna Yen, chairman of the Taiwan Data Management Association, said financial firms are currently more mature in data governance, while manufacturing still lags, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises and traditional industries.

Jinpao Precision anticipates 2H26 growth from AI orders, aerospace progress

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:31:13 GMT

Thailand-based precision sheet metal manufacturer Jinpao Precision Industry delivered strong results in the second quarter of 2026. Fueled by orders for artificial intelligence (AI) server racks, power cabinets, and energy storage-related structural components, second-quarter consolidated revenue hit NT$1.20 billion (approx. US$37.71 million), while gross margin improved to 42.1%, both reaching new highs. Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter were NT$4.41.

AI packaging demand exposes supply-chain gaps for Taiwan materials makers

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:22:23 GMT

AI demand is pushing semiconductor manufacturing deeper into advanced packaging, and ASE vice president Hiro Huang said suppliers are meeting less than half of overall demand. He warned that capacity for the next three years is already largely booked, underscoring pressure on Taiwan's materials makers to accelerate R&D and local production.

India targets domestic mobile phone design capabilities with new US$7.5 billion manufacturing scheme

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:20:11 GMT

India has announced an INR625 billion (US$6.53 billion) Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme aimed at moving the country's electronics industry beyond large-scale assembly and toward higher domestic value addition, indigenous product design, and locally owned intellectual property.

MIT study finds AI image attribution weakens as training data grows

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:12:40 GMT

MIT researchers said a larger training set makes it harder to trace an AI image back to a specific source, a pattern they call attribution decay. The findings, reported in connection with diffusion models, could complicate copyright disputes and regulatory scrutiny over generative AI.

Alibaba plans HKD80 billion share placement to fund AI expansion

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:48:14 GMT

Alibaba Group Holding said it plans to raise HKD80 billion (US$10.2 billion) through the placement of newly issued shares to non-US investors outside the US, a move that could bolster its artificial intelligence ambitions and shape competition in global cloud and AI markets. The company said the proceeds would be used entirely to expand its AI capabilities and infrastructure.

India advances Wi-Fi mmWave FWA trial as Gemtek eyes 100x shipments

DIGITIMES — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:13:25 GMT

Gemtek has made new progress in its India-based Wi-Fi mmWave fixed wireless access (FWA) rollout after India's Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), formally issued a Provisional Generic Requirement on August 14 for Wi-Fi technology in the licensed 26 GHz (n258) band. The standard, TEC 21150:2026, is seen as a boost for Gemtek's 5G mmWave FWA business in India.

AI accelerator shipments are set to turn advanced packaging into the next battleground: Counterpoint

DIGITIMES — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:42:45 GMT

AI accelerator shipments are expected to reshape semiconductor demand worldwide, with implications for cloud operators, memory suppliers, and device makers in every major market. Counterpoint expects more than 130 million GPUs and AI ASICs to shift toward advanced-packaged on-compute memory over the next five years, as the industry braces for nearly US$2 trillion in compute revenue and an intensifying battle over packaging capacity.

Taiwan's 'invisible champions' in chip materials are about to become visible, says GlobalWafers' Doris Hsu

Joseph Chen — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:42:25 GMT

Advanced process technology and new device architectures are reshaping the semiconductor supply chain — and the pressure is shifting from the fab to the materials that feed it.

AI compute race heads toward space as MediaTek executive says 1 million H100s will be mid-tier by 2030

Scarlett Yu — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:41:50 GMT

Speaking at DIGITIMES' "AI on Chips: Semiconductor Industry Outlook Forum," MediaTek senior director Bor-Sung Liang said AI development is shifting from individual large language models (LLMs) toward collaborative teams of AI agents with different roles and capabilities. He also revisited the seven-layer AI architecture he previously proposed, contrasting it with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's five-layer "cake."

AMRA expands robot testing standard to cover legged systems

DIGITIMES — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:41:27 GMT

The Autonomous Mobile Robot Alliance (AMRA), formed by Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute and industry, academia, and research partners, has released a new standard that adds legged robots to its testing framework. The update aims to speed commercialization and deployment of autonomous mobile robots by giving manufacturers and buyers a unified way to assess performance across real-world environments.

India roundup: India's chip push moves beyond fabs as yield, supply chains and new technology become the next test

DIGITIMES — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:40:36 GMT

India's semiconductor strategy is entering a more demanding phase, shifting from attracting fabs and assembly plants toward building the capabilities needed to sustain them. From wafer yields and labor rules to materials, equipment, rare earth magnets and emerging technologies, the country is expanding its ambitions as it seeks a deeper role in the global chip supply chain.

AI chip boom lifts South Korean semiconductor materials makers' profits in 2Q26

Scarlett Yu — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:40:11 GMT

The AI semiconductor investment boom is increasingly spilling over into the materials supply chain. South Korea's major semiconductor materials suppliers broadly improved profitability in the second quarter of 2026, as stronger demand for advanced materials drove sharp operating profit growth. With customers expected to expand capacity from 2027 onward, the sector could see another wave of revenue growth.

Xiaomi unveils second-generation humanoid robot at Beijing conference

DIGITIMES — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:39:47 GMT

Xiaomi unveiled its second-generation humanoid robot at the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing, where the machine made its first public appearance and performed gestures for attendees. The demonstration highlighted the company's latest push into humanoid robotics, with the robot able to follow live commands and recognize scenes through a large model.

Taiwan lifts 2027 tech budget, studies new TTA site in BSTP

DIGITIMES — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:39:29 GMT

Taiwan's Executive Yuan approved a larger 2027 technology budget of NT$229.2 billion (approx. US$7.2 billion), an increase of NT$25.9 billion from 2026, as the government also raised funding for the Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects to NT$40.6 billion. The move came as Premier Cho said Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) needs more space and asked the National Science and Technology Council to study a new TTA location in Beitou-Shilin Technology Park (BSTP).

Samsung DX hits first quarterly loss on chip inflation

Charlene Chen — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:39:08 GMT

Samsung Electronics' Device eXperience (DX) division posted its first-ever quarterly operating loss in the second quarter of 2026, hit by chip inflation. Despite the worsening profitability, DX chief Tae-Moon Roh is responding with a strategy centered on expanding market share.

Agentic AI opens new era for humanoid robots, shipments to jump fourfold by 2030

Lily Hess — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:38:39 GMT

Humanoid robots have entered a clear new phase since agentic AI emerged in 2025, with DIGITIMES analyst Zouhao Shen saying the category is now moving toward a three-tier hardware architecture of the brain, cerebellum, and peripheral nerves. He said the shift is reshaping the market and setting the stage for rapid growth through 2030.

Galbot's fast rise marks new wave in China's humanoid robot race

Joseph Chen — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:38:13 GMT

Beyond established players such as Unitree Robotics, AgiBot and UBTech Robotics, a new wave of challengers is emerging quickly in China's humanoid robot sector. Among them is Galbot, which, despite being only three years old, closed a CNY2.5 billion (approx. US$350 million) funding round in March 2026 that lifted its post-money valuation above CNY20 billion. It is also the only embodied AI company that investor CATL has backed twice, and has vaulted into the first tier of China's humanoid robot makers.

MediaTek wins Google TPU deal on three key strengths

Charlene Chen — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:37:49 GMT

Taiwan's IC design industry is set to keep growing strongly in 2026, with revenue expected to rise 10%, driven mainly by companies involved in AI and AI ASIC projects such as MediaTek, Global Unichip Corporation (GUC), Alchip, Phison, and Silicon Motion, DIGITIMES analyst Jim Chien said.

Research Insight: ASIC shipments projected to overtake GPU by 2027 as AI reshapes memory

Lily Hess — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:37:11 GMT

ASIC and GPU shipments will reach a "golden cross" in 2027, with ASIC shipments expected to surpass GPU shipments for the first time at 15.3 million units, DIGITIMES Intelligence analyst Stella Weng said. She also said AI is driving a "qualitative change" in memory architecture inside AI servers.

CPO hurdles linger as 800G and 1.6T SiPh surge, says analyst

Lily Hess — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:36:41 GMT

Challenges around co-packaged optics (CPO) remain unresolved, but they have not slowed the rapid rise of 800G and 1.6T silicon photonics, DIGITIMES analyst Kiwi Hsu said on August 20 at a semiconductor industry forum in Taipei. He said demand for AI cluster interconnects continues to expand, driving exponential growth in the output value of optical communications.

AI memory windfall: Samsung to hand back up to US$79 billion in 2026

DIGITIMES — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 01:38:49 GMT

Samsung Electronics' board has approved a 2026 shareholder return plan estimated at KRW90 trillion to KRW110 trillion (approx. US$64-79 billion), which the company says is the largest ever by a Korean firm.

Automation Taipei 2026: If AI is advancing so fast, why is the factory floor still so hard to automate?

DIGITIMES — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 01:08:56 GMT

For all the extraordinary progress made by artificial intelligence, the physical world remains stubbornly difficult to automate.

Supermicro's internal probe clears senior management in export-control case

DIGITIMES — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 01:08:33 GMT

Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI) said Thursday that an internal investigation run by its independent directors found no evidence that any current senior manager knew of an alleged scheme to divert export-controlled products — the conduct at the center of a March federal indictment of two Supermicro employees and a contractor.

America's launch boom runs into a capacity problem as White House targets 1,000 annual space launches

DIGITIMES — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 01:08:19 GMT

The US commercial space sector is entering a phase in which launching more rockets is no longer the only test of industrial scale. As flight cadence rises and multiple providers push toward higher throughput, the more difficult constraint is increasingly the infrastructure surrounding each mission.

Interview: Arbe Robotics on why radar is needed for autonomous driving and beyond

DIGITIMES — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 01:08:04 GMT

Autonomous driving technology is maturing, and a future in which cars entirely drive themselves is quickly approaching in the rearview mirror. Yet safety and trust remain crucial barriers to overcome before fully autonomous driving becomes a reality, and a key part of this is the "eyes" of the car.

Column: Lessons in supply chain resilience from China Huadian's power-compute coordination model

Willis Ke — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 01:07:40 GMT

As AI develops rapidly, data centers are driving equally rapid growth in electricity demand. The stability of future energy supplies will directly determine whether AI computing capacity can continue to expand.

Manz Asia says yield is key to glass core mass production

Charlene Chen — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 01:07:24 GMT

As AI chips continue to grow in size, the shift in advanced packaging from 300 mm wafers to square panels is becoming clearer, driving parallel development of new packaging technologies including FOPLP, CoPoS, and Glass Core. Manz Asia general manager Robert Lin said yield will determine whether Glass Core can move into mass production.

DS Technology shifts from custom automation to modular systems, eyes Brazil and Mexico

DIGITIMES — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:55:55 GMT

Taiwanese automation integrator DS Technology is shifting more of its highly customized robotic automation work toward standardized, modular systems as it seeks to make its technology easier to sell and deploy overseas, with prospective partners in Brazil and Mexico among its latest expansion targets.

China chip equipment maker Piotech posts 1,324% profit surge, advanced deposition scales up

DIGITIMES — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:45:00 GMT

Piotech Inc. reported a sharp rise in first-half 2026 earnings, helped by stronger demand for semiconductor deposition equipment, wider adoption of new process tools and improving economies of scale.