DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Apple reportedly explores AI chip acquisitions as it races to strengthen its infrastructure

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:57:56 GMT

Apple is exploring acquisitions of semiconductor companies to accelerate development of AI server chips, reflecting mounting pressure to improve the computing infrastructure behind its AI ambitions, according to The Information.

Nvidia doubles down on the land of the rising GPU, wiring Blackwell into Japan's science, banks, factories and cars

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:56:06 GMT

Nvidia has laid out a sweeping expansion of its Japanese footprint. The company is moving beyond one-off supercomputer wins to embed its Blackwell-generation chips and software across the country's research labs, banks, hospitals, factories, and automakers. The breadth signals that Japan is being positioned as a full "AI ecosystem" for Nvidia, not a single-sector customer. It's a hedge that spreads the company's growth across sovereign science, industrial automation, and physical AI, even as questions mount over chip pricing and supply.

Memory and CPU supply gaps threaten server shipments in 3Q26

Lily Hess — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:52:37 GMT

Component shortages that began with PCs and smartphones are now spreading to servers. Inventec, a leading server motherboard maker, said supply gaps will continue widening from the third quarter of 2026 and could hit shipments, while a supply-chain source said some companies are even reluctant to talk about shortages for fear upstream vendors will redirect supply.

Japan's enterprises and startups adopt Nvidia open models for specialized AI

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:50:42 GMT

Japan's companies and research institutions are turning to Nvidia's Nemotron open models to build AI tailored to local language, industry, and public-sector needs. The move highlights how open, customizable systems may shape national AI strategies far beyond Japan, affecting productivity, service delivery, and data control worldwide.

ASML's rumored move to raise lithography prices sets up rare clash with TSMC as AI hands toolmakers pricing power

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:21:44 GMT

An AI-fueled earnings beat has emboldened ASML to do something it rarely does: raise prices on the lithography machines that are essential to making advanced chips. That plan is now setting up an unusual confrontation with its largest customer, TSMC, and threatens to fall hardest on Chinese chipmakers with the fewest alternatives. It also lands in the middle of a broader 2026 repricing cycle that is sweeping through foundry, memory, and packaging costs at once, one whose bill ultimately reaches Nvidia, Apple, and every buyer of advanced silicon.

Exclusive: Advanced packaging outpaces front-end growth while NPO paves way for commercial CPO

Levi Li — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:48:57 GMT

Generative AI is accelerating demand for computing power, memory and data bandwidth, shifting semiconductor innovation beyond front-end processes toward advanced packaging, silicon photonics (SiPh) and Co-Packaged Optics (CPO). Benjamin Hein, CEO Electronics and Executive Board member at Merck, said advanced packaging materials are poised to outgrow front-end process materials and the broader materials market, while Near-Packaged Optics (NPO) will bridge the industry's transition to commercial CPO.

Nvidia's Huang says AI agents are tools, not humanlike beings

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:39:53 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said AI agents should be treated as tools, not as humanlike beings, in a recent conversation with LangChain founder Harrison Chase. He said the latest wave of agentic AI has been driven by better models, open ecosystems and stronger engineering around safeguards and system design.

Acer Gadget posts record second-quarter revenue on AI PC and e-commerce demand

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:19:43 GMT

Acer Gadget, the Acer Group subsidiary, reported record second-quarter self-reported revenue and said its two core businesses kept shipments moving in June and the first half of 2026. The company said demand in the second half should support further growth as it expands its AI PC peripheral lineup and broadens its global channel strategy.

Samsung may scale back foldable storage upgrades as memory costs rise

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:19:03 GMT

Samsung Electronics is reportedly preparing to reduce a long-running preorder perk for its next Galaxy foldables as memory prices climb. According to ChosunBiz, the South Korean company will likely cut its "free storage upgrade" offer from a full double-capacity boost to a subsidy covering only half the price gap between the 256GB and 512GB versions.

Samsung, SK hynix race to make Gwangju memory hub operational within four years

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:17:57 GMT

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are set to anchor a KRW800 trillion (US$532.4 billion) semiconductor cluster at the former Gwangju military airport site in South Korea. Industry experts describe the project as a race against time, with an ambitious target of bringing four fabrication plants online within four years. Whether land, power, water, talent, and supply-chain infrastructure can be developed in parallel has become a key concern for South Korea's semiconductor industry and global observers alike.

Foxconn shows Model A and Model B EVs in Japan through CDMS push

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:16:50 GMT

Foxconn recently displayed its Model A and Model B electric vehicles in Tokyo, as the Taiwanese manufacturer stepped further into Japan's EV market. The vehicles were shown for the first time in 2026 at the Japan Taiwan Expo, which was organized by Japan's Ministry of Economic Affairs and executed by TAITRA.

Thunder Tiger splits drone unit into specialized entities for anti-drone systems, engines

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:15:42 GMT

Thunder Tiger is widening its drone business in Taiwan and the US as it prepares new models for 2026, sets up two new entities, and advances work tied to counterdrone systems and aircraft engines. The company said the moves are part of a broader push into the global drone market as its work under the US Department of Defense's Drone Dominance Program moves into a second phase.

CXMT's US$8.5 billion IPO signals China's accelerating challenge to global memory leaders

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:10:46 GMT

CXMT's Shanghai debut could reshape global memory markets by speeding China's push into advanced DRAM and HBM, while highlighting how US export controls are altering the industry's technology path. For readers worldwide, the listing signals both greater supply competition and a potential shift in where next-generation memory innovation develops.

ASML signals pricing power and a two-year capacity sprint as AI tightens the lithography bottleneck

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:09:01 GMT

During the question-and-answer session of ASML's second-quarter 2026 earnings call on July 15, executives at the world's only maker of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems signaled that they now have room to raise prices and are preparing to expand output of their most important machines by roughly 30% in each of the next two years — all without building new cleanrooms. The tone confirmed a same-day exclusive from The Information, which reported that ASML plans price increases across its equipment despite resistance from its largest customer, TSMC.

Anthropic eyes autumn IPO to beat OpenAI and DeepSeek to public markets

DIGITIMES — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:07:50 GMT

Anthropic PBC is lining up investor meetings ahead of a potential mega-IPO that could value the Claude maker at US$1 trillion or more, a move that would let it beat both OpenAI and China's DeepSeek to public markets and, in the process, set the first widely watched price for a pure-play frontier AI lab.

Foxconn deepens humanoid robotics bet with US$9 million stake in Agility-linked SPAC

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:05:31 GMT

Foxconn's latest investment in a US special-purpose acquisition company linked to humanoid robot developer Agility Robotics underscores how the global race in AI-driven automation is drawing in major manufacturers, investors, and supply-chain players. The move may influence future robot production, deployment, and capital flows across markets worldwide.

Taiwan power device makers gain from automotive inventory buildup and order shifting

Lily Hess — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:55:44 GMT

Semiconductor supply chains remain tight, and Taiwan power device suppliers say the automotive market, after two years of inventory digestion, is now building up extra stock to avoid shortages. Rebounding demand from 3C end markets is also expected to support revenue in the second half of 2026.

China's top seller of AI compute has emerged without owning the GPUs

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:48:48 GMT

Beijing Approach AI Technology Co., or Approaching.AI, raised more than CNY1 billion within six months by selling AI tokens generated largely on computing infrastructure it does not own.

Samsung's Honam semiconductor investment faces union pushback as 80% oppose project

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:45:34 GMT

As Samsung Electronics pushes ahead with a major semiconductor investment project in South Korea's Honam region, including Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, labor-management relations have once again emerged as a source of uncertainty.

AI, ICT projects, and 5G upgrades power Taiwan telecom trio's strong June results

Willis Ke — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:45:04 GMT

Taiwan's three major telecom operators delivered stronger June 2026 results than a year earlier, supported by robust demand for ICT services, continued 5G migration and expanding digital-service ecosystems. Chunghwa Telecom posted record June revenue and EBITDA, Taiwan Mobile led the industry in monthly earnings per share (EPS) for a second consecutive month, and Far EasTone Telecommunications achieved its strongest June on record across revenue, EBITDA, net profit, and EPS.

Column: From K-Semiconductor to AI superpower —How South Korea is taking its next chip leap

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:44:41 GMT

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung unveiled the country's Three Mega Projects for AI and Semiconductors in late June 2026, an ambitious national strategy designed to strengthen South Korea's global leadership in artificial intelligence and semiconductors. The initiative centers on three pillars—semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers—and aims to double the nation's DRAM output within five years while expanding capabilities in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), advanced packaging, AI processors, and next-generation memory technologies. It also seeks to extend South Korea's semiconductor footprint beyond the Seoul metropolitan region.

Silan Microelectronics forecasts stronger first-half 2026 profit on sales growth and investment gains

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:44:22 GMT

Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics said its first-half 2026 profit is set to rise sharply, driven by revenue growth, product upgrades, and fair-value gains on financial assets. The outlook matters for global semiconductor markets because it points to resilient demand across automotive, industrial, and energy applications despite rising costs and competition.

TPV Technology expects first-half loss as costs rise and global competition intensifies

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:43:28 GMT

TPV Technology said it expects to remain in the red in the first half of 2026, underscoring how higher materials costs, supply chain shifts, and intense price competition could continue to weigh on display makers serving global consumers and device brands. The company said revenue rose, but margins stayed under pressure.

Chip inflation drives phone prices higher, clouds 2027 demand

Lily Hess — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:42:54 GMT

Rising chip costs are adding pressure to consumer electronics, with memory prices expected to stay elevated through at least 2027 and weighing heavily on downstream manufacturers and brands. Industry players say the wave of smartphone price increases in the first quarter of 2026 has already hurt sales momentum, and another round of memory-driven hikes in the second half of this year or in 2027 would make it extremely difficult to keep phone prices where they are.

US eyes looser robotaxi rules as China sets national standard

Sherri Wang — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:42:32 GMT

US regulators are considering dropping steering-wheel requirements for fully driverless vehicles, while China is moving a mandatory national safety standard for Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving through the approval process. Suppliers say the changes could accelerate the commercial rollout of robotaxis.

Foxconn advances decarbonization, targeting RE50 for Taiwan production base by 2030

Rodney Chan — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:42:11 GMT

Foxconn Technology Group is stepping up energy-saving measures, green-power procurement, and supply chain decarbonization, with its factories in Taiwan targeting RE50 by 2030. The move comes as global brands such as Apple and Google increase pressure on suppliers to use renewable energy and cut emissions.

AI demand-driven memory crunch leaves smart cars exposed

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:41:21 GMT

AI-driven demand is tightening global memory supplies, crowding out smartphones, PCs, and vehicles as DRAM and NAND Flash capacity is diverted toward data centers. Smart cars are among the hardest hit, and in China, where smart car adoption is rising quickly, automakers face sharper shortages, pricier components, and margin pressure.

JCET forecasts higher first-half profit on AI-driven chip demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:37:16 GMT

China's JCET expects stronger first-half earnings as global demand tied to artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure lifts semiconductor activity. The outlook signals continued momentum in chip packaging and testing, a sector closely watched by investors because it reflects broader technology spending trends that affect supply chains across Asia, the US, and Europe.

Lenovo says US ThinkBook models do not use YMTC SSDs

Lily Hess — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:09:35 GMT

Lenovo, responding to recent reporting that its ThinkBook 14 G9 IPL business notebook uses solid-state drives (SSDs) from Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC), stressed that the unit dismantled and tested in the report was a German-spec model, not a US version. The company said all notebooks shipped to the US market do not contain SSDs from YMTC, refuting claims that the Chinese supplier had entered the US PC supply chain.

AI server tracker: Power and thermal suppliers lead June revenue growth

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:07:35 GMT

Taiwan's AI server component suppliers generally maintained healthy revenue momentum in June, with power supply, thermal solution and baseboard management controller (BMC) vendors continuing to benefit from strong AI infrastructure demand. Optical module suppliers, meanwhile, delivered a more mixed performance, with several companies posting triple-digit or strong double-digit annual growth while others remained under pressure.

Intel qualifies High-NA EUV for Panther Lake; ASML preps TSMC and Samsung for next wave

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:45:22 GMT

ASML confirmed on July 15 that Intel Foundry has become the first company in the industry to ship a high-volume logic product manufactured using High-NA EUV lithography, marking a significant milestone in the commercial readiness of the Dutch equipment maker's most advanced lithography technology.

SK Siltron begins 300mm wafer production at KRW2.3 trillion Gumi plant

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:24:52 GMT

SK Siltron has begun volume production and customer shipments from a KRW2.3 trillion (approx. US$1.54 billion) expansion of its Gumi wafer plant in South Korea, Newsis reported, as the company ramps up supplies of 300mm silicon wafers used to manufacture advanced memory chips.

LimX Dynamics raises US$200B in fundraising round as it prepares for public listing

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:24:50 GMT

LimX Dynamics Technology, a general-purpose humanoid robot and embodied AI company, has announced the completion of its pre-IPO round of financing, raising nearly US$200 million. The company may soon see a public listing at a time when China's robotics market has grown to include hundreds of companies.

US licenses widen Nvidia H200 access in China, but shipments remain minimal

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:18:08 GMT

Nvidia H200 exports to China are expanding to a broader group of licensed buyers, though actual deliveries remain negligible under continued scrutiny in Washington and Beijing.

Tongfu Microelectronics forecasts sharp first-half profit rise on AI and memory demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:51:16 GMT

Tongfu Microelectronics said its first-half profit is likely to climb sharply, reflecting broader gains in semiconductor demand that could matter for global chip supply chains, AI infrastructure builders, and memory market watchers. The company pointed to stronger utilization, higher sales of mid- to high-end products, and investment returns as key drivers of the expected increase.