DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Agibot claims 100% success rate in factory deployment as humanoid race shifts to real-world validation

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 16:43:54 GMT

Peng Chen, business development director at Agibot, used the robotics session of the 5th Mobis Mobility Day in Sunnyvale to make a pointed argument: the humanoid robotics industry has moved past prototype competition into a phase where real-world deployment results are the only metric that matters.

ASML to deliver first High-NA chips within months despite cost concerns

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 08:42:45 GMT

ASML expects its first advanced semiconductors made using next-generation High-Numerical Aperture (High-NA) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment to ship within months.

Apple unifies hardware Silos to accelerate post-Cook device development

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 08:38:27 GMT

Apple's new Chief Hardware Officer, Johny Srouji, has launched a reorganization of the company's device development division. The move shifts executive responsibilities over core product design to accelerate future hardware cycles. According to Bloomberg, the changes integrate the previously independent domains of hardware engineering and hardware technologies under a single leadership structure. The realignment is part of a broader succession plan, following Apple's announcement that John Ternus — longtime senior vice president of hardware engineering — will become Chief Executive Officer on September 1, 2026.

SpaceX to purchase Cursor one month after potentially record-breaking IPO

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 08:00:49 GMT

SpaceX plans to follow through with its acquisition of Cursor, which provides AI coding tools, 30 days after the space company launches its IPO. The deal, worth US$60 billion, would shore up SpaceX's recently acquired xAI unit, whose Grok models are reportedly considered to be behind those of competitors Anthropic and OpenAI.

Alibaba's T-Head doubles down on AI infrastructure with Zhenwu M890

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 08:00:27 GMT

Alibaba Cloud has unveiled the Zhenwu M890, a new proprietary AI training and inference chip developed by its semiconductor subsidiary T-Head Semiconductor, as the Chinese cloud group accelerates its push into full-stack AI infrastructure for the agentic AI era.

Tech Forum 2026: AI server racks push liquid cooling into mainstream

Levi Li — Wed, 20 May 2026 07:34:46 GMT

META Green Cooling Technology (MGC) president Clyde Chu said Nvidia's chip roadmap shows that cooling requirements are doubling in less than a year, with the NVL72 rack based on the Vera Rubin architecture, expected in the second half of 2026, requiring 130-140 kW of cooling capacity per rack. By 2027, the Vera Rubin Ultra platform could push single-rack power consumption to 200-300 kW.

Microsoft advances India data center timeline within expanded regional investment framework

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Microsoft's data center expansion in India represents the continuation of a strategic regional investment trajectory, updating previously announced capital commitments rather than introducing new funding. The company is accelerating infrastructure deployment in India's fast-growing AI market, where it competes with Alphabet and Amazon for dominance in cloud services and artificial intelligence.

Taiwan Wi-Fi router industry, 1Q 2026: Steady recovery, rising value, and telecom-led demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:57:54 GMT

Wi-Fi 7 upgrades and cost pressures coexist as Taiwanese Wi-Fi router shipments rose 1.1% sequentially in the first quarter of 2026.

Tech Forum 2026: Physical AI poised to accelerate autonomous driving and robotics, analysts say

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:42:28 GMT

Physical AI is set to reshape autonomous driving and robotics. At the DIGITIMES Tech Forum 2026, held ahead of COMPUTEX 2026, analysts said advances in perception, decision-making, and motion control are opening new doors across industries.

Amazon's AI chip push gains ground as Nvidia remains central to AWS

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:42:06 GMT

Amazon's yearslong push to build a credible alternative to Nvidia's AI chips is beginning to gain traction, as software improvements, tight GPU supply, and cost pressure prompt more developers to test the company's Trainium processors, according to The Information.

FarEasTone named Amazon Leo distributor in Taiwan, targets 2027 launch

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:30:00 GMT

FarEasTone Telecommunications has signed a formal cooperation agreement with Amazon Leo, Amazon's low-Earth-orbit satellite network service, to become its authorized distributor in Taiwan, the company announced. Talks between the parties began in the second quarter of 2025 and concluded roughly a year later in the second quarter of 2026, with a commercial launch in Taiwan targeted for 2027, pending deployment and testing.

China's top NAND flash chipmaker YMTC begins IPO tutoring with Chinese banks

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:29:46 GMT

China's leading memory chipmakers are accelerating their push into public capital markets, with YMTC Group formally entering IPO guidance on May 19, shortly after domestic DRAM leader CXMT updated its own prospectus filings.

Gaia Motors rolls out Rapide 3 electric three-wheeler network across Taiwan

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:15:00 GMT

Gaia Motors has launched a nationwide channel rollout in Taiwan for its Rapide 3 electric three-wheeler, expanding the vehicle's availability from enterprise fleets to broader commercial applications amid growing demand for compact, efficient urban vehicles.

From boardrooms to bedside: AI cameras climb the value chain

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:05:00 GMT

AI camera demand is being propelled by enterprise digital transformation, smart healthcare, and cross-border collaboration, turning cameras from simple video recorders into intelligent sensing endpoints with far-reaching implications for suppliers across the optics and semiconductor ecosystem.

Exclusive: Automakers turn to Taiwan for faster vehicle electronics development

Elaine Chen — Wed, 20 May 2026 05:45:00 GMT

A quiet but consequential shift is underway in the global automotive industry's race toward electrification and software-defined vehicles. Executives in Taiwan's automotive-electronics supply chain say major Western automakers are increasingly turning to Taiwan after being stunned by the speed at which Taiwanese companies can develop and integrate next-generation electronic systems.

GlobalFoundries invests in Playground Global Fund IV to advance semiconductor technology innovation

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:58:39 GMT

GlobalFoundries announced on May 19 that it is making a limited partner investment in Playground Global's Fund IV through GlobalFoundries Accelerate, the company's venture capital program focused on early-stage semiconductor and deep-technology innovation. The investment represents an expansion of GlobalFoundries' strategy to engage with emerging technologies and promising startup ventures in the semiconductor ecosystem.

Xiaomi halts ultra-thin smartphone production as memory costs squeeze prices

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:51:40 GMT

Xiaomi warns memory costs could push flagship phone prices past CNY10,000 (approx. US$1,468) in 2026, a development that would affect global consumers as higher-capacity models become more expensive and manufacturers adjust portfolios. The company also withheld an ultra-thin, Apple Air-style device after concluding trade-offs would harm battery life and camera performance.

Former Samsung semiconductor head warns that memory prices and demand could fall sharply after 2028

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:47:01 GMT

The global semiconductor industry has been focused on a memory supercycle, with some forecasts suggesting the upturn could last until 2030. However, Kye-hyun Kyung, former head of Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions (DS) division and currently a standing advisor to Samsung, has cautioned against overly optimistic sentiment in the memory market.

Google and Blackstone could lift ASIC demand with TPU leasing joint venture

Lily Hess — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:40:26 GMT

Recent media reports say Google is set to team up with Blackstone to form a new cloud computing leasing company, with Blackstone as the main shareholder. The new venture aims to build about 500 MW of computing capacity by 2027, most of it using Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), a move industry watchers say supports Google ASIC partners such as MediaTek, Broadcom, and TSMC.

South Korea's defense chips 99% import-dependent as photonic supply chain crisis looms

Emily Kuo — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:04:42 GMT

Photonic semiconductors have become indispensable to modern defense — prized for their ultra-high-speed data processing, high capacity, low power consumption, and exceptional reliability. Yet despite their growing strategic importance, South Korea remains almost entirely dependent on foreign suppliers for these critical components. Industry leaders are now sounding the alarm: as global supply chains fracture along geopolitical lines, photonic semiconductors are no longer just industrial goods — they are national security assets, and South Korea's access to them is far from guaranteed.

Samsung braces for major strike after bonus talks collapse

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 03:50:48 GMT

Samsung Electronics faces a major labor disruption after its union said about 48,000 workers would walk off the job on May 21, beginning an 18-day strike after last-ditch government-mediated talks over performance-based bonuses collapsed, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Quanta Cloud Technology commits US$61.71 million for California facility lease amid AI server buildout

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 03:28:56 GMT

Quanta Cloud Technology announced that its subsidiary QMN purchased a 10-year right-of-use asset for a California facility lease for US$61.71 million to support expanding manufacturing capacity for AI servers and other operations in the US. The transaction was disclosed as part of the firm's ongoing expansion of US manufacturing, where the company has grown its California campus to more than 20 buildings.

Aerospace fastener demand extends into multi-year cycle as NAFCO expands Malaysia capacity amid Boeing ramp-up

Willis Ke — Wed, 20 May 2026 03:14:20 GMT

Taiwan-based aerospace engine fastener maker National Aerospace Fasteners Corporation (NAFCO) said order visibility has extended to as long as eight to nine years as Boeing accelerates aircraft deliveries and global aerospace supply chains remain under strain. To meet rising demand, the company is expanding production capacity in Malaysia.

Taiwan to boost AI and strategic-industry spending to increase competitiveness

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 03:07:24 GMT

Taiwan's cabinet announced plans to expand public spending on AI and other strategic industries to protect the island's high-tech manufacturing lead, strengthen economic security and stimulate domestic demand, the premier said at a government press conference on May 19 in Taipei. The initiative includes 13 designated strategic industries, each to receive a flagship project, and a set of 10 major AI construction projects scheduled to begin in 2026.

Tatung boosts North American renewables push with transformer wins and mass-production play

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 03:07:17 GMT

Tatung announced at the IEEE PES T&D 2026 exhibition in Chicago that it has expanded its North American footprint with a mix of large-transformer contracts and mass-production orders for the US renewables and data-center markets. The company said it secured a 345 kV order for a US renewable energy site with delivery slated for mid-2027 and additional solar project orders that will ship between 2026 and 2027, positioning Tatung as a supplier across both long-cycle and fast-turn segments.

Ex-OpenAI and Tesla AI lead joins Anthropic to accelerate Claude pretraining research

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 03:06:07 GMT

Anthropic said it hired a high-profile AI researcher who will join its pretraining team to accelerate large-language-model pretraining research using Claude, as announced in May 2026. The hire came as Anthropic disclosed a compute rental agreement to use SpaceX-linked resources from xAI's Colossus 1 data center in Memphis, Tennessee, and followed earlier talent additions, the company stated.

Far EasTone posts revenue and profit growth and signs collaboration with Amazon LEO satellite service

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 03:03:50 GMT

Far EasTone Telecommunications held its 2026 shareholders meeting on May 20. They announced that it had achieved year-on-year growth in consolidated revenue and profit in 2025, while signing a cooperation agreement with Amazon Leo, Amazon's low-earth-orbit satellite network service, to introduce LEO connectivity to Taiwan, pending regulatory approvals. Executives said the company will focus on scaling group synergies, expanding service offerings, and amplifying AI benefits to sustain its growth trajectory in 2026.

Taipei fires back as Trump repeats chip theft claim

Emily Kuo — Wed, 20 May 2026 02:49:12 GMT

Trump has once again accused Taiwan of "stealing" the US semiconductor industry — his second such broadside in as many months.

Commentary: China hardens AI self-reliance push after Trump-Xi talks

Levi Li — Wed, 20 May 2026 02:41:33 GMT

After the Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, China's senior leadership has stepped up inspections of artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing and computing infrastructure, offering a clear signal of where Beijing wants its technology policy to move over the next three years.

Taiwan suppliers look past Tesla as China's robot makers scale up

Sherri Wang — Wed, 20 May 2026 02:31:56 GMT

Tesla remains a bellwether for humanoid robots, but its delayed production timeline is prompting Taiwanese suppliers to reassess where near-term opportunities may emerge in the robotics supply chain.

E Ink debuts color e-paper photo frames and monitors at Computex 2026

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 02:10:49 GMT

E Ink Holdings showcased color e-paper digital photo frames, monitors, smartphone-sized readers, and lifestyle products at Computex 2026, which opened on June 2 in Taipei, aiming to push e-paper into homes, offices, and personal spaces. The exhibit presented devices that use the E Ink Spectra 6 color e-paper technology to deliver vivid, paper-like visuals with no backlight and low power consumption.

South Korea sounds alarm on manufacturing hollow-out as AI server boom lifts Taiwan

DIGITIMES — Wed, 20 May 2026 02:00:00 GMT

As artificial intelligence reshapes the global economy, demand for data centers is rapidly redrawing the export map of nations.

Analysis: Japan's auto giants diverge—who's navigating the storm, and who's still in it

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 20 May 2026 01:46:07 GMT

Japan's three largest automakers reported fiscal 2025 results that signal shifting production strategies and significant implications for suppliers across North America and beyond. The outcomes have varied: Toyota and Honda steadied operations amid different pressures, while Nissan moved into deep restructuring after heavy losses.

Interview: Governments are losing the AI cybersecurity race, and Palo Alto Networks thinks it has the answer

Rodney Chan — Wed, 20 May 2026 01:45:00 GMT

Governments are losing the race against AI. That is the blunt assessment of Nicole Quinn, vice president of policy and government affairs for Asia-Pacific at Palo Alto Networks. Policy moves too slowly, she argues, and overly rigid rules only make things worse.

AMD makes history with first overseas AI DevDay in Shanghai, targeting deeper China partnerships

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 20 May 2026 01:30:00 GMT

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) chair and CEO Lisa Su led the company's China team in Shanghai for AMD AI DevDay 2026 on May 19. The event marks the first time it has been held outside the US, drawing large crowds of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) developers, supply chain partners, and corporate customers.