DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Infinitix signs Sarawak AI pact to expand Southeast Asia cloud services

DIGITIMES — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:32:51 GMT

Taiwan-based AI infrastructure software provider Infinitix signed a memorandum of understanding with Sarawak Information Systems Sdn. Bhd. (SAINS) to jointly promote AI infrastructure, GPU private cloud and AI cloud services in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia. The agreement was announced as both sides outlined plans to build a sovereign AI and AI Cloud ecosystem centered on a new computing model called a Token Factory.

Coretronic's second quarter revenue topped NT$10 billion as display weakness persisted

DIGITIMES — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:32:29 GMT

Coretronic's latest sales update signals a mixed picture for the global electronics market, with demand improving in energy-saving products but lingering weakness in imaging. For international readers, the results highlight how tariffs, exchange-rate swings, and geopolitical risks continue to shape supply chains and customer demand across devices worldwide.

Column: Compute is no longer the AI bottleneck. Memory is — and suppliers know it

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:32:09 GMT

After the semiconductor index nearly doubled in the first half of 2026 before a sharp pullback, the central question is whether the industry's AI-driven growth cycle has already peaked. This analysis examines the sustainability of the AI semiconductor boom, the outlook for memory and ASICs, and the geopolitical risks reshaping global supply chains.

Palo Alto Networks says AI agents are driving demand for identity security

DIGITIMES — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:31:52 GMT

AI agents are changing enterprise operations and raising new cybersecurity risks, with identity authentication emerging as a key concern for IT teams. According to Palo Alto Networks, 99% of companies are now using autonomous, conversational and generative AI tools, while machine identities in corporate networks have already outnumbered human employees.

SmartSens targets 2027 commercialization of Micro LED optical interconnects for AI infrastructure

Scarlett Yu — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:31:40 GMT

The rapid expansion of AI servers and large language models (LLMs) is driving unprecedented demand for data center computing, making high-speed interconnect technologies one of the next major battlegrounds in AI infrastructure.

Taiwan PCB leaders launch fundraising wave for AI data centers

Charlene Chen — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:31:24 GMT

Taiwan's PCB industry is entering a new expansion cycle as investment in AI data centers and other emerging applications accelerates. Since 2025, several board makers and upstream material suppliers have launched large-scale fundraising plans at home and overseas, including three bellwethers: Zhen Ding Tech, Unimicron, and Compeq.

InP supply crunch leaves South Korea exposed

DIGITIMES — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:31:06 GMT

Coherent has agreed to prepay AXT US$22.3 million under a three-year agreement for committed 6-inch indium phosphide substrate capacity, showing how buyers are moving to reserve future supply as AI data center investment strains a concentrated photonics materials market.

Porsche warns China luxury car demand remains weak, product gap may extend to 2028

Eifeh Strom — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:30:36 GMT

German luxury carmaker Porsche reported global deliveries of 122,300 vehicles in the first half of 2026, down 16% from a year earlier, with sales in the China market remaining weak and falling by more than 30% year over year.

Greenfiltec revenue climbed 19% in 1H26 on stronger AMC filter shipments

DIGITIMES — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:30:10 GMT

Greenfiltec said June 2026 consolidated revenue rose to NT$56.04 million (US$1.74 million), lifting first-half 2026 consolidated revenue to NT$311 million. That was up 14.87% in June and 18.35% for the first half from a year earlier, as higher shipments of AMC filters drove growth.

Hermes Testing's June revenue more than doubles as advanced chip test demand surges

DIGITIMES — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:29:41 GMT

Hermes Testing Solutions said that its June 2026 revenue jumped sharply as rising demand for advanced chip testing lifted sales of its custom products, cleaning materials, and engineering services. The test interface supplier said the growth was driven by continued strength in high-end semiconductor testing activity.

South Korean startup CSO eyes global Earth observation market as optical payload heads for orbit

Scarlett Yu — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:29:26 GMT

South Korean space optics startup CSO is preparing to launch its high-resolution optical payload aboard DaejeonSat, a domestically developed CubeSat scheduled to lift off on South Korea's Nuri launch vehicle in the second half of 2026. The mission is expected to serve as a key in-orbit validation milestone as the company expands beyond its Kazakhstan Satellite Constellation program into the European and North American Earth observation markets.

Taiwan connector maker Bellwether turns high-current design into patent licensing moat

Levi Li — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:45:39 GMT

Bellwether Electronic has evolved from a connector and wire harness manufacturer into a technology developer shaping industry standards and generating patent licensing revenue by focusing on customer challenges in high-current connectors, high-density integration and foolproof connector design, according to Bellwether Electronic chairwoman Hsu Jui-ying, speaking at the Taiwan Venture Capital and Private Equity Annual Conference on July 7.

Flytech lifts second-quarter revenue 38% on box PC and POS demand

DIGITIMES — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:45:28 GMT

Flytech Technology reported stronger June 2026 and second-quarter revenue as demand in the Americas and the commercial computing market continued to support shipments. The industrial computer maker said continued hardware volume and expanding software businesses should help sustain its growth trend.

Song Chuan hits record June revenue on AI power and storage demand

DIGITIMES — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:45:18 GMT

Relay supplier Song Chuan Precision reported record June 2026 revenue as customer orders rose and its acquisition of solenoid valve maker Tai Hsing Electronics was folded into its books. The company said the second half should stay supported by demand in new energy and AI power applications.

Lianyou Metals posts record second-quarter revenue as tungsten supply tightens

DIGITIMES — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:44:56 GMT

Lianyou Metals, a rare metals recycler focused on tungsten and cobalt, said its June consolidated revenue reached NT$750 million (US$23.36 million), up 22% from May and 555% from a year earlier. The Taiwan-based company also reported second-quarter consolidated revenue of NT$1.9 billion, rising 92% from the first quarter and 450% year on year, both record highs as the global tungsten supply chain remained tight.

WITS posts record first-half revenue as AI and chip design drive growth

DIGITIMES — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:44:46 GMT

WITS reported consolidated revenue of NT$1.233 billion (US$38.41 million) in June, up 7.3% from May and 37.1% from a year earlier. The Taiwan-based IT services provider also said second-quarter revenue reached NT$3.623 billion, a quarterly increase of 6.6% and a yearly gain of 33.1%, while first-half revenue climbed 30.9% to NT$7.02 billion, both setting company records.

Record chip profits mask a widening divide inside Samsung

Lily Hess — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:44:37 GMT

Samsung Electronics' preliminary results for the second quarter of 2026 again underscore a striking split inside the company: surging semiconductor profits driven by AI server demand are lifting overall earnings, while TVs, home appliances, and other end-device businesses remain under pressure.

TV panel prices fall in July as weak demand expected to hit 3Q26

Lily Hess — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:44:26 GMT

The global LCD TV panel market moved into a down cycle in July after prices held flat in the second quarter of 2026. With pre-build demand cooling among brands, sales from China's 618 Shopping Festival coming in weaker than expected, and panel factory utilization gradually recovering, the supply-demand relationship has shifted from tight to loose, dragging down prices across all LCD TV panel sizes and dimming what is usually a peak season in the third quarter.

Interview: Why Geckos bets materials, not chips, will decide the next AI performance leap

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:43:29 GMT

As generative AI fuels rapid growth in demand for high-performance computing (HPC), the semiconductor industry is shifting from a process race to a materials race. Geckos chairman Shen Tsung-huan says that as chip manufacturing moves to 2nm and even more advanced nodes, gains in AI computing power are no longer just a chip design issue, but are increasingly constrained by the thermal conductivity and high-frequency signal transmission capabilities of materials.

Cisco says agentic AI will triple enterprise network traffic within three years

Levi Li — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:43:15 GMT

Agentic AI is putting new pressure on enterprise networks and cybersecurity infrastructure as companies accelerate internal deployment, with Cisco and Foundry warning that more than 70% of enterprises see their current networks as unprepared for future AI demand.

Samsung's CXL 3.1 memory delay lays bare Intel, AMD server platform lag

DIGITIMES — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:43:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics has postponed mass production of its CXL 3.1 memory modules after delays to next-generation server processors from Intel and AMD pushed back the broader PCIe 6.0 ecosystem, highlighting how AI infrastructure adoption increasingly depends on platform readiness rather than individual components.

QuantumDiamonds sets up Asia HQ in Taiwan, installs first regional system at iST

Charlene Chen — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:42:32 GMT

Backed by support from the European Chips Act, German quantum startup QuantumDiamonds has completed a financing round totaling EUR91 million (approx. US$104.1 million), a move expected to deepen its presence in the three major semiconductor markets and speed the rollout of diamond-based quantum sensing technology into wafer fabs worldwide.

SunplusIT clears Intel and AMD eUSB hurdle, starts thermal imaging shipments ahead of July listing

Charlene Chen — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:42:20 GMT

Sunplus Innovation Technology (SunplusIT) said on July 9, 2026, that it is preparing to become a listed company in mid-July 2026 and outlined its view on market conditions in the second half of 2026 as well as its product roadmap. The company said its thermal imaging products have begun small-volume shipments, while its eUSB interface has passed certification for Intel and AMD new platforms, positioning it for future growth.

China's display makers raise billions to close the OLED gap — and South Korea is watching

Levi Li — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:42:08 GMT

Chinese display panel and materials companies are tapping capital markets to fund next-generation OLED, oxide and Mini LED technologies, drawing close attention from South Korea's display industry.

Amtran posts 13% 1H26 revenue growth citing product mix shift

DIGITIMES — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:41:54 GMT

Amtran Technology reported a June 2026 consolidated revenue of NT$2.5 billion (US$78.0 million), up 23% from a year earlier, as the Taiwanese display and peripherals maker said its product mix transformation continued to support growth. The company also said that every month in the first half of 2026 delivered year-over-year gains.

Laster lifts second-quarter revenue 13% as new vehicle launches approach

DIGITIMES — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:41:42 GMT

LED automotive lighting module maker Laster reported June consolidated revenue of NT$500 million (US$15.58 million), down 31.67% from May and 29.48% year on year. Even so, second-quarter revenue climbed 13.30% to NT$1.92 billion, as the company prepared for new vehicle mass production in the second half and an initial move into the robotics module market.

Mobilint touts NPU for physical AI, with CEO urging South Korea to accelerate development

Rodney Chan — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:41:28 GMT

South Korean AI semiconductor startup Mobilint is gaining traction in physical AI with its neural processing units (NPU) for edge devices, as the AI boom spreads from cloud computing into robots, autonomous vehicles and drones. Mobilint CEO Shin Dong-joo (transliterated from Korean) and other industry figures say the next two to three years will be a crucial window for South Korea to capture the physical AI market through NPU technology.

Apple sues OpenAI as its own suppliers Foxconn and Luxshare line up behind a rival device

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 23:01:50 GMT

Apple's decision to sue OpenAI for trade-secret theft does more than escalate a soured partnership between two of technology's most influential companies. It injects legal uncertainty into OpenAI's push to build its own consumer hardware — an effort a growing roster of Asian suppliers has already begun to serve, and it lands just as the AI developer approaches a closely watched initial public offering.

China's temporary helium export ban signals fears of a prolonged Middle East supply squeeze

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:04:52 GMT

China moved on July 10 to wall off its domestic supply of helium, a gas with no substitute in chipmaking and medical imaging, in a step that suggests Beijing does not expect Middle East supply risks to ease quickly — and one that could tighten an already strained global market.

China recovers Long March 10B booster in reusable rocket milestone

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:55:10 GMT

China marked a major step in rocket reusability on July 10, 2026, after successfully recovering the first-stage booster of its Long March 10B rocket following an orbital launch mission.

Nvidia’s Jensen Huang heads to Japan with RTX Spark as AI PC competition heats up

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:53:53 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will travel to Japan for an event celebrating the US chipmaker's three-decade relationship with Sega, revisiting a partnership that helped Nvidia survive its difficult early years as semiconductor competition expands from data centers to personal computers.

Largan samples CPO product in July 2026, eyes GC edge

Charlene Chen — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:20:07 GMT

Largan said on July 9, 2026, that it will formally begin sampling fiber array (FA) products for a mass-production customer in July, while chairman En-Ping Lin outlined the company's advantages in common packaging optics (CPO) amid market attention on Corning's Glass Bridge technology.

SK Hynix breaks Alibaba's US listing record — but HBM customers will wait until 2028 for the capacity it funds

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:12:22 GMT

SK Hynix has priced a US$26.5 billion Nasdaq offering, giving the world's leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory fresh capital to expand DRAM wafer production, advanced packaging and leading-edge manufacturing equipment at the same time.

ASE Holdings posts record 2Q26 revenue, bets US$40M on South Korea as AI packaging demand surges

Levi Li — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:00:42 GMT

ASE Holdings posted record second-quarter and first-half 2026 revenue, driven by strong demand for advanced semiconductor packaging and testing, conventional backend services and AI-related applications. June revenue reached its second-highest monthly level on record, while quarterly growth exceeded the company's previous guidance.

Nanya Technology posts record profit as gross margin nears 80%

Sherri Wang — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:56:28 GMT

Nanya Technology posted record quarterly profit after a more than 60% rise in average DRAM selling prices lifted its gross margin to 79.5%, with the Taiwanese memory chipmaker expecting prices and margins to improve further in the second half.