DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Grab's Uber-affiliated director steps down from board with foodpanda Taiwan acquisition in process

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 10:10:52 GMT

Grab Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GRAB) announced that Uber Technologies CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has resigned from its board of directors, effective July 6, 2026, as the Singapore-based ride-hailing and delivery company works to close its proposed US$600 million acquisition of foodpanda's Taiwan business from Delivery Hero.

Asia VC leaders call for deeper cross-border tech investment at inaugural regional summit

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:57:04 GMT

Heads of venture capital associations from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea gathered in Taipei today for the first Asia Venture Capital (VC) Summit, a historic trilateral meeting aimed at deepening cross-border investment as AI reshapes the region's tech landscape.

Novatek beats second-quarter revenue guidance on strong customer stockpiling

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:40:27 GMT

Novatek reported June revenue of NT$10.023 billion, up 6.48% from the previous month and 18.96% from a year earlier, pushing second-quarter revenue to NT$28.66 billion. The chip designer's second-quarter result rose 24% quarter over quarter and 9.59% year over year, topping its earlier forecast of NT$27.5 billion to NT$28.5 billion.

ELAN revenue hit the top of forecast as notebook and AI products gained traction

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:38:59 GMT

ELAN reported June 2026 revenue of NT$1.059 billion, up 5.48% from the prior month and 7.13% from a year earlier. The Taiwanese chip maker said second-quarter 2026 revenue reached NT$3.368 billion, up 4.4% quarter-over-quarter and 11.1% year-over-year, while first-half revenue totaled NT$5.37 billion, a 4.04% increase from a year earlier.

Samsung's Jae-yong Lee heads to Sun Valley Conference for likely AI talks

Lily Hess — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:14:55 GMT

Samsung Electronics Chairman Jae-yong Lee departed for the Sun Valley Conference in the US on July 7, marking his second straight year at the event as he looks to deepen AI cooperation with global tech giants. Industry watchers expect the trip to help Samsung expand its ties with major customers and partners.

Taiwan and South Korea to deepen startup investment ties

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:06:02 GMT

Taiwan and South Korea's venture capital groups have signed a pact to expand cross-border funding and exit opportunities, a move that could widen capital access for startups and reshape innovation links across Asia. The deal may also offer global investors new routes into two technology-heavy markets.

HVDC power to ramp up in 2H26, as Delta eyes momentum in AI power systems

Kevin Wang — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:04:53 GMT

US cloud service providers (CSPs) are continuing to expand AI-related capex, which has in turn driven up data center server rack specifications and power architectures. As a result of the continued rise in per-rack power consumption, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power racks are expected to enter the market starting from the second half of 2026, with initial shipments focused on select platforms and specific customers.

France-Taiwan tech ties move from talks to factory floor

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:04:20 GMT

France's push into Taiwan's tech ecosystem has entered a new phase. After three years of cultural outreach and research exchanges, cooperation is now showing up in steel, silicon, and server racks. Foxconn, SiPearl, and a growing list of AI data center projects are turning bilateral goodwill into industrial output.

AI memory boom turns price hikes into antitrust flashpoint across supply chain

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:49:05 GMT

As AI demand drives record price increases in the memory market, the aftermath of such volatility is weighing on the wider supply chain, rippling into downstream industries where manufacturers are already trapped in their own price wars while facing rising input costs.

Microsoft starts swapping OpenAI and Anthropic models for its own in apps

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:41:16 GMT

Microsoft is reportedly beginning to replace OpenAI and Anthropic models in its software with its own offerings, likely a strategic move by the software giant to reduce expenditures and bolster its role as an AI provider, soon after the launch of several of its in-house models.

TSMC earnings call could signal how long the AI boom can keep lifting its outlook

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:37:45 GMT

TSMC's July 16 earnings call is likely to test how far the chipmaker can extend its already upbeat guidance, as investors look for signs that AI demand, flagship smartphone launches, and broader wafer orders can offset inflation, materials shortages, and mounting manufacturing complexity. The market is watching for another upgrade to revenue, spending, and margin targets.

AI server maker MiTAC gears up for stronger 2H26 with new capacity after 44.8% revenue jump

Levi Li — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:24:33 GMT

MiTAC is set to enter a new phase of growth in the second half of 2026 as new production facilities begin mass production, providing a meaningful boost to operations. Earlier, MiTAC president Billy Ho said the company's business growth in 2026 is firmly on track, driven by sustained demand for AI.

Netherlands presses China talks on Nexperia and ASML trade frictions

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:14:06 GMT

The Netherlands used a trade mission to Beijing this week to reopen economic ties with China while semiconductor tensions remained at the center of the agenda. Dutch trade officials met Chinese counterparts as Amsterdam sought to manage disputes involving Nexperia and ASML amid broader US-China technology restrictions.

National Center for Instrumentation Research helps academia break 2D materials bottleneck

Rodney Chan — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 07:52:50 GMT

As AI infrastructure chip orders flood in and TSMC runs near nonstop, academia has found it difficult to carry out industry-academia collaboration with the world's top foundry house. Taiwan's government-funded research institutes, including the National Institutes of Applied Research (NIAR) and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), are emerging as a better route for partnerships.

Samsung widens Nvidia Vera Rubin memory play with PCIe 6.0 eSSD

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 07:23:35 GMT

Samsung Electronics has started mass production of its PM1763 enterprise SSD, a PCIe 6.0-based drive built for AI infrastructure and slated for Nvidia's next-generation Vera Rubin platform, expanding the company's AI memory strategy beyond HBM into high-performance server storage.

Wistron chair: AI demand remains strong as sovereign AI broadens global market

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 07:11:56 GMT

AI demand is expanding beyond the US as sovereign AI projects gain traction in more countries, Wistron chairman Simon Lin said, arguing that the industry is entering a new phase rather than a bubble. For global readers, the shift suggests wider adoption, more paid services, and a longer runway for AI infrastructure spending.

CPUs return to AI spotlight as agentic workloads reshape data center demand; Perplexity plans to adopt Nvidia's Vera

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 07:10:05 GMT

As AI workloads pivot toward emerging needs for systems that can perform tasks with a coordinated balance between speed and control, the hardware race is moving beyond GPUs. While the critical role GPUs have played across the AI compute landscape is not in doubt, the expansion of inference, reasoning, and agentic AI is placing CPUs back at the center of the AI hardware race.

Winning the AI Glasses Race: Why Myopia Users and Optical Retailers Hold the Key to Mass Adoption

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 06:53:48 GMT

AI glasses are emerging as a key gateway to AI; the market is projected to grow rapidly between 2026 and 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 48%, creating new opportunities across the supply chain.

Samsung's HBM4 comeback hinges on one chip-level advantage

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 06:52:40 GMT

Samsung Electronics is using HBM4 to test whether its memory, logic, foundry, and advanced packaging businesses can finally work as one AI semiconductor platform, turning a broad portfolio into a clearer competitive weapon.

Apple tests CXMT DRAM, thrusting China's memory champion into AI spotlight

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 06:49:59 GMT

China's CXMT has moved from a little-known state-backed DRAM maker to one of the most closely watched companies in the global memory chip race, with Apple testing its chips for China-market devices and Beijing counting on the company to anchor a domestic AI supply chain.

Volkswagen faces defining test as board weighs sweeping restructuring in face of Chinese competition in its biggest market

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 05:01:40 GMT

Volkswagen is entering one of the most critical periods in its recent history, as its supervisory board prepares to meet on July 9 to discuss a restructuring plan that could include up to 100,000 job cuts, factory closures, and a broader overhaul of the German automaker's operations.

Weblink International posts record quarterly revenue on AI demand and enterprise upgrades

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 04:40:20 GMT

Weblink International reported record second-quarter revenue as enterprise PC replacement cycles, AI-related demand, and stronger component sales lifted results. The Taiwan-based technology supplier said the performance reflects broader trends in global computing and cybersecurity spending, with implications for hardware, software, and cloud customers across major markets.

Inspur forecasts sharp first-half profit growth

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 04:37:49 GMT

Inspur Industry said its first-half profit is likely to rise sharply in 2026, reflecting stronger demand and improved execution as investors monitor developments across China's technology supply chain and global enterprise hardware markets.

Dongfeng Nissan seeks turnaround amid weak Chinese auto market

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 04:35:17 GMT

China's car market is increasingly divided between weak domestic demand and strong overseas growth, with electric vehicles (EVs) pushing further into the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. For global readers, the shift signals a more competitive export-driven auto industry, even as makers at home face intense pricing pressure and faster model turnover.

AI servers squeeze MOSFET supply while PC slump tests power component pricing power

Levi Li — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 04:29:54 GMT

AI servers are tightening Taiwan's power component supply chain, lifting demand for MOSFETs, PMICs, cooling motors and power management products even as weak PC demand limits suppliers' ability to pass on higher costs.

Meta enters AI visual race as ByteDance's Seedance reportedly reaches 90% gross margins

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 04:03:40 GMT

Meta has taken its first concrete step into generative visual media, entering a market that is filling rapidly with rivals — and where a Chinese incumbent has already turned AI video into a highly profitable business.

China cost cuts put US$1T robotaxi market within reach by 2040

Levi Li — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 04:00:52 GMT

China's falling robotaxi supply chain costs could help push the global autonomous taxi market to US$1 trillion by 2040, with Waymo and Tesla leading worldwide as Baidu, Xpeng and WeRide scale rapidly in China, according to Morgan Stanley.

LG Electronics posts higher 2Q26 revenue and operating profit

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 03:58:44 GMT

LG Electronics reported higher revenue and operating profit for the second quarter of 2026, supported by strong year-over-year growth even as earnings eased slightly from the previous quarter.

Beijing's rumored AI model debate signals new era of technology controls

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 03:52:59 GMT

Beijing appears to be edging toward restricting overseas access to its most advanced artificial-intelligence (AI) models, a shift that would mirror recent moves in Washington and signal that the world's two AI leaders increasingly regard cutting-edge models as strategic assets to be controlled rather than freely exported.

China unveils memristor chip for real-time neural dynamics, pushes computing into millisecond range

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 03:30:00 GMT

A Chinese research team has developed a phase-change memristor-based neural dynamical system chip, offering a potential hardware path for real-time brain modeling, brain-computer interfaces, and brain disease diagnosis.

Apple reportedly broadens iPad OLED driver supply, chipping at Samsung's grip as foldables enlarge the pie

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 03:23:17 GMT

Apple's supply chain for OLED display driver ICs (DDI) — the chips that control how a screen's pixels light up — is diversifying, loosening Samsung's exclusive hold on the segment, while a wave of new premium devices, including Apple's upcoming foldable devices, promises to expand the overall market.

ASE expands globally as Hanmi Semiconductor targets CoWoS packaging demand

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 03:17:11 GMT

South Korean equipment maker Hanmi Semiconductor is moving beyond high-bandwidth memory (HBM) tools into advanced chip packaging, a shift that could affect the global semiconductor supply chain. As ASE boosts capacity to meet TSMC-linked demand, Hanmi is positioning for broader sales growth in the second half of 2026 and beyond.

ZillTek posts steady revenue growth on PC, auto and hearing aid demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 03:15:00 GMT

ZillTek reported higher revenue in June, the second quarter, and the first half of 2026 as demand rose for high-end digital microphone, or D-Mic, products used in PCs, automotive systems, and hearing aids. June revenue reached NT$179 million (US$5.6 million), up 9.93% from a year earlier.

Chinese equipment maker wins first large-format PLP lithography order for AI packaging equipment

Levi Li — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 02:55:06 GMT

Circuit Fabology Microelectronics Equipment (CFMEE) has secured China's first commercial order for a large-format panel-level packaging lithography tool, marking the company's entry into the AI advanced packaging equipment market.

Msscorps posts record 2Q revenue on AI and chip testing demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 02:55:00 GMT

Msscorps reported record consolidated revenue in June, and for the first half of 2026, as demand from AI and semiconductor customers continued to expand. The Taiwan-based semiconductor inspection and analysis company also said on July 6 that its board had approved a cash capital increase to support expansion of its AI chip analysis platform, silicon photonics interconnect testing equipment, and mass production of its self-developed tools.

ThinTech Materials Technology eyes FOPLP gains, BNCT growth through 2028

Charlene Chen — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 02:40:00 GMT

ThinTech Materials Technology (TTMC) is currently the only supplier with technology transfer recognition approved for FOPLP metal substrates. While first-half shipments came in below plan, chairman Chien-Hui Lee said the business has room to grow more strongly in the fourth quarter.

Enterprise SSD shortage lifts DDR4 8Gb 3Q26 contract prices

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 02:34:49 GMT

Memory prices are rising faster than expected as global AI demand strains DRAM and flash supply, with knock-on effects for PCs, data centers, networking gear, and industrial devices worldwide. Supply-chain sources say third-quarter 2026 contract talks reflect a tighter market, with older chips becoming more expensive.

ADATA revenue tops 2025 full-year total as memory supercycle gains pace

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 02:31:40 GMT

ADATA Technology posted another record month in June 2026, pushing its first-half 2026 consolidated revenue to NT$64.27 billion(US$2.0 billion) and surpassing its full-year 2025 total of NT$53.04 billion ahead of schedule. The Taiwan-based memory module maker said the results reflected AI-driven demand that is fueling a new memory supercycle.

China eyes AI model curbs as tech rivalry moves beyond chips

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 02:22:43 GMT

For years, Washington and Beijing focused much of their tech rivalry on silicon. Now the front line may be moving to the AI models themselves.

Ennoconn hits record June revenue as AI and smart factory orders keep climbing

Lily Hess — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Ennoconn Technologies said its June 2026 revenue set a new high, with monthly, quarterly, and cumulative results all reaching record levels as demand for AI and smart applications lifted the industrial PC maker's performance. Looking ahead, the company said its order backlog remains high, and that continued demand for physical AI and the digital transformation of industry is supporting its growth momentum.

China's AI labs race to build custom AI chips while ASICs threaten Nvidia's dominance

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 01:58:35 GMT

China's leading AI model developers are moving deeper into custom chip design, a shift that could reshape the country's AI hardware market as inference demand rises, US export controls tighten access to Nvidia GPUs, and Huawei's domestic alternatives face capacity and software constraints.

PGC 2Q26 revenue hits record as advanced-node orders stay strong

Sherri Wang — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 01:45:00 GMT

IC design service provider Progate Group Corporation (PGC) reported preliminary revenue of NT$159 million (approx. US$5.0 million) for June 2026, down 12.3% from May but up 88.4% from a year earlier, marking its strongest June on record.

Sodium batteries to cut below LFP costs in 2027, reshaping energy storage economics

Lily Hess — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 01:30:00 GMT

China is increasingly viewing 2026 as the launch year for sodium-ion batteries, as the technology's cost advantages in the energy storage market become more visible. The latest analysis from Bernstein and Morgan Stanley says sodium batteries are no longer just a low-cost alternative to lithium batteries, but are emerging as a complementary technology alongside them.

As Synopsys exits legacy manufacturing software, chipmakers may move toward in-house factory tools

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 01:21:40 GMT

Synopsys is preparing to discontinue a suite of manufacturing process control software used by semiconductor manufacturers, marking a strategic shift that reflects changing priorities across the semiconductor software industry.

Apple's first foldable reportedly enters production, but a record price and delayed sales loom

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 01:00:22 GMT

Apple's first foldable iPhone has entered production, according to reports from multiple Chinese supply-chain outlets, though the device may carry a record price tag and reach buyers later than its formal unveiling.

Onsemi sells two fabs to cut costs and sharpen power chip focus

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:58:49 GMT

Onsemi is selling two manufacturing facilities in the Philippines and the US to cut fixed costs, streamline its global production network and improve gross margins under its Fab Right strategy.

Global PMX revenue rises as advanced foundry and AI cooling demand strengthen

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:03:18 GMT

Global PMX said on July 6 that demand tied to semiconductor advanced-process equipment and AI server liquid-cooling systems remained strong, helping lift June 2026 consolidated revenue to NT$750 million (US$23.47 million), up 30.66% from a year earlier. The automotive powertrain and safety component maker also reported higher revenue for the second quarter of 2026 and the first half of the year.

Tesla starts public road tests of Cybercab

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:02:51 GMT

Tesla has begun engineering tests of its production Cybercab on public roads in Austin, Texas, putting the two-seat robotaxi into real-world city traffic for the first time. The move marked an early step toward a driverless ride-hailing service built around a vehicle designed without a steering wheel or brake pedals.

Microloops revenue hits record on cloud server cooling demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:02:28 GMT

Taiwan Microloops Corp. said July 6 that June revenue reached a record NT$503 million, up 52.41% from May and 29.30% from a year earlier, driven by stronger demand for AI server cooling products and heavier pull-ins from a major cloud service provider customer. AI-related products now account for more than 70% of revenue, the company said.

Sharp taps Foxconn for US$1.9 billion new-business push

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:02:12 GMT

Sharp is aiming for annual sales of JPY200 billion to JPY300 billion, roughly US$1.2 billion to US$1.9 billion, from a new group of businesses it is developing with its parent company, Taiwan's Foxconn.

Meituan open-sources LongCat-2.0 as China's domestic AI stack gains momentum

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:01:33 GMT

Meituan has open-sourced LongCat-2.0, a trillion-parameter AI model trained and deployed entirely on Chinese computing infrastructure, turning the once-anonymous Owl Alpha into a key test of China's domestic AI model and chip ecosystem.

Satellite sovereignty goes global: Asia and Europe move to cut the Starlink cord

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:01:10 GMT

Governments across Asia and Europe are moving to build or protect homegrown satellite communications, driven by a shared anxiety: that critical connectivity should not rest in foreign, privately controlled hands. Recent policy moves in Japan, China, and the EU reveal the same instinct — technological sovereignty in orbit — pursued through starkly different tools.

Pegatron chairman downplays Intel CPU price hike worries

Sherri Wang — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:00:35 GMT

Intel confirmed on July 6 that it will raise suggested prices for consumer and server CPUs, stirring questions about whether the move will push up PC costs and affect consumer demand in the second half of 2026.

Genius Electronic Optical June sales rise as mobile phone price impact appears limited

Sherri Wang — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:00:22 GMT

Genius Electronic Optical (GSEO) reported consolidated revenue of NT$1.739 billion (approx. US$54.3 million) for June, up 6.77% from NT$1.629 billion in May.

Kinko Optical sales jump 73% as smart glasses push takes shape

Sherri Wang — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:59:58 GMT

Kinko Optical reported June revenue of NT$430 million (approx. US$13.39 million) on July 7, up 5.89% from May and 73.31% from a year earlier.

Foxsemicon June, 1H26 revenue hits record on AI orders

Charlene Chen — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:59:41 GMT

Foxsemicon Integrated Technology (FITI) posted record consolidated revenue of NT$2.451 billion (US$76.3 million) in June 2026, up 24.22% from May and 39.75% year-over-year. First-half 2026 consolidated revenue reached NT$11.855 billion, up 17.7% year-over-year and also a record for the period, underscoring steady growth momentum.

Foxconn pivots to strategic investing, says timing and team trump tech

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:58:54 GMT

Speaking at the Taiwan Venture Capital and Private Equity Annual Conference on July 7, Foxconn Chairman Young Liu outlined the company's evolving investment strategy amid the restructuring of global technology supply chains.

Foxconn chair: Two of four AI customer groups yet to reach full-scale demand

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:58:15 GMT

Speaking at the Taiwan Venture Capital and Private Equity Annual Conference on July 7, Foxconn Chairman Young Liu said demand for AI computing power has entered a phase of structural growth.

Silicon Labs says Matter 1.6 will accelerate smart home growth

Charlene Chen — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:57:28 GMT

Silicon Labs principal product manager Rob Alexander said Matter 1.6, which the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) is set to introduce in June 2026, will be a key upgrade for fully connected edge AIoT devices.

Wistron sees AI demand holding up as sovereign AI gains traction

Sherri Wang — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:56:43 GMT

Skepticism about the durability of AI demand continues to surface, but the supply chain remains confident in the sector's outlook. Wistron chairman Simon Lin said on July 7 that internal reports for July show shipment performance tracking closely with earlier projections, while sovereign AI demand is gaining momentum in regions outside the US, creating further business opportunities.

Ennostar and Everlight turn up growth in 2Q26

Charlene Chen — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:56:08 GMT

LED makers Ennostar and Everlight both posted year-over-year, month-over-month, and quarter-over-quarter revenue growth in June and in the second quarter of 2026, as the industry entered its traditional shipment peak season. Ennostar's quarterly revenue reached about NT$6.324 billion (approx. US$197.1 million), up more than 20% quarter-over-quarter, with profits also set to benefit from a NT$1.173 billion gain on the earlier sale of its Miaoli Zhunan plant.

WinWay's record June revenue driven by full AI test interface orders

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:55:45 GMT

WinWay Technologies said that its June revenue rose to a record NT$1.5 billion (US$454.8 million), supported by demand from AI, high performance computing, ASICs, GPUs, CPUs, and other applications despite shipments being disrupted by typhoons. The semiconductor test interface supplier also said its order intake for AI-related test platforms remained full heading into the third quarter of this year.

US, China take divergent paths toward humanoid robot scale-up

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 23:55:11 GMT

US ruling confirms Innoscience infringed Infineon's GaN patents, imposes import ban

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 09:23:32 GMT

The US International Trade Commission's final determination against Innoscience has been upheld following the conclusion of the Presidential Review Period, confirming that the Chinese GaN chipmaker infringed a patent held by Germany's Infineon Technologies.