DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

China elevates HBM and HBF in five-year plan, opening a new front in AI memory

Levi Li — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:55:00 GMT

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) have jointly released the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Electronic Information Manufacturing Industry. For the first time, the plan identifies high-bandwidth flash memory and high-bandwidth memory as priority areas for next-generation memory research.

Samsung's Cheonan plant reallocates packaging capacity from Exynos to HBM

Yunnie Cheng — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:45:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics is accelerating the restructuring of its semiconductor packaging footprint. Its Cheonan facility is gradually phasing out packaging operations for the Exynos mobile application processor (AP), and repurposing the equipment for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production.

BIS blocks Polestar authorization, forcing new vehicles out of US market from 2027

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:33:56 GMT

Polestar, the Swedish electric vehicle (EV) brand backed by Geely Holding, is facing a major restructuring of its US operations. In its first-half 2026 financial report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 3, Polestar said the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) had denied its application for specific authorization under US connected vehicle regulations.

Global semiconductor revenue hits record US$425B in 2Q26

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:28:45 GMT

Global semiconductor revenue reached a record US$425 billion in the second quarter of 2026, surging 31.4% quarter-over-quarter, as AI demand and strong memory pricing continued to drive the market, according to research firm Omdia.

Samsung, SK Hynix diverge on cell design for sub-10nm DRAM in 2028

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:22:36 GMT

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are preparing to move DRAM below the 10nm threshold in 2028, with the two memory makers pursuing different cell structures as conventional scaling becomes increasingly difficult.

GlobalWafers partially resumes Italy plant, restarts EPI production

Charlene Chen — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:16:02 GMT

GlobalWafers announced on September 14 that recovery work is continuing at its Novara plant in Italy following a fire that broke out on the facility's 8-inch line on July 20, 2026, local time. The site has formally begun a partial resumption of operations, with overall recovery running slightly ahead of the original schedule.

China's space-computing race moves beyond single satellites: Shanghai's gigawatt-scale AI ambition lands in orbit

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:04:42 GMT

While the US showcases its strength as one of the world's established space powers — reinforced by SpaceX's growing dominance in satellite connectivity — a quieter but equally ambitious force is accelerating half a world away: China's push to build integrated, fully networked orbital infrastructure that goes beyond single-satellite launches.

OEM/EMS AI servers: August revenue trends, operational outlook

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:48:41 GMT

Taiwan's original equipment manufacturer/electronics manufacturing services (OEM/EMS) sector is witnessing a structural split between explosive demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and softening demand for legacy consumer device assembly in 2026. Monthly revenue data highlight how suppliers anchored to high-density compute racks, GPU-based servers, and high-speed network switches are delivering massive year-over-year gains, whereas manufacturers more reliant on standard notebooks face component supply bottlenecks.

US FCC, White House tighten controls on power systems, raising the trust bar for Taiwanese suppliers

Kevin Wang — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:35:13 GMT

The US has taken steps to tighten controls on power systems and robotics equipment in line with its "America First" policy amid the latest geopolitical shifts, adding new uncertainties for Taiwanese supply chain players seeking to establish a foothold in the US. Rather than isolated natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, the risks that companies must now face are far more structural and geopolitical in nature, according to Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER) vice president Shin-horng Chen, who notes that US oversight is moving beyond mere market access for products, into deeper factors such as equipment origin, remote control, software and firmware transparency, and overall supply-chain trustworthiness.

Sivers Semiconductors positions laser arrays as solution to copper's limits

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 04:45:00 GMT

At this year's China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE), Sivers Semiconductor brought two products to its booth that trace the trajectory of the optical networking industry: a 1.6T pluggable optical transceiver currently ramping toward mainstream adoption, and a prototype module built for external light source (ELS) architectures, a technology that could define the next generation of data center interconnects.

AI server tracker: CCL makers outpace PCB and substrate suppliers as server demand grows

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 04:35:00 GMT

Taiwan's copper-clad laminate (CCL) makers significantly outpaced printed circuit board (PCB) and IC substrate suppliers in August, as stronger server demand, pricing and product-mix upgrades lifted revenue across the board supply chain.

Column: When digital trust breaks — quantum risk rewrites supply chain resilience

Levi Li — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 04:27:43 GMT

Supply chain resilience was once centred on raw materials, components, factories and logistics. AI, cloud services and the digital economy have expanded the risk perimeter. Companies now depend equally on software, data, computing power and the "digital trust" that underpins online transactions and cross-border collaboration.

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs shares power grid experience at APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:57:19 GMT

Vice Minister of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) Chien-hsin Lai recently led a delegation to Beijing, China, to attend the 16th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting (EMM). Amid the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-tech industries and a shifting global energy landscape driven by ongoing geopolitical changes, Lai outlined Taiwan's approach to achieving stable power supplies to support industrial development.

AI demand reshapes capital allocation and operating models in telecom sector

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:36:15 GMT

Although the global 5G mobile communications market is still growing in 2025, higher 5G user penetration has not necessarily translated into equivalent revenue growth for telecom operators, while annual growth in mobile data traffic has continued to slow.

TSMC 3nm, 2nm, and CoWoS stay tight as AWS, MediaTek, TPU shift capacity

Charlene Chen — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:30:07 GMT

TSMC's 3nm, 2nm, and CoWoS advanced packaging capacity remained in short supply in late 2026's third quarter, as changes in major customer orders and front-end and back-end supply models prompted the foundry to adjust its advanced capacity allocation. Supply chain sources said Nvidia and Apple continue to dominate TSMC's advanced process and packaging resources, while AWS has recently expanded AI chip tape-outs, giving Annapurna more 3nm capacity.

China's EV boom enters a phase of overcapacity cleanup

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:27:00 GMT

Within a relatively short span of time, China has built a formidable EV industry that has proved difficult for any other country to match globally, nurtured by years of industrial policy, infrastructure investment and government support.

HS Hyosung joint venture to invest KRW1.2 trillion in Ulsan silicon anode plant

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:15:00 GMT

HS Hyosung Energy Solution Korea, a joint venture formed by South Korea's HS Hyosung Group and Belgian materials leader Umicore, signed a memorandum of understanding with Ulsan Metropolitan City on September 14 to construct a major silicon anode materials manufacturing base.

Panasonic Energy eyes JPY1 trillion yen AI storage revenue by 2028

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:10:36 GMT

Panasonic Energy, the battery unit of Panasonic Holdings, is betting big on energy storage for AI data centers as demand for backup batteries from AI data centers surges. The company said it will keep energy storage systems (ESS) as a core growth driver and flex investment plans to match market demand.

Tesla sets up Vietnam unit as VinFast dominates

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:10:28 GMT

Tesla has established a subsidiary in Vietnam as it prepares to enter the local market. Reuters reported that filing documents show the unit is registered in Ho Chi Minh City with capital of US$3 million.

Chinese tech firms deepen open source push amid AI pacing debate

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:09:45 GMT

As US AI executives warn that artificial intelligence development may need to slow down, Chinese companies are pressing ahead with open source tools and large-scale deployment. The gap matters far beyond China, because the next phase of AI competition may be shaped as much by collaboration and standards as by chips and model size.

Ainos pushes AI Nose into semiconductor front-end manufacturing

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:03:36 GMT

Ainos said its second-generation AI Nose has entered commercial deployment at semiconductor fabs, signaling growing interest in chemical sensing for industrial AI. The move highlights how factories worldwide may gain another layer of monitoring as AI systems begin to interpret chemical signals that traditional sensors often miss.

Samsung Display deepens ties with Vivo's iQOO through dedicated OLED line

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:02:47 GMT

Samsung Display is deepening its technology partnership with Vivo's iQOO brand, with the two companies jointly developing display technology and establishing a dedicated production line for the upcoming iQOO 16 as Chinese smartphone makers step up investment in premium hardware.

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs builds flagship Taiwan pavilions at international expos to boost auto parts exports

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:56:02 GMT

The world's largest automotive aftermarket trade fair, Automechanika Frankfurt, was held in Germany from September 8 to 12. Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said Taiwan is an important supplier to the automotive aftermarket, with 324 Taiwanese companies participating in this year's show, the third-highest number of exhibitors worldwide. To help Taiwanese businesses expand overseas, Taiwan will participate in several major international trade shows in 2026.

Chinese chip tools reach 35% of equipment installed at local fabs

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:27:22 GMT

Chinese-made semiconductor equipment accounted for roughly 35% of tools installed at fabs in China in 2025, up from about 25% a year earlier, as domestic suppliers gain ground in key process-equipment markets.

AI's next bottleneck may be profitability, not compute, SK chair warns

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:26:59 GMT

For years, as the heat surrounding AI continued to build, competitiveness across the industry was largely measured by brute-force computing power. The broader infrastructure race was dominated by a frenzy of data-center buildouts, where speed, scale and safety emerged as the three core thresholds to meet in the agentic AI era.

Inside CIOE: takeaways from China's biggest optoelectronics show

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:26:46 GMT

Last week, from September 9 to 11, thousands of vendors gathered for an enormous trade show in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen. At the China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE), DIGITIMES reporters got a peek into the trends going on within this booming industry.

South Korean firms hold 80% of the automotive OLED market

Rodney Chan — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:26:05 GMT

South Korean panel makers command about 80% of the automotive OLED market, according to Sigmaintell, as electrification and smarter vehicles keep demand for car displays stable and drive growth in new applications such as head-up displays. Competition is set to intensify as China's LCD makers press into higher-end automotive screens.

XPeng's Turing chip expands beyond cars

Levi Li — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:25:31 GMT

XPeng Motors is extending its self-developed Turing AI chip from intelligent electric vehicles (EVs) into humanoid robots, broadening the processor's role in the company's Physical AI strategy. Originally designed for intelligent driving, the chip is now also used in XPeng's IRON humanoid robot. On September 8, the company launched its robot production line, with the first IRON completing automated final assembly.

Taiwan's carbon pricing enters new phase with carbon fee, ETS on parallel tracks

Willis Ke — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:23:26 GMT

Taiwan's carbon fee has officially taken effect, marking a major step in the country's efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, while the government is preparing to introduce an emissions trading system (ETS) in the coming years. Environment Minister Chi-ming Peng said Taiwan's current mechanism is closer to a carbon tax, with a fixed price designed to provide stability and encourage companies to cut emissions.

OpenAI reportedly acquires AI camera startup Glass Imaging for more than US$300M

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:11:31 GMT

OpenAI has acquired Glass Imaging, a startup developing artificial-intelligence (AI) technology designed to improve smartphone camera performance, in a deal valued at more than US$300 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. The acquisition adds imaging expertise to OpenAI as it expands beyond software and into consumer hardware.

Trump tells Nvidia's Jensen Huang that AI is 'bigger than the internet' and robot fears are a 'hoax'

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:01:49 GMT

US President Donald Trump joined Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang by phone on stage, using the call to place data center construction at the center of his economic agenda and to dismiss warnings about machine intelligence.

China sets first AI-brain-computer interface medical device standard

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:56:45 GMT

China has introduced what it says is the world's first medical-device standard for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that use AI to process electroencephalogram (EEG) data, marking a step toward tighter regulation and commercialization of the emerging technology.

Hyundai Motor Group bets on data, Nvidia, and in-house AI to speed autonomous driving rollout

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:41:28 GMT

Hyundai Motor Group is moving to standardize its autonomous driving hardware, deepen its data pipeline, and accelerate in-house AI development as it prepares a staggered rollout of mass-production vehicles from 2028 through 2029. The strategy highlights how the group plans to compete not only on vehicle features, but also on learning speed, data scale, and software iteration.

Xiaomi-backed Nuclei Sys tests public markets with RISC-V expansion still costly

Levi Li — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:33:54 GMT

Chinese RISC-V chip designer Nuclei System Technology has formally begun its IPO process, seeking fresh capital while heavy R&D spending continues to outweigh revenue despite gross margins above 80%.

2nm capacity crunch may keep smartphone SoC makers on split-node strategy through 2027

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:19:03 GMT

In 2026, major smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) vendors began moving selected flagship processors to 2nm technology, seeking not only to secure sufficient capacity but also to deliver meaningful upgrades in technical specifications.

Trump calls AI slowdown a conspiracy that helps China, closing off Washington support

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:55:07 GMT

Calls from leading US AI developers to slow frontier model development are colliding with the rivalry they were partly meant to manage. Within days of Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's proposal, US President Donald Trump cast the push as a conspiracy that benefits China, Chinese state media called it a US containment strategy, and European governments said halting AI was not an option, leaving little common ground for the coordinated slowdown its backers say is needed.

Memory makers tighten supply as DRAM price rally extends into 2027

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:43:42 GMT

As memory vendors continue signing long-term agreements (LTAs), the supply-demand imbalance is set to worsen in 2027. Gerry Chen, general manager of Team Group, revealed that module makers have recently received "friendly notices" from upstream memory manufacturers. These notices explicitly state that shipment allocations will be drastically cut in 2027, creating a massive supply gap for DRAM. Upstream manufacturers have reportedly sold out nearly all of their capacity for 2027 through 2028.

SiPh shifts optical module bottleneck upstream: from device manufacturing to laser-grade substrate supply

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:42:49 GMT

The market value of optical modules used in data centers is projected to grow from US$12.6 billion in 2025 to US$45.4 billion by 2030. Volume shipments of 1.6T modules are set to scale up starting in 2026, followed by initial revenue contributions from 3.2T modules in 2028. Silicon photonics (SiPh) serves as the core architecture underpinning this growth trajectory, with the majority of modules at 800G and above already transitioning to SiPh designs.

Phoenix Pioneer Technology AI power substrate order visibility extends to 1Q27

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:41:39 GMT

IC substrate manufacturer Phoenix Pioneer Technology (PPt) turned profitable in the first half of 2026, driven by strong momentum in its advanced AI power substrate business. Production lines are running at full capacity, with order visibility clearly extending into the first quarter of 2027. Notably, end-system customers are bypassing OSAT providers to negotiate long-term agreements (LTAs) directly with the company.

Nvidia, MediaTek deepen 20-year chip ties

Charlene Chen — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:38:34 GMT

Nvidia and MediaTek have recently drawn market attention after Nvidia invested US$3.5 billion in MediaTek convertible bonds, expanding cooperation into custom AI chips, AI PCs, automotive, and data centers. But their overlap began more than 20 years ago, during competition in the PC chipset market, when MediaTek, ALi, ULi, and Nvidia were already connected.

Wuliangye skips carmaking, turns liquor waste into silicon-carbon anodes

Levi Li — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:37:52 GMT

Chinese baijiu (white liquor) producer Wuliangye, or "Five Grain Liquid," is moving into battery materials by turning distillers' grains, a liquor-production by-product, into biomass porous carbon for silicon-carbon anodes.

China reshapes cockpit display race, set to produce 84% of global AR-HUDs by 2031

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:37:07 GMT

S&P Global Mobility senior research analyst for connected cars and user experience in Asia-Pacific Quan Zhang shared the latest forecasts for the cockpit display and head-up display (HUD) markets.

Robot supply strategies split between US in-house tech and Chinese local ecosystem

Lily Hess — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:36:18 GMT

As humanoid robots gradually move from laboratory proofs-of-concept and enter industrial manufacturing and commercial service, their underlying motion control and environmental perception capabilities have become core indicators of product maturity. Major humanoid robot makers are actively seeking the best balance between performance and cost efficiency through architecture restructuring, in-house vertical integration, and supply-chain strategic cooperation.

Edimax, Comtrend 1H26 operations under pressure from weaker India orders, rising component costs

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:34:42 GMT

Network equipment maker Edimax Technology and its subsidiary Comtrend were affected by changes in customers' shipping cycles in the first half of 2026. Coupled with rising costs for key components such as memory and passive components, both revenue and gross margin fell from the same period in 2025. The group plans to seek a turnaround through product mix adjustments and expansion into new markets.

Commentary: CIOE 2026 reveals the harder race behind AI optical interconnects

Levi Li — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:33:31 GMT

The 2026 China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE) closed with 800G and 1.6T optical modules still dominating the show floor, while near-packaged optics (NPO), co-packaged optics (CPO), and eXtra-dense Pluggable Optics (XPO) gained a visibly larger presence.

Global data center capex could reach US$31.6 trillion by 2050 as AI demand surges

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:32:51 GMT

PwC and Oxford Economics jointly released their Global Data Centre Outlook 2026–50 in early September, projecting cumulative global data center capex of US$31.6 trillion by 2050 under the baseline scenario. If AI adoption accelerates, investment could approach US$50 trillion under an upside scenario.

Exclusive: China's 8-inch SiC suppliers turn to pricing discipline after 6-inch price war

Sherri Wang — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:31:58 GMT

As the silicon carbide (SiC) industry shifts from 6-inch to 8-inch wafer manufacturing, leading China-based substrate suppliers are taking a more disciplined approach to pricing and customer selection, seeking to protect margins and avoid a repeat of the severe price competition that has battered the 6-inch market.

Sigmaintell: Memory shortage to ease in 2027 before chip growth hits 2029 wall

Willis Ke — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:31:17 GMT

After months of tight supply and sharp price increases in 2026, the global memory market is expected to see its supply-demand gap narrow significantly in 2027 as DRAM capacity expands and demand patterns shift, according to Beijing-based Sigmaintell Consulting. The consultancy expects the memory and broader semiconductor markets to continue growing through 2028, but forecasts a potential pullback in 2029 as evolving AI applications reshape demand.

CXMT rides AI boom to 80% operating margin

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:30:22 GMT

China's leading DRAM maker, CXMT Corporation (CXMT), formerly known as ChangXin Memory Technologies, is reaping a windfall from price gains in general-purpose memory as the AI boom reshapes the market. In the second quarter of 2026, CXMT posted an operating margin of about 82% on an EBIT basis, ranking near the top among major memory vendors and underscoring how Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron's shift of more resources into HBM has made CXMT one of the biggest beneficiaries of the current price surge.

Swiss drone maker shifts production to Taiwan

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:29:10 GMT

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corporation (SSFC) is working with Swiss drone company Jedsy through its investment in Earthbook, bringing in a medical logistics service that has won approval from Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Jedsy also plans to increase investment in Taiwan and is reportedly preparing to move its main production base from Europe to Taiwan.

eCloudvalley expands enterprise AI Agent portfolio

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:28:44 GMT

eCloudvalley Digital Technology said enterprise adoption of generative AI is accelerating, with use cases expanding from single departments and single tasks to cross-functional workflows and core business processes. The company is rolling out an Enterprise AI Portfolio by integrating the technology and products of its group companies to target enterprise-grade AI.

The 1,000-watt problem: a TSMC veteran on the brute force forging Nvidia's AI chips

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:09:00 GMT

"He practically created a new era—the age of AI," Mou-Shiung Lin said of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Yet, the early TSMC executive describes the methodology behind that success in blunt terms: it is "violent."

Australia sets LNG reserve rules to protect domestic supply and cap prices

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:29:00 GMT

Australia introduced a liquefied natural gas reserve policy aimed at prioritizing domestic supply, while producers warned the rules could pressure prices if the market becomes oversupplied. The changes, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2028, were reported by Bloomberg and Reuters as the government moved to secure gas for local buyers in the world's second-largest LNG exporting nation after Qatar.