DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Taiwan drone suppliers push into Western defense chains as Ukraine demand climbs

Sherri Wang — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:01:34 GMT

Taiwan's drone suppliers are seeking deeper ties with Western defense contractors and Ukraine's wartime drone industry, as export demand accelerates and buyers look for alternatives to China-dependent supply chains.

Tesla-linked expansion by Taiwan's Aleees underscores shifts in global battery supply chains

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:01:23 GMT

Taiwanese cathode materials maker Aleees has disclosed an expansion plan to meet North American demand for lithium iron phosphate precursor materials. The move highlights Tesla's broader push to localize its battery supply chain, reduce exposure to China-linked technology and materials risks, and secure upstream capacity for electric vehicle production worldwide.

Commentary: Precision vs. breadth—Why Taiwan's lens giants have opposite CPO playbooks

Charlene Chen — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:00:59 GMT

Optical industry leaders Largan and Genius Electronic Optical (GSEO) have recently discussed progress in co-packaged optics (CPO), a key non-smartphone growth driver, and their strategies differ sharply. As customer demand and orders become clearer and more firmly secured, both companies have also turned markedly more confident, having taken a more cautious stance in prior quarters.

Samsung to review strategy as memory boom pressures devices

DIGITIMES — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:00:46 GMT

Samsung Electronics is set to hold its semiannual global strategy meeting from June 16 to 18, with executives expected to review a split operating environment: strong memory demand is supporting the chip business, while higher component costs are putting pressure on smartphones, PCs, and other consumer devices.

Alibaba Cloud opens new Malaysia region to meet rising AI demand

DIGITIMES — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:00:37 GMT

Alibaba Cloud has launched a new public cloud region in Johor, Malaysia, adding two data centers as part of its push to expand cloud and AI infrastructure. The move is aimed at serving growing demand in Malaysia and across the region, with implications for businesses seeking faster, more secure digital services regionally.

Taiwan IC distributor Edom eyes four growth engines beyond cloud AI

Levi Li — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:00:26 GMT

As cloud service providers ramp up investment in AI infrastructure, Edom chairman Wayne Tseng said rising costs for materials, production equipment and labour will keep overall market supply tight in the second half of 2026, with price increases likely to continue. He also said AI is moving from the cloud into enterprise applications, with power, cybersecurity, optics and the medical sector set to become four key growth areas.

AI demand and grid upgrades are reshaping the outlook for Linkage's power equipment business

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:00:10 GMT

As AI computing demand rises alongside grid modernization, power infrastructure is becoming more important across the heavy electrical sector. Linkage is positioning itself in the distribution segment of the power chain while moving toward transmission-grade products, AI data centers, and high-tech factory power markets.

Commentary: Five things I noticed at SuperAI Singapore that the keynotes did not tell you

DIGITIMES — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:59:41 GMT

Ten thousand attendees. One hundred and fifty speakers. Three exhibition floors. Two days. SuperAI Singapore 2026 generated enough keynote content, panel discussion, and product announcements to fill a week of coverage. But some of the most telling observations from the conference floor had nothing to do with any of it. Here is what I actually noticed.

Linkotech: FOPLP rollout is gaining early traction

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:56:10 GMT

Linkotech said its fan-out panel-level packaging rollout is showing early momentum, with certification from a North American low-Earth-orbit satellite communications customer and first equipment deliveries completed in the first half of 2026. The company said related sales could quickly rise to double digits as a share of annual revenue, with implications for supply chains worldwide.

India eases import rules in special economic zones to boost semiconductor manufacturing

DIGITIMES — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:56:00 GMT

India has expanded exemptions from mandatory quality certification requirements for imports by Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units and developers, a policy change that industry observers say could ease the establishment of semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the country.

ITE Tech wins design slots in US AI computing platform, raising global PC supply chain stakes

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:55:44 GMT

ITE Tech said its embedded controller chip and HDMI 2.1 retimer have been adopted by a US agentic AI computing platform, with mass production expected as early as the second half of 2026. The win could ripple through global PC supply chains, as the company prepares to serve major brand customers and ODM partners worldwide.

SK Hynix weighs supplier price hikes as HBM boom lifts equipment makers

DIGITIMES — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:55:23 GMT

SK Hynix is reviewing rare price increase requests from several tier-one equipment suppliers, a sign that the high-bandwidth memory boom is beginning to reshape pricing power in South Korea's semiconductor equipment supply chain.

DeepSeek hiring points to AI infrastructure ambitions beyond rented compute

Levi Li — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:55:14 GMT

DeepSeek's hiring activity is drawing almost as much attention as its model releases, with roles for internet data center (IDC) design and planning engineers, senior data center operations engineers and senior delivery managers appearing on major Chinese recruitment platforms.

PCIM 2026: Why Western carmakers cannot have 'China-free' SiC at subsidized prices

DIGITIMES — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:55:02 GMT

During a panel discussion between executives and research experts from Bosch, Infineon, Rohm Semiconductor, Nexperia, Wolfspeed, and Omdia at PCIM Europe 2026, one reality was made clear: frictionless, globalized chip manufacturing is ending. While the conversation reflected industry enthusiasm for new applications such as AI servers and industrial motor drives, it was tempered by macroeconomic realities of international trade protectionism, regional resilience mandates, and aggressive tariffs.

Commentary: The cost of over-concentration—How TSMC's liquidity dominance is reshaping Taiwan's banking system

Willis Ke — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:54:50 GMT

TSMC's financial dominance has reached unprecedented heights, with the world's leading foundry posting first-quarter 2026 profit of over NT$570 billion (approx. US$18.04 billion) and holding an immense NT$3 trillion cash reserve. By June 11, 2026, its market value surged to NT$58.3 trillion, triggering a bizarre banking phenomenon where local financial institutions offer TSMC deposit rates that exceed its borrowing costs.

Nvidia turns to Vera CPU in China as H200 sales stall

DIGITIMES — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:54:19 GMT

Nvidia has begun telling Chinese clients that its new Vera central processing unit (CPU) could be available as soon as August and that they can start placing orders, Reuters reported, citing three people familiar with the matter.

Shin-Etsu plans rare earth plant in Japan to counter China supply curbs

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 08:05:21 GMT

Shin-Etsu Chemical plans to build a new rare earth production facility in Fukui Prefecture, aiming to expand domestic smelting capacity and reduce Japan's reliance on China for materials critical to electric vehicle and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, according to Nikkei and Kyodo News.

Taiwan PMIC maker Global Mixed-mode to raise prices as chip shortages persist

Levi Li — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:43:16 GMT

Taiwanese power management IC supplier Global Mixed-mode Technology (GMT) will follow peers in seeking price increases from customers as tight chip supply continues to reshape capacity allocation across the industry.

Samsung's packaging gap clouds chip comeback as TSMC, Intel push ahead

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:38:36 GMT

Samsung Electronics is regaining ground in high-bandwidth memory and foundry services, but advanced packaging remains a weak point in its bid to capture a larger share of the AI chip supply chain, according to industry sources and Korean media reports.

Second fire in less than two weeks disrupts SK Hynix's Cheongju chip campus

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:38:24 GMT

SK Hynix's latest fire at its Cheongju, South Korea, campus has again disrupted operations at a key memory-chip site and prompted evacuations of thousands of workers. The incident adds to a series of recent accidents, raising fresh safety concerns for semiconductor plants worldwide that depend on hazardous gases and chemicals.

Taiwan compute suppliers rise on booming AI demand, with several firms extending strong growth

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:37:41 GMT

Taiwan's semiconductor and electronics supply-chain companies continued to post generally firm sales in May, according to monthly revenue data and company disclosures, with the strongest accumulated growth concentrated in AI-linked logic, testing, substrate, and copper-clad laminate suppliers.

South Korea taps LG to localize robot simulation tech

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:45:27 GMT

South Korea has launched a two-year, KRW34 billion (US$22.22 million) project to develop domestic world model and robot foundation model technologies, aimed at reducing reliance on foreign simulation platforms for physical AI systems used in real-world environments.

South Korea concrete strike clouds chip supply: Samsung, SK Hynix fabs construction reportedly stalls

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:43:23 GMT

A strike by South Korea's ready-mix concrete transport union is disrupting major semiconductor construction sites and raising concerns about wider industrial spillovers. If the stoppage continues, delays could spread beyond building projects and affect production schedules that matter to global technology supply chains and investors.

Aver South Korea push signals a broader bid for direct sales, local service, and higher-end AV demand

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:30:49 GMT

Global video solutions provider Aver is accelerating its expansion in South Korea, planning to formally establish a local subsidiary in June 2026 to meet rising demand from companies and educational institutions. The move could strengthen its access to corporate collaboration, professional AV, and hybrid learning markets.

Meta unwinds Manus AI deal after China order, signaling tighter global scrutiny

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:06:14 GMT

Meta Platforms has fully severed operational and data-sharing ties with agentic AI startup Manus after Chinese regulators ordered the transaction canceled. The move affects global investors and AI developers, as it highlights how Beijing's intervention can reshape cross-border deals, block system access, and force companies to unwind technology integration after a deal closes.

Accton says AI networking demand is rising as it expands capacity for optical products

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:03:39 GMT

AI server and cloud data center growth is boosting demand for high-speed switches and optical communications, with global supply chains feeling the strain. Taiwan networking equipment maker Accton said on June 11 that customer demand is stronger than before, while supply shortages and capacity limits are making the outlook harder to balance.

Ubiqconn, AV sign pact to develop universal unmanned systems controller

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:56:15 GMT

Ubiqconn Technology and AeroVironment have agreed to jointly develop a next-generation universal controller, a move that could make unmanned systems easier to operate across borders and manufacturers. The plan targets defense, public safety, and emergency response users, where interoperability and reliability are becoming increasingly important worldwide.

5G upgrades, AIDC projects boost Taiwan telcos in May

Kevin Wang — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:46:19 GMT

Strong 5G upgrade momentum, Mother's Day handset promotions, and a wave of enterprise ICT projects tied to AI data center buildouts and cloud computing infrastructure helped Taiwan's three major telecom operators post solid results in May 2026. Chunghwa Telecom logged record-high revenue and EBITDA for the month of May, while Taiwan Mobile kept its lead in profitability with EPS of NT$0.50, and Far EasTone continued its growth in mobile services with the industry's highest 5G penetration among monthly-plan users.

Silicon Labs expands India presence as smart infrastructure demand grows ahead of TI acquisition

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:43:46 GMT

Silicon Labs is deepening its presence in India through expanded research operations and a greater commercial focus on smart infrastructure applications, even as the US-based wireless chipmaker prepares for an acquisition by Texas Instruments.

AI server tracker: Taiwan's AI server build chain widens as rack suppliers outpace peers

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:43:25 GMT

Taiwan's server supply chain continues to benefit from AI infrastructure, with growth spread across connectors, cables, cabinets, rails, and system assembly. But the pace varies, as some companies are seeing only modest gains while others tied more closely to AI server racks, liquid cooling, and high-value interconnects are growing much faster.

Taiwan AI infrastructure suppliers see broad sales gains in May

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:38:05 GMT

Taiwan's AI infrastructure technology suppliers posted stronger sales in May, led by firms tied to artificial intelligence servers, data-center networking, optical communications, and advanced cooling. The figures suggest demand remains driven by the buildout of AI infrastructure, with higher power loads, faster interconnects, and more complex thermal systems boosting orders and product mix.

Google weighs Samsung's role in next AI chip as TSMC capacity tightens

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:33:40 GMT

Google is considering using Samsung Electronics to manufacture part of a future artificial intelligence (AI) chip, a move that would mark a notable shift in the US tech group's supply chain as demand for advanced AI silicon strains capacity at TSMC.

Boston Dynamics highlights diverse strategies in humanoid robotics amid Nvidia-Unitree collab

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:31:31 GMT

Boston Dynamics, one of the leading humanoid robotics companies in the US, during a recent visit to Taiwan, addressed Nvidia's announcement that it will partner with Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics.

PCIM 2026: Accepting local component deficits for system-level benefits

DIGITIMES — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:31:11 GMT

In power electronics engineering, Silicon Carbide (SiC) companies are competing to achieve the absolute lowest thermal resistance (R_th), with the mindset that lower heat signature equates a superior system. However, at PCIM Europe 2026, a collaborative project between Rohm Semiconductor, Schweizer Electronic, and eMoveUs GmbH exposed a revolutionary counter-intuitive shift in design philosophy: willingly accepting a localized thermal performance deficit to ultimately achieve dominant system-level advantages.

Sigurd revenue hits record as AI and chip demand lift operations

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:29:49 GMT

Sigurd announced that its May revenue reached a historic high, driven by overseas customer expansion, stronger demand for AI-related chips, and rising use of advanced packaging capacity. The result suggests continued momentum in global semiconductor supply chains, with implications for networking, memory, and high-performance computing markets worldwide.