DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Interview: Microsoft's Maia GM on Maia 300, Taiwan and HBM supply

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 16:05:00 GMT

Microsoft's in-house Azure Maia chips will become the main platform for its own AI services, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, GitHub Copilot and Microsoft Foundry. However, the company will keep using GPUs from Nvidia and AMD, Andrew Wall, general manager of the Azure Maia program, told DIGITIMES.

Microsoft's Maia 300 rack: 96 accelerators, HBM4, mostly liquid-cooled

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:05:00 GMT

Microsoft has released architecture details for Maia 300, its third-generation Azure AI accelerator. The design pairs 96 accelerators per rack with a two-tier network that links up to 12,288 accelerators into a single superpod. The company says the system is built for cloud-scale agentic inference, and that it co-designed the software, silicon, rack infrastructure, networking, and data centers to run as one platform.

Microsoft to scale Maia AI chips to multi-gigawatt deployments, unveils TSMC N2P-based Maia 300

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:05:00 GMT

Microsoft will scale its in-house Azure Maia AI accelerators to multi-gigawatt deployments starting in 2027, making Maia the primary AI inference system for its products and services. The company also unveiled Maia 300, the third generation of the chip family, which it says will start production deployments next year.

Apple iPhone launch and holiday demand lift Momo revenue to a record September

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:20:00 GMT

Fubon Multimedia, which operates the Momo e-commerce platform, reported consolidated revenue of approximately NT$8.59 billion (US$269.4 million) in September 2026, up 8.2% from a year earlier. Revenue for the first nine months reached nearly NT$80 billion, an increase of about 3.9%, setting records for the period on both a monthly and cumulative basis.

China proposes physical controls and tougher testing for new vehicles

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:55:00 GMT

China proposed tighter vehicle design and safety requirements that would restrict fully hidden door handles, virtual controls for critical functions and several interior features in new vehicles. The draft rules, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other government departments, are intended to reduce safety risks associated with rapidly developed vehicle models and would affect automakers seeking approvals in China.

HHGalaxy reports record 3Q26 revenue as Double 11 demand builds

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:45:00 GMT

Taiwanese e-commerce operations provider HHGalaxy reported consolidated revenue of NT$621 million (US$19.5 million) for September 2026, up 31.74% from a year earlier, as brands prepared for the Single's Day shopping event. Revenue for the first nine months reached NT$4.925 billion, a 26.76% annual increase, while third-quarter revenue rose 34.43% to NT$1.774 billion, setting a third-quarter record.

Chinese government and industry make full push into AI glasses development: AR display integration and lightweighting gain traction

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:42:49 GMT

DIGITIMES notes that China continued to advance smart glasses policies from the central government to local governments in 2026, driving both enterprise production and consumer purchase subsidies.

Finland orders Google to halt work at two AI data center sites

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:25:00 GMT

Finnish authorities ordered Google to suspend parts of construction at planned AI data centers in Muhos and Kajaani after forests were allegedly cleared at the sites before an environmental impact assessment was completed. The decision affects Google subsidiary Tuike Finland Oy and introduces uncertainty around the company's US$15 billion investment plan in Finland.

EU caps annual HEV imports at 350,000 to curb trade deficit with China

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:54:44 GMT

The European Union plans to cap imports of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) at 350,000 units per year, with safeguard measures potentially taking effect as early as December 1, 2026. The four-year framework sets a 350,000-unit limit in its first year, followed by a 6% annual quota expansion starting in the second year, while both sides commit to complying with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

Samsung reportedly secures long-term contracts covering up to 80% of 2027 memory supply

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:45:32 GMT

Samsung Electronics has committed 75–80% of its 2027 memory supply, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), to long-term agreements (LTAs), the Korea Economic Daily reported on October 9, 2026, citing industry sources. Nvidia, Google and Microsoft were among the major customers that had largely finalized contracts. Samsung has not confirmed the allocation or named the buyers.

Nanya gross margin hits 85.7% as low-priced DRAM contracts roll off

Sherri Wang — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:35:28 GMT

Nanya Technology reported record quarterly earnings in the third quarter of 2026, according to unaudited results released on October 12, as DRAM average selling prices (ASPs) rose more than 60% sequentially following the expiration of low-priced long-term agreements (LTAs).

Memory surge lifts phone prices, boosting N-1 and used-device demand

Charlene Chen — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:33:26 GMT

Rising memory prices have forced smartphone brands to raise handset prices, hurting new-device sales in 2026. Global smartphone shipments are expected to drop 15-17%, while demand for N-1 generation and used smartphones is surging, potentially pushing the used-phone market beyond 300 million units and creating new orders for display, battery, and casing suppliers.

How 'Filter Moore's Law' is doubling revenue for a Taiwan chip filter maker

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:20:00 GMT

Under what the industry terms the "Filter Moore's Law," each process node shrink lowers tolerance for airborne molecular contaminants, causing filtration demand to grow exponentially. For global airborne molecular contamination (AMC) filtration leader Ye Siang Enterprise, that demand is now showing up in record revenue.

Chenbro Micom expands into Nvidia Vera Rubin rack-scale systems, 2026 revenue already tops full-year 2025

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:19:53 GMT

Taiwanese server chassis maker Chenbro Micom is expanding its role in AI infrastructure, moving beyond traditional server enclosures into high-end AI servers and rack-level solutions. The company has secured involvement in multiple Nvidia Vera Rubin platform projects covering GPUs, CPUs, and storage, while custom ASIC programs for cloud service providers (CSPs) are gradually scaling up according to schedule.

DIGITIMES Insight: Personal AI agents could reshape who controls the smart cockpit experience

Levi Li — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:08:31 GMT

Meta's recent introduction of its personal AI agent, Muse, has renewed interest in AI assistants capable of operating across devices. Unlike conventional AI features tied to individual smartphones, computers or vehicles, personal AI agents use memory, reasoning and tools to understand user needs and maintain personalised experiences across services and devices. DIGITIMES observes that this shift could extend AI agents into vehicles, transforming smart cockpits from standalone in-car systems into connected environments integrated with smartphones, wearables and personal digital services.

Largan signals early peak-season cut, challenging phone chips in 4Q26

Charlene Chen — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:55:27 GMT

Largan chairman and CEO Adam Lin said October 2026 orders are tracking at roughly the same level as September's, but will begin declining in November as customers cut their forecasts after new phones went on sale. The comments signal that demand across the smartphone supply chain will weaken in the fourth quarter of 2026, creating challenges for handset chipmakers and other suppliers that performed strongly during the third quarter.

Moonshot AI's Hong Kong IPO faces a critical ownership dispute ahead of US$50 billion debut

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:42:21 GMT

China's Moonshot AI is seeking to settle a shareholder dispute involving claims potentially exceeding US$700 million ahead of a potential US$5 billion Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO). Allegations concerning asset transfers and corporate governance could complicate the AI startup's listing preparations.

South Korea's Nucode targets US drone identification market with Realtek-based module

Lily Hess — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:41:22 GMT

South Korean wireless communications module maker Nucode has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with US drone identification and airspace intelligence provider Zing Drone Solutions to develop and supply electronic component modules for ultra-small and small-scale solutions. Nucode's NU87 module, which uses a Realtek chip, is among the products submitted for evaluation.

Microsoft calls for observable AI systems with emergency shutdown controls

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:40:57 GMT

Microsoft urged organizations to design artificial intelligence systems as observable, controllable infrastructure rather than opaque "black boxes," arguing that people must be able to monitor model behavior and stop it during an emergency. The company said the approach should apply to enterprise AI systems as they are tested, deployed, and connected to business data and tools.

Biren's BR20X GPU targets 1,024-chip AI systems, but US curbs cloud mass production

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:37:39 GMT

China's Biren Technology has successfully powered on its next-generation BR20X GPU, advancing to post-tapeout validation while preparing for customer sampling and mass production. The milestone advances its AI accelerator roadmap, though US export controls and manufacturing constraints remain major obstacles.

Sumitomo Bakelite expands packaging material production across Singapore, China

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:37:29 GMT

Sumitomo Bakelite announced that it is expanding production capacity for encapsulation materials used in advanced chip packaging at its facilities in Singapore and Suzhou, China. This is expected to approximately double its production capacity for mold underfill (MUF) materials and approximately triple that for compression-molding granules.

HTSI September revenue surges 150% as AI chip testing demand accelerates

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:27:16 GMT

Hermes Testing Solutions (HTSI) reported September revenue of NT$514 million (US$16.10 million), up 2.35% month over month and 150.33% year over year, as shipments of customized products, membrane probe cards and cleaning materials increased. The wafer testing solutions provider said the results reflected rising demand for advanced testing capabilities supporting artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) chips.

South Korean startup Helios targets Taiwan supply chains and Taiwan Strait risk analysis

Lily Hess — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:18:34 GMT

As US defense procurement restrictions and European Union (EU) supply-chain due diligence requirements advance, South Korean risk-intelligence startup Helios is targeting verification needs in Taiwan and South Korea's AI, semiconductor, and defense industries. The company plans to bring public-information analysis and on-site verification services to Taiwan while strengthening maritime-threat analysis around the Taiwan Strait for corporate and national-security applications.

Aurona Industries posts 19% September growth as Taiwan plant targets 2027 trial run

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:12:58 GMT

Aurona Industries reported September revenue of NT$137 million (US$4.3 million), up 19.29% from a year earlier, as pre-holiday inventory building in China strengthened customer orders. The electrical insulation laminate maker said consolidated revenue for the first nine months of 2026 reached NT$1.198 billion, up 21.95% from the same period a year earlier.

AITO doubles down on CATL as China's battery supply chain shifts toward selective diversification

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:03:41 GMT

As efforts to curb CATL's dominance accelerate across China's automotive landscape, the domestic battery market is beginning to move away from single-supplier dependence and toward a more diversified sourcing model.

Leadsun Greentech enters EV charging with three DC fast-charging sites

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 06:43:53 GMT

Leadsun Greentech has entered Taiwan's electric vehicle charging market by acquiring equipment at three supercharging sites in Hsinchu, Taichung and Yunlin, expanding its renewable energy business into end-user charging services. The sites, which have begun operations, provide a combined 24 charging guns, as growing battery electric vehicle adoption increases demand for DC fast-charging infrastructure.

Samsung could unseat SK Hynix as HBM leader in 2027

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 06:31:44 GMT

Samsung Electronics could overtake SK Hynix as the world's largest supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in 2027, as HBM4 prices climb and memory manufacturers compete for limited DRAM production capacity, according to forecasts presented at an October 6 semiconductor industry forum in Seoul.

Cook makes first post-CEO visit to China, lauds Guangdong's role in Apple supply chain

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:53:56 GMT

Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook made his first visit to China since stepping down as Apple CEO. He visited Guangdong Province, a manufacturing hub that contains much of the iPhone maker's supply chain ecosystem as it rolls out the iPhone 18 Pro series and its first foldable smartphones.

Taiwan exports soar as shipments to the US top US$200 billion in first nine months

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:37:40 GMT

Taiwan's exports hit a single-month record high of US$87.22 billion in September 2026, lifting the year-to-date total for the first nine months of the year to US$661.55 billion, according to customs import and export statistics released by Taiwan's Ministry of Finance (MOF) on October 8. Exports to the US totaled US$207.78 billion in the first nine months, a level the ministry called "unprecedented."

Audi's defense pivot mirrors Taiwan supply chain's AI shift

Lily Hess — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:29:18 GMT

German automaker Audi has launched a flexible workforce program allowing employees to voluntarily transfer to aerospace and defense companies such as Airbus, with Audi reporting strong employee interest. The move reflects how automotive talent is breaking through industry boundaries and echoes Taiwan's supply chain transformation from computers, communications, and consumer electronics (3C) to automotive applications and now AI data centers.

Taiwan semiconductor industry eyes landmark geothermal power deal exceeding 20MW

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:26:02 GMT

Taiwan's geothermal energy market could be approaching a major breakthrough as the semiconductor industry seeks new sources of reliable renewable electricity amid surging AI-driven power demand.

Apple's iPhone 18 order cuts expose widening divide in premium demand

DIGITIMES — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:21:39 GMT

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro lineup is showing mixed demand signals weeks after launch. Reports of component order cuts suggest weaker-than-expected sales, while Chinese supply-chain sources point to stronger demand for the pricier Pro Max and foldable iPhone Duo. The divergence highlights growing pressure on Apple's premium strategy as rising memory costs drive smartphone prices higher.

Taiwan's UMT extends 50%-plus revenue growth streak as LEO satellite deployments accelerate

Willis Ke — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:21:11 GMT

Taiwan-based Universal Microwave Technology (UMT) reported September 2026 revenue of NT$292 million (US$9.15 million), up 52.49% year-over-year, extending its streak of monthly year-over-year revenue growth exceeding 50% to six consecutive months. The performance underscores sustained demand for millimeter-wave communications components as global low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operators accelerate constellation deployments and capacity expansion.

AI racks approach megawatt power levels as SiC, GaN, silicon divide power delivery roles

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:15:25 GMT

The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is driving demand for higher power and voltage levels, pushing power semiconductor development toward greater efficiency, higher power density, and tighter integration.

ELAN Microelectrics's 3Q26 PC momentum stalls on shortages, inventory overhang

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:04:42 GMT

Touch IC leader Elan Microelectronics recently announced its September 2026 consolidated revenue of NT$602 million (approx. US$18.9 million), down 18.74% month-over-month and 46.9% year-over-year. Third-quarter revenue slid 30.7% quarter-over-quarter to NT$2.221 billion (US$69.6 million), down 33.0% year-over-year, marking a sharp decline during what is traditionally a peak season.