DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

South Korea data center market to hit KRW11T by 2029

Lily Hess — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:40:57 GMT

South Korea's private data center market is set to expand rapidly as generative AI demand drives a global investment boom, with AI infrastructure, power supply, geographic dispersion, and data sovereignty reshaping the industry's development path. Jong-hyun Shin, a researcher at the Korea Data Center Council (KDCC), said 2028 is expected to be the peak year for data centers finishing construction.

Zhen Ding posts strongest May revenue as server optical module shipments surge

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:40:35 GMT

Zhen Ding Technology Group reported that May consolidated revenue reached a 2026 high as robust demand for high-end AI products drove significant year-over-year growth, the company said. The firm attributed the performance to a sharp uptick in server and optical module shipments, which rose nearly 2.5 times year-over-year, and strong momentum in IC substrate sales, which grew nearly 80% year-over-year.

Pegatron unit ASRock Rack wins order to supply 587 GPU servers for Thailand AI data center

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:40:18 GMT

ASRock Rack, a subsidiary of Pegatron Group's ASRock Inc., has won an order to supply 587 GPU servers equipped with Nvidia B200 accelerators to Japan-based AI infrastructure provider Datasection Inc., the two firms announced. The systems are contracted for deployment at Datasection's AI data center near Bangkok, Thailand, and will serve as a dedicated high-performance computing platform for US companies.

Samsung Foundry turns to 5nm, 8nm orders as 2nm comeback takes shape

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:38:45 GMT

Samsung Electronics is pursuing a two-track foundry strategy, accelerating its 2nm push for future customers while asking partners to step up sales of its 5nm and 8nm processes to support near-term utilization, according to ZDNet Korea.

JCET opens 3D packaging plant to target AI power modules, CPO demand

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:38:24 GMT

JCET has opened a new advanced manufacturing facility at its Chengdong production base in Jiangyin, strengthening the Chinese OSAT provider's push into advanced packaging for AI computing, power modules, and next-generation data centers.

BOE says glass-based packaging substrate pilot line has yet to reach mass-production yield

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:38:06 GMT

BOE Technology Group's push into glass-based packaging substrates remains short of mass production, even as the Chinese display maker expands into new materials and advanced display technologies to build growth beyond conventional panels.

Aspeed sees 2027 demand surge as agentic AI tightens supply chain capacity

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:37:48 GMT

Aspeed chairman Chris Lin said on June 3 that rapid growth in agentic AI is boosting demand for AI and general-purpose servers, with the chip maker's main constraint now supply-chain capacity rather than orders. He said the company already has visibility into a large volume of 2027 orders as customers rush to secure supply.

Transcend says Samsung DDR4 supply secured through 2027 as memory prices rise

Sherri Wang — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:37:27 GMT

Transcend Information said revenue for April and May combined has already surpassed its first-quarter total, as tight memory supply and elevated prices continue to lift sales at the Taiwan-based memory module maker.

Japan injects JPY150B into Rapidus to push for 2nm production by 2027

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:37:10 GMT

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced on June 5, 2026, that the government completed an additional JPY150 billion (US$937.9 million) capital injection into Rapidus, the national semiconductor champion formed to commercialize advanced node chips, to fund plant construction, equipment and research for 2nm and 1.4nm chips. The funding was executed through the Information-Technology Promotion Agency, according to reports by Nikkei and Reuters.

While China floods the humanoid market, America's top three are quietly building patent moats

Emily Kuo — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:36:48 GMT

Compared with China's crowded humanoid robot market, where competition is becoming increasingly intense, the US humanoid robot sector is still concentrated among a small number of brands, the three major being Figure AI, Agility Robotics, and Tesla. According to DIGITIMES' observations, these three leading US humanoid robot companies have actively expanded their patent portfolios in recent years, with the majority focusing on joint design, followed by software-related developments.

Taiwan becomes first overseas hub for US drone supply chain certification

Emily Kuo — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:36:26 GMT

The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has announced the signing of an authorization, assessment, and service agreement with the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) for the "Green Uncrewed Aircraft Systems" (Green UAS) program. Taiwan will become an AUVSI-recognized third-party assessment body and the first overseas accredited Green UAS evaluation organization outside the US, opening a direct path for Taiwanese companies to obtain certification and enter the US market.

Sercomm posts record first five months as North America drives 2026 revenue surge

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:36:09 GMT

Sercomm Corporation reported May 2026 revenue of NT$6.48 billion (approx. US$205 million), up 70% year-over-year, and said cumulative revenue from January to May reached NT$30 billion, a 55.3% increase that set new company records for both monthly and year-to-date sales. The telecom broadband equipment maker attributed the gains to stronger North American demand and accelerating orders tied to AI-driven network traffic growth, executives said.

China’s space-computing push draws chipmakers, satellite firms, and rocket companies

Elaine Chen — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:35:53 GMT

As artificial intelligence drives an insatiable demand for computing power, China is beginning to look beyond terrestrial data centers and edge computing toward a new frontier: space.

ADATA goes global with data centers, eyes 1Q27 payoff

Emily Kuo — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:35:29 GMT

Strong demand for memory procurement from AI servers continues, and ADATA chairman Simon Chen believes the AI expansion cycle is expected to sustain strong growth for at least another four to five years. As a result, ADATA is adding AI data center construction as a new business focus, working with strategic partners to deploy projects in four countries, including Brazil and Malaysia. The company expects this move to significantly increase its AI value content, reduce reliance on memory industry cycles, and enter a harvesting phase for revenue growth starting in the first quarter of 2027. The benefits are expected to emerge over the next two years.

Electric bus with e-paper exterior displays hits road

Rodney Chan — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:35:16 GMT

E-paper applications are moving beyond retail electronic shelf labels and e-readers into the smart mobility market. BMW's color-changing car that features E Ink's electrophoretic displays technology has cleared regulatory hurdles and is nearing mass production. The Taiwan-based E Ink has also teamed up with King Lung Auto Manufacturing and several other local suppliers to unveil the world's first electric bus equipped with an e-paper display system at Computex 2026.

AI cooling lifts heat spreader shipments at Niching

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:35:01 GMT

AI-driven high-speed computing and data transmission are driving up chip performance and cooling requirements worldwide, and Niching Industrial Corp. said its acquisition of Ming June Yuan will help improve profitability as the market shifts toward larger, hotter-running chips and more advanced thermal materials.

Aewin pushes two-phase direct liquid cooling for high-density AI racks and gaming

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:34:45 GMT

Aewin announced a push into two-phase direct liquid cooling to address rising data center thermal demands as rack power consumption moves past 100kW, with demonstrations and product plans shown at COMPUTEX 2026 and a roadmap targeting commercial shipments in 2026 and scaled volume in 2027. The company positioned its two-phase direct liquid cooling, or 2P DLC, as a core element of a broader cooling stack that spans data centers to edge sites and as an infrastructure contributor to Qisda Group’s AI strategy.

Taiwan Mobile and GMI Cloud sign MOU to expand AI data center services into SEA and beyond

DIGITIMES — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 02:34:26 GMT

Taiwan Mobile announced at Computex 2026 that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GMI Cloud to expand AI data center and high-end compute services across emerging markets in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, the Americas, and Europe. The firms said the agreement aims to deliver AI data center offerings that comply with local regulations and cybersecurity standards while competing for cross-border compute business.

Qisda accelerates pivot into AI solutions provider

Kevin Wang — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:44:13 GMT

Qisda is accelerating its transformation into an AI solutions provider amid the intensifying AI race. President Cally Ko has highlighted changes to the company's AI roadmap since taking the helm, aiming to build a full AI ecosystem spanning data centers, edge computing, and vertical applications by integrating hardware and software resources across the group.

Taiwan’s Altek sees growth in the emerging market for physical AI

Elaine Chen — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:44:01 GMT

After years of supplying camera modules for consumer electronics, Taiwanese imaging company Altek is betting its future on a different vision: helping robots, drones, and autonomous machines understand the physical world.

Advantech pushes ecosystem strategy as edge AI gains momentum

Elaine Chen — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:43:53 GMT

As artificial intelligence moves beyond cloud-based chatbots and into factories, hospitals and warehouses, industrial computing company Advantech is positioning itself at the center of what it sees as the next phase of the AI revolution: the rise of edge and physical AI.

AI smart glasses brand breaks Japan crowdfunding record, adds Gemini Flash 3.5 and enters Australia

DIGITIMES — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:43:42 GMT

China-based AI smart eyewear brand Rokid has accelerated its global expansion and technological roadmap, supported by a wave of momentum across its hardware and open AI ecosystem. From major software upgrades to record-breaking market demand and new regional territory launches, the company is solidifying its position at the forefront of spatial computing.

Phison shifts to system AI solutions with 2027 memory crunch looming

Levi Li — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:43:33 GMT

Phison Electronics CEO K.S. Pua said the company is moving beyond its roots as an IC component supplier and repositioning itself as a system solutions provider, warning that AI-driven memory shortages could become more severe in 2027 than in the second half of 2026.

AI demand squeezes mainstream DRAM supply as DDR5, DDR4 prices rise

DIGITIMES — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:43:24 GMT

DRAM prices are climbing as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology prioritize high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, for AI applications, tightening supply of mainstream DDR5 and DDR4 products used in PCs, servers, and other electronics, according to Nikkei.

Nvidia built its empire on gamers. Jensen Huang just reminded the world why that still matters

Joseph(C) Chen — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:43:05 GMT

Jensen Huang arrived in Seoul on June 5 for what looked like a replay of his Taiwan trip — meetings with Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, LG Group and Hyundai Motor Group, all companies whose strengths in HBM, advanced packaging, autonomous driving, robotics and smart factories are increasingly tied to Nvidia's future. But his first stop was none of them.

Jensen Huang shouts 'Everyone loves HBM' at Seoul barbecue as Nvidia announces Korea R&D center and previews four new products

Joseph(C) Chen — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:20:13 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang dined with the heads of South Korea's largest technology conglomerates in Hongdae on June 5, turning a barbecue dinner into one of the most theatrical corporate appearances of his Korea trip.

From Taiwan's supply chain to South Korea's Faker: how Jensen Huang reads different markets

Joseph(C) Chen — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:05:38 GMT

Jensen Huang wrapped up his Taiwan run at GTC Taipei and Computex 2026 and flew to South Korea on June 5. His first stop was not Samsung or SK Hynix. It was Hongdae, where he met T1 star Faker — Lee Sang-hyeok — co-signed an RTX 5090 graphics card, and immediately set the internet on fire.

OECD data show China-based semiconductor makers receive outsized industrial support

DIGITIMES — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 09:42:42 GMT

Industrial subsidies reached their highest level since the global financial crisis in 2023 and 2024, according to a June 2026 OECD release based on its new MAGIC database of industrial subsidies. The database tracks support received by 525 of the world's largest manufacturing groups across 15 industrial sectors from 2005 to 2024.

Metalenses move from lab concept to robotics opportunity

Elaine Chen — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 09:21:10 GMT

As artificial intelligence (AI) drives demand for more powerful computing systems and smarter machines, Taiwanese optics manufacturer Ability Opto-Electronics Technology is positioning itself at the intersection of two emerging technology frontiers: metalenses and optical interconnects.

Samsung's biggest union loses majority status after bonus talks

Charlene Chen — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 09:12:54 GMT

Samsung Electronics is facing a new shift in labor relations after the Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group Super-Enterprise Union reportedly lost its status as a majority union following a sharp drop in membership after bonus negotiations. The move weakens the union's representation and could further fragment future labor talks and union power at Samsung Electronics.

Tata's Chery tie-up shows how Indian automakers are reshaping EV plans

DIGITIMES — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 09:01:51 GMT

Reuters reported on June 3 that Tata Motors plans to use an automaking platform from Chery to locally build electric cars under its premium Avinya brand, a move that highlights how Indian carmakers are increasingly relying on Chinese technology to accelerate their electric vehicle ambitions.

Hiwin and Qualcomm bring edge AI to PLP equipment with Load Port tie-up at Computex

DIGITIMES — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 08:59:31 GMT

Hiwin Technologies and Qualcomm Inc. announced a partnership at Computex 2026 to integrate Qualcomm Dragonwing Q6 series processors into Hiwin's Load Port products, delivering edge AI capabilities for semiconductor panel-level packaging (PLP) equipment. The collaboration positions Hiwin's Load Port as the smart edge node in front-end modules, aiming to improve real-time image processing, status sensing, and anomaly detection on the equipment side.

Foxconn posts record May revenue as AI rack demand fuels growth

DIGITIMES — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 08:51:19 GMT

Computex 2026 closed on June 5 with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reaffirming the scale of AI infrastructure demand in his keynote — and Foxconn, as the world's largest electronics contract manufacturer, is among the most direct beneficiaries of that buildout.

NXP chief says factories will lead robot adoption globally

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 08:50:34 GMT

Industrial factories are likely to become the first major market for robots at scale, according to Rafael Sotomayor, NXP President and CEO, who said manufacturers want stable systems, dependable performance, and clear financial returns. This view suggests that the earliest gains from robotics may come in places where efficiency improvements are easiest to measure.

US officials explore an AI dividend for American households

DIGITIMES — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 08:45:02 GMT

Senior US officials have begun exploring a highly unconventional idea: taking equity stakes in leading artificial intelligence companies and using the proceeds to share the gains of the AI boom with the American public.