DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

China's robot champions can run; now they have to prove they can earn

DIGITIMES — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:23:56 GMT

China's humanoid robot boom is entering a harder phase. After years of headline-grabbing demonstrations and heavy private funding, companies are being pressed to prove something less theatrical but more consequential: that robots can perform reliable work, generate recurring revenue, and justify their valuations.

AI, 5G upgrades lift Taiwan's top three telecoms in August

DIGITIMES — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:23:44 GMT

Strong demand for AI and AI data centers, along with a wave of enterprise information and communications technology (ICT) projects moving into delivery, helped Taiwan's top three telecom operators extend growth in August 2026. Chunghwa Telecom posted record August revenue, operating profit, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), and earnings per share (EPS); Taiwan Mobile remained the telecom trio's cumulative EPS leader; and FarEasTone set monthly highs in revenue, EBITDA, and net profit.

Column: What is SLAM? The first step in Physical AI

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:23:30 GMT

We previously discussed how automation removes environmental uncertainty, while autonomy requires systems to operate in complex settings. The biggest difference is that autonomous robots must enter unstructured environments and get work done, knowing where they are, what surrounds them, and how to move safely and efficiently while carrying out tasks.

China auto exports hold above 1 million as new energy shipments surge

DIGITIMES — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:23:19 GMT

China's auto exports stayed above 1 million units for a third straight month in August 2026, reaching 1.01 million vehicles, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The increase of 65.3% from a year earlier came as weaker domestic demand pressured the home market and exports became a larger growth driver for Chinese automakers.

AI server exports to US slow; electronics parts jump 1.5 times in August

DIGITIMES — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:23:08 GMT

Taiwan's Ministry of Finance on September 9 said electronic parts exports reached US$32.22 billion in August 2026, a record monthly high, rising US$11.83 billion, or 58%, from the same month in 2025. Integrated circuits rose US$11.55 billion, up 60%, while printed circuit boards increased US$140 million, up nearly 30%.

AI server tracker: Taiwan optics race beyond 1.6T

DIGITIMES — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:22:57 GMT

Taiwan's optical communications supply chain is entering a more consequential phase of the AI infrastructure cycle. Demand is broadening beyond conventional pluggable transceivers toward continuous-wave (CW) lasers, fiber array units (FAUs), external laser sources and co-packaged optics (CPO), while transmission speeds advance from 800G and 1.6T toward 3.2T and beyond.

Delays trim CAEC August sales, but UPS demand outlook stays firm

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:21:37 GMT

Changs Ascending Enterprise (CAEC) said some shipments of lithium iron phosphate battery systems used in semiconductor uninterruptible power supply equipment were delayed after customers adjusted plant expansion schedules, and heavy rain in southern Taiwan slowed delivery and acceptance. August 2026 revenue fell from July, but still ranked as the second-highest August on record.

HannStar to halve panel output as layoffs and a management exit fuel closure talk

Joseph Chen — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:20:44 GMT

HannStar Display is preparing to cut output at its only fab roughly in half, alongside a workforce reduction that industry sources put at as much as 70% — being carried out through a voluntary buyout program. The moves landed in the same week its general manager resigned, turning long-running speculation about a plant closure into the central question around the company.

Europe buys time in the LEO race as Eutelsat extends OneWeb toward the IRIS² era

DIGITIMES — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:29:18 GMT

Starlink's enormous low-Earth-orbit (LEO) footprint has long cast a shadow over the broader aerospace industry, turning satellite broadband into a race defined as much by constellation scale as by network performance.

Renault sets 2-year car development quality line

DIGITIMES — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:28:58 GMT

Facing an aggressive push by Chinese automakers to launch new models at short intervals and rapidly seize market share, major automakers in Europe, the US, Japan, and South Korea are confronting a new trade-off between R&D speed and quality control. Renault Group CEO Francois Provost said the French automaker will not blindly follow suit at the expense of quality and will not bring a new model to market if its development cycle is under two years.

Rethinking defense perimeters, supply chain resilience in the AI era

Kevin Wang — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:27:01 GMT

The concept of corporate cybersecurity used to begin at the so-called perimeter, with firewalls guarding network entry points, email gateways filtering out suspicious messages, and antivirus software blocking malware. This wall-building mindset at the perimeter worked reasonably well when corporate information systems were relatively closed.

Analysis: Speed built Colossus, yet redundancy may decide whether SpaceX can scale it

DIGITIMES — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:26:42 GMT

Much of the industry attention surrounding AI infrastructure buildouts is now inextricably tied to sheer compute power, with market dominance or competitiveness defined largely by the highest-performing GPUs or the fastest construction.

Apple foldable plans drive new demand for Japanese smartphone parts makers

DIGITIMES — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:20:35 GMT

Apple’s move into foldable smartphones is creating fresh business for Japanese component makers with expertise in thin, lightweight and compact designs. According to Nikkei Asia, suppliers that once helped shape Japan’s feature phone era are seeing renewed interest in foldable display materials, hinges and battery-related parts.

Exclusive: ASUS xHIS aims to become digital backbone for AI-ready healthcare

Scarlett Yu — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:14:25 GMT

Asustek Computer (Asus) has been accelerating the integration of AI, hardware, software, and cloud technologies into healthcare as it builds a next-generation smart healthcare ecosystem. Kuo-Hao Huang, vice president of the Asus AI Research Center, said the biggest challenge hospitals face in adopting AI is not the AI models themselves, but whether their data, workflows, and system architectures are ready.

AI server boom reshuffles MLCC supply, opening a rare expansion window for Taiwan makers

Levi Li — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:14:05 GMT

Strong demand for AI computing is creating a capacity squeeze across the passive-component industry, opening new opportunities for Taiwanese suppliers.

Murata targets mass production of its AI power substrate next year

DIGITIMES — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:13:47 GMT

Murata Manufacturing plans to begin mass production next year of iPaS, the power substrate it has spent several years developing for AI chips, a step that would carry the world's largest multilayer ceramic capacitor maker out of the passive components it dominates and into the substrate layer itself. The company is targeting annual sales of JPY50 billion (US$325.56 million) within 18 months of that launch, according to The Elec, which reported the plan after Murata showed the product at the KPCA Show 2026 in Incheon on September 9.

Taiwan sees AI-era power upgrade openings in France

Charlene Chen — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:13:31 GMT

Taiwan's power and energy companies are looking to grow their presence in Europe. To support that push, the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) organized the "2026 Taiwan Economic and Trade Delegation to France," a 25-member group of representatives from domestic industry groups and energy and power companies, which traveled to Paris from September 5 to 13 to discuss trade and investment opportunities centered on grid upgrades and energy security and resilience.

Pegatron's AI server engine starts to outweigh notebook drag, with Apple adding lift

Levi Li — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:13:14 GMT

Pegatron reported consolidated revenue of NT$88.31 billion (approx. US$2.8 billion) in August 2026, up 2.66% from the previous month and 34.11% from a year earlier, supported by its information and communications technology businesses. The company expects stronger second-half shipments, led by expanding server volumes and the launch of Apple's iPhone 18 series, with the fourth quarter likely to mark the seasonal peak.

Commentary: Apple sends off Cook with a foldable flourish, but Ternus's trial is still ahead

Charlene Chen — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:13:01 GMT

Apple has finally unveiled the long-anticipated foldable iPhone Duo, with former CEO Tim Cook making a brief appearance at the start of the launch video. The moment suggested the device was Cook's farewell act, rather than John Ternus' first turn as chief executive, even as Apple used the 2026 fall event to frame its next stage of AI strategy.

ViTrox sees chip inspection moving upstream as advanced packaging raises defect costs

DIGITIMES — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:05:00 GMT

Advanced packaging is stretching semiconductor inspection in two directions at once: packages are getting larger while the features inside them are getting smaller.

Interview: Resonac maps five PLP hurdles, eyes 510x515mm pilot line

Charlene Chen — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 21:45:00 GMT

Advanced packaging is reshaping the semiconductor value chain, making materials innovation a key source of technical breakthroughs. As large-format panel-level packaging (PLP) gains traction, Resonac CTO for semiconductor materials Hidenori Abe told DIGITIMES that the company sees five major materials challenges: warpage, plating, coating, bonding, and polishing.

Luxshare eyes AR glasses breakthrough through car HUD model

Charlene Chen — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 18:48:00 GMT

At the 2026 China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE), Luxshare and its lens module unit Luxvisions jointly showcased multiple optical and sensing technologies, including automotive camera modules, robot vision modules for autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), as well as tracking modules and waveguide display components for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR) wearables. The display underscored the group's push for vertical integration in optics.

Charts: Taiwan's AI supply chain growth moves from cooling to rack hardware

DIGITIMES — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:05:00 GMT

King Slide Works posted the fastest revenue growth in August among the 50 Taiwan-listed AI supply chain companies tracked by DIGITIMES, with sales up 318% from a year earlier. It marked the fourth consecutive month that the server rail kit maker more than doubled its revenue, following gains of 161% in May, 200% in June and 315% in July.

Why Chinese automakers' aggressive push only further tightens CATL's grip

DIGITIMES — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:48:54 GMT

Supply diversification has long been a recurring — and difficult — issue confronting the high-tech manufacturing ecosystem. But efforts to diversify component and materials sourcing have proved particularly challenging for automakers, which remain tied to a relatively concentrated upstream battery market.

ASE to buy AOI, AVI equipment from Machvision for NT$334M

Charlene Chen — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:52:03 GMT

ASE announced at a news briefing on September 11, 2026, that ASE's board had approved the purchase of equipment, including automated optical inspection (AOI) and automated visual inspection (AVI) systems, from related company Machvision to meet capacity expansion needs. The cumulative pretax transaction value for the past year and future purchases, based on the quotation and negotiation process, came to NT$334 million (US$10.6 million).

Kioxia eyes US listing amid NAND profit rebound

DIGITIMES — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:25:37 GMT

Kioxia's planned US listing could broaden the Japanese memory maker's access to global institutional investors as a sharp recovery in NAND profitability coincides with stronger data-center demand and a new round of capacity investment.

Apple phones drive premium upgrade wave for carriers

DIGITIMES — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:21:11 GMT

Apple's newly unveiled iPhone 18 Pro series and the company's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, have prompted Taiwan's three major telecom operators to roll out pricing plans and preorder schedules, targeting the first wave of upgrade demand. Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone said demand for high-end iPhones has continued to rise in recent years, and they expect the Pro series to be the first choice at launch this year, while the iPhone Duo could trigger a new round of upgrades among Apple fans.

Taiwan unfazed by Trump's renewed chip tariff threat as MOU already locks in preferential US treatment

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:20:30 GMT

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's expected visit to the US on September 24, US President Donald Trump has again discussed the issue of bringing chip manufacturing back to the US. Although he did not repeat his previous claim that Taiwan "stole" America's chip industry, Trump said Taiwan's chips should have been subject to heavy tariffs long ago, with tariffs of 100% or even 200%.

ficonTEC breaks CPO test bottleneck, teams with Hermes Testing

Charlene Chen — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:19:25 GMT

German silicon photonics (SiPh) test equipment maker ficonTEC has broken through a major bottleneck in co-packaged optics (CPO) "electrical-in, optical-out" testing and launched what it calls the industry's first Insertion 2 automated optical test solution. As demand for photonics-integrated testing rises, the company expects equipment requirements to become more diverse and shipments to top 1,000 systems in the next 18-24 months.

Chipmaking equipment spending could hit US$270 billion by 2030, Futurum says

DIGITIMES — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:59:33 GMT

Global wafer fab equipment (WFE) spending could reach about US$270 billion in 2030 as data center expansion drives demand for advanced logic, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), DRAM and advanced packaging capacity, according to Futurum Group.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, LG Innotek vie in AI package substrates

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:41:32 GMT

At South Korea's recent KPCA Show 2026, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek showcased their next-generation package substrate technologies. As AI semiconductors evolve toward higher performance, increased density, and larger footprints, both companies are competing for dominance in this high-value-added advanced packaging market.

Memory makers gain the upper hand as Apple's iPhones pay the price

Sherri Wang — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:26:08 GMT

Apple has raised prices on both its new iPhone 18 Pro series and older models, including the iPhone 17, as rising memory costs push up component expenses.

Enflame enters public markets with Nvidia alternatives in its sights

DIGITIMES — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:17:30 GMT

Chinese AI chipmaker Enflame Technology made a striking debut on Shanghai's STAR Market on Friday, with its shares opening 188% above the IPO price after raising CNY6.12 billion (US$912 million). The listing gives the Tencent-backed company fresh capital to fund its next generations of AI processors and large-scale computing systems, while sharpening attention on China's effort to build alternatives to Nvidia.

Huawei stakes out the AI optics rulebook with 7.2Tbps NPO

DIGITIMES — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:15:00 GMT

Huawei Technologies has unveiled a 7.2-terabit-per-second near-packaged optics (NPO) module for AI data centres, coupling a high-bandwidth product launch with an effort to shape emerging optical-interconnect standards as AI clusters strain the limits of copper connectivity.

AUO, Innolux accelerate shift from displays to AI, CPO, advanced packaging

Willis Ke — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:09:11 GMT

Taiwan's panel makers posted mixed August results as the industry's strategic focus shifts beyond monthly revenue toward AI, advanced packaging and co-packaged optics (CPO). AUO and Innolux, the island's two largest panel makers, are accelerating capacity reductions and asset sales while redirecting capital and technology toward higher-growth businesses. For smaller and mid-sized players, however, the path beyond displays remains far less defined.