DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Tesla reportedly turns back to affordable cars as growth slows

Elaine Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:47:01 GMT

Tesla is developing a new, smaller and lower-cost electric sport utility vehicle, according to people familiar with the matter and the industry, marking a notable shift in strategy for CEO Elon Musk.

Merck's material and equipment push could speed CPO and advanced packaging adoption

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:45:57 GMT

Merck presented integrated materials and inspection tools at Touch Taiwan 2026 as the panel industry pivots toward chip-on-panel (CPO) and advanced packaging. The company emphasized solutions to improve yield, resolution, energy efficiency, and inspection speed to support next-generation optoelectronic semiconductor integration.

MPI posts record 1Q26 revenue, invests NT$2B in Hsinchu plant expansion

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:44:03 GMT

Semiconductor test interface leader MPI reported a new quarterly revenue high in the first quarter of 2026, driven by strong demand for AI-related chip testing and signaling sustained growth for the year.

Ampak cites DDR price swings disrupting orders, sees industrial control demand support

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:43:04 GMT

Ampak Technology's focus on Wi-Fi 7, 5G RedCap, SoM modules, AIoT, and Edge AI signals strategic shifts with global implications: customers worldwide may see delayed consumer shipments amid DDR memory price volatility, while industrial control demand offers clearer near-term opportunities, affecting supply chains and product rollouts through 2026 and beyond.

Oracle ramps AI infrastructure spending, supply chain expands to meet surging customer orders

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:41:46 GMT

Oracle's surge in AI infrastructure spending is prompting global supply chains to expand capacity, with partners ramping factories in Taiwan, Vietnam and the US to serve hyperscale cloud clients. The move signals sustained order growth, shifts manufacturing closer to Asian markets, and could affect server and data center supply dynamics.

PlayNitride's Micro LED AR smart glasses gain traction in industrial control and drones

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:40:44 GMT

As the smart glasses market grows rapidly, the adoption of Micro LED in AI-powered eyewear is accelerating. PlayNitride has partnered with AR glasses maker ChaseWind to develop a full-color, high-resolution Micro LED AI smart glasses product, which is expected to be deployed in industrial control and drone applications. Meanwhile, its Tantium chips targeting wearable devices and automotive displays, launched in 2025, have entered the mass production phase and are set to begin order-based production in 2026.

China's export controls spark 140x yttrium price surge, fueling chip equipment fears

Charlene Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:34:34 GMT

Yttrium, a critical rare earth element used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, has seen its global supply tighten sharply due to China's export restrictions, driving prices up about 140x within a year and raising concerns over impacts on the semiconductor, aerospace, and energy sectors.

TSMC smashes records with massive 45% revenue surge in March

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:43:45 GMT

Tech giant TSMC has released a blockbuster revenue report for March 2026, signaling an extraordinary acceleration in the semiconductor sector.

Taiwan chip firms quietly build robot sector, eye US decoupling opportunities

Charlene Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:32:18 GMT

The robotics market has been gaining attention since 2025, prompting active supply chain development. Within the chip industry, Taiwanese IC design firms generally believe that current robot applications have yet to reach a significant scale. As a result, players are quietly building capabilities to secure strong positions in the emerging industry. Notably, more collaboration opportunities from the US have recently surfaced.

China OSATs step up investment drive as AI demand lifts advanced packaging race

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:23:40 GMT

China's outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) sector is accelerating capacity expansion and technology upgrades, with leading players ramping investment to capture rising demand from AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and automotive electronics.

Foxconn and Mitsubishi Fuso forge global play in electric buses

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:15:53 GMT

Foxconn and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus have forged a strategic partnership aimed at exporting Japanese-made electric buses to Southeast Asia and Australia by 2030, combining Foxconn's rapid EV development capabilities with Mitsubishi Fuso's established brand and sales channels. The move addresses shrinking domestic demand in Japan and growing competition from Chinese manufacturers.

MetaOptics bets on Taiwan to scale metalens for AI, next-gen optics

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:15:46 GMT

MetaOptics, a Singapore-based metalens developer, is partnering with Taiwan's Pin-Jye Nano Technologies to scale production of next-generation optical components as the technology moves from research into early commercialization and gains new relevance in artificial intelligence and advanced sensing applications.

Spingence and Advantech accelerate AI edge deployment plans in South Korea manufacturing

Lily Hess — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:15:38 GMT

In response to strong demand for data security and on-premises AI deployment within South Korea's manufacturing and semiconductor sectors, Taiwanese AI company Spingence Technology is aggressively expanding into the South Korean market starting this year through its enterprise edge large language model (LLM) platform, Edgestar.

Exclusive: SpaceX delays FOPLP, PCB yield as execs plan April Taiwan visit

Charlene Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:15:15 GMT

Elon Musk's SpaceX is facing production challenges at its newly built fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) and printed circuit board (PCB) factories in Texas, delaying full-scale manufacturing until mid-2027. Industry sources say that despite nearly complete equipment installation, yields remain below expectations, prompting a postponement of mass production schedules.

Column: Corintis uses algorithms to target chip hotspots for precise cooling

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:14:49 GMT

As HPC and AI processors push computing performance to unprecedented levels, transistor density has reached a point where thermal behavior is no longer uniform. Instead of gradual, evenly distributed heating, modern chips exhibit sharp, localized hotspots that concentrate extreme thermal loads within small regions.

MetaOptics and Taiwan's Pinjie partner to build global metalens production hub

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:14:36 GMT

MetaOptics' alliance with Taiwanese partner Pinjie Nano-Optics shifts advanced optical manufacturing to Taiwan, leveraging the island's semiconductor supply chain to enable metalens mass production and potentially reshape global optics supply, testing, and scale for customers demanding higher consistency and functional validation across consumer, data center, and telecommunications markets.

Taiwan builds robotics hub in Georgia to deepen US tech ties beyond semiconductors

Rodney Chan — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:13:44 GMT

Taiwan and the United States have rapidly advanced industrial technology cooperation across sectors, from drones to robotics, in recent years. The GeoAsia Foundation recently announced a strategic alliance with Curiosity Lab, an innovation park in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, to establish the Taiwan Robotics Hub in the US city. This initiative aims to leverage bilateral industry strengths to advance AI and robotics technologies and foster a robust Taiwan-US robotics ecosystem.

Why South Korean panel makers see rising profits despite chip price inflation

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:12:07 GMT

Amid rising chip prices, the industry generally anticipates a downturn in the mobile phone and notebook markets in 2026. For South Korea's panel industry, however, optimism continues to emerge. Analysts have pointed out that as demand for lower-end products continues to shrink, the overall end-user market is gradually consolidating toward high-end products. This puts South Korean manufacturers, which have long cultivated the high-end panel market, on a path to robust performance and resilience.

Intel–Google alliance reframes AI infrastructure around CPUs

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:59:18 GMT

A newly expanded collaboration between Intel and Google signals a key shift in AI infrastructure: CPUs are back at the center of the conversation. Both companies emphasized that the partnership spans multiple generations of Intel's Xeon processors and includes co-development of custom infrastructure silicon. Financial terms and deployment timelines were not disclosed, but the scope points to a long-term alignment, not a one-off supply deal.

Amazon signals chip export ambitions as in-house silicon business tops US$20 billion run rate

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:48:44 GMT

Amazon's custom chip business has surpassed an annual revenue run rate of more than US$20 billion, CEO Andy Jassy said in his annual shareholder letter, according to The Information. The figure reflects the rapid adoption of Amazon Web Services' (AWS) in-house silicon portfolio, including Graviton CPUs and Trainium AI accelerators, which are currently sold exclusively through AWS cloud services.

Blaize and Nokia expand partnership to validate hybrid AI infrastructure across Asia-Pacific

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:28:08 GMT

Blaize and Nokia expanded their partnership to validate and build a hybrid AI infrastructure across Asia-Pacific, promising enterprises more efficient edge-to-cloud AI deployment, scalable production-ready frameworks, and tighter integration of AI inference with network operations, potentially reshaping where intelligence is processed and how real-world systems act on data and delivering measurable outcomes.

MediaTek builds an end-to-end challenge to Qualcomm and Broadcom

Elaine Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:12:24 GMT

In recent years, MediaTek has steadily increased its influence in the global Wi-Fi chip market. Its market share gains have been driven not only by continued growth on the consumer side, but also by a strategic push into the telecom operator segment — where the company is securing fresh business across Europe and North America.

CoWoS capacity emerges as AI bottleneck as TSMC’s advanced packaging grows at 80% CAGR

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:01:14 GMT

Global advanced packaging capacity is currently in severe shortage. Nvidia has already reserved most of TSMC's leading-edge capacity, particularly its CoWoS packaging technology. According to TSMC's disclosures in an interview with CNBC, demand for such advanced packaging is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 80%.

Samsung's consumer electronics divisions show signs of recovery

Elaine Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:54:50 GMT

Samsung Electronics is beginning to see early signs of stabilization in its Visual Display (VD) and Digital Appliances (DA) divisions, after a period of underperformance. Market estimates suggest the two units have narrowed their losses, with some businesses potentially returning to profitability, helping lift overall results. Yet surging logistics costs and intensifying price competition from Chinese rivals continue to weigh on margins.

Anthropic reportedly explores in-house chip design amid rapid revenue growth and evolving AI compute stack

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:48:01 GMT

Anthropic is exploring the possibility of designing its own AI chips, though the effort remains at a very early stage, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. "The plans are in early stages, and the company may still decide only to buy AI chips and not design any," Reuters reported, adding that the startup has not yet committed to a specific architecture or assembled a dedicated semiconductor team.

Meta deepens CoreWeave partnership as AI infrastructure spending accelerates amidst rising capital demands

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:36:52 GMT

CoreWeave and Meta Platforms have expanded their long-term partnership in a deal that underscores the scale and urgency of infrastructure investment required to support next-generation artificial intelligence (AI).

Demand for AI infrastructure spreads shortages beyond memory chips to MLCCs

Elaine Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:26:04 GMT

As global corporations accelerate spending on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, supply constraints are no longer limited to memory chips. Signs of tightening availability are now emerging in multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), small but essential components used across a vast range of electronic systems. Lead times for these parts are lengthening across the industry, according to market data.

Exclusive: Samsung weighs Vietnam semiconductor testing facility

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:10:05 GMT

According to sources familiar with the matter, Samsung is in discussions with the Vietnamese government to establish an IC testing facility, which could become the company's second overseas backend semiconductor site outside South Korea after China. Bloomberg also reported that Samsung is planning a phased investment of about US$4 billion in Vietnam, underscoring its continued expansion in Southeast Asia.

Hyundai targets US 'Southern MIT' talent; Taiwan risks falling behind in humanoid robotics?

Levi Li — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:49:09 GMT

As the US and China compete for leadership in humanoid robotics, Taiwan faces a critical decision about how to position itself in the industry's next phase. Experts say future robotics development will hinge on the integration of hardware, computing power, and ecosystems. Taiwanese firms, with established strengths in AI hardware, are expected to serve as key partners to the US, while their role in the humanoid robotics supply chain could begin to take shape within five years.

TCL-Sony merger shifts the competitive landscape for Korean TV giants

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:09:08 GMT

China's TCL and Japan's Sony have finalized plans to merge their television and audio businesses into a joint venture. The deal marks a significant shift in the global TV industry — and heaps pressure on South Korean rivals.

Taiwan targets Poland's drone supply chain as Eastern European demand surges

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:08:20 GMT

Taiwanese companies are accelerating efforts to enter Poland's fast-growing drone supply chain, as the Eastern European country emerges as a hub for defense procurement and a gateway to Ukraine amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Samsung and SK Hynix reportedly secure long-term helium contracts with US firms

Elaine Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:08:03 GMT

Industry sources report that the recent supply concerns over semiconductor-grade helium triggered by the US-Iran conflict have eased, as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix secured long-term contracts ensuring stable access to the critical gas.

Inventec posts record March and 1Q26 revenue on AI server strength

Charlene Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:07:26 GMT

Inventec achieved an all-time revenue high in March 2026, fueled by robust orders and shipments of AI servers. The company reported March revenue of NT$87.563 billion (US$2.8 billion), marking a 71.9% increase month-over-month and a 41.7% rise year-over-year. For the first quarter of 2026, Inventec posted revenue of NT$200.31 billion, up 16.9% quarter-over-quarter and 27.6% year-over-year, setting a new quarterly record. The company expects continued quarter-over-quarter growth supported by sustained demand for AI server infrastructure.

Alibaba's Qwen tops Korea's AI benchmark

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:07:09 GMT

Alibaba's Qwen models occupy the top four positions on South Korea's K-AI Leaderboard, overtaking domestic AI models from LG AI Research, SK Telecom, and Naver.

San'an Optoelectronics executives under further investigation amid family control concerns

Charlene Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:06:49 GMT

China's LED leader San'an Optoelectronics has seen its core executives placed under official investigation, raising market concerns over corporate governance and operational stability. On March 23, 2026, the company announced that its actual controller, Xiucheng Lin, was detained by national supervisory authorities for investigation. Just half a month later, on April 9, San'an Optoelectronics disclosed that vice chairman and general manager Kechuang Lin received a detention notice on April 7 and is also under formal investigation.

Flytech sees 11% revenue rise in 1Q26, led by Asia-Pacific new models

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:06:20 GMT

Industrial PC (IPC) maker Flytech Technology's 11% year-over-year revenue increase in the first quarter of 2026, driven by strong Asia-Pacific shipments, signals potential supply and solution opportunities for global customers and partners as the company scales edge computing offerings and adapts resource allocation to navigate supply chain and tariff uncertainties worldwide and sustain growth globally.

Weblink International: Apple Mac mini and MacBook Neo drive strong sales, boosting operational momentum

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:06:02 GMT

Weblink International reported rising PC costs from tight memory supply and strong commercial demand driven by AI, boosting March and first-quarter 2026 revenue; global readers should note implications for supply-driven price dynamics, enterprise AI adoption, and diversified product strategies shaping hardware and subscription revenue worldwide, as well as margin forecasts.

Taiwan's Auden integrates algorithms into satellite antennas for global markets

Elaine Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:05:32 GMT

In response to shifting geopolitical landscapes and evolving customer demands, Taiwanese radio-frequency antenna maker Auden is accelerating both its overseas expansion and technology transformation. The company plans to simultaneously launch a new factory in northern Vietnam and a new headquarters in Bade, Taoyuan, in July 2026, while shifting its technological focus from traditional passive antennas to active modules that integrate algorithms, targeting the satellite communications Ka-band market.

Swancor eyes dual-engine growth on AI robotics and aerospace composites

Willis Ke — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:05:15 GMT

Swancor Holding reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of NT$190 million (US$5.99 million), marking a pivotal shift in its business mix as its AI robotics segment crossed NT$10 million in revenue for the first time. Alongside strengthening aerospace composite orders and phased capacity expansion, the company is steadily advancing toward a dual-engine growth model driven by robotics and advanced materials.

AUO eyes CPO and LEO satellites as Innolux pushes FOPLP growth

Lily Hess — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:04:51 GMT

AUO and Innolux are accelerating their expansion beyond traditional display panels, with Innolux's non-display revenue surpassing 51% in 2025, mainly driven by automotive applications. AUO also aims to obtain a non-display revenue share exceeding 50% in 2026.

CXMT targets 12-layer HBM production by 2027, closing gap with Korea

Levi Li — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:04:36 GMT

China's largest memory maker CXMT is targeting mass production of 12-layer high-bandwidth memory (HBM) by 2027, positioning itself to challenge mainstream specifications long dominated by South Korean suppliers — all within three years of entering the segment.

China's 6G wait: SoC vendors brace for years of sluggish smartphone demand

DIGITIMES — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:04:21 GMT

Chinese smartphone brands have recently encountered significant headwinds. Government subsidy effects have largely lost their ability to further stimulate sales, while product prices have risen across the board due to increasing costs of components such as memory. Furthermore, Apple has captured most of the growth momentum in the premium segment of the China market, leaving Chinese brands struggling with bottlenecks in innovation and competitiveness for flagship devices.

Praise Victor Industrial aims to break Fujibo's soft pad dominance with 2Q26 sample certification

Charlene Chen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:04:05 GMT

As AI and high-performance computing (HPC) demand surges and the semiconductor supply chain undergoes accelerating restructuring, structural changes are emerging in the critical materials market long dominated by major US and Japanese players. Praise Victor Industrial (PVI), specializing in polyurethane (PU) material technology and operating three main product lines — semiconductor polishing pads and consumables, medical and sports products, and eco-friendly adhesives — counts Semiconductor Manufacturing International (SMIC), Nexchip, TSMC, UMC, and Micron among its customers. The company plans to go public in May 2026.

MetaOptics reshapes consumer electronics with AI-driven optical innovation

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:03:28 GMT

MetaOptics' pivot from lenses to intelligent processing stands to reshape mobile imaging, security, and wearable devices globally, lowering hardware costs while enabling new contactless authentication and compact smartphones for emerging markets. Its metalenses paired with AI aim to turn flat optics into perception-capable, compute-ready modules for broad commercial adoption across devices and services.

Transcom Technology sees flat 2026 revenue after Taiwan budget delays, but India order may broaden international reach

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:03:12 GMT

Transcom Technology expects flat full-year revenue for 2026 amid stalled progress in Taiwan's defense budget, which is potentially delaying deliveries of Gong-3 and Gong-4 missile systems. A first mass-production order for a high-frequency SSPA module from an Indian client, however, could help the company expand its international revenue share to 30%.

Blaize, Nokia advance hybrid AI deployment with joint showcase at GITEX Asia

DIGITIMES — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:09:19 GMT

Blaize and Nokia are advancing their collaboration on hybrid artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, moving toward real-world deployment through joint validation efforts and a combined solution showcase at GITEX Asia 2026 in Singapore.