DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

LG Group execs visit Nvidia to expand physical AI and robotics ties

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:40:47 GMT

LG Group dispatched senior executives to Nvidia's headquarters in Santa Clara, California, on June 22, 2026, to negotiate expanded cooperation in physical AI and robotics, following a leadership meeting between the two companies in Seoul on June 8, 2026. The delegation comprised more than 30 people from LG affiliates to explore commercialization opportunities, priority projects, and a partnership model that integrates the group's core capabilities.

Japan puts robotics at heart of US$2.3 trillion chip revival

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:39:46 GMT

Japan is preparing a sweeping public-private investment strategy totaling more than JPY370 trillion (US$2.3 trillion) by fiscal 2040, spanning 17 strategic sectors including AI, semiconductors, aerospace, and energy-related industries.

TECO, Billion Watts and Tun Green Power form JV to develop Australia solar and storage projects

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:38:55 GMT

TECO Electric & Machinery's Australia unit, Billion Watts, and Tun Green Power announced a strategic partnership to develop the Seaspray solar and battery energy storage project in Victoria, Australia, and formed a local joint venture to pursue follow-on investments, according to the partners. The partners said the move marks their formal entry into the Australian renewable energy market and the beginning of planning for a second set of projects.

Commentary: Google defines AI path to ASI, validates chip boom

Lily Hess — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:38:40 GMT

Google released a 30,000-word AI roadmap on June 14 that, for the first time, clearly defines AI having the capability of 100 million humans as a key milestone on the path to artificial superintelligence (ASI). The plan outlines a three-stage evolution from today's large models to artificial general intelligence (AGI) and then ASI, reinforcing expectations that AI capabilities will keep expanding at an exponential pace.

High-end fiberglass cloth supply tightens; shortages to persist through 2027

Lily Hess — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:36:45 GMT

Demand for high-end fiberglass cloth is surging on the AI boom, and orders from copper-clad laminate (CCL) customers are leaving the world's two largest suppliers, Nittobo and Taiwan Glass, short of capacity. In particular, low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and low Dk2 products remain the tightest, with supply-demand gaps now expected to last through 2027.

AI power systems drive snap-in capacitor demand; Chinsan gains from order spillover

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:36:21 GMT

Demand in the passive component market has rebounded alongside the rapid buildout of AI data centers. While Japanese suppliers continue to lead in technology, their capacity expansion has struggled to keep pace with AI-related demand, driving order spillover to Taiwan-based manufacturers.

Wafer Works unveils golden triangle expansion to boost AI, optical, and SiC wafer capacity

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:35:58 GMT

Wafer Works announced after its June 18, 2026, shareholders meeting that it launched a "golden triangle" expansion plan to deepen silicon wafer product lines and support fast-growing applications in advanced packaging, optical transmission and third-generation semiconductors. The rollout covers simultaneous construction and capacity ramp projects at Erlin, Zhengzhou, and Zhunan to align production with customer validation and mass-production targets.

Gogoro to unveil upgraded in-wheel motor scooter as Taiwan EV demand recovers

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:35:10 GMT

Gogoro is preparing to launch a new electric scooter on June 23, 2026, that industry supply-chain sources said will feature an in-wheel motor, dual batteries and upgraded performance aimed at the 100-125cc gasoline scooter segment. The announcement comes as Taiwan's electric scooter market moved from a weak start in 2026 to a gradual recovery, supported by local subsidies, affordable new models and high-profile cross-brand collaborations.

AI demolishes traditional tech: how NPUs and AI RAN are rewriting European infrastructure

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 09:15:06 GMT

AI is no longer a localized software novelty. It is now aggressively wiping out traditional hardware infrastructure across Europe. According to new market intelligence reports from CONTEXT World, there has been an unprecedented displacement of legacy systems. Driven by complex professional workflows, massive public sector procurement, and a fundamental restructuring of telecommunications networks, AI-optimized hardware has transitioned from a progressive choice to an absolute operational necessity.

Intel CEO doubles down on advanced packaging with former SK Hynix chief's return

Emily Kuo — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:27:26 GMT

Former SK Hynix CEO Lee Seok-Hee is set to return to Intel as executive vice president (EVP) of Intel's foundry business, strengthening Intel's push into advanced packaging technologies. The appointment also represents another strategic move by Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to reorganize the company's foundry business.

SK Hynix overtakes Samsung as HBM boom reshapes Korea's chip industry

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:23:25 GMT

SK Hynix briefly overtook Samsung Electronics on June 22 to claim the top spot by common-share market capitalization on South Korea's KOSPI exchange, a milestone that reflects how high-bandwidth memory (HBM) has redefined the value of Korea's semiconductor industry.

Soaring contract prices put memory's big three on course for blockbuster 2026 profits

Charlene Chen — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:21:57 GMT

The memory industry is entering a super cycle as prices keep soaring, with industry sources saying third-quarter 2026 contract price gains show no sign of slowing amid tight supply from upstream vendors. Overall increases could reach 30% to 40%, after second-quarter 2026 contract prices already climbed 40%. As market prices continue to stack higher in the second half, profits at the top three memory manufacturers are set to expand sharply, driving a surge in full-year memory business earnings.

China launches 2026 NEV rural promotion campaign to accelerate EV expansion into county-level markets

Emily Kuo — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:05:39 GMT

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Ministry of Commerce, and three other government departments announced on June 18 the launch of a new round of the 2026 New Energy Vehicle (NEV) rural promotion campaign. Through measures including vehicle trade-in programs, charging and battery-swapping infrastructure development, and tax incentives, the initiative aims to further stimulate the replacement of gasoline vehicles and EV consumption in county-level administrative regions and rural towns.

MW-level flash charging competition escalates as BYD, Geely, CATL compete for industry influence

Emily Kuo — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 07:48:51 GMT

In China's new energy vehicle (NEV) market, industry leader BYD introduced megawatt-level (MW) flash charging technology more than a year ago and further enhanced its fast-charging capabilities with the launch of its second-generation Blade Battery in March 2026. Now, major competitors, including Geely and CATL, have also entered the space. Flash-charging technology remains in a stage of extensive validation and limited pilot deployment, but Chinese automakers and battery manufacturers are already engaged in an intense marketing battle, reflecting the intensifying competition in the NEV market.

TSMC glass substrate rollout unlikely before 2030

Sherri Wang — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 07:09:23 GMT

The race to commercialize glass core substrates in advanced semiconductor packaging is heating up — but the technology is moving faster in headlines than in production lines. DIGITIMES has been tracking the latest developments in TSMC's CoPoS advanced packaging technology, with glass core substrates emerging as the most closely watched variable in that story.

How physical AI and ADAS-cockpit fusion are rewiring China's smart driving supply chain

Kevin Wang — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:45:00 GMT

Physical AI and ADAS-cockpit integration have become the two main forces driving upgrades in China's autonomous driving and smart cockpit supply chains, according to the latest report from DIGITIMES Research. Under this trend, automakers and tech companies are accelerating the deployment of world models and LLMs, with a new wave of mass production and commercial pilot runs expected in the second half of 2026.

Anthropic joins US$915 million Frontier push to scale carbon removal

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:36:14 GMT

Anthropic joined Frontier, the carbon removal procurement coalition, becoming the first AI startup to participate as surging power demand from AI data centers made corporate climate pledges harder to meet. The announcement came with Frontier securing an additional US$915 million in funding commitments, raising the coalition’s total to US$1.8 billion, according to Reuters and Bloomberg.

Taiwan auto parts makers forecast 2H26 recovery as tariff and geopolitical risks ease

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:35:50 GMT

Major Taiwan auto parts makers said they expected market conditions to improve in the second half of 2026 as tariff and geopolitical uncertainties eased, executives announced during annual shareholder meetings. Companies reported clearer visibility than in the first half of the year and outlined plans to boost competitiveness in the US and China markets.

Google loses Gemini co-lead as engineering VP joins OpenAI to research model building

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:35:40 GMT

Google Vice President of Engineering and Gemini model co-lead Noam Shazeer has left the company to join OpenAI, where he will focus on research into model-building methods, executives announced. The move was reported by multiple outlets and was confirmed by a public post from OpenAI leadership.

Groq CEO sees GPU and LPU as complementary as AI compute demand grows

Charlene Chen — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:28:29 GMT

Nvidia's planned US$20 billion strategic deal with Groq is built on a simple logic: as compute gets cheaper, demand keeps expanding. In a recent interview, Groq co-founder and CEO Jonathan Ross explained why Nvidia is expected to combine Groq's LPU with its latest Vera Rubin platform and how GPU and LPU can work as complementary engines in LLM inference.

AI server supply chain expansion accelerates across Southeast Asia

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:05:00 GMT

AI server orders are surging, and suppliers across the global supply chain are rapidly expanding capacity in Southeast Asia. Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam have emerged as the main hubs, with manufacturers racing to build plants, add lines, and secure positions in a market being reshaped by demand from cloud and AI customers.

Tesla files Megapod trademark in modular AI data center push

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:01:25 GMT

According to a trademark application filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Tesla has submitted an intent-to-use application for a new product name: Megapod. The trademark explicitly covers modular data center hardware systems engineered for AI computing, and the system is designed to bundle computer servers, AI data processing hardware, networking equipment, power distribution units (PDUs), and advanced cooling systems into a single, integrated physical unit.

Panjit upgrades hot swap tech to drive 2H26 growth

Emily Kuo — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 05:45:00 GMT

AI data centers are driving growth in demand for power management and power semiconductor components. Hot swap products, in particular, require a wide safe operating area (SOA) to prevent excessive surge current when a redundant power supply is inserted and activated, interacting with the system's large capacitors.

Column: Physical AI shifts from feature robots to smart robots

Charlene Chen — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 04:48:16 GMT

Over the past decade, annual venture capital invested in physical AI and robotics startups has surged from a few hundred million US dollars to nearly US$25 billion, more than a 10x increase concentrated in recent years.

China opens STAR Market pathway for AI model firms amid funding race

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 04:25:31 GMT

China's artificial intelligence (AI) industry has received another major policy boost. At the 2026 Lujiazui Forum in Shanghai, China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) Chairman Wu Qing announced that the STAR Market's fifth listing standard will be formally expanded to cover large language model (LLM) companies.

Global suppliers race accelerates: TSMC's first CoPoS demo tools enter validation

Charlene Chen — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 04:13:22 GMT

TSMC is accelerating its CoPoS rollout, replacing traditional round wafers with larger rectangular glass panels to support packaging demand for AI GPUs and HPC chips over the next several years. Supply chain sources said the first wave of demo equipment has already been installed at VisEra, a TSMC subsidiary.

Memory costs push Samsung Galaxy A37 pricier as S26 holds steady

Lily Hess — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 04:06:25 GMT

AI-driven memory price spikes are presenting a challenge for Samsung's smartphone business, with rising component prices eroding the affordability of its budget phones. At the same time, Samsung is seeking to use its new AI features to encourage new device purchases as memory prices dampen smartphone sales globally.

Toto reportedly bets bigger on semiconductor materials as AI pushes industry toward 1nm era

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 04:03:41 GMT

Japanese bathroom fixture maker Toto is deepening its commitment to the semiconductor industry, unveiling plans to invest JPY80 billion (approx. US$495.3 million) over the next five years to expand production of advanced ceramic materials used in chip manufacturing. According to a Nikkei Asia report, the company aims to support future-generation semiconductor processes in the 1nm range, extending a business that has become a major profit driver amid the AI boom.

The car that changes color: Behind BMW's five-year journey from prototype to production

Emily Kuo — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:52:07 GMT

Among the highlights of COMPUTEX 2026 was a color-changing e-paper concept car jointly developed by BMW and E Ink Holdings. With its surreal, sci-fi appearance, the vehicle drew the attention of tech enthusiasts in droves.

China bars govt purchases of products from 46 US firms

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:29:10 GMT

China has announced restrictions on government procurement of products made by 46 US companies, a move that could affect cross-border business ties and supply chains, with implications beyond China and the United States. The measure applies to public purchasing activities and excludes US-invested firms operating in China, according to the notice.

YMTC NAND share rises to 13%, alarming South Korean rivals

Lily Hess — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:25:26 GMT

China's memory makers are moving from technology catch-up to capital-market expansion, with ChangXin Memory Technologies' (CXMT) parent and Yangtze Memory Technology (YMTC) both preparing initial public offerings (IPOs) to fund future capacity growth and technology upgrades. South Korean industry players are paying particularly close attention to YMTC, which focuses on NAND Flash and is closing in on Korean suppliers across market share, 3D NAND layer stacking, output expansion, and building channels in consumer solid-state drives (SSD).

Intel-Nvidia co-developed PC processor to reportedly debut at CES 2028

Emily Kuo — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:23:11 GMT

According to an exclusive report by VideoCardz, Intel's first x86 system-on-chip (SoC) integrating an Nvidia RTX GPU has been added to its internal product roadmap and is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2028, potentially making its public debut at CES 2028.

Intel and AMD unveil ACE in x86 counteroffensive against Arm

DIGITIMES — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:16:28 GMT

Intel and AMD have jointly introduced AI Compute Extensions (ACE), a new x86 instruction set specification designed to accelerate AI workloads on CPUs, marking one of the clearest signs yet that the x86 ecosystem is mounting a coordinated response to the rise of Arm-based processors in AI computing.

Samsung sees ongoing SoC losses drag down System LSI's 2026 performance

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 02:45:28 GMT

In a rare public admission during an internal briefing, Park Yong-In, president of the System LSI Business of the Device Solutions (DS) Division at Samsung Electronics, expressed concern over losses in the company's system-on-chip (SoC) business. As a result, the overall system LSI business is also expected to post a loss in 2026.

Microsoft considers DeepSeek as OpenAI costs mount

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 02:38:51 GMT

Microsoft is reportedly considering introducing a fine-tuned version of the Chinese open-source model DeepSeek V4 into its enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) tool Copilot Cowork, as a lower-cost alternative to models from OpenAI and Anthropic. According to a report by Axios, the company is expected to finalize and announce its decision in the coming weeks.