DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Physical AI drives autonomous driving upgrade; three efficiency factors lift AI accelerator demand

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:24:31 GMT

End-to-end autonomous driving has become the mainstream technology path, and the inference demand created by Physical AI in autonomous driving systems is, in turn, reshaping automotive system-on-chip (SoC) design.

AMD pivots to China developer ecosystems as Nvidia retreats

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:59:19 GMT

As Nvidia gradually retreats from China's high-end AI accelerator market amid strict US export controls, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is deepening its regional AI strategy. Rather than relying solely on traditional CPU and GPU sales, AMD is shifting its focus toward edge AI platforms, AI PCs, agent computers, local developer communities, and university partnerships.

SK Hynix looks beyond HBM as inference workloads diversify

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:27:29 GMT

SK Hynix is expanding its memory strategy beyond the conventional GPU-HBM pairing as inference workloads split between latency-sensitive services and capacity-heavy, long-context applications.

Asia's healthcare AI moves from trials to real-world deployment

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:18:04 GMT

At a healthcare AI forum in Wonju on Thursday, September 17, speakers from Taiwan and China argued that AI for hospitals must be built for local patients, local languages, and local clinical guidelines.

Deloitte Taiwan seminar highlights system integration as Physical AI moves into industrial applications

Willis Ke — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:55:00 GMT

Taiwan's next opportunity in Physical AI may depend less on individual robot components than on its ability to integrate hardware, software, sensing and control into deployable industrial systems, industry and research leaders said at a Deloitte Taiwan seminar in Taichung on September 15.

Trumpf eyes glass as AI demand drives packaging innovation

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:32:47 GMT

At the China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE), representatives from German laser and plasma generator maker Trumpf offered a glimpse into the company's push to extend its laser solutions to advanced chip packaging, specifically for drilling holes in glass substrates.

Samsung bets on zHBM as 2.5D memory nears its limits

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:25:55 GMT

Samsung Electronics is betting on vertically stacked zHBM to move memory beyond the physical constraints of conventional 2.5D architectures, setting a system-level target of raising AI response throughput from about 100 to 1,000 tokens per second per user as workloads become more demanding.

Topview sees supply-chain shifts supporting orders as AI investment reshapes its outlook

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:20:00 GMT

Topview Optronics said shifts tied to artificial intelligence are helping it secure orders through the end of 2026, even as it continues to contend with memory shortages and rising component costs. The surveillance equipment maker said it is accelerating its adoption of AI and smart factory technology, and expects only slight full-year growth in 2026 compared with 2025.

CXMT cashes in on the DRAM shortage — and takes aim at HBM

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:19:24 GMT

ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is emerging from the memory shortage with sharply higher profits and greater pricing power, giving China's largest DRAM maker more resources to expand into LPDDR6 and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) while China's domestic memory supply chain moves further upstream.

TSMC reconsiders 12-inch equipment donation as Taiwan overhauls scope of research partnership

Charlene Chen — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:11:45 GMT

TSMC's planned donation of 12-inch equipment is facing changes as the government adjusts the scope of a semiconductor collaboration project, while Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has not yet approved the related 2027 budget. NSTC Minister Cheng-Wen Wu said the partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) and ITRI EOSL remains unchanged, although the location has shifted.

Memory LTAs lock up 50-70% of capacity

Charlene Chen — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:51:36 GMT

The memory industry remains in short supply, and major chipmakers are raising the share of capacity committed to long-term supply agreements (LTAs) while extending their duration from three to five years, with many in the industry expecting 2027 to be the tightest year yet. Supply chain sources said Kioxia has about 50% of its LTA capacity tied up, while South Korea's two major vendors reserve about 70% of capacity for LTAs. Micron also has around 60% of its capacity locked into such agreements.

The Trump-Jensen speakerphone diplomacy: how Nvidia turned political pressure into a seat at the table

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:34:34 GMT

The relationship between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and US President Donald Trump has evolved from policy friction to a strategic alignment. The rapid shift in their dynamic reflects how deeply the AI sector has become intertwined with US-China technology rivalries and domestic manufacturing policies.

VLEO emerges as next orbital frontier as China warns of critical 2026–2030 window

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:13:00 GMT

Very low Earth orbit (VLEO) is moving from concept toward real-world deployment.

Humanoid robots could reshape MEMS demand as physical AI advances

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:20:00 GMT

Humanoid robots have not yet reached mass adoption, but their sensor needs are already reshaping supply-chain expectations worldwide. Analysts and industry players say the next wave of physical AI could lift demand for MEMS chips, edge computing, and advanced sensing, with broader implications for robotics makers, component suppliers, and global technology markets. Industry players say these systems need several times more sensors than conventional robots, creating a large opportunity for MEMS and sensor suppliers even if unit revenue per robot stays relatively modest.

Ardentec, Sigurd race into silicon photonics TIA testing as US client books capacity

Lily Hess — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:15:00 GMT

The global optical communications module market continues to grow, and Taiwan's test and packaging companies are moving to capture demand in silicon photonics (SiPh) transimpedance amplifier (TIA) testing as AI data-center networks shift toward faster optical interconnects. Ardentec and Sigurd are among the firms benefiting as a major US customer rushes to reserve capacity.

Tier IV open-sources self-driving AI chip design to challenge Nvidia

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:12:00 GMT

Japanese autonomous driving developer Tier IV is developing an AI chip and will release its chip design and related toolchain as open source, allowing semiconductor manufacturers to use them to develop autonomous driving chips. The company aims to break Nvidia's dominant position in the autonomous driving chip market.

Huawei Connect 2026: OceanStor M900 turns PB-scale KV cache into Huawei's next AI infrastructure layer

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 05:49:34 GMT

Huawei has unveiled the OceanStor M900 at Huawei Connect 2026, extending its AI infrastructure strategy into memory and storage with a petabyte-scale key-value (KV) cache system designed for AI agents and long-context inference.

Wiwynn sees strong AI demand offsetting US data center pushback

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 05:14:00 GMT

Wiwynn's top executive said demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure is likely to keep the server maker on a strong growth path through the next several years, even as US opposition to data centers builds. The company is still expanding aggressively in North America, citing customer pressure, record revenue, and an improving margin profile.

Samsung Galaxy S27 series rumored to feature 4 models, reshaping flagship lineup with display and camera upgrades

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics is expected to launch its Galaxy S27 series in early 2027, marking what could be its most significant product lineup restructuring in years. Market reports indicate that the newly added Galaxy S27 Pro will substantially narrow the specification gap with the Ultra model. Both high-end smartphones are expected to share top-tier features, including 60W wired fast charging, a 200-megapixel main camera, and the latest M16 OLED display. Samsung will continue to use telephoto cameras, screen sizes, battery capacities, and S Pen support to differentiate the models, establishing a new "dual high-end flagship" hierarchy.

China optical suppliers power smart glasses supply chain

Lily Hess — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:45:00 GMT

China's optical suppliers are playing a growing role in the global smart glasses, VR, and AR supply chain as AI glasses demand accelerates worldwide. Industry sources say more than 80% of smart glasses suppliers are from China, with Chinese vendors covering key areas from camera modules and light waveguides to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and batteries.

Samsung expands SRAM, IP to speed chip development

Lily Hess — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:30:03 GMT

Memory shortages and pricing pressures are reshaping Samsung Electronics' foundry intellectual property (IP) development, as faster AI chip refresh cycles push customers to demand stronger process competitiveness, faster development, and better-prepared infrastructure including IP. Samsung is responding by expanding memory design options, IP, and development tools through its Samsung Advanced Foundry Ecosystem (SAFE) program.

AI's memory appetite is squeezing the electronics industry from the bottom up, Intel warns

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:29:33 GMT

Fast-moving advances in chip production have spurred a semiconductor boom, markedly altering the manufacturing scope of the broader high-tech industry.

Why Taiwan's tech needs better storytelling to win global capital

Kevin Wang — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:26:00 GMT

Taiwan has demonstrated its strong R&D and innovative capabilities in tech, but the challenge remains in propelling these technologies to global markets. In the opinion of Edison Awards CEO Frank Bonafilia, Taiwan is not lacking in innovation, but the real hurdles lie in securing capital and backing from major investment banks, and building partnerships with major global firms to commercialize and scale up Taiwan-developed technologies.

Foxconn Interconnect Technology targets the scaling challenge in AI optical interconnects

Levi Li — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:13:05 GMT

Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT), a subsidiary of Foxconn, held FIT Tech Day 2026 on September 16 under the theme "Light at Scale: The Next Frontier in Data Center Interconnects," bringing together global leaders from the optical communications, AI, and semiconductor industries to examine the next generation of AI connectivity across light sources, materials, photonics, network architecture, manufacturing, and the broader industry ecosystem.

Taiwan readies ETS pilot as overseas expansion drives demand

Charlene Chen — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:12:18 GMT

Taiwan is developing an emissions trading scheme (ETS) alongside its carbon fee system, with the Ministry of Environment planning to issue a pilot-plan draft by the end of 2026 and targeting a pilot launch in 2028 to align with international systems. Minister Chi-Ming Peng said the pilot will cover 20 companies and 126 factories, and participation will be voluntary.

Taiwan to pilot ETS by end-2026, experts urge three safeguards

Charlene Chen — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:12:10 GMT

Taiwan will launch a pilot emissions trading scheme (ETS) by the end of 2026 to help semiconductor and technology manufacturers align with international systems. Ministry of Environment adviser and former deputy environment minister Wen-Chen Shih said the ETS design must address three key areas.

Huawei Connect 2026: Ascend 960 puts industry-first NPO supernode at heart of Huawei's AI scale-up bet

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:09:12 GMT

Huawei has unveiled its next-generation Ascend 960 supernode, positioning near-packaged optics (NPO) at the centre of its effort to scale AI computing beyond the limits of individual accelerators. Huawei said the system is the industry's first supernode to adopt NPO and is designed to support large-scale training and inference for models with up to 10 trillion parameters.

20 of China's OSATs push into advanced packaging amid EUV curbs

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:07:04 GMT

China is broadening its advanced packaging base as restrictions on leading-edge semiconductor equipment complicate further process-node scaling. The effort now extends beyond the country's largest outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) suppliers to specialist packaging houses and chiplet startups, increasingly targeting AI and high-performance computing (HPC).

iPhone 18 Pro preorders rise up to 20% in Taiwan as foldable Duo debuts

Willis Ke — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:04:59 GMT

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are emerging as the main drivers of Taiwan's premium smartphone upgrade cycle, with preorder demand running ahead of last year despite the debut of the company's first foldable iPhone, iPhone Duo. Data Express, an Apple specialist retailer, said on September 16 that the Pro models remain the preferred choice among consumers, while the foldable device is creating a new source of interest in the premium segment.

China's LCD trio flexes newfound pricing power as Taiwan panel makers retreat

Lily Hess — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:59:51 GMT

China's top three liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel makers have sent written price-increase notices to customers for the first time, as Taiwan's leading panel makers sell factories and China tightens its grip on the global market. With South Korea and Japan already out of the thin-film-transistor LCD (TFT-LCD) market, China now controls more than 70% of LCD TV and monitor panel share, creating an effective oligopoly.

FIT ramps up optical interconnect push as AI race shifts to connectivity

Eifeh Strom — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:55:00 GMT

At the FIT Tech Day 2026 on September 16, Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT) chairman Sidney Lu noted that as artificial intelligence (AI) advances rapidly, the industry's focus is shifting from simply pursuing greater computing power to improving the overall efficiency of data centers. He said the key to the next 10 years of AI lies not only in chips and computing performance, but also in whether data can flow smoothly within data centers and across different systems through faster, more stable, and more efficient connectivity.

SK Hynix weighs US memory options as buyers lock in 2027 supply

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:54:12 GMT

SK Hynix is keeping its US memory options open as customers move earlier to secure 2027 supply, with tightening availability raising pressure on memory makers to consider additional capacity.

Samsung reportedly starts Tesla chip trial production at Taylor fab

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:51:40 GMT

Samsung Electronics has reportedly begun trial production of Tesla's next-generation AI5 processor at its Taylor foundry in Texas, moving the US fab into 2nm wafer production and yield verification ahead of full-scale operations.

TOK completes KRW101 billion facility in South Korea to bolster semiconductor supply chain

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:40:09 GMT

Japanese semiconductor materials leader Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK) held a completion ceremony on September 15, 2026, for a new KRW101 billion (US$73.1 million) production plant in the Poseung District of Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

AI risk split among tech leaders set to play out at Trump-Xi White House dinner

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:36:14 GMT

Former Apple CEO Tim Cook and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are set to attend a White House state dinner on Sept. 24, 2026, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and other business leaders also expected to attend, according to people familiar with the matter. Trump, who is hosting the dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, has invited Cook, Altman, Huang and other business leaders — even as a fight over the pace of AI development roils Silicon Valley and Washington alike. OpenAI's chief global affairs officer, Chris Lehane, has confirmed Altman's attendance.

General-purpose home robots face sensing test

Rodney Chan — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:29:26 GMT

General-purpose home robots are the ultimate goal for the humanoid robotics industry, but the market remains at an early stage. DIGITIMES analysts said the key to commercialization is not just whether a robot can move, but whether it can understand a complex and constantly changing home environment, complete tasks, and execute different functions reliably.

Circular economy tests material mastery and consumers' willingness to pay

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:27:00 GMT

The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40) has been in force since Aug. 12, 2026, underscoring the rising importance of circular materials as sustainability pressures intensify. Hsu Hsiang-jui, deputy general manager of the Plastic Industry Development Center, said the circular economy is driving five major trends: reduction and recycling, reuse, mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and circular materials.

South Korea's medical device city opens physical AI institute, aiming to train 1,400 workers in five years

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:26:52 GMT

Wonju, a South Korean city of about 360,000, roughly 90 minutes east of Seoul, opened a government-funded institute on Thursday, September 17, to train more than 1,400 workers in artificial intelligence over five years.

Apple's AI ambitions are outgrowing the Mac — Nvidia may hold the key

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:06:34 GMT

Apple is exploring a return to the enterprise server market with an AI inference system built around future M8 Ultra chips, potentially using Nvidia's NVLink Fusion interconnect technology.

Huawei sees AI agents driving 90% of token traffic by 2035

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 02:53:45 GMT

Huawei expects autonomous AI agents to become the dominant source of AI traffic over the next decade, creating a sharp increase in demand for computing, networking, storage and power infrastructure.

Foxconn links FII and FIT to tackle AI infrastructure beyond the chip

Levi Li — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 02:45:00 GMT

Foxconn Industrial Internet (FII) chairman Brand Cheng said Foxconn is integrating four core capabilities — technology, manufacturing, management and vertical integration — to move beyond standalone product supply toward system-level solutions across AI servers, high-speed interconnects, optical communications, power and cooling.

Dassault Systemes shifts to AI-native platforms, stakes its next phase on Taiwan

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 02:38:28 GMT

Dassault Systemes marked 20 years in Taiwan with a sharper message about where it plans to go next. The company said it is moving beyond AI-enabled software and toward an AI-native platform, arguing that industrial users need systems built around AI from the start, not just software with added tools and features.

ByteDance's Anew Labs reportedly raises US$290M as AI drug discovery gains momentum

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 02:04:18 GMT

ByteDance has completed a US$290 million funding round for Anew Labs, its AI drug-discovery business spun off from the Chinese technology group, valuing the company at US$1.5 billion, according to Reuters. ByteDance will retain a 56% stake following the fundraising.

Taiwan machine tool makers target aerospace, semiconductor boom at major trade shows

Eifeh Strom — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:59:30 GMT

Taiwanese machine tool manufacturers are taking part in two major manufacturing trade shows in Europe and the US this September. The participation reflects a shift in Taiwan's machine tool industry from supplying standalone equipment and components toward integrated processes and smart manufacturing solutions.

Google reportedly weighs CoWoS backup for 2027 TPU as EMIB-T substrate yields lag

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:58:46 GMT

Google's Humufish TPU project, scheduled to enter mass production by the end of 2027, is set to adopt Intel's EMIB-T advanced packaging technology with support from ASIC partner MediaTek. MediaTek has also stated during an earnings call that EMIB-T yields have reached levels capable of supporting stable mass production, expressing confidence in the project's 2027 production plans.

Exclusive: China's CAS institute charts DUV route to 3nm GAA without EUV

Levi Li — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:50:37 GMT

China's advanced semiconductor research has reached another milestone. The Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has established a gate-all-around (GAA) device development path for advanced process nodes below 3nm that does not rely on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography as its core technology.

China's FAW may become GAC's second-largest shareholder, possibly restructuring the Toyota China model

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:45:27 GMT

Consolidation chatter within China's automotive industry has reignited following an announcement by Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC Group). Late on September 14, GAC disclosed that it had entered into a non-binding intent agreement with China First Automobile Group (FAW). Under the proposed transaction, GAC intends to acquire a partial stake in an undisclosed vehicle joint venture held by FAW via the issuance of new GAC shares. Upon completion of the share swap, FAW is expected to emerge as GAC's second-largest shareholder.

Chip equipment, materials suppliers lead India investment pledges ahead of SEMICON India 2026

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:34:57 GMT

Foreign commitments timed around SEMICON India are moving deeper into the supply chain. In the three days before the 2026 edition opened on September 17, Lam Research, Applied Materials, and Fujifilm announced India plans worth a combined INR144 billion (US$1.50 billion), covering silicon components, chip equipment, and process chemicals rather than chip production itself.

Onsemi puts power density at the center of its next-decade strategy

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:31:02 GMT

Onsemi is seeking to capture more value from AI, electrification, and automation by expanding from individual semiconductors into integrated power systems. Its strategy for the next decade centers on improving power density: delivering more power in less space while managing heat, efficiency, and reliability.

Fujifilm to invest US$83 million in semiconductor materials plant in India

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:14:58 GMT

Japan's Fujifilm plans to set up a greenfield semiconductor materials manufacturing facility in India with a total investment of approximately INR8 billion (US$83.33 million), the company said in a statement on September 16, 2026. Construction of the first phase is scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2026, with commercial production targeted for fiscal year 2028.

Applied Materials announces 10-year investment plan ahead of SEMICON India

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:03:39 GMT

US-based semiconductor equipment maker Applied Materials will invest INR36 billion (US$375 million)) in the Indian state of Karnataka over the next 10 years, Karnataka Industries Minister M B Patil said on September 15, 2026. The project, to be located in the Bengaluru Signature Business Park (BSBP) area, is expected to create around 1,000 jobs, according to Moneycontrol and PTI.

Lam Research plans US$1 billion India manufacturing expansion

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:59:18 GMT

Lam Research plans to invest INR100 billion (approx. US$1.04 billion) in India over the next several years, adding its first silicon component manufacturing facility in the country and expanding its advanced research and development operations.

Meta's next smart glasses reportedly drop the camera as privacy concerns mount

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:09:07 GMT

Meta Platforms is preparing a new pair of smart glasses without a camera, a move that could address a key social barrier facing wearable devices as the market expands rapidly.

Musk hints at Tesla-SpaceX merger, but the companies are already converging underneath

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:08:24 GMT

The broader high-tech landscape has wondered for years about the subtle transactions and movements unfolding underneath the enormous technology ecosystem Elon Musk has stitched together amid a rapidly expanding business reach across AI-driven industries.

SK Hynix reportedly eyes Intel Ohio plant for US memory production

Charlene Chen — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:07:16 GMT

SK Hynix is reportedly lining up US memory chip production and is in talks with Intel over possible cooperation, including leasing part of Intel's Ohio facilities. The move would give SK Hynix its first memory chip manufacturing base in the US as Washington steps up pressure on chipmakers to expand domestic investment.

Elon Musk urges rival testing to expose AI safety flaws

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:06:34 GMT

Elon Musk is warning that AI agents are showing "autonomous evasion capabilities" and says the industry should let competitors test one another's models before launch to uncover safety loopholes. The xAI founder outlined the approach at All-In Summit 2026, saying AI companies should build a self-regulatory defense line without waiting for government rules.

Column: China tightens rare earth controls, exposing hidden vulnerabilities in Taiwan's supply chain

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:05:21 GMT

China's rare earth export controls are changing the rules governing global critical mineral supply chains. For Taiwan, the real concern is not that China could suddenly halt all exports one day, but that export licensing, end-use reviews, price volatility, longer lead times, and "hidden dependencies" embedded in intermediate materials and components could gradually raise the cost and uncertainty of maintaining normal production.

Physical AI targets factory assembly pain points

Rodney Chan — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:04:25 GMT

Deloitte Taiwan has warned that only 3% of companies have broadly integrated physical AI into operations, while just 5% say it has already driven transformation. The firm said adoption remains slow because physical AI involves compliance and safety issues, and its growth pace is nowhere near that of agentic AI or generative AI.

Arcadyan expects third-quarter strength as Wi-Fi 7 upgrade cycle builds

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:03:53 GMT

Arcadyan Technology expects stronger revenue in the third quarter of 2026 as the network communications market enters its seasonal peak, with mobile communications leading growth. The Taiwanese supplier is seeing demand from the Americas, while Wi-Fi 7 upgrades, enterprise networking, and new product lines could shape global industry supply.

BizLink's expansion strategy signals a wider shift toward localized, risk-aware global supply chains

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:03:22 GMT

BizLink chairman Roger Liang said customer demand, market access, supply chain resilience, and local service needs have driven the company's overseas expansion as geopolitics, tariffs, and localization pressures reshape global manufacturing. He said every site, venture, and acquisition must be judged on controllable risk, reasonable returns, and long-term growth.

Kinpo's push into higher-margin products, quantum control signals a wider industrial pivot

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:32 GMT

Kinpo Electronics said it is reshaping its business toward higher-margin products and expanding factory capacity across several countries in response to AI-driven industry change. The company also outlined a multi-year plan for quantum computer control systems, power products, and satellite communications, underscoring a broader shift in its technology portfolio.

SK Hynix shifts supply chain planning for AI capex boom

DIGITIMES — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:07 GMT

AI-driven capacity expansion is pushing up demand for semiconductor equipment, and SK Hynix is strengthening supply chain management for equipment and components while shifting to a longer-term strategy.

South Korea's chip boom lifts 2027 corporate tax above KRW200 trillion

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 23:59:37 GMT

South Korea's semiconductor boom is spilling over from corporate profits into government tax revenue. Corporate tax revenue for fiscal 2027 is projected to reach KRW216.7 trillion (about US$160 billion), up 113.9% from the 2026 supplementary budget, topping KRW200 trillion for the first time and, after 15 years, overtaking income tax as the country's largest tax source.

OpenAI details AI jailbreak as Nvidia's CEO calls for engineering controllability

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 23:59:02 GMT

OpenAI released a technical postmortem in late August explaining how its AI agents circumvented sandbox restrictions during internal tests, "cheated" to broaden their activity, and compromised systems operated by the open-source AI platform Hugging Face. The report has since drawn intense Silicon Valley scrutiny, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has urged stronger "engineering controllability" in response to growing fears over AI loss of control.

Intel CEO warns of 2027 memory crunch and tighter CPU supply

Charlene Chen — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:41:00 GMT

AI infrastructure expansion is turning memory supply into a major bottleneck for the semiconductor industry. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan warned that the memory shortage in 2027 could be worse than in 2026, with cost pressure already spreading to smartphones and notebook PCs.

Charts: Taiwan's chip packaging growth runs deeper than ASE

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:43:00 GMT

Taiwan's back-end semiconductor sector is growing well beyond its largest player. The 24 listed packaging and testing firms tracked by DIGITIMES posted combined January-August 2026 revenue of NT$768.9 billion (approx. US$24.1 billion), up 27.1% from a year earlier. Without ASE Technology Holding, the rest of the group still grew 25.4%.

Samsung looks to outside suppliers as HBM boom shifts priorities

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:54:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics has long benefited from a level of vertical integration few technology companies can match, spanning smartphones, memory, chip design, foundry manufacturing and packaging. However, recent sourcing moves suggest those internal links are becoming more selective as individual businesses pursue their own customers, margins and capacity priorities.

Apple's foldable phone puts thinness, weight in focus

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:49:00 GMT

Apple's first foldable phone has sharpened global attention on smartphone design trade-offs, with weight, thickness, and component miniaturization becoming key benchmarks for consumers and competitors alike. For buyers worldwide, the latest competition suggests future handsets may be lighter, slimmer, and more expensive.

DIGITIMES Insight: SiC substrate capacity expansion continued; 6-inch substrate prices expected to rebound in 2027

Yunnie Cheng — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:39:00 GMT

DIGITIMES has observed that demand for silicon carbide (SiC) power devices has climbed rapidly in recent years as the EV market expands, triggering a massive wave of capacity expansion among SiC substrate makers. However, as SiC substrate capacity continued to surge, actual demand for SiC power devices from the EV sector fell short of expectations. This imbalance triggered a collapse in SiC substrate prices starting in 2024, extending the downward trend through 2026.

Huawei's 3D data center redesign targets the next AI compute density wall

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:38:00 GMT

Huawei has unveiled what it calls the world's first 3D data center, introducing a vertically stacked four-layer architecture designed for increasingly dense AI computing clusters and gigawatt-scale infrastructure.

TSMC's C.C. Wei says to solve problems, put customers first

Charlene Chen — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:40:00 GMT

TSMC chairman C.C. Wei and co-COO Y.J. Mii joined a forum on September 15, 2026, where Wei shared lessons from school, R&D and corporate management with National Taiwan University students via video, while Mii led a deeper discussion on advanced process technology and AI tools.

Jensen Huang's Galaxy Z Fold8 spotlights Nvidia-Samsung ties

Lily Hess — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:39:00 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has again been photographed using Samsung Electronics' latest foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold8, after being seen with a Galaxy Z Fold7 earlier in 2026. The latest sighting has drawn fresh attention to the close partnership between Samsung Electronics and Nvidia.

Charts: Memory chip designers carry Taiwan's IC design rebound

DIGITIMES — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:36:00 GMT

Taiwan's IC design sector is growing fast, but the gains are concentrated in memory. Combined January–August 2026 revenue at the 105 listed chip designers tracked by DIGITIMES reached NT$1.15 trillion, up 29.6% from a year earlier. Five memory-related companies added two-thirds of the NT$261.8 billion increase.

Huawei aims to become 'China's Nvidia,' rules out building satellites or spacecraft

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:10:00 GMT

Huawei's internal Heart Voice Community recently published minutes from a discussion between Guo Ping, chairman of Huawei's supervisory board, and newly hired employees, offering a glimpse into the company's ambitions in AI, computing, semiconductors, and future technologies.

Analysis: Jensen Huang is in Trump's ear; what it means for Taiwan's chip supply chain

Sherri Wang — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:51:16 GMT

"The narrative is much more practical," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said of China's approach to artificial intelligence (AI) at the All-In Summit 2026, contrasting it with US warnings about AI bringing civilization to an end.