DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

China's price war cuts humanoid robot hand costs in half — but precision parts resist

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 04:43:04 GMT

Competition in China's humanoid robot market is driving down prices for dexterous hands and other key parts, with implications for suppliers and buyers worldwide. Rapid product cycles are forcing cost cuts, while technical barriers, especially in high-precision components, continue to shape which manufacturers can compete globally.

China's chip material makers riding the AI boom close in on Japan

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 04:37:55 GMT

Chinese semiconductor material manufacturers are accelerating investments in advanced products as Beijing pushes for greater self-sufficiency, challenging the long-standing dominance of Japanese suppliers in a global market valued at US$73.2 billion.

Amazon's new US$1 billion division aims to embed AI engineers in clients' teams

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 04:36:11 GMT

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is rolling out a new engineering division aimed at helping companies move beyond experimenting with artificial intelligence and start running it at the core of their operations.

AI chip startup Rebellions' acquisition of SqueezeBits signals push beyond hardware

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 04:09:07 GMT

South Korean AI chip designer Rebellions said on June 30 that it is acquiring AI inference optimization company SqueezeBits, as part of an effort to become a full-stack AI infrastructure provider rather than a chip designer alone.

South Korea's southwest chip hub plan faces supplier gap

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 03:58:33 GMT

South Korea's plan to build a KRW800 trillion (approx. US$51 billion) memory fab cluster in the southwestern Honam region is running into an inconvenient fact: the region has the country's weakest base of semiconductor materials, components, and equipment suppliers, according to government data submitted to lawmaker Koo Ja-keun and cited by Chosun Ilbo.

Taiwan outpaces world in AI adoption, but firms lack strategy, Microsoft finds

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 03:56:09 GMT

Artificial intelligence is moving from a personal productivity aid into core business operations, and Taiwan is among the global leaders in adoption. Microsoft says local workers are advancing faster than corporate strategy, a gap that could shape how companies worldwide compete, reorganize work, and capture AI-driven gains.

Schneider Electric to acquire industrial AI firm Cognite for US$3.1B

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 03:51:33 GMT

Schneider Electric, the French energy management and automation giant, announced that it has agreed to acquire Cognite, a Norwegian industrial data and AI software company, in an all-cash deal valued at US$3.1 billion. The deal is meant to reinforce the former's software line-up as it positions itself for a future of AI-powered industrial automation.

GigaDevice flags memory cycle risks amid share price surge

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 03:50:03 GMT

GigaDevice Technology Group has warned investors of heightened stock trading risks following its share price surge in recent weeks. The Chinese chipmaker said the move has lifted valuation levels well above industry averages, while cyclical swings in the memory market could later pressure earnings, a concern with potential relevance for global semiconductor investors.

Chinese battery makers reportedly shut out of Japan's cybersecurity certification

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 03:13:33 GMT

Chinese manufacturers of grid-connected battery storage systems have reportedly yet to obtain Japan's cybersecurity certification ahead of a new compliance requirement, potentially limiting their participation in one of Asia's fastest-growing energy storage markets.

Taiwan starts collecting carbon fee, with highest amount from semiconductor firms

Rodney Chan — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 03:06:32 GMT

Taiwan's carbon fee system has begun collecting payments, with the first batch covering 240 high-emitting companies across 461 factories and generating NT$4.97 billion (US$156.07 million) in initial revenue. Taiwan also plans to roll out an emissions trading system (ETS) in 2028, initially targeting 20 major emitters in the steel, cement, and semiconductor sectors.

China humanoid robot commercialization accelerates, shipments to reach 50,000 in 2026

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 02:59:56 GMT

China's humanoid robot market is expected to move ahead into the early stages of commercialization. Morgan Stanley recently raised its latest outlook for the country's humanoid robot market significantly, increasing its projection for full-year 2026 shipments to 50,000 units from 28,000 units, and forecasting shipments to reach 446,000 units by 2030.

DeepSeek V4 introduces utility-style AI pricing in shift beyond China's LLM price war

Levi Li — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 02:54:38 GMT

DeepSeek will launch the official version of its V4 large language model (LLM) in mid-July alongside peak and off-peak API pricing, prompting debate among developers. By doubling peak-hour API rates, the company is shifting AI inference from flat-rate pricing towards a dynamic resource management model similar to cloud computing and electricity markets.

China loosens auto aftermarket rules, but Taiwan firms are holding their ground in the US

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 02:41:44 GMT

China's latest policy to expand auto aftermarket consumption stands to reshape demand for parts, repairs, and modifications at home, yet its implications extend far beyond its borders. For global suppliers, the move highlights a fast-changing market where local competition is intense, even as export-oriented manufacturers continue to focus on the larger, more mature US market.

Chinese lens suppliers expect smartphone shipments to fall 12% in 2026

Sherri Wang — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 02:33:06 GMT

Chinese smartphone camera lens suppliers expect global handset shipments to remain under pressure through 2027, even as Apple prepares new devices.

India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 reportedly clears Finance Ministry hurdle as govt highlights first-phase progress

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 02:31:33 GMT

India's proposed second phase of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM 2.0) has reportedly taken a key step forward, clearing the Finance Ministry's Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), according to Indian media reports. The development could pave the way for a broader expansion of the country's semiconductor manufacturing ambitions.

Japan launches US$6.2 billion AI initiative as SoftBank consortium targets physical AI leadership

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 02:23:27 GMT

Japan is making one of its largest AI investments to date, committing up to JPY1 trillion (approx. US$6.2 billion) to support a domestic AI foundation model led by a consortium headed by SoftBank. The move reflects Tokyo's effort to reduce reliance on US and Chinese AI technologies while strengthening its manufacturing competitiveness. According to Nikkei Asia, the five-year project will receive an initial JPY387.3 billion in fiscal 2026, with additional funding tied to development progress.

Anthropic's Sonnet 5 delivers near-Opus performance at 60% lower cost as export ban lifts

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 02:11:29 GMT

The US Commerce Department on June 30 removed export restrictions on two of Anthropic's most advanced AI models, ending a roughly three-week freeze that had disrupted enterprise and government users in allied countries.

AI fuels OSAT pricing power as chip packaging orders fill through 2027

Levi Li — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 01:49:28 GMT

Cloud AI demand is reshaping the seasonal cycle of the semiconductor industry, with capacity tightness spreading from front-end manufacturing to back-end packaging and testing. Since late 2025, outsourced semiconductor assembly and test, or OSAT, capacity has tightened steadily. New capacity added in 2026 has also been filled quickly, prompting multiple IC design houses to lock in capacity and pushing order visibility beyond 2027.

The price behind India's investment boom

Rodney Chan — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 01:45:00 GMT

India, the world's most populous democracy, is pushing hard to expand transport and power infrastructure to support manufacturing and technology growth. However, EY said unclear demand definitions, poor contractor management, and regulatory differences often lead to cost overruns and project delays for companies investing in India.

AI chip complexity stretches electronic materials order windows to six months, DuPont spinoff warns

Charlene Chen — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 01:30:00 GMT

As the AI wave drives rapid growth across the global semiconductor industry, the upstream electronic materials supply chain has become a key bottleneck for AI-related shipments. To keep pace with AI investment, Qnity was spun off from US chemical giant DuPont and listed independently in November 2025.

Naphtha supply risk adds pressure to semiconductor materials

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 01:18:29 GMT

A crude oil shortage tied to the US-Iran war is raising concern about naphtha, a refinery byproduct used deep in industrial supply chains. While a direct semiconductor shortage is not yet seen, higher input costs are already spreading, and global manufacturers may face longer-term pressure if disruptions persist worldwide.

Taiwan sends defense drone bills to committee review as supply chain ramps up

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 01:05:45 GMT

Taiwan's legislature moved defense drone proposals to committee review on July 3 after heated debate, advancing plans to fund a domestic autonomous unmanned vehicles program and prompting a near-term boost in activity across the local drone supply chain. The Executive Yuan had approved a draft special act backed by a special budget of NT$210 billion (US$6.6 billion) for procurement of autonomous defense unmanned vehicles, and rival bills from the Kuomintang and the Taiwan People's Party were also sent to committee review.

Global auto supply chain braces for fiercer 3Q26 profit battle

Kevin Wang — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:33:21 GMT

The global automotive supply chain remained in turmoil in the first half of 2026 due primarily to geopolitical challenges and subsidy adjustments in Europe, the US, and China, as well as external factors including inflation, armed conflicts, and swings in consumer spending.

Taiwan's connector makers head into 2H26 on AI demand, but face rising costs and supply constraints

Willis Ke — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:33:13 GMT

AI-driven demand is expected to keep Taiwan's connector industry on a growth trajectory in the second half of 2026, with AI servers, data centers and high-speed interconnects continuing to underpin investment. Yet a combination of component shortages, elevated raw material prices and product transition costs is making the outlook less straightforward, raising questions over margins and the pace of shipments.

LCD TV panel makers face a softer peak season as demand weakens and costs climb

Lily Hess — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:33:03 GMT

Liquid-crystal-display (LCD) TV panel makers face a muted peak season in the second half of 2026, as weaker demand, rising material costs, and looser supply-demand conditions put pressure on prices. Although early stocking tied to sports events, plus shortages and price hikes in components such as memory, lifted global TV panel shipments in the first half of 2026, the market is now entering the traditional busy season with little sign of a strong rebound.

Taiwan auto market levels as easing US tariff uncertainty boosts parts exporters

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:32:53 GMT

Taiwan's auto industry has begun to recover as recent clarity around US tariff policy eased months of pressure on manufacturers, dealers and aftermarket parts exporters, executives said. The shift, reported in late June, allowed delayed parts imports and new-car assembly schedules to resume, enabling factories and dealers to reconfigure production and prepare for the traditional sales peak in the second half of the year.

H2U eyes AI health data opportunity with July Innovation Board listing

AI bot — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:32:42 GMT

Growing demand for health data, AI applications and corporate wellness management is driving Taiwan's digital health industry. H2U, the country's largest digital health technology platform, announced that it will list on the Taiwan Innovation Board (TIB) at the end of July 2026.

Industry 4.0 demand keeps TADC on track for double-digit growth in 2H26

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:32:32 GMT

Computer-aided engineering (CAE) solutions provider Taiwan Auto Design (TADC) held an earnings call on June 29, stating that, with collaborative product commerce (CPC) personnel now in place and Industry 4.0 projects entering a phase of intensive customer acceptance, the company is expected to see further growth in the second half of 2026.

South Korea's southwest chip hub grows from memory fabs into full semiconductor and AI ecosystem

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:32:02 GMT

South Korea's government laid out a detailed plan on June 30 for building its southwest region into a major new semiconductor production base, with SK, Samsung Electronics and Amkor outlining a combined KRW896 trillion (approx. US$581 billion) in investment covering memory chip fabs, AI data centers and advanced packaging.

SK Hynix talent hunt targets HBM's next frontiers while drawing Samsung employees' attention

Lily Hess — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:30:09 GMT

SK Hynix's latest senior hiring drive has reignited debate in South Korea's semiconductor industry, with the move seen as more than routine R&D reinforcement and as a sign that competition in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market has entered a new stage. As AI chips demand more from memory, logic design, advanced process nodes, and packaging integration, talent with system semiconductor and foundry experience has become a strategic asset.

Why South Korea may struggle to replicate Taiwan's semiconductor success

Levi Li — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:29:54 GMT

South Korea is moving to build a complete semiconductor supply chain modeled on Taiwan's technology corridor, but Gudeng chairman Bill Chiu said the hardest part to replicate is not science parks or fabrication plants, but Taiwan's deeply rooted supply chain culture.

TASA upgrades TRITON weather satellite data with NOAA collaboration

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:29:36 GMT

The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) announced on June 30 that the wind data product generated by TRITON, Taiwan's first domestically developed weather satellite, has been upgraded to Version 2.1. The update significantly increases the volume of wind observation data and shortens processing time through an expanded ground station network and improvements to the data processing pipeline.

China's private rocket makers chase SpaceX model as satellite demand strains launch capacity

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:29:22 GMT

China's private rocket industry is entering a make-or-break decade, as low-Earth orbit satellite demand, reusable launch technology, and STAR Market reforms drive the race to build a "China SpaceX."

South Korea's AI memory push draws scrutiny from both Taiwan and China

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:28:18 GMT

South Korea's plan to send Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix into a new memory hub in Gwangju and South Jeolla is drawing scrutiny from Taiwan and China, as Seoul defends the project against political criticism at home and questions over whether another major memory buildout could test the industry cycle.

China ADAS chipmaker Horizon Robotics faces BYD test after No. 2 climb

DIGITIMES — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 00:28:03 GMT

Horizon Robotics has become China's No. 2 supplier of intelligent-driving domain controller chips, but its next test is harder: deepening BYD ties, fending off automakers' in-house chip plans, and turning its software ecosystem into profit.

Walmart signs first nuclear power agreement to secure 176 MW of zero-emission supply

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:06:43 GMT

Walmart and Constellation Energy announced on June 23 that the retailer signed its first nuclear power purchase agreement, securing about 176 MW of zero-emission electricity from the Dresden Clean Energy Center in Illinois. The deal comprises two 15-year contracts that include 30 MW of new generation capacity and are scheduled to begin in 2029 and 2030.