DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

India roundup: AI data center buildout accelerates as semiconductor push continues to broaden

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:45:08 GMT

India's technology buildout is deepening across semiconductors and AI infrastructure, with chip IP, packaging and equipment initiatives advancing alongside data center expansion, high-density computing, optical connectivity and GPU deployments.

Largan shifts new plant to FAU production as smartphone orders soften

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:44:52 GMT

Largan Technology said on October 8 that demand for new smartphone models weakened in September and that its newly completed automated plant will be used entirely for fiber array units, or FAUs, for co-packaged optics applications. The optical lens maker said the move comes as customers are asking it to deliver the finished FAU product directly.

AI doubles Aker differential oscillator mix; 312.5MHz sample set for 4Q26

Lily Hess — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:44:33 GMT

Aker Technology said AI and electric vehicle demand are driving faster shipments, with automotive products accounting for 51.88% of sales in the first half of 2026. The quartz component maker also said its 312.5MHz product is scheduled to sample in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Episil chairman says SiC is not yet shifting from 6-inch to 8-inch

Charlene Chen — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:44:09 GMT

Episil held an earnings call on October 7, saying silicon carbide (SiC) capacity utilization has rebounded quickly from 30% at a low point to nearly 90% now. If 6-inch order demand keeps rising in 2027, the company will add capacity through 8-inch production. That has raised questions over whether the industry is entering a new wafer-size transition and whether 6-inch wafers are being phased out.

MAtek September 2026 revenue hits record for 7th straight month

Charlene Chen — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:43:37 GMT

MAtek, a leading semiconductor testing company, reported September 2026 revenue of NT$569 million (approx. US$17.8 million), up 12.31% year-over-year. Revenue for the first nine months reached NT$4.765 billion, rising 16.99% year-over-year, while third-quarter revenue climbed 16.14% year-over-year to NT$1.697 billion, a record for the period.

Baso Optical eyes steady performance in 2027 with focus on high-margin AOI, semiconductor, aerospace applications

Kevin Wang — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:43:11 GMT

Baso Precision Optics held its latest online earnings call on October 7, during which the company acknowledged short-term pressures on its gross margin, due to ongoing adjustments to its product mix, resulting in higher upfront costs and initial production yields that could still see improvement. Looking ahead to 2027, the company expects generally stable revenue and gross margin, with potential for additional growth depending on the validation of new products or pilot production breakthroughs in the semiconductor and automated optical inspection (AOI) segments.

Neweb Information lifts 2Q26 net profit 118% on IT upgrade demand

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:42:42 GMT

System integration provider Neweb Information, which is set to list on October 23, reported September 2026 revenue of NT$77.02 million (approx. US$2.41 million), up 33.48% year-over-year, as demand rose for enterprise core system replacements, network and cybersecurity upgrades, and AI infrastructure.

ICT inflation impact limited as supply shock falls short

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:42:13 GMT

Prices for electronic components such as memory, advanced copper foil, glass fiber cloth, and ABF substrates have been rising for some time as makers pass on costs amid tight supply. For the US, even if Apple raises retail prices for its core products, the impact on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is limited and the supply-side shock has been less severe than expected.

DIGITIMES Insight: Why AI is shifting telecom traffic to the uplink

Charlene Chen — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:41:45 GMT

AI is changing the logic of telecom traffic growth, with Ericsson and industry researchers warning that mobile networks must now handle not only more data, but also more uplink traffic, real-time interaction, and connected-on-the-move usage. As generative AI, agentic AI, and multimodal interactions spread, telecom operators are being pushed to rethink network investment beyond downlink capacity.

Winmate rolls out rugged edge AI platform for drones, robotics

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:41:11 GMT

Winmate posted September 2026 revenue of NT$535 million (approx. US$16.8 million), up 31.8% month-on-month and 95.9% year-on-year, driven by strong end-market demand in defense, semiconductors, and edge AI. The industrial PC maker said robust orders in those segments are powering sales growth and expects overall operations to hit another record in 2027.

Nanya Plastics deepens push into power engineering as AI infrastructure demand rises

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:40:54 GMT

Nanya Plastics Corporation is expanding into heavy electrical equipment and power engineering, a move that could ripple beyond Taiwan as global demand for AI data centers, grid upgrades, and energy transition projects rises. The company's strategy signals growing competition in a sector increasingly critical to digital infrastructure worldwide.

Vicor widens AI server power patent fight, seeking new US import ban on Foxconn, Quanta and Delta

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 07:37:46 GMT

Vicor Corporation is trying for the second time this year to get AI server power hardware from Taiwan's largest server makers barred from the US. It has won such a ban before.

IPC makers expand US production as supply chains, tariffs shift

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:42:30 GMT

Industrial PC (IPC) makers are adding US manufacturing as supply chains regionalize, tariff policy tightens, and government buyers press for local sourcing. For global readers, the shift signals a broader reordering of electronics production, with more high-value, time-sensitive work moving closer to North American customers.

Novatek quarterly revenue tops NT$30B as smartphone demand, edge AI chips lift results

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:41:50 GMT

Novatek reported stronger September and third-quarter 2026 revenue, suggesting seasonal smartphone demand and growth in edge AI chips are supporting the global display and chip supply chain. The results matter for international readers because they reflect broader shifts in consumer electronics demand, inventory patterns, and AI-related hardware spending.

Changs Ascending September revenue jumps 92% on semiconductor plant buildouts

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:41:11 GMT

Changs Ascending said orders tied to semiconductor customers' new plant construction, equipment arrivals, and project acceptance schedules were gradually fulfilled and recognized as revenue, lifting consolidated revenue to NT$79.2 million (approx. US$2.49 million) in September 2026, up 92% from a month earlier and 14% from a year earlier.

Sysgration bets on battery backup, drones to hit US$314 million in sales by 2028

Sherri Wang — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:39:55 GMT

Sysgration posted record monthly consolidated revenue in September 2026 for the third consecutive month, pushing third-quarter revenue above NT$1 billion (approx. US$31.4 million) for the first time. At an investor conference on October 7, general manager Tung-Fu Hsieh said recent growth has been driven primarily by rugged industrial PCs (IPCs), while battery backup unit (BBU) shipments are expected to ramp up in the fourth quarter. The company's drone products are also set to enter commercialization in stages starting in the fourth quarter. Sysgration has set a medium-term target of exceeding NT$10 billion (approx. US$314 million) in annual revenue by 2028.

Everlight Chemical September revenue rises on strong electronic chemicals demand

Jingyue Hsiao — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:39:08 GMT

Everlight Chemical reported higher September and year-to-date revenue, with electronic chemicals driving most of the growth. The results suggest continued resilience in industrial and specialty materials demand, a trend relevant to global manufacturers, supply chains, and investors watching Asian chemical producers amid uneven market conditions.

System integration emerges as Taiwan's next drone industry edge for defense scale-up

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:37:27 GMT

As defense technology and unmanned vehicles increasingly extend beyond traditional defense industries into the ICT and semiconductor sectors, Taiwan's manufacturers are being urged to go beyond the role of component suppliers and strengthen their system integration (SI) capabilities. That was the message from Lo Cheng-fang, honorary chairman of the Asia UAV Additive Manufacturing Industry Association, at a forum on October 6.

Taiwan eases IFRS sustainability disclosure rules, cutting mandatory scope

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:36:55 GMT

Taiwan has relaxed its IFRS sustainability disclosure rules for listed and OTC companies, shrinking the number of firms required to fully comply from an originally planned 1,970 to 560. Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming said more than 70%, or about 1,410 companies, will switch to voluntary disclosure instead.

Mobile and notebook slowdown boosts wearable sports tech demand

DIGITIMES — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:36:28 GMT

Growth in the smartphone and notebook markets is slowing in 2026 as memory price hikes and other factors weigh on shipments. The market even expects that smartphone shipments in 2026 could fall by nearly 17% at the low end. Demand for wearables such as smartwatches and fitness bands, however, is rising, driven by more precise health monitoring and professional sports-tracking features.

Phison posts record September revenue as AI tops half of sales

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:30:11 GMT

Phison Electronics reported record September consolidated revenue of NT$30.639 billion (US$959 million), up 8% from August and 370% from a year earlier. The Taiwanese storage chipmaker said AI-related applications accounted for more than 50% of total revenue, underscoring how demand is expanding across storage, computing, networking and AI infrastructure.

Trump awards science medal to Elon Musk, Jensen Huang

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:29:33 GMT

US President Donald Trump will award the National Medal of Science to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and several other tech leaders, with major figures from the industry set to gather again on October 8, local time. The honors highlight Trump's push to spotlight technology executives as his administration emphasizes US innovation leadership.

Huawei faces price reset as memory costs surge

Lily Hess — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:29:23 GMT

Huawei consumer business group chairman Richard Yu said surging memory component costs have added more than US$200 to the hardware cost of each Huawei smartphone, putting fresh pressure on handset pricing as the broader memory market climbs rapidly.

Zhen Ding posts record September sales on mobile demand and AI applications

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:29:03 GMT

Zhen Ding Technology said September 2026 consolidated revenue reached NT$26.358 billion (US$825.13 million), up 36.13% year over year and 27.54% from August, setting a monthly record. The PCB maker said the result reflected strong orders from mobile communications products as well as continued growth in its server, optical module and IC substrate businesses.

TPCA Show 2026 to spotlight AI computing, Unimicron chair keynote

Lily Hess — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:27:51 GMT

As explosive AI computing demand drives hardware architecture change, Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) is set to open its annual flagship event, with the 21st International Microsystems, Packaging, Assembly and Circuits Technology Conference (IMPACT-IAAC 2026) kicking off on October 19, followed by the 27th TPCA Show 2026 from October 20 to 22.

Unified memory lifts AI PC ambitions as Chinese open models gain local-inference ground

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:27:32 GMT

The hardware boundary separating cloud-scale AI from local inference is becoming increasingly porous as PC vendors expand memory capacity and software platforms make larger open-weight models easier to run directly on devices.

Semco moves glass substrates to package-level testing

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:27:18 GMT

Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco) has reportedly completed initial reliability testing of its 100mm glass substrates and moved to package-level verification using customer chips, marking progress toward commercializing next-generation packaging technology as AI accelerators grow larger and more complex. The development comes as the company expands its existing semiconductor substrate business while facing uncertainty over the commercialization timeline for glass substrates.

JNTC bets US$259 million on glass substrates ahead of 2028 ramp

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:27:06 GMT

South Korea's JNTC plans to invest KRW347 billion (approx. US$259 million) in glass substrate manufacturing as it reports a sharp reduction in copper-filling time for thick glass cores, potentially easing a major bottleneck in advanced semiconductor packaging. The investment comes as the company advances customer evaluations, although meaningful mass-production revenue is not expected until 2028.

US plans for 'Autowarcom' deepen military's focus on autonomous weapons

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:26:50 GMT

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans for the creation of a combatant command focused on autonomous warfare and drones. Its planned establishment indicates the turn within the US military toward low-cost and AI-powered systems, which have been pushed to the frontier of defense strategies following ongoing wars in Ukraine and Iran.

SK Hynix sends memory chips into orbit for testing

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:26:32 GMT

SK Hynix's dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and Universal Flash Storage (UFS) products have reached orbit aboard a South Korean satellite that successfully established communication with the ground following the country's fifth Nuri rocket launch. The mission opens the way for in-orbit reliability testing as the memory maker explores potential opportunities in the space electronics market. No in-orbit test results for SK Hynix's memory products have been announced.

Advanced packaging leads Malaysia's push up the chip value chain as AI reshapes demand, says Yole analyst

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:26:21 GMT

Malaysia is moving from traditional semiconductor back-end manufacturing toward higher value-added work, with advanced packaging set to drive growth over the next two to three years, according to Nur Hilwani, Technology & Market Analyst, Semiconductor Equipment at France-based Yole Group. Talent, IP ownership and supply-chain gaps remain hurdles.

China's GW satellite network clears dual-polar test, signaling broader push toward sovereign LEO communications

DIGITIMES — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:26:09 GMT

China's state-backed Guowang (GW) low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite network has completed its first communications test during the country's 16th Arctic expedition, enabling a live video call linking vessels in the Arctic with Qinling Station in Antarctica with reported latency under one second.

AI headphones expose audio market's missing platform

Charlene Chen — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:25:51 GMT

As artificial intelligence (AI) moves into headphones, a problem often hidden by hardware specs is becoming clearer: the audio market has a huge installed base, but lacks a common platform to connect different brands, chips, software, and services. Bragi CEO Nikolaj Hviid said AI audio is still searching for its own interface, but that interface already exists in the ears of hundreds of millions of users.

MediaTek 3Q26 revenue beats forecast, maintains peak-season momentum

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 9 Oct 2026 02:44:22 GMT

MediaTek reported its September and third-quarter 2026 revenue results, with September revenue of NT$55.40 billion (approx. US$1.74 billion), down 13.69% from the previous month and up 1.97% from a year earlier. Third-quarter revenue reached NT$168.06 billion, up 10.43% quarter over quarter and 18.27% year over year, beating the upper end of its revenue forecast by about 5.2% and allowing the company to deliver the performance typically expected during the traditional peak season.

GlobalFoundries wins US$2 billion TSMC interposer deal, closing a US packaging gap

DIGITIMES — Fri, 9 Oct 2026 02:43:17 GMT

GF said on October 8, 2026, that it has signed a multi-year, US$2 billion manufacturing agreement with TSMC to produce silicon interposers for TSMC's CoWoS ecosystem at its Malta, New York fab, which GF says will become the first US-based source of silicon interposers supporting advanced packaging.