DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Powerchip Investment Holding files suit over NT$13.6B share-buying bid

Lily Hess — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 10:14:42 GMT

Powerchip Investment Holding has filed a complaint over an alleged plan by unidentified buyers to acquire a 20% stake through coordinated share sales for more than NT$13.6 billion (US$417.4 million), raising concerns over the legality of the offer and the source of the funds.

China's self-improving AI advances towards AGI, but Z.ai founder warns of limits and risks

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 09:29:04 GMT

Z.ai co-founder Tang Jie has identified recursive self-improvement (RSI) as a critical pathway towards artificial general intelligence (AGI), arguing that AI systems capable of improving their own development processes could transform research while creating new risks for human oversight.

Taiwan aims to train 60,000 IC specialists by 2030

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 09:13:23 GMT

Taiwan is aggressively pursuing a core strategy of "Team Taiwan to Team Global," according to Cheng-Wen Wu, Minister of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). Wu noted that when AI chips are manufactured in Taiwan, local tech companies are the first to understand their application scenarios and strengths—giving domestic industries a head start in integrating advanced AI into their own manufacturing processes.

AI, geopolitics make Taiwan Thailand's third-largest trade partner in 1H26

Charlene Chen — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 08:47:46 GMT

Taiwan became Thailand's third-largest trade partner in the first half of 2026 as AI growth and geopolitical shifts accelerate Taiwanese investment in the country, Taiwan Representative to Thailand Peter Lan said. Around 200,000 Taiwanese businesspeople are now based in Thailand, with the pace accelerating under the China+1 trend.

US backs Anderon, GF quantum foundries as Intel targets QPUs with 18A process

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 08:31:17 GMT

The US Department of Commerce is leveraging federal funding and policy initiatives to bolster America's global competitiveness in quantum technology. Its core strategy centers on consolidating fragmented industry demand by backing shared manufacturing platforms through public subsidies and government equity stakes. The Trump administration maintains that developing the domestic quantum sector requires more than just algorithms, chip design, and system-level R&D—it also demands dedicated manufacturing infrastructure capable of serving diverse market players.

Jinpao taps robotics contest to deepen Thailand ties, develop AI talent

Lily Hess — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 08:12:43 GMT

JPP Holding's Thai operating arm, Jinpao Precision Industry, joined Praksa subdistrict authorities in Samut Prakan Province, Thailand, on October 31 to hold the finals of the Jinpao–Praksa automation and robotics innovation competition, strengthening its efforts to develop AI and smart-manufacturing talent locally. Chairman Chung Kuo-sung said corporate philanthropy should involve long-term engagement with local communities rather than one-time donations.

Murata to invest JPY1 trillion in expanding MLCC capacity across Asia plants

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 07:55:00 GMT

Murata Manufacturing announced plans to invest around JPY1 trillion (US$6.3 billion) in expanding multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) capacity by 2030. Booming demand from data centers and AI applications has pushed up orders for MLCC makers. MLCCs are a crucial component in managing power demand.

Denso sees profits hit by memory costs, seeks price pass-through

Charlene Chen — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 07:45:00 GMT

Denso, Japan's largest auto parts maker, reported falling profits for the first half of fiscal 2026 as surging memory and other component costs, driven partly by the AI boom, offset revenue growth. The company said it will pass some costs on to customers when necessary while securing supplies through long-term contracts.

TEL sees 90% profit surge as AI chip demand stays strong

Charlene Chen — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 07:39:10 GMT

Tokyo Electron (TEL) forecasts nearly 90% annual operating-profit growth as chipmakers accelerate capital spending to meet demand for AI hardware, despite mounting concerns over an AI bubble. The company also announced a JPY150 billion share buyback program.

AMOLED advances, hitting IT LCD panels

Charlene Chen — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 07:24:00 GMT

DIGITIMES forecasts that global large-size TFT LCD shipments will reach 910 million units by 2031 as supply expansion slows and panel capacity continues to be restructured. While TV demand remains relatively stable, IT applications face growing substitution pressure from AMOLED, with TV and IT products expected to account for 27.1% and 50.1% of shipments, respectively.

BenQ Materials targets premium displays and medical growth, seeks semiconductor materials breakthrough

Levi Li — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 07:00:00 GMT

BenQ Materials is targeting higher-value, faster-growing segments across its display, medical and semiconductor materials businesses. Chairman ZC Chen said the company's transformation centres on identifying stronger growth opportunities, with medical products expanding steadily and semiconductor materials expected to make progress in customer qualification during the fourth quarter.

AI data center demand fuels THEIL's optical communications rebound, 4Q26 to buck seasonal downtrend

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Tong Hsing Electronic Industries (THEIL) outlined the latest developments and market trends across its four major product lines of optical communications, ceramic substrates, new semiconductor materials, and image sensors, during an earnings call on October 30.

Macronix wins IEEE Milestone — chair reveals how sNOVA transformed Taiwan's chipmaking

Levi Li — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 06:20:04 GMT

Memory chipmaker Macronix International Co. has become Taiwan's first semiconductor company to receive an IEEE Milestone, in recognition of its pioneering sNOVA engineering data analysis system and its contribution to semiconductor manufacturing automation.

AI data center boom in Taiwan faces power, high-voltage line hurdles

Rodney Chan — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 06:06:10 GMT

As AI data centers expand, Taiwan is facing challenges in securing power supply, battery backup, and cooling systems, with the state-run Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) requiring about two years to build dedicated 161 kV high-voltage lines. The island's limited land and growing industrial and population demand in northern Taiwan are raising concerns over whether electricity availability will keep pace with the expansion of AI computing capacity.

Samsung to buy TCL CSOT stake from its own display unit for US$960 million

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 05:47:20 GMT

Samsung Electronics plans to acquire Samsung Display's entire 10.16% stake in China's TCL CSOT for KRW1.2718 trillion (approx. US$960 million), moving the investment from its OLED-focused subsidiary to the parent company, whose TV business continues to rely on Chinese LCD panel suppliers.

South Korea builds SMR ecosystem as SK Innovation advances Natrium tech, Samsung C&T pushes modular construction

Willis Ke — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 05:32:40 GMT

South Korean energy and engineering companies are positioning themselves for the emerging small modular reactor (SMR) market, with SK Innovation (SKI) seeking to build expertise through US demonstration and early commercial projects before pursuing domestic deployment, while Samsung C&T is focusing on modular construction to shorten project timelines, reduce costs, and accelerate commercialization.

Iluvatar CoreX Tiangai 300 tops Nvidia H200 in select AI inference tests, with long-context and MoE gains

Levi Li — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:45:10 GMT

Chinese AI chipmaker Iluvatar CoreX has released benchmarks showing its next-generation Tiangai 300 general-purpose GPU outperforming Nvidia's H200 in selected large language model (LLM) inference, long-context processing and multimodal generation workloads.

RichWave sees Wi-Fi 7 reaching 50% share in 2027

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:41:48 GMT

Radio frequency (RF) IC design house RichWave Technology stated at its recent investor conference that memory supply constraints, rather than end demand, are curbing networking equipment shipments despite resilient overall market demand. The company expects Wi-Fi 7 to capture half of its Wi-Fi market share in 2027 as telecom operators and retail router customers accelerate upgrade cycles.

Schneider and Foxconn accelerate modular AI factory deployment as token usage surges 60-Fold

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:33:42 GMT

The boom in generative AI is rapidly driving demand for data center construction, making power supply, cooling, and energy management central challenges for AI infrastructure. Speaking at Hon Hai Tech Day 2026 (HHTD 26), Himanshu Prasad, Senior Vice President at Schneider Electric, projected that global data center capacity will reach 300 GW over the next four to five years, with roughly 65% of all new capacity dedicated to AI workloads.

Foxconn takes AI beyond clinical software with hospital partnerships and medical robotics

Levi Li — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:31:59 GMT

Foxconn is expanding its AI capabilities into clinical workflows, medical robotics and healthcare manufacturing, working with hospitals, equipment makers and technology partners to build an integrated smart healthcare ecosystem. Its strategy follows an ecosystem-to-clinical deployment framework spanning products, edge-cloud computing and software-hardware integration, reflecting Nvidia's five-layer AI architecture.

MediaTek pins second ASIC project and customer to 2028

Charlene Chen — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:23:12 GMT

MediaTek's latest earnings call focused heavily on its data-center ASIC business, as CEO Rick Tsai and CFO David Ku addressed market rumors about delays to its second AI accelerator ASIC project, EMIB packaging yields, and the identity of its second customer. The company said its major customer's second-generation project remains on track for mass production in the first quarter of 2028, while the second customer will also begin contributing revenue in 2028.

Samsung partners with PXPay to bolster Samsung Wallet in Taiwan

Kevin Wang — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:10:18 GMT

Samsung Electronics Taiwan is partnering with local mobile payment platform PXPay as part of its expansion of Samsung Wallet applications. The move, announced on October 30 with services beginning on November 1, follows the earlier integration of tap-and-pay EasyCard functions into Samsung Wallet and aims to strengthen Samsung's competitiveness in Taiwan's mobile payment market. It forms part of a key strategy focused on the value of the company's proprietary applications as surging memory prices continue to impact smartphone sales numbers.

Samsung's Lee bets on Japan for AI chip packaging edge

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:09:11 GMT

Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the company's Advanced Package Lab (APL) in Yokohama, Japan, on November 1, as the chipmaker looks to Japan's semiconductor materials and equipment industry to strengthen its advanced packaging capabilities for AI processors.

DIGITIMES chairman: Taiwan-South Korea cooperation beats competition in AI race

Lily Hess — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:06:24 GMT

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly expanding global semiconductor demand, prompting Taiwan and South Korea to shift from straightforward competition toward cooperation as the AI chip supply chain grows more complex. Colley Hwang, chairman and CEO of DIGITIMES, said Taiwan's semiconductor success stems not only from TSMC, but also from an ecosystem built on specialization, industrial clusters, talent, and capital markets.

Exclusive: How Germany's fast-follower economy reshapes the AI PC race as local AI awaits killer app

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 04:06:01 GMT

As AI PC configurations reach new technological heights amid a broader push toward higher-spec machines, the market is moving steadily toward wider adoption of AI-capable hardware.

Lite-On boosts 2027 capex as AI race raises stakes for CSPs

Lily Hess — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:55:22 GMT

Lite-On Technology will continue increasing capital expenditure in 2027 as cloud service providers (CSPs) pour money into the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure race, president Anson Chiu said. He warned that CSPs that stop investing to secure market share will pay an even higher price for falling behind in the irreversible AI era.

Sam Altman meets with Samsung, SK as memory crunch deepens

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:53:42 GMT

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with executives from Samsung Group and SK Group during a brief visit to South Korea on October 31, as tightening memory supplies and growing commitments to major AI customers raise the stakes for the company's semiconductor and data center partnerships.

China's Empyrean Tech targets digital EDA gaps with US$32.9 million Easy-Logic acquisition

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:44:12 GMT

China's leading electronic design automation (EDA) supplier, Empyrean Technology, plans to acquire a controlling stake in Easy-Logic Technology, a specialist in digital logic optimization, for about CNY219 million (≈ US$32.9 million). The acquisition will address a gap in Empyrean's digital chip design tools and support its development of next-generation solutions for AI chips and 3D integrated circuits (3DIC).

What CXMT's 3Q26 earnings reveal about DRAM shortages, DDR5 momentum, and 2027 growth strategy

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:42:02 GMT

China's leading DRAM manufacturer CXMT expects revenue to continue growing through 2027, supported by tight memory supply, AI server demand and an expanding portfolio of higher-value DDR5 and LPDDR6 products. The company is also negotiating long-term supply agreements with major customers, reflecting efforts to secure demand beyond the current memory market upswing.

Dixon maps AI hardware expansion through Inventec, Gemtek, prospective packaging partners

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:35:54 GMT

Dixon Technologies is pursuing separate partnerships for servers, optical communications, and advanced semiconductor packaging as it seeks a role in AI infrastructure manufacturing, although its most ambitious silicon-photonics plans remain at the evaluation stage.

Foxconn's FII, FIT join forces to tackle AI data center bottlenecks beyond computing power

Levi Li — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:20:57 GMT

Foxconn subsidiaries Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT) and Foxconn Industrial Internet (FII) are combining their expertise in computing, connectivity, power delivery and cooling to address increasingly complex AI infrastructure demands. Speaking at Hon Hai Tech Day, their chairmen said competition has expanded beyond individual hardware specifications to overall system performance and integration.

Foxconn nears EV JV agreement with Poland's EMP as European expansion gains momentum

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:16:52 GMT

Foxconn is in advanced discussions with Polish electric vehicle (EV) company Electromobility Poland (EMP) to establish a joint venture, with an agreement expected soon, according to Jun Seki, Chief Strategy Officer of Foxconn's EV business.

Dixon turns to joint ventures, components as price-led growth leaves margins thin

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:13:02 GMT

Dixon Technologies is counting on smartphone joint ventures, expanding IT hardware production, and locally made components to turn a sharp sales increase into stronger earnings, as rising memory costs inflate revenue without a corresponding rise in manufacturing volumes.

Exclusive: Metal adhesion poses challenge for aluminum nitride in AI optics

Sherri Wang — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:11:42 GMT

As AI and large-scale data center buildouts drive up data transmission speeds, heat is becoming increasingly concentrated in key components. This has drawn attention to ceramic substrates and higher-performance aluminum nitride (AlN) substrates for use in optical communications and advanced packaging. Supply chain sources say, however, that metal adhesion remains a major engineering challenge, one that industry participants are reluctant to discuss publicly.

Nvidia to become Naver’s third-largest shareholder

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 03:00:14 GMT

Nvidia will invest US$1 billion (KRW1.34 trillion) in South Korean internet company Naver, acquiring an approximately 4.54% stake and surpassing Naver founder and board chairman Hae-jin Lee to become its third-largest shareholder.

Tata Sons injects US$115.7M into Tata Electronics as chip and iPhone arm gains weight in group

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:57:07 GMT

Tata Sons has put INR11 billion (US$115.71 million) into Tata Electronics through a rights issue, according to regulatory filings, adding capital to a business that has quickly become one of the largest in the Tata group.

FuriosaAI raises US$620 million, quadruples valuation to challenge Nvidia

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:44:04 GMT

South Korean AI chip startup FuriosaAI has raised US$620 million in its latest funding round, quadrupling its valuation from the previous round to US$2.9 billion and strengthening its challenge to Nvidia.

South Korea's army advances energy transition with microgrids, hydrogen

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:34:35 GMT

As AI and unmanned systems see wider adoption, the military's reliance on electricity continues to grow, making energy transition critical to maintaining combat capabilities. The South Korean Army made its debut at Smart Energy Plus (SEP) 2026, showcasing microgrids integrating solar power, energy storage systems (ESS), and hydrogen fuel cells, along with hydrogen-powered tactical vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell drones to reduce dependence on external power grids.

India's Mivi opens electronics plant in Hyderabad as it moves into smartphones

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:28:59 GMT

Indian consumer electronics brand Mivi has inaugurated an INR2 billion (approx. US$21.05 million) research, development, and manufacturing facility at E-City in Tukkuguda, Hyderabad, giving the audio-focused company a monthly capacity of 500,000 earbuds and 75,000 soundbars as it pushes into smartphones.

EasyJet bets on Starlink for full-fleet connectivity by 2027

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:23:17 GMT

UK low-cost airline EasyJet has agreed with SpaceX to install Starlink satellite internet on its A320, A320neo, and A321neo fleets starting in the first half of 2027, with the rollout expected to be completed by early 2028. The service will allow passengers to stream video, work in the cloud, play online games, and access information during flights.

Apple Intelligence heads toward paid tiers in 2027, yet AI usage limits leave key questions unanswered

Levi Li — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:20:32 GMT

Apple is preparing to charge for heavier use of certain Apple Intelligence features from 2027, introducing usage caps for cloud-based AI services that could become part of its existing iCloud+ subscriptions. The plan, outlined on Apple's website alongside two consecutive months of product launches in 2026, adds another consideration for consumers already facing hardware upgrades and higher prices.

Rebuilding the American edge: How TSMC is driving US manufacturing and economic opportunity

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:20:24 GMT

The ambition to repatriate advanced manufacturing to the United States has reached a critical turning point. Central to this national push is the massive expansion of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) in Phoenix, Arizona—a project that highlights both the economic potential of reindustrialization and the operational complexities of restoring long-lost technical expertise.

Meta reportedly advances humanoid robot development with Chinese partner Fourier

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:16:27 GMT

Meta is accelerating its humanoid robotics ambitions through a partnership with Chinese robotics company Fourier, having developed an initial prototype and begun work on a second version as it explores the potential of AI-powered household assistants.

Commentary: China's Nvidia H200 challengers look beyond GPU power, with Huawei and T-Head targeting system-scale AI

Levi Li — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:08:22 GMT

Iluvatar CoreX has reported benchmark results showing its Tiangai 300 AI accelerator outperforming Nvidia's H200 on selected metrics, drawing renewed attention to China's progress in developing domestic alternatives to high-end GPUs. Yet the broader competition extends beyond raw processing power, as Chinese chipmakers seek to narrow the gap with leading international AI computing platforms through chip design, software optimisation and system integration.

Kioxia's AI storage boom faces a test as pricing gains moderate, shipments shift

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 02:04:40 GMT

Kioxia's latest results show how AI infrastructure spending is reshaping the NAND flash business, lifting profitability even as consumer demand weakens. Its nearly flat outlook for the next quarter, however, shifts attention from the scale of the price surge to whether enterprise storage shipments can sustain growth as that surge moderates.

Taiwan’s R&D investment reaches NT$1.13 trillion in 2025

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 01:43:57 GMT

Master’s degree holders remain the backbone of Taiwan’s technology R&D workforce, while locally trained PhD students generally show weaker research capabilities, according to academic sources. The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said on October 30 that Taiwan’s total R&D investment reached NT$1.13 trillion (US$34.79 billion) in 2025, up 8.5% year-over-year, including NT$981 billion from the private sector and NT$157 billion from the government.

Canada invests CAD1.6 billion in Cohere to build AI independence

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 01:38:25 GMT

The Canadian government plans to invest up to CAD1.6 billion (about US$1.14 billion) in domestic AI startup Cohere, becoming a major investor in the company's latest funding round as Canada seeks to reduce its reliance on the US and China for critical AI technologies.

Foxconn sees double-digit growth amid 2027 K-shaped AI market

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 01:28:23 GMT

Foxconn chairman Young Liu said at a media briefing following Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD 26) on October 30 that the long-term AI industry trend remains intact, but the overall market will develop in a K-shaped pattern in 2027, with AI data center-related industries on the upswing and other sectors moving in the opposite direction. Foxconn expects to continue growing at a double-digit rate next year.

Foxconn, Mitsubishi Fuso joint venture to launch on November 2 as Japan's auto industry opens up

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 01:20:23 GMT

Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) and Japan's Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus (MFTBC) will officially launch their bus joint venture on November 2, according to Foxconn chief strategy officer for electric vehicles (EVs) Jun Seki. Separately, Foxconn's joint venture with Mitsubishi Electric's automotive business is expected to take around nine to 10 months to complete antitrust reviews in various countries.

Weekly news roundup: Taiwan debates talent distribution; SK Hynix looks beyond HBM

DIGITIMES — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 01:11:14 GMT

This week’s coverage highlights intensifying competition and capacity constraints across the global semiconductor industry. Taiwan faces debate over whether public R&D funding should prioritize universities and talent development. Micron workers receive unusually large bonuses amid unresolved labor negotiations. India is expanding state-level semiconductor incentives, while KLA reportedly considers local manufacturing. Memory shortages may persist through 2030, and SK Hynix is investing beyond memory. Server CPU demand is projected to surge, with AMD potentially surpassing Intel in revenue.

Musk may let TSMC run his Texas chip fab as his do-it-alone plan stalls

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 00:52:45 GMT

Elon Musk is reportedly reconsidering his approach to collaborating with TSMC on the Terafab project, signaling a potential shift from his original ambition to independently build and operate semiconductor fabs.

Column: Samsung's memory boom reshapes its investment strategy

Sherri Wang — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 22:22:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics has never had more capital at its disposal. The company reported operating profit of KRW89.5 trillion (approx. US$67 billion) in the second quarter of 2026 and KRW107.4 trillion in the third, when its operating margin reached approximately 55%. Samsung became the first technology company worldwide to post quarterly operating profit exceeding KRW100 trillion. The company is benefiting enormously from the memory boom, but its dependence on the industry has also deepened.

India roundup: India accelerates semiconductor push as states, chipmakers and equipment suppliers expand investment

DIGITIMES — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 21:19:00 GMT

India's semiconductor ambitions are gathering momentum as states launch new subsidies, chipmakers weigh fabs, global suppliers consider manufacturing, and engineering partnerships deepen the country's role in chip supply chains.

NearLink looks to chip vendors to expand beyond Huawei ecosystem

Yunnie Cheng — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 19:22:00 GMT

China's next-generation short-range wireless connectivity technology, NearLink, is actively pushing into markets beyond the Huawei ecosystem. Securing support from major chip vendors such as MediaTek, STMicroelectronics (ST), and NXP will be critical as the International SparkLink Alliance works to encourage wider adoption among non-Huawei smartphone brands, according to alliance secretary-general Guosong Zeng.

Lite-On reports record third-quarter profit as AI revenue exceeds 30%

DIGITIMES — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 19:19:00 GMT

Lite-On Technology reported record net profit for the third quarter of 2026 as demand for AI infrastructure boosted its cloud and power businesses. The Taiwanese electronics supplier posted consolidated revenue of NT$57.4 billion (US$1.8 billion), up 9% quarter-over-quarter and 28% year-over-year, while executives said AI-related revenue had exceeded 30% of the company's year-to-date total.

GigaDevice's massive financial growth in 2026 capitalizing on its A+H listing, memory surge

DIGITIMES — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 19:18:00 GMT

GigaDevice's financial performance through the first three quarters of 2026 highlights a transformative period driven by strategic market positioning, capital expansion, and robust product demand.

Nvidia's Korea robotics push gains ground as LG starts data factory operations

DIGITIMES — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Nvidia's robotics partnerships in South Korea are moving beyond initial agreements, with LG Electronics beginning partial operations at its robot-training Data Factory and LG Innotek expanding cooperation on sensing technologies. Hyundai Motor Group, another Nvidia partner, has also outlined new steps toward building AI infrastructure for robotics and autonomous driving.

Humanoid robots, robotaxis take center stage at Korea's FIX 2026

DIGITIMES — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 18:13:00 GMT

South Korean companies showcased humanoid robot components, dual-arm machines, and autonomous driving systems at FIX 2026 in Daegu, offering a look at how developers are bringing automation into factories and transportation. The technologies ranged from robotic hardware under development for manufacturing applications to an autonomous taxi service already carrying paying passengers.

Nytex targets 35% of sales from high-end materials by 2027

Sherri Wang — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 17:10:00 GMT

Nytex Composites, a Taiwan-based specialty plastics compounder, aims to increase high-end materials' share of revenue to 35% in 2027, up from 25.76% in the first half of 2026, as demand grows for materials used in semiconductor wafer carriers, IC trays, and battery backup units (BBUs) for AI data centers.

Seoul Viosys begins mass production of rare earth-free white micro LEDs

DIGITIMES — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 17:09:00 GMT

A South Korean company says it has begun mass-producing white-light micro LED chips without rare earth materials, potentially reducing costs and environmental concerns in a market valued at about US$10 billion. The technology could also support smaller lighting systems, augmented reality displays, and optical links for artificial intelligence data communications.

Analysis: Samsung's own memory unit pushes its foundry toward a 2027 capacity crunch

DIGITIMES — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 16:09:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics' contract chipmaking business spent years struggling to fill its factories. On its third-quarter earnings call, the company said that by 2027, demand will exceed capacity across all its nodes below 8nm, which it expects to run at over 100% utilization.

The 20% problem: why Taiwan's imported equipment parts still carry 70% of the cost

DIGITIMES — Sun, 1 Nov 2026 15:09:00 GMT

Taiwan can manufacture some of the world's most advanced chips, package them into increasingly complex AI systems, and connect much of the surrounding electronics supply chain within a remarkably small geographic footprint.