DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

DeepSeek engineer's warning suggests AI may reshape, not simply eliminate, technical work

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:10:00 GMT

A DeepSeek engineer's viral reflection on AI's rapid progress has reignited debate over whether artificial intelligence will replace human workers or redefine their roles. His comments suggest the immediate risk for software engineers may be less about layoffs and more about a swift shift in how technical work is done.

Winbond's Infineon buyout puts GigaDevice under pressure

Levi Li — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:08:00 GMT

Winbond Electronics' US$1.12 billion acquisition of Infineon's NOR Flash and ferroelectric RAM (F-RAM) businesses has drawn close attention from China's semiconductor industry.

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.