DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

DRAM price surge tests South Korean memory makers' HBM4 push

Sherri Wang — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:49:49 GMT

Reports in South Korea that SK Hynix is slowing the pace of converting production lines to sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, or HBM4, and shifting more capacity toward commodity DRAM have drawn market attention.

Analysis: Will 3Q26 be peak season? Cloud AI stands alone; demand signals become distorted

Emily Kuo — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:45:54 GMT

As the electronics industry enters the second half of 2026, it is approaching what has traditionally been the peak season for demand. However, macroeconomic and geopolitical factors have disrupted normal business cycles across many applications, making seasonal patterns far less predictable. According to industry sources, this season is particularly uncertain. Rising component prices and supply shortages have made downstream procurement behavior and end-market consumption patterns more difficult to predict than in the past. Demand signals that the industry once relied upon have become distorted.

Taiwan optics sector heads into peak season as Apple demand, camera orders rise

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:35:33 GMT

Taiwan's optics industry is entering its traditional peak period, with global smartphone demand, Apple's new-device cycle, and rising camera shipments expected to support revenue into late 2026 and beyond for leading suppliers. Firms also see AI-related shifts and new business lines adding to longer-term momentum.

Taiwan elevator maker Golden Friends targets AI infrastructure market amid tech investment boom

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:32:29 GMT

Taiwanese elevator manufacturer Golden Friends (GFC) announced on June 29 that it had secured a major contract to supply high-end elevators for the new headquarters of Kinpo Group. The project is set for completion and revenue recognition in 2028, and will further boost the company's order backlog to nearly NT$10 billion (approx. US$313.8 million), supporting solid operating momentum over the next three years.

Forget prompts: Nvidia's Huang sees 'loop engineering' as AI's next frontier

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:29:04 GMT

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is drawing attention to a new AI concept called loop engineering, which shifts emphasis from writing prompts to building systems that test, evaluate, and improve results over time. The idea could shape how companies worldwide deploy AI, especially in repetitive tasks, automation, and software workflows.

EU's push for cloud sovereignty draws fragmentation warnings

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:26:47 GMT

The EU is accelerating efforts to cut reliance on foreign cloud, AI, and semiconductor suppliers as it seeks to block so-called "kill switch" risks, with plans to introduce the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), alongside a Chips Act 2.0, in a bid to strengthen technology sovereignty and reduce external dependence. But an InfoWorld analysis says the policy, framed as digital sovereignty, may not make the market safer and could instead worsen fragmentation, procurement confusion, and vendor consolidation.

Commentary: Behind Micron's bet for long memory demand cycles

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:20:44 GMT

Micron's latest earnings call pointed to a broader AI shift that could reshape memory demand far beyond data centers, with investors taking note of the company's comments on robots, autonomous vehicles, and other physical systems. The message suggested that the next leg of growth may come from devices that bring AI into the real world.

Nvidia, Firmus partner on Indonesia AI infrastructure project

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:20:10 GMT

A new partnership between Nvidia and Firmus aims to expand access to advanced AI computing for customers worldwide, including AI-native companies, enterprises, and independent software vendors. The deal underscores how demand for large-scale AI infrastructure is reshaping global technology markets, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

Taiwan reportedly expands AI server smuggling probe, searches Supermicro and listed firms

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:18:50 GMT

Taiwanese prosecutors have reportedly expanded their investigation into the alleged illegal export of high-end AI servers to China, Hong Kong, and Macau, launching a second round of raids targeting Supermicro's Taiwan branch and two listed Taiwanese technology companies.

Expected MCU price hike drives early 1H26 pull-ins

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:14:18 GMT

Microcontroller customers are accelerating shipments into the first half of 2026 as higher production costs ripple through the supply chain, with global implications for electronics pricing and availability. Industry sources said buyers are seeking to secure supply before further increases, while weak demand and AI-related capacity pressure continue to shape the market.

OpenAI IPO filing exposes US$665bn spending web and Altman conflict risks

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:57:22 GMT

OpenAI has confidentially filed for an initial public offering with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), setting the stage for closer scrutiny of its related-party transactions and potential conflicts of interest involving CEO Sam Altman's extensive personal investment portfolio.

Taiwanese smartphone shipments face deeper pressure as component costs rise

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:46:48 GMT

Rising inflation and higher prices for memory and processors are squeezing smartphone shipments in Taiwan, with the market's recovery likely to remain uneven for many readers worldwide. Vendors and forecasters said demand weakened in the first half of 2026, and that higher handset prices could continue to reshape buying patterns across major markets.

Shuotong expects stronger demand for liquid cooling in 2H26

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:40:28 GMT

Shuotong, a liquid-cooling solutions provider, said it expects a positive outlook for the second half of 2026 as AI-driven thermal management sustains demand for liquid cooling. The firm, which is listed on the Emerging Stock Board on June 26, announced that it supplies microchannel cold plates, high-reliability manifolds, flexible hose assemblies, and fatigue-resistant metal tube parts to major international Tier 1 liquid-cooling players and several leading thermal module makers in Taiwan and abroad.

Riken and Taiwan academia join forces on next-gen compound semiconductors

Charlene Chen — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:40:20 GMT

Japan's world-renowned Riken institute announced in late March 2026 that its homegrown superconducting quantum computer, "Ei-II," jointly developed with the University of Osaka, had officially gone online with 144 qubits and 99.9% fidelity. Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said Riken will next work with Taiwan's academic community on research, including next-generation compound semiconductors.

Honda, GM, and Ford redirect capacity to energy storage as EV demand slows

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:40:12 GMT

Honda Motor has begun producing data-center batteries at an Ohio factory originally built to supply electric vehicles, as automakers and battery suppliers seek new uses for capacity while EV demand cools.

Samsung, SK Hynix step up CO₂ buying as supplies tighten

DIGITIMES — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:40:04 GMT

South Korea's inventories of high-purity carbon dioxide, a critical material used in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, have fallen below normal buffer levels, raising procurement concerns across the chip industry, according to The Elec.

China's LineShine puts Beijing back on top of supercomputer race

Sherri Wang — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:39:43 GMT

A name largely absent from the global supercomputing stage for years returned to the spotlight at ISC 2026 in Hamburg, Germany.

China's SiC race shifts from EVs to AI data centers as SICC overtakes Wolfspeed

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:30:58 GMT

China's silicon carbide (SiC) supply chain is finding a new growth engine as AI strains data-center power systems, extending a market long driven by electric vehicles.

Halos signals Nvidia's bid to make safety certification the robotics gateway

Lily Hess — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:30:07 GMT

Nvidia does not make robots, but it is becoming a key force behind embodied intelligence companies. At Automate 2026, North America's largest industrial automation show, on June 22, Deepu Talla, vice president of Nvidia's robotics business, said on stage that the company hired 18,600 man-years of engineers to bring the safety architecture of autonomous driving to robots.

Arm says it tops 50% share in hyperscale cloud as x86 grip slips

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:29:42 GMT

Arm Holdings says its chip architecture has crossed the 50% threshold in the hyperscale cloud market, a milestone in a segment long dominated by Intel and AMD. The SoftBank-backed chip designer is now pushing further into the hardware business itself, even as supply chains strain under the weight of the AI infrastructure buildout.

Anthropic tops global unicorn list as China shifts to hard tech

Lily Hess — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:29:04 GMT

Hurun Research Institute released its Hurun Global Unicorn List on June 25, a ranking covering 1,603 companies across 52 countries and 299 cities. The number of companies is up 5.3% from the prior year, while total global unicorn value has surged 43% year on year to US$8 trillion, far outpacing growth in the number of companies.

PlayNitride expects 2H26 to outperform 1H26, driven by displays and AI glasses

Charlene Chen — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:28:24 GMT

PlayNitride reported revenue of NT$238 million (approx. US$7.5 million) in the first five months of 2026, down 41% year-over-year. The microLED company said stronger custom design orders and a higher mix of high-margin products will lift second-half revenue and gross margin above the first half, while it aims to improve again in the fourth quarter. Large-format TVs, wearables, and transparent displays remain the company's core businesses. Over the medium to long term, it is targeting high-end displays, AI glasses, and AI optical communications as its three growth engines.

Hyundai says one year of output beats Tesla's 10-year sales; manufacturing capacity crucial in physical AI race

Kevin Wang — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:27:52 GMT

Amid the ongoing AI race between the US and China, industry players in South Korea are now focusing on physical AI as a competitive factor, with manufacturing momentum as a core advantage, according to Park Min-woo, head of Hyundai Motor's Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) division and CEO of 42dot.

Commentary: Apple raises prices, markets flinch— but demand proves more resilient than feared

Willis Ke — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:27:27 GMT

Apple's latest round of price increases for Macs, MacBooks, and iPads has unsettled investors and weighed on Asian technology markets, but the reaction may be disproportionate to the likely impact on demand. While higher prices will inevitably slow some purchases, Apple's premium positioning, loyal customer base, and selective pricing strategy suggest the broader implications for shipments and the supply chain are likely to remain manageable.

Red Hat sees cloud-to-edge shift in Taiwan AI deployment

Rodney Chan — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:27:04 GMT

Enterprises are increasingly moving AI deployments from public cloud to on-premises systems as demand rises for data sovereignty, compliance, and local data control. Irene Sun, general manager for Red Hat Taiwan, said the same shift is taking hold in Taiwan, where companies are paying far more attention to who controls critical data, core models, and computing environments.

Intel-UMC tie-up talk runs into hard realities of process gaps and cash needs

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:26:42 GMT

Rumors in Taiwan's capital markets that United Microelectronics Corp. may deepen cooperation with Intel from 12nm to Intel 3 are drawing skepticism from DIGITIMES analyst Luke Lin. He said the main obstacles are the technology gap and Intel's internal capacity allocation, which make a near-term move commercially difficult.

Yao Sheng bets on four new product lines, names Te-ching Shen as president

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:26:08 GMT

Taiwanese electronic components manufacturer Yao Sheng Electronic held its 2026 annual shareholders meeting on June 25, noting that its transformation strategy in recent years has focused on optimizing its profit structure, targeting high total wattage, high technological barrier, and high gross margin applications. The company added that prior R&D investments and automation spending have helped incubate four niche product lines: artificial intelligence (AI) high-power power supplies, patented low-temperature heat dissipation materials, semiconductor testing, and medical devices certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

China memory makers fuel local chip equipment push as CXMT lands Tencent deal

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:29:05 GMT

ChangXin Memory Technologies has signed a long-term DRAM supply agreement with Tencent Holdings valued at more than CNY20 billion (approx. US$2.94 billion), three people with knowledge of the deal told Reuters, as the Hefei-based chipmaker prepares for one of China's largest stock listings in years.

Baidu subsidiary Kunlunxin seeks US$50B IPO valuation, asks investors to buy its chips

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:12:29 GMT

Kunlunxin, the semiconductor subsidiary of Chinese search engine giant Baidu, is targeting a US$50 billion valuation for its Hong Kong public offering. The company is also asking investors to commit to buying its chips as a condition of participation, according to The Information, underscoring the competitive dynamics shaping chip makers as Beijing moves to strengthen its domestic AI supply chain.

Chengxi approved for Taipei Exchange listing as AI reshapes customer service

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:07:40 GMT

Chengxi Information said on June 26 that the Taipei Exchange board approved its listing application, with Mega Securities serving as the lead underwriter. The company also held its shareholders' meeting the same day, approving the 2025 financial report and a profit distribution plan that includes a cash dividend of NT$5.3 per share and a payout ratio of more than 80%.

BYD's 4nm smart-driving chip signals deeper EV supply-chain integration

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:03:00 GMT

BYD plans to install its first in-house smart-driving chip in a Denza production model in 2027, marking a key step in the Chinese automaker's push to extend vertical integration from electrification into intelligent driving.

Kyocera to invest JPY650 billion in chip equipment and data center components

DIGITIMES — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:02:24 GMT

Kyocera is committing JPY650 billion (approx. US$4 billion) to its components businesses through fiscal 2031, as AI data center investment and semiconductor equipment spending lift demand for ceramic parts, optical communication packages, and advanced semiconductor packaging materials.

Taiwan launches quantum talent program, sends 15 abroad

Charlene Chen — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:58:56 GMT

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs has tasked Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to set up the Quantum Industry Technology Promotion Office (QITPO) and has named dozens of companies as members of the quantum industry supply chain. To strengthen Taiwan's quantum science and application base, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has announced the launch of a quantum technology program, with the first 15 PhD-level candidates selected for overseas study.

Taiwan's first homegrown submarine enters dive trials ahead of handover; shipbuilder eyes unmanned boat contracts

Joseph(C) Chen — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:56:45 GMT

Taiwan's first domestically built submarine, Haikun, has entered submergence testing and is on track to be handed over to the navy in the second half of 2026, state-owned shipbuilder CSBC Corp. Taiwan said at a shareholders' meeting.

BOE's military designation hands South Korean panel makers a strategic opening

Charlene Chen — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:52:01 GMT

The US government's move to add Chinese panel makers BOE and Tianma to a military-related list is raising concerns that Washington's tech restrictions are spilling beyond semiconductors into the display supply chain. South Korean panel makers are now watching to see whether tighter curbs on China could create a new opening for them.