DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Taiwan suppliers target physical AI platforms as robotics race moves beyond hardware

Levi Li — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 02:59:52 GMT

Computex 2026 closed last week with physical AI among its central themes, and robots emerging as one of the clearest ways to demonstrate it. Yet, unlike CES, where robot makers competed to showcase their hardware, Computex presented a different picture: AI computing platforms, edge inference, physical AI architectures, and the ecosystems behind robots took center stage.

Jensen Huang deepens LG alliance as Nvidia expands its AI ambitions in South Korea

Elaine Chen — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 02:49:30 GMT

After concluding a meeting with SK Group on the morning of June 8, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang traveled to LG Group's headquarters, the LG Twin Towers in Seoul's Yeouido district, for a formal meeting with LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo. The discussions underscored a widening strategic partnership between the two companies across robotics, AI infrastructure, mobility technologies, and advanced AI development.

Yesiang begins shipping recycled filters as 2nm demand lifts AMC market

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 02:29:53 GMT

Taiwan's Yesiang has started volume shipments of a newly certified recycled advanced micro-contamination (AMC) filter as semiconductor makers push deeper into 2nm and smaller nodes. The development could matter globally because tighter contamination control is becoming a critical yield factor for advanced chips, while cleaner manufacturing also aligns with lower-waste sourcing trends.

Apple's Siri AI reboot stirs optimism and doubt as Google Gemini role draws attention

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 02:15:56 GMT

Apple's annual developer conference on June 8 served as a long-awaited stage for the company to lay out its artificial intelligence (AI) roadmap, headlined by a rebuilt Siri called Siri AI and a broader set of Apple Intelligence updates. Reaction from analysts and industry watchers was broadly cautious but not dismissive — a recurring theme being that Apple has moved in the right direction, but the most consequential capabilities remain months away from reaching consumers.

Apple Intelligence expansion hits roadblocks in China and EU, raising fragmentation concerns

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 02:08:50 GMT

Apple unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its artificial intelligence offering at WWDC 2026 on June 8, but two of its most important markets — China and the EU — will not receive the full suite of new features at launch. The reasons differ significantly between the two regions, and industry watchers say the gap poses a strategic risk for a company whose AI pitch depends on delivering a consistent, platform-wide experience.

Apple unveils Siri AI and next-generation Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2026

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 01:56:15 GMT

On June 8, Apple launched its most ambitious AI initiative to date, integrating the next generation of Apple Intelligence across its entire ecosystem. Featuring a groundbreaking partnership with Google and a privacy-focused architecture, the company introduced Siri AI, an advanced conversational assistant, alongside major software updates like macOS Golden Gate and iOS 27.

VinFast targets top-tier status in India as electric two-wheelers near launch

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 01:33:06 GMT

During its first-quarter 2026 earnings call, VinFast Auto highlighted India as a pivotal "core growth engine" for the company's international expansion. Management reported that business performance in the region has been "very positive," with VinFast ranking fourth among Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) brands in India based on quarterly sales figures.

ELAN Microelectronics expands into AI PCs, drones, and optical chips

DIGITIMES — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 00:00:56 GMT

ELAN Microelectronics is broadening beyond notebook PCs into agentic AI PCs, unmanned vehicles, and optical communication chips, moves that could influence technology supply chains across Asia, the US, and Europe. The company also disclosed a strategic investment in US-based PETA Optronics, signaling a deeper push into next-generation hardware markets worldwide.

GSEO surpasses NT$10 billion in five-month revenue and plans July mass production

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:59:21 GMT

Genius Electronic Optical reported consolidated revenue of NT$1.629 billion (US$51.5 million) in May 2026, marking a month-on-month decline from NT$2.314 billion in April but a 30.24% increase from NT$1.251 billion in May 2025. For the period from January through May 2026, cumulative consolidated revenue reached NT$10.084 billion, exceeding NT$10 billion and representing a 19.67% rise from NT$8.426 billion in the same period of 2025.

Taiwan server makers post strong May sales as AI demand continues to drive orders

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:55:34 GMT

Taiwan's leading server manufacturers reported strong May sales, underscoring how global AI infrastructure spending is reshaping demand for data center hardware. The gains point to continued momentum in the second and third quarters, even as notebook markets remain weak and broader personal computer demand remains subdued.

YMTC returns to South Korea's consumer SSD market after four-year absence

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:48:29 GMT

Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC) is bringing its consumer SSD brand ZHITAI back to South Korea after a four-year absence, as major memory makers devote more resources to high-bandwidth memory and enterprise storage.

MAtek posts record May revenue as AI chip power and 2-nanometer nodes drive testing demand

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:47:56 GMT

MAtek reported May 2026 revenue of NT$544 million (US$17.23 million), a 26.87% increase year-over-year and a 0.69% increase month-over-month, marking its third consecutive month of record sales, the firm announced. For the first five months of 2026, revenue reached NT$2.51 billion, up 19.01% from the same period in 2025, with the company's leadership attributing growth to demand for outsourced materials analysis and failure analysis services driven by high-end AI chip development and advanced process transitions.

Cooling parts maker Global PMX wins AI server liquid-cooling supply and expects high-margin shipments in second half

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:47:28 GMT

Automotive power and safety parts manufacturer Global PMX said it secured placements in the supply chains of leading AI chip and rack makers and expected a wave of high-margin liquid-cooling component shipments in the second half of 2026, driven by a shift from air cooling to liquid cooling in data centers. The firm reported consolidated revenue of NT$761 million in May 2026, flat month-over-month and up 27% from May 2025, and cumulative revenue of NT$3.805 billion for the first five months of 2026, a 17% year-over-year increase.

Panasonic raises SP-Cap prices as AI drives passive component demand

Lily Hess — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:46:58 GMT

Passive component prices are staying elevated as AI continues to drive demand, with industry sources saying pricing in 2026 will remain at high levels. Panasonic is set to launch a new round of price increases in July, mainly for its SP-Cap capacitor products, with hikes ranging from 5% to 30% depending on the specification.

AI supply chain shortages shift from chips to equipment

Lily Hess — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:46:20 GMT

As four major North American CSPs step up AI infrastructure spending, global semiconductor output forecasts keep rising. But the AI demand surge is also exposing hidden supply-chain bottlenecks, with industry watchers saying the number of components that are currently in a severe shortage now far exceeds those that are not.

HiSilicon chip price hikes put China's AI compute supply chain back in focus

Levi Li — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:46:08 GMT

Huawei's chip design arm HiSilicon Technologies has reportedly raised prices for some products, drawing market attention as China's semiconductor sector shows signs of recovery after a prolonged downturn.

AI demand is turning memory chips into rationed assets, Morgan Stanley says

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:45:53 GMT

AI is reshaping the global memory-chip market, according to Morgan Stanley, by pulling in more DRAM, HBM, and NAND, and turning once-cheap components into scarce resources. The shift is raising costs, tightening supply, and forcing priority allocation for cloud, server, and other high-value buyers worldwide across industries.

Microsoft shifts AI cost burden toward devices as cloud bills climb

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:45:24 GMT

Microsoft is rethinking how the costs of artificial intelligence (AI) are distributed, with global implications for enterprise software pricing, cloud spending, and device strategy. Satya Nadella said the company wants Windows PCs and edge hardware to absorb more compute work, as rising cloud bills push AI economics toward a hybrid model.

AI chip race lifts semiconductor equipment sales to record US$36.55bn

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:44:36 GMT

Global semiconductor equipment sales hit a record first-quarter 2026 high, as the AI buildout lifted investment in leading-edge logic, DRAM and advanced packaging.

LG Innotek expands Vietnam substrate plant as AI servers strain RF-SiP supply

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:43:31 GMT

LG Innotek is expanding semiconductor substrate production in Vietnam as rising demand for server components reshapes capacity across the substrate industry, fueling expectations that supply of RF-SiP substrates used in premium smartphones could tighten.

Analysis: ASICs are coming for Nvidia's GPU dominance — and it could happen next year, says DIGITIMES analyst

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 23:43:07 GMT

Jensen Huang spent nearly two weeks in Taiwan for GTC Taipei and Computex 2026 before flying to Seoul on June 5 — and even on the streets of South Korea, he returned to the same four products he had unveiled in Taipei. "Nvidia introduced four new products this week," he told reporters in Seoul.

Samsung is already shipping HBM4 for Vera Rubin — and is now negotiating HBM5 and next-gen foundry with Nvidia

Joseph(C) Chen — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 21:11:32 GMT

Samsung Electronics signaled that discussions on cooperation with Nvidia are progressing smoothly, and that collaboration in next-generation memory and foundry services will continue to expand. The comment was made by Samsung Electronics co-CEO and head of the Device Solutions (DS) division Young-hyun Jun following talks with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and senior executives at The Shilla hotel in Jung-gu, on June 8.

Molex expands in Taiwan as AI interconnect demand splits between copper and optics

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 08:56:55 GMT

Molex is building out a dual-track strategy for AI interconnects, backing both copper and optical solutions as customers pursue different deployment paths, while expanding its Taiwan operations to support the region's AI hardware supply chain.

Beijing backs orbital computing in bid for AI leadership

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 08:50:54 GMT

China is accelerating its push into space-based computing, betting that the next frontier of artificial intelligence infrastructure may lie beyond Earth.

Bottlenecks for upstream digital camera components pose dilemma for supply chain players amid market renaissance

Willis Ke — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 08:21:41 GMT

Digital camera demand has made a striking comeback as younger consumers, social media creators, and the streaming economy inject new momentum into a market many had considered obsolete. The resurgence is prompting suppliers to restart idle production lines and invest heavily in new tooling, even as uncertainty remains over how long the boom will last.

LCD monitor panel prices edge up as supply tightens and brand costs rise

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 08:18:25 GMT

Global readers are likely to feel the effects of a cooling display market, as tighter panel supply, higher component costs, and softer demand reshape pricing. LCD monitor panel makers are still pushing for increases, but brand buyers are resisting more strongly as inventories rise and economic uncertainty weighs on purchasing decisions.

Nvidia push into AI PCs comes as smartphone market faces steep downturn

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 08:12:26 GMT

Nvidia's move to expand AI-powered PCs could reshape where global consumers and companies use artificial intelligence, shifting more work onto local devices rather than cloud services. The timing matters because handset demand is weakening rapidly, and the industry is confronting higher costs, weaker upgrade demand, and a more difficult global outlook.

LCD TV panel prices flatten as demand cools after early stockpiling

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 08:09:44 GMT

LCD TV panel prices have stopped rising as China's 618 Shopping Festival stockpiling and sports-event demand fade, leaving global TV supply chains in a more balanced position. For consumers and brands worldwide, the near-term outlook points to stable pricing, even as higher component costs and slower orders reshape the market this quarter.

China introduces energy standards to curb growing EV size and weight

Elaine Chen — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 07:51:23 GMT

China's electric vehicles have become larger, heavier, and increasingly luxurious over the past decade. Now, regulators are signaling that the industry's era of unchecked expansion may be coming to an end.

Nvidia-Microsoft AI PC alliance raises fears of South Korea being sidelined in next AI era

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 07:44:05 GMT

Nvidia and Microsoft have teamed up to launch RTX Spark, an AI PC superchip that could reshape personal computer architecture and intensify competition for AI leadership, according to South Korean media, including Edaily. The partnership is also raising concerns in South Korea about its role in the next phase of the global semiconductor and AI market.

Apple M5 Pro teardown points to chiplet strategy shift

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 07:40:10 GMT

Apple's M5 Pro signals a broader shift in laptop processors, with implications for global device makers, developers, and AI users. A teardown suggests Apple is combining chiplet-style packaging, higher memory bandwidth, and GPU-based AI acceleration to strengthen on-device computing while reshaping how premium PCs approach local AI workloads.

Dreame under scrutiny for breakneck expansion pace and state-owned funding

DIGITIMES — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 07:32:12 GMT

A city in China has begun investigating the connections between its local companies and Dreame Technology, a Chinese company known for its robot vacuum cleaners that has reportedly spun off nearly 1000 affiliated companies within 18 months. The move follows a wave of online scrutiny over Dreame's business model, particularly its reliance on local state-owned funding while it aggressively seeks to expand into an expansive range of technology sectors.

China analog IC maker Shanghai Belling raises prices by up to 30%, signaling chip market recovery

Levi Li — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 07:18:49 GMT

Shanghai Belling, a Chinese analog IC supplier, has announced price adjustments for some of its products starting June 9, 2026, with increases ranging from 10% to 30%. The move is widely seen as a notable step in a fresh round of price adjustments by one of China's most established analog chipmakers.

Exclusive: The semiconductor battle behind AI data centers and EVs

Elaine Chen — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 07:14:09 GMT

Beneath the rapid expansion of electric vehicles and artificial intelligence infrastructure, a quieter battle is unfolding in the semiconductor supply chain.

V2X data becomes latest target in rising geopolitical tensions

Kevin Wang — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 07:10:17 GMT

Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) data management has become the latest battlefront in geopolitical tensions, with recent maneuvering in China, the US, and Europe drawing the most attention. These include China's newly announced data export guidance aimed at tightening controls, a sweeping market ban in the US with bipartisan support, and urgent supply chain risk assessments in the EU. These trends indicate a shift toward data sovereignty under the control of each individual market.