DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Broadcom, Google, and Anthropic alliance faces MediaTek competition

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 01:42:49 GMT

Broadcom recently announced two major partnership developments. The first is with Google on its Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), with the collaboration set to extend through 2031. This means that Broadcom will continue to generate related revenue from multiple future generations of Google's TPU products.

Claude Code leak rattles industry, legal risks mount

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:09:25 GMT

A major internal code leak has recently struck Anthropic, with approximately 510,000 lines of core source code from its AI coding tool, Claude Code, being unintentionally exposed and spreading rapidly across developer communities. The incident originated from an npm package publishing error in which source map files were not properly excluded, allowing access to the complete TypeScript code. As a result, nearly 1,900 source files could be reconstructed, effectively revealing unobfuscated, production-level code.

Middle East conflict disrupts supply chain; polarizer prices set to rise 10% from 2Q26

Lily Hess — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:09:09 GMT

Industry sources reveal that polarizer manufacturers are preparing a price hike starting in the second quarter of 2026, with increases beginning at 10%, though final approval remains pending. This is because the escalating conflict in Iran has heightened risks to the Middle East energy supply chain, driving up crude oil prices and pushing costs higher for upstream polarizer materials such as PET, adhesives, and plastics.

Samsung's Roh Tae-moon visits Tokyo, targets Japan Android leadership

Lily Hess — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:08:56 GMT

Samsung Electronics's Device eXperience (DX) head Roh Tae-moon personally visited Tokyo on April 1, marking his first trip to Japan this year. Although Apple has long dominated Japan's smartphone market, Samsung has recently seen a resurgence driven by its Galaxy series. Roh's visit signals a strategic push to expand Samsung's market share in Japan.

In the race to autonomy, Level 2+ emerges as the winner

Elaine Chen — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:08:37 GMT

The global adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems, or ADAS, and autonomous vehicles is expected to rise from 66 percent in 2025 to 94 percent by 2035. Within that growth, Level 2 systems are projected to reach a 65 percent penetration rate. But the technological path toward higher levels of autonomy is beginning to diverge.

Intel and Musk's Terafab revive IDM collaboration as chipmaker pushes turnaround

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:07:38 GMT

Intel's industrial ecosystem is converging on a vertically integrated chip model, as Intel joins the Terafab project led by SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla—marking both a revival of the IDM approach and a potential turning point in Intel's turnaround strategy.

Commentary: How Taiwan is becoming a strategic partner in America's auto reindustrialization

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:06:58 GMT

Recently, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has made a series of unusually high-profile appearances at promotional events for US automakers such as Jeep and Ford. The rare visibility has drawn intense attention from both industry insiders and market observers alike — and for good reason. With the first quarter of 2026 marking the official conclusion of automotive tariff negotiations under the Taiwan–US trade agreement, these diplomatic gestures now carry significance far beyond simple brand endorsement. They signal a new era of "structural transformation" in Taiwan–US automotive cooperation.

Nvidia moves to build US$10B AI empire, one acquisition at a time

Charlene Chen — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:06:40 GMT

Since the generative AI (GenAI) boom, Nvidia has leveraged its near-monopoly on AI GPUs to drive explosive profits, with free cash flow reaching US$96.5 billion in fiscal 2026. Coupled with two prior cryptocurrency mining surges in 2017 and 2019, Nvidia's decade-long cash hoard has fueled aggressive acquisitions and investments. Starting with a US$20 billion deal announced in late 2025 to acquire AI chip startup Groq, followed by a recent US$2 billion investment in Marvell, Nvidia is rapidly expanding its moat built on CUDA and GPU technology.

Commentary: China's AI chip dilemma revisits a familiar semiconductor fork in the road

Lily Hess — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:05:49 GMT

The global AI race is no longer just about who builds the fastest chip. Increasingly, it is about who writes the rules.

With SpaceBridge, BWant anchors Taiwan's satellite ambitions

Elaine Chen — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:05:26 GMT

As global demand for satellite communications accelerates, Taiwan's role in the supply chain is beginning to shift. On April 2, BWant announced a new partnership with National Taipei University of Technology and Pyras Technology, alongside Canada-based SpaceBridge, to build a localized testing ecosystem aimed at connecting Taiwanese manufacturers more directly with global satellite operators.

China export controls spark global InP supply concerns for AI high-speed transmission

Charlene Chen — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:05:12 GMT

Indium phosphide (InP), a critical material for long-distance optical communication, has become essential for AI-driven high-speed data transmission. However, China's export restrictions have triggered a shortage of InP substrates, creating a bottleneck in manufacturers' capacity expansion worldwide. The supply chain acknowledges that due to China's export curbs and the technical challenges of producing InP substrates, major international players remain cautious about increasing investments. The timeline for resolving this shortage remains uncertain.

Arm reportedly plans to sell AGI CPUs in China despite core licensing ban

Charlene Chen — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:04:56 GMT

Arm recently unveiled its first self-developed AGI CPU, marking a significant milestone as the company shifts from a pure technology IP licensor to a standard CPU supplier competing directly with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Ampere, and Intel.

SpaceX's Starlink Mobile faces a slow climb to scale

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:04:41 GMT

Space-based cellphone service has long been pitched as the next frontier in connectivity. Now, SpaceX is testing that promise with Starlink Mobile — a bet that could reshape the wireless industry, even as early revenues remain modest.

OpenAI faces leadership shakeup ahead of IPO and Musk lawsuit

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:04:25 GMT

As OpenAI prepares for a potential IPO this year, the company's leadership is undergoing a shake-up. Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Kate Rouch and OpenAI's head of AGI development, Fidji Simo, are both taking medical leave. The changes come at a pivotal time for the company as it tries to consolidate its operations to boost profitability and contends with a lawsuit by xAI CEO Elon Musk.

Humanoid robots drive tactile sensor development as Taiwan firms vie for differentiation

Lily Hess — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:04:03 GMT

Labor shortages in the service sector are more severe than in manufacturing. This, coupled with its largely unstructured environments, makes it a market urgently keen on adopting AI robots. However, current AI robots still face limitations, including insufficient physical data and the ability to perceive real-world environments—key factors determining whether robots can effectively solve on-site problems.

Interview: Agentic AI is creating a new frontier of cybersecurity risks

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:57:56 GMT

AI agents and their high-powered capabilities are creating a new category of cybersecurity threats among enterprises using them, from accidental data breaches to bad actors breaking into company systems.

Wonderful Hi-Tech bets on AI servers and satellites for next growth wave

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:54:43 GMT

After a slower second half of 2025, marked by elevated customer inventories and a softer ordering pace, high-end cable material provider Wonderful Hi-Tech anticipates a rebound in 2026. According to the company, inventory adjustments are largely concluding in the first quarter, and customer orders and shipments have been steadily picking up since March, setting the stage for a quarter-by-quarter acceleration in revenue. The company aims to surpass its previously stated NT$10 billion (approx. US$313 million) revenue target, with Chairman Ming-Lieh Chang noting that current trends suggest actual results could exceed that benchmark.

Advantech tops US$635 million in 1Q26 revenue on edge AI demand surge

Levi Li — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:49:47 GMT

Driven by accelerating real-world deployment of edge AI applications across major global markets, industrial PC (IPC) maker Advantech reported March 2026 consolidated revenue of NT$7.7 billion (approx. US$240 million), up 21.75% from NT$6.32 billion a year earlier. For the first three months of 2026, cumulative revenue reached NT$20.39 billion, marking a 17.49% increase from NT$17.35 billion in the same period of 2025.

IndieSemiC eyes India's general-purpose chip gap with Kaynes OSAT deal

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:41:52 GMT

India-based fabless startup IndieSemiC is betting that its new OSAT partnership with Kaynes Semicon can help it move from RF modules into vertically integrated chip products. However, the company acknowledged that the headline volume tied to the collaboration is still based on expected customer adoption rather than firm orders.

Quobly moves quantum chips into volume production

Levi Li — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:34:33 GMT

French quantum chip startup Quobly has continued to report progress while expanding its partnership network. The company has set up a new presence in Canada and gained recognition at the American Physical Society meeting, where it was identified as a potential key player in the emerging quantum computing era.

FOPLP and WMCM emerge as key to fan-out packaging competitive field

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:25:16 GMT

The advanced packaging market is entering a structural turning point. Among emerging technologies, fan-out packaging has hit a sweet spot between cost and performance, making it a key next-generation solution for applications such as AI mobile devices and high-performance computing (HPC). As a result, it has become a new battleground actively pursued by both foundries and OSAT providers.

Intel challenges TSMC CoWoS as Amazon, Google reportedly explore alternatives

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:09:37 GMT

AI-driven demand is pushing advanced chip packaging to its limits, exposing constraints in TSMC's CoWoS capacity and forcing hyperscalers to seek alternatives, leaving Intel as the only credible challenger with its EMIB platform.

US MATCH bill targets China chip equipment, services

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:08:52 GMT

US lawmakers are moving to tighten semiconductor restrictions, with a bipartisan proposal targeting both equipment exports and downstream controls on advanced chips.

From components to systems: Ennostar to highlight optical comms, automation tech at Touch Taiwan

Eifeh Strom — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:08:40 GMT

As the optoelectronics industry shifts from competition in individual components toward systems integration and higher value-added applications, optoelectronics solution provider Ennostar is focusing on two emerging sectors with long-term growth potential at the Touch Taiwan 2026 exhibition, running from April 8-10: optical communications and sensing, and automation. The company is also integrating its two core technologies of microLED and miniLED with automotive optoelectronics, presenting a comprehensive layout across four high-value application segments.

China seeks break from Nvidia CUDA grip in AI chips

Levi Li — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:08:17 GMT

Generative AI is concentrating control of computing power within a narrow set of architectures and ecosystems. Wei Shaojun, chairman of the IC design branch of the China Semiconductor Industry Association and a professor at Tsinghua University, said AI competition now extends beyond hardware to control of rules and ecosystems, warning that continued reliance on existing systems could lock China into long-term dependence on critical technologies.

Rapid deployment and flexible scalability drive the rise of modular data centers

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 08:07:32 GMT

As GPU platforms continue to iterate each year, the buildout of AI infrastructure is accelerating in tandem. For data center operators, cloud service providers, hyperscalers, and large enterprises, the challenge is no longer just building the facility, but rather how to bring computing power online faster while preserving flexibility for future upgrades and expansion.

Korean chip suppliers face second year of price cuts despite AI boom

Levi Li — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 07:04:46 GMT

Samsung and SK Hynix delivered record performance in 2025, driven by strong investment in AI infrastructure. Yet the gains have not flowed upstream. Materials and component suppliers are facing a second consecutive year of price cuts, with contract terms for 2026 again revised lower.

Arm's three-pronged approach increases pressure on x86 in cloud CPU market

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 07:02:02 GMT

Market sentiment toward the future of Arm CPUs in cloud AI is increasingly positive. According to Counterpoint Research, x86 architectures have maintained overwhelming dominance in cloud AI CPUs over the past three years. However, starting in the second half of 2026, Arm CPU penetration is expected to rise rapidly.

UBTech sees losses and margins improve as humanoid robots drive 40% of revenue

Kevin Wang — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 06:58:53 GMT

Chinese humanoid robot maker UBTech significantly improved its overall gross margin and reduced losses in 2025, with full-size embodied intelligent humanoid robot sales soaring by more than 2200% year-on-year to CNY820 million (US$119 million), becoming the company's largest revenue source.

In-depth: How DeepSeek V4 strengthens Huawei's role in China's AI stack

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 06:44:19 GMT

China's push for a self-sufficient AI stack is no longer theoretical — it is entering deployment. DeepSeek's upcoming V4 model, expected within weeks, signals a shift from experimentation to execution, linking software, chips, and policy into a single system.

Global AI chip suppliers compete as TSMC remains top foundry partner

Rodney Chan — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 06:01:09 GMT

As the artificial intelligence (AI) era advances, approximately 133 companies are actively developing or selling AI chips, according to a SEMIEcosystem report citing Jon Peddie Research. Major suppliers include Nvidia, AMD, Broadcom, and Google, alongside numerous startups focusing on edge AI solutions.

MSScorps targets CPO demand with in-house silicon photonics test platform

Levi Li — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 05:58:22 GMT

MSScorps has expanded its silicon photonics (SiPh) testing capabilities in recent years and will debut its in-house "MSS HG" platform at the Electronic Production Equipment Exhibition on April 8.

MediaTek, Qualcomm reportedly cut smartphone AP orders with TSMC

Charlene Chen — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 05:46:00 GMT

Amid soaring memory prices, manufacturers have repeatedly lowered 2026 shipment targets for smartphones, PCs, and other consumer electronics, triggering a ripple effect across the supply chain. Recently, reports emerged that major Chinese smartphone brands are scaling back purchases of processors, forcing MediaTek and Qualcomm to reduce their subsequent orders with TSMC, with estimated cuts of 10-15% in wafer starts on 4/3nm processes.

Innodisk revenue jumps 4x in March, first-quarter hits record

DIGITIMES — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 04:38:24 GMT

Memory module maker Innodisk extended its strong growth momentum in March 2026, reporting monthly revenue of NT$5.67 billion (approx. US$177.34 million), up 35.8% month-over-month and 484.8% year-over-year. First-quarter revenue reached NT$13.18 billion, also a record high.

US PIPIR advances drone-missile strategy, integrating Taiwan into 'non-China' defense supply chains in Indo-Pacific

Willis Ke — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 04:21:35 GMT

Amid sustained Middle East tensions, the US is redirecting strategic attention to the Indo-Pacific region, advancing a defense industrial network among first island chain partners. Through the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), Washington is spearheading a shift toward localized production and allied coordination to effectively decouple regional defense networks from Chinese supply chains.