DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

ITRI to showcase 3.2T silicon photonics and AI data center cooling

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:29:00 GMT

Taiwan's 2026 Innovation Technology Expo will run from September 17 to 19 at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1. The Ministry of Economic Affairs Industrial Development Administration said on the 10th that AI data centers need faster transmission and better cooling. The ministry said government-supported technologies from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) will be featured at the event, including a silicon photonics optical engine and a 3D aluminum microchannel thermosyphon cooler.

Taiwan pushes smart health care partnerships at Singapore medical trade show

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:27:00 GMT

Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council recently led hospitals and smart health care companies to Singapore for Medical Fair Asia 2026, the largest and most influential health care and medical device exhibition in Southeast Asia. The delegation showcased integrated AI, information and communications technology, medical equipment and clinical services as part of a broader effort to expand in southern markets.

Meta loses key AI researcher after billion-dollar hiring push

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:26:55 GMT

Meta said on September 9 that AI researcher Andrew Tulloch will leave the company after less than a year, ending a high-profile return that followed one of the biggest talent offers in Silicon Valley. The departure comes after Meta reportedly recruited him with compensation worth as much as US$1.5 billion as it intensified its push to narrow the gap with leading AI developers.

From cHBM to 3D Stacked SRAM, AI inference drives AI accelerators toward memory architecture innovation

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:09:09 GMT

DIGITIMES identifies three main directions for memory development in cloud AI accelerators: processing near memory, 3D Stacked SRAM, and high-bandwidth flash.

Taiwan EV charging operators face profit squeeze despite rapid network expansion

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:54:57 GMT

Taiwan's EV charging industry remains in a fiercely competitive, fragmented phase, according to Blockcert chairman Chang Chung-I. While charging stations may appear to offer an unattended business model, their operations involve numerous complexities that operators often discover only after sites go live, and a lack of operational management experience can result in substantial costs.

MicroIP lands NT$630 million AI smart-building contract in northern Taiwan

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:54:10 GMT

MicroIP said on Sept. 10 that it secured a systems integration contract worth about NT$630 million for a major AI smart residential project in northern Taiwan. The agreement is expected to run for about 36 months, with the first phase — system architecture planning and project management integration — set to begin in October 2026.

Murata to stop some MLCC lines as AI server demand strains supply

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:52:53 GMT

Murata Manufacturing said it will gradually end production of several multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) part numbers as AI demand continues to pressure supply chains. The Japanese passive components leader said the move was aimed at stabilizing deliveries, improving customer support, and reallocating capacity to other products.

Samsung pushes into display-equipped smart glasses as Meta leads market

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:52:09 GMT

Samsung Electronics has begun developing its first smart glasses with an in-lens display, asking Samsung Display in August to develop a microdisplay that meets requirements for form factor, display area, color and price, according to industry sources cited by TheElec.

STMicroelectronics sets 2027 AI revenue plan with fiber chips at 80%

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:32:07 GMT

STMicroelectronics said in New York on September 9 that about 80% of its target for more than US$2 billion in artificial intelligence data-center revenue in 2027 will come from fiber-optic data transmission chips. The disclosure marked the first time the company broke out the mix behind its AI outlook after lifting its forecast in July.

Taiwan quantum leap expands scope to drug and finance

Charlene Chen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:29:18 GMT

Taiwan's five-year National Quantum Team program is set to conclude in December 2026, and the government's second-stage quantum research initiative will begin in January 2027. The new phase will continue developing quantum computers, quantum communications and quantum software, while also dedicating several years to advancing cross-domain applications in drug discovery, materials simulation, fintech and smart logistics.

Nanoprinting lithography shifts from round to square, increasing waveguide output

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:20:47 GMT

Nanoimprint technology is shifting from round to square substrates. Qingdao GermanLitho noted that this transition has become vital for volume manufacturing as the industry demands larger template formats and higher throughput.

Huachuang Xinguang sees MicroLED optical interconnects entering data centers in 3 to 5 years

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:20:03 GMT

Shenzhen Huachuang Xinguang says MicroLED optical interconnect technology is feasible and expects to target data center applications within 3–5 years.

US Justice Department probes Nvidia-Groq deal over antitrust concerns

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:01:14 GMT

The US Department of Justice has opened a probe into Nvidia's deal with AI chip startup Groq, according to reports from The New York Times and Reuters. Regulators are examining whether the transaction was structured to avoid antitrust review, with potential fines possible if wrongdoing is found.

ASE August revenue tops NT$80 billion record as AI packaging capacity stays sold out

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:41:53 GMT

ASE Technology Holding's revenue surpassed NT$80 billion (US$2.5 billion) for the first time in August 2026, as AI continued to drive demand for both advanced and conventional semiconductor packaging and testing.

Navigating economies of scale: how South Korea and China are reshaping the OLED market

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:02:02 GMT

Economies of scale occur when a company's average cost per unit falls as overall production volume increases. In the competitive display industry, reaching this state relies on either mass production, technological innovation, or specialization. Currently, South Korean and Chinese display manufacturers are pursuing distinct strategies to achieve cost advantages in the OLED market. While South Korea focuses on advanced process integration and technological upgrades, China leverages massive production infrastructure and upcoming facility amortization.

Foxsemicon hits record 2Q26 revenue on Thailand ramp-up

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:51:46 GMT

Foxsemicon Integrated Technology (FITI) posted record consolidated revenue of NT$6.3 billion (approx. US$200.0 million) in the second quarter of 2026, up 13.3% quarter-over-quarter and 21.1% year-over-year. The semiconductor equipment maker said second-half operations should outperform the first half as its Thailand plant ramps following a July production increase and product mix improves.

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers partners with Earthbook, Jedsy to tap Taiwan's medical drone logistics market

Willis Ke — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:51:23 GMT

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corporation (SSFC) is stepping into Taiwan's emerging low-altitude economy, partnering with Taiwan-based drone-data and AI platform Earthbook and Swiss medical logistics company Delivery Glider AG (Jedsy) to develop commercial drone services, initially targeting medical logistics.

Jeter August revenue rises on AI server shipments

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:51:12 GMT

Soonest Express, a logistics and freight forwarding provider, reported August 2026 revenue of NT$799 million (approx. US$25.3 million), up 13.53% month on month and 7.80% year on year, a new 2026 high that the company said reflects recovering global supply-chain demand and the benefits of its overseas expansion.

Gem Terminal rides China plug rule shift for 8.8% sales growth

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:50:59 GMT

Gem Terminal Industry said its August 2026 consolidated revenue continued to show steady growth, helped by the approaching conversion deadline for China's new insulation requirements for plug pins under GB 1002-2024 and by stronger orders and a broader customer base for its specialty copper materials business.

AUO matching glass substrate size stokes TSMC collab speculation

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:49:11 GMT

AUO is accelerating its transformation by extending its established large-format panel manufacturing capabilities into advanced semiconductor packaging.

Apple added flat US$100 to every iPhone and rebuilt A20 Pro around memory

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:46:47 GMT

Two things happened at Apple's September 9 launch that belong in the same story: the company raised the price of every iPhone it sells by exactly US$100, and it introduced a chip whose headline improvement is a wider memory interface, without saying how much memory sits behind it.

China's Nvidia rivals raise prices as HBM shortage bites

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:37:49 GMT

Chinese chipmakers challenging Nvidia are sharply raising prices for current and next-generation accelerators as high-bandwidth memory (HBM) becomes scarcer and more expensive, adding another cost constraint to China's push for domestic computing hardware.

Taiwan nuclear drill simulates drone attack, drawing on Ukraine war lessons

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:05:38 GMT

Taiwan is planning to deploy drone detection and countermeasure systems at nuclear power plants and other critical infrastructure to strengthen its ability to respond to security threats. The Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) is conducting a nuclear emergency response drill at the Second Nuclear Power Plant and surrounding areas from September 8–10.

Intelligo targets double-digit 2027 revenue growth on AI IP, ASICs

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 05:58:23 GMT

Intelligo said it is aiming for double-digit revenue growth in 2027 as AI IP licensing and AI edge-computing ASICs expand its reach into smartphones, notebooks, earbuds, gaming consoles and smart glasses. The company said edge AI demand is rising even as AI data centers absorb semiconductor capacity and supply-chain resources.

TSMC August 2026 revenue jumps 53.3% as AI chip demand drives record growth

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 05:57:09 GMT

TSMC reported strong revenue growth in August, underscoring continued momentum in AI-related semiconductor demand. TSMC said consolidated revenue reached NT$514.81 billion (approx. US$16.3 billion) in August, up 10.1% month-over-month and 53.3% year-over-year. Revenue for the first eight months of 2026 totaled NT$3.387 trillion, representing a 39.3% year-over-year increase.

Enflame to list on Septemper 11 as China's four major domestic GPU makers complete IPOs

Charlene Chen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 05:54:39 GMT

Chinese AI chipmaker Enflame will list on the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange on September 11, 2026, becoming the last of China's "four little GPU dragons" to go public. Enflame is grouped with Moore Threads, MetaX, and Biren Technology as China's "four little GPU dragons," and with Enflame's listing, all four companies will have entered the capital market.

India's fraud office seeks a Xiaomi probe as the market it once led shrinks around it

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:28:35 GMT

A recommended corporate-fraud investigation would reach Xiaomi at the weakest point its India business has known. India's Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has proposed a detailed probe into alleged irregularities in the company's business model and its compliance with foreign investment law, according to a government memorandum drafted in May and reported by Reuters on September 9.

China sets clear limits on payment terms to auto suppliers

Kevin Wang — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:28:30 GMT

China's government is formally imposing rules on long payment terms in the auto supply chain, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) recently issuing a joint notice to standardize automakers' payment deadlines, acceptance procedures, and payment methods to their suppliers.

Taiwan chipmakers target humanoid robots beyond the 'brain,' focusing on vision, motor control

Scarlett Yu — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:22:56 GMT

Taiwanese IC design companies have recently begun highlighting opportunities in physical AI and robotics. Arm's recently announced expansion of its Arm Total Design for Physical AI ecosystem, for example, includes Taiwanese IC designer Realtek Semiconductor.

DeepSeek reportedly advances Shanghai IPO plans as it cuts Flash model API prices

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:19:07 GMT

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has taken a concrete step toward a domestic stock-market debut while continuing to adjust its commercial strategy, including another reduction in API prices for its Flash models.

Spirox TGV inspection capable of scanning entire substrate in 20 minutes

Charlene Chen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:18:30 GMT

As advanced packaging moves toward higher-density stacking, demand is rising for glass through-glass via (TGV) and through-silicon via (TSV) inspection, while glass core substrates are steadily shifting from technology validation to mass production. Spirox chairman Peter Chin said the company has entered advanced packaging inspection with nonlinear optical technology, with TGV aperture sizes now at 4μm and 3μm still under validation, while materials, foundry, memory and packaging companies in Taiwan, Japan, the US and South Korea have already sent samples for testing.

Europe's BEV running costs now 33% below ICE

Charlene Chen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:18:24 GMT

Daily operating and maintenance costs for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in Europe are now 33% lower per kilometer than those for comparable internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, according to a new report from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). For European car owners, driving an EV has become a financial fact.

Hermes Testing ships membrane probe cards, targets SiPh and CPO

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:17:55 GMT

Hermes Testing Solutions said its August revenue kept rising and topped NT$500 million for the first time, setting a new monthly record on steady growth in semiconductor test equipment engineering services and customized products. The wafer-testing solutions provider also said its in-house Membrane Probe Card has begun contributing revenue as it moves into customer applications, while the company expands into next-gen test applications for high-speed data transmission, silicon photonics and co-packaged optics (CPO).

Elmos locks in SK keyfoundry wafer supply through 2037 as 8-inch capacity tightens

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:17:46 GMT

Germany's Elmos Semiconductor has secured wafer capacity from South Korea's SK keyfoundry through 2037, expanding an 18-year manufacturing relationship to 130nm technology as supply conditions tighten across parts of the 8-inch foundry market.

AI semiconductor equipment boom redraws Taiwan IPC market: Edge AI, advanced packaging lift high-end demand

Levi Li — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:17:46 GMT

AI and high-performance computing (HPC) demand is sustaining strong investment in advanced semiconductor processes, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and advanced packaging, lifting the global semiconductor equipment market and opening higher-value opportunities for Taiwan's industrial PC (IPC) suppliers.

STMicroelectronics ties AI data center carbon cuts to power design, not location

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:17:29 GMT

STMicroelectronics (ST) recently shared its perspective on balancing AI growth with sustainability during a press conference in Taiwan. The company emphasized that controlling carbon emissions from AI data centers depends largely on internal rack design rather than simply building facilities in countries with high renewable energy adoption.

Samsung SDS partners with OpenAI and Anthropic in AI push

Charlene Chen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:17:10 GMT

Samsung SDS used its REAL Summit 2026 to unveil a "multi-dimensional AI full stack" strategy, expanding its AI business from enterprise IT and cloud adoption into enterprise AI agents, AI security and physical AI. The company is deepening cooperation with OpenAI and Anthropic as it pushes from AI selection and systems integration into day-to-day operations.

Powerlogic revenue rises for 3rd straight month on niche demand

Charlene Chen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:17:01 GMT

Fan maker Powerlogic posted its third straight month of revenue growth in August 2026, with consolidated revenue reaching NT$82 million (US$2.6 million), up 2.47% month-over-month, as niche applications helped support operations in the second half of the year. Cumulative revenue for the first eight months came to NT$707 million, down 41.75% year-over-year.

Wistron, Wiwynn hit record August revenue as board approves US$200 Million for US, Vietnam expansion

Eifeh Strom — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:16:49 GMT

Wistron and Wiwynn both posted record-high monthly revenue in August 2026 as shipments of artificial intelligence (AI) servers continue to expand. Both companies remain highly confident in the continued momentum of AI demand.

DeepSeek's next AI test is not the model; it's everything around it

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:16:38 GMT

DeepSeek has opened roughly 150 positions in a new hiring round focused almost entirely on engineering and infrastructure, pointing to a shift from pure model development toward the systems needed to support larger-scale AI services, agents, and computing workloads.

Phison pushes in-house AI solutions as August revenue surges to record high

Eifeh Strom — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:16:27 GMT

Phison Electronics continues to benefit from the rapid growth in demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, AI inference, and enterprise storage, with its Phison AI Data Platform gradually being deployed across industries in Taiwan, said company CEO Khein-seng Pua.

DB HiTek completes reliability qualification for 8-inch SiC MOSFET process

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:16:15 GMT

DB HiTek said it has completed reliability qualification for its 1,200 V silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET process on 8-inch wafers. The development could expand foundry capacity for next-generation power semiconductors used in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and industrial equipment. The company is targeting volume production in 2027 as SiC manufacturers shift toward larger wafers.

Firmus, OpenAI strike compute deal for Malaysia AI factories

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:16:09 GMT

Firmus and OpenAI have announced a multi-year strategic partnership that will add dedicated AI compute capacity in Malaysia, underscoring how Asia-Pacific is becoming central to global AI infrastructure. The deal could help expand access to advanced computing, lower deployment costs, and accelerate the rollout of AI services across the region and beyond.

Compute-in-memory returns to the spotlight with edge AI's power, memory squeeze

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:16:00 GMT

AI is shifting from data centers to PCs, personal AI systems, robots, and other edge devices, renewing a core semiconductor challenge: delivering enough compute and memory bandwidth within tight power, thermal, and cost limits.

Naver pitches a Europe-facing AI factory to France as Brookfield deal moves ahead

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:15:53 GMT

Naver is trying to export the AI factory model it is building at home, telling French companies and institutions this week that it wants to combine France's energy base with its own AI stack to build data center capacity for European firms and startups.

Samsung SDS broadens AI push from software to factory robots

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:15:45 GMT

Samsung SDS is using its enterprise AI strategy to move beyond office automation and into factory robotics, betting that its systems-integration experience can turn fragmented robot fleets into centrally managed production tools, according to CHOSUNBIZ and BusinessKorea.

JD Cloud plans 100,000-GPU cluster built on Moore Threads chips

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:15:36 GMT

JD Cloud said on September 9 that it plans to build a 100,000-card cluster of full-function GPUs supplied by Moore Threads, a deployment the company describes as the first time domestic GPUs have gone into a 100,000-card core computing cluster at a leading Chinese AI cloud provider. The plan was announced at JD's 2026 Global Technology Explorers Conference in Beijing, according to Yicai.

SK Hynix says 3D DRAM will borrow from logic foundry playbook

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:15:27 GMT

SK Hynix is signaling a shift in memory design that could matter far beyond South Korea. By adopting logic foundry techniques for 3D DRAM, the company is moving toward a future where memory, computing, and advanced packaging are developed as one integrated system, affecting global chip supply chains.

Korea puts KRW250 billion behind free national AI service as frontier-model fund takes shape

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:15:17 GMT

South Korea's science ministry has budgeted KRW250 billion (US$184.6 million) for 2027 to run "AI for all," a state-funded program that aims to give every citizen free access to chatbots and AI agents built at least 50% on domestic AI models—a spending commitment that turns Seoul's sovereign-AI ambitions into a dedicated budget commitment and arrives alongside a far larger KRW4.7 trillion initiative to build a homegrown frontier model.

China gets an early shot at the next SiC power-chip cycle

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:15:05 GMT

Alkaidsemi (Shanghai) Technologies Corporation has introduced a 1,200 V silicon carbide superjunction MOSFET that it describes as the world's first SiC superjunction MOSFET product. Project leader Hao Yue said it is among the first globally to complete product validation, positioning the company for emerging demand from AI server power supplies and high-voltage direct-current data center architectures.

Beyond the stage, can XPeng's EV playbook scale humanoid robots?

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:14:54 GMT

As humanoid robotics glides — in its own distinctive glamour — toward becoming one of the most visible manifestations of physical AI, the once-unimaginable idea of where humanoid capabilities might fit into the social world has begun to take on a much clearer definition.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics' glass-substrate rollout slows as TSMC evaluation drags on

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:14:44 GMT

Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco) is facing a slower glass-substrate rollout as a reliability evaluation of through-glass via (TGV) modules submitted to TSMC takes longer than expected, pushing back related equipment orders and adding pressure to a commercialization schedule that had already shifted into 2028.

Samsung trims foundry partner network as remaining DSPs gain momentum

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:14:37 GMT

Samsung Electronics has reduced its foundry Design Solution Partner (DSP) network to 11 companies from 13, as the chipmaker shifts toward greater emphasis on partners that can secure fabless customers, advance design projects, and help convert them into foundry orders.

Cheap, energy-dense, difficult to tame: LG Energy Solution pushes LMR closer to EVs

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:14:22 GMT

The appeal of lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) batteries has long rested on a difficult proposition: delivering relatively high energy density without carrying the same material costs associated with cobalt-heavy battery chemistries.

CXMT's HBM3 yield reportedly stalls at 25% as TSV and stacking challenges expose China's AI memory gap

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:14:07 GMT

China's leading DRAM maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has begun trial production of HBM3, but its initial yield has reportedly remained around 25%, highlighting the difficulty of translating its progress in conventional DRAM into high-performance AI memory.

CIOE: Morphotonics draws on display background to break AR waveguide bottlenecks

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:13:55 GMT

At the China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE), Morphotonics, a Netherlands-based nanoimprint lithography company, made the case that the quickest way to reach affordable AR glasses runs through the display industry rather than the semiconductor background, where most AR lens-making equipment comes from.

Apple's iPhone Duo raises the stakes for foldable smartphone cameras

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:13:07 GMT

Apple's foldable iPhone Duo could reshape the global smartphone market, pushing Android brands to move faster on foldable handsets and camera innovation. Suppliers said the launch may revive competition in a niche still dominated by Android, while underscoring the technical limits, pricing pressure, and profit opportunities facing module makers worldwide.

China's 6G race starts before the first 6G phone as satellite links move into the network core

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:12:57 GMT

China's next-generation communications push is beginning to reveal a broader ambition than simply putting faster wireless connections into future smartphones.

Wiwynn sees AI server shipments to overtake general-purpose servers in 3Q26

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:00:57 GMT

Wiwynn Corporation said AI server shipments will overtake general-purpose server shipments in the third quarter of 2026, with the two expected to account for roughly half each, while the company also expects a stronger fourth quarter as ASIC momentum builds.

Loongson raises funds to expand CPU and GPU development as AI inference boosts domestic chip plans

Charlene Chen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:57:11 GMT

Chinese CPU maker Loongson recently announced a CNY2.3 billion (approx. US$342.7 million) capital increase, with the funds mainly going into information technology chips and core CPU and GPU technologies. More than CNY1.4 billion is allocated to CPU-related projects, making it the largest investment area in the fundraising plan.

Apple just put a US$700 premium on hinges — seven supply chain takeaways

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:51:59 GMT

These are the seven supply chain takeaways from Apple's announcements on September 9, covering new iPhone models, new AirPods, chips, and upgrades to its ecosystem.

Apple's John Ternus puts iPhone at AI center stage

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:38:19 GMT

Apple CEO John Ternus used his first major event as chief executive to signal where the company is headed after officially succeeding Tim Cook in September 2026. Speaking at the annual showcase, he framed the iPhone as the personal computing hub for the AI era and suggested Apple is not rushing to replace it.

Apple's A20 Pro pushes mobile chips into the 2nm era — but AI may be the bigger disruption

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:31:38 GMT

For years, smartphone processors have competed through a familiar formula: faster CPUs, stronger graphics, and increasingly smaller process nodes. Apple's newly unveiled A20 Pro suggests that formula is beginning to change.

Apple's 100-part iPhone Duo hinge puts spotlight on Chinese suppliers

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:56:12 GMT

Apple's first foldable iPhone is putting Chinese precision-component makers under closer scrutiny as its complex hinge creates new opportunities in structural parts, metal injection molding and other high-value components.

Panasonic Energy unveils high-temperature solid-state battery, targets industrial uses, robotics

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:53:09 GMT

Panasonic Energy has developed a new solid-state battery capable of operating at temperatures up to 150 degrees Celsius (302 degrees Fahrenheit), marking a key breakthrough in heat tolerance and opening up specialized industrial applications.

Nvidia reportedly drives testing interface capacity crunch, pushes Taiwan suppliers

Charlene Chen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:46:06 GMT

AI chip demand is tightening high-end testing interface capacity, and supply-chain sources say Nvidia has raised prices to secure most of the probe card and test socket output from major testing interface vendors. The squeeze is also pushing Taiwan foundry leader TSMC and related IC design customers to assess diversified supply channels for early-stage R&D validation.

Samsung India reportedly cuts jobs as memory costs squeeze electronics unit

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:31:47 GMT

Samsung Electronics' Indian unit has reportedly started cutting jobs in its TV and home-appliance businesses as higher memory-chip prices, currency weakness, and soft consumer demand squeeze margins across its local electronics operations.

Qualcomm's AWS deal raises stakes for MediaTek and Alchip

Sherri Wang — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:21:12 GMT

Qualcomm this week announced a multi-generation collaboration with Amazon to develop custom silicon for AI inference and high-performance optical connectivity for Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Analysis: China chases EUV as chipmakers move to High-NA

Sherri Wang — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:16:32 GMT

The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography race is splitting into two tracks. Intel has moved High-NA EUV into production, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are targeting DRAM production in 2028, and TSMC plans to introduce the technology into advanced-node high-volume manufacturing in 2030.

Sumitomo, Sakana AI reportedly team up to expand Japan-made AI

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:00:24 GMT

Sumitomo and its IT subsidiary SCSK are partnering with Japanese AI startup Sakana AI to expand the use of domestically developed AI among Japanese companies, leveraging Sumitomo's broad customer base to reach businesses of various sizes.

Europe and US IDM grid-to-core push challenges Taiwan power modules

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:54:30 GMT

Data-center power systems are entering a new phase as operators move toward 800V HVDC and denser DC-DC architectures, raising demand for high-voltage, low-loss, and high-frequency power devices. The shift is pushing suppliers toward integrated control, protection, and module solutions, while Taiwan manufacturers weigh how quickly they can adapt.

Taiwan hardware strength meets open-source gap

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:24:21 GMT

Taiwan's hardware strength gives it a firm place in the global technology supply chain, but industry leaders say its next opportunity lies in open source. Jonathan Bryce, executive director of cloud and infrastructure at the Linux Foundation, said the most effective way for Taiwan to gain greater influence is for local developers to contribute code and help guide projects.

STMicro sees AI sales accelerating as factory transfers hold key to margin recovery

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:17:20 GMT

STMicroelectronics expects rapidly expanding AI infrastructure sales and stronger automotive demand to support growth into 2027, but its largest gross-margin gains will depend on customer approvals allowing older factories to close, CFO Lorenzo Grandi said at Citi's Global TMT Conference on September 9.

Google plans EUR13 billion Finland investment to expand data centers, clean energy

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:08:17 GMT

Google said it will invest EUR13 billion (US$15.11 billion) in Finland over the next two years, underscoring how data center growth, clean power, and local skills investment are becoming increasingly intertwined for global technology users, businesses, and energy markets. The company said the expansion will support its core services and deepen its long-running presence in the country.

Analog Devices agrees to buy Alif Semiconductor to expand edge AI push

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:04:54 GMT

Analog Devices has agreed to acquire Alif Semiconductor in a US$1.35 billion all-cash deal, a move that could broaden access to faster, more energy-efficient edge AI systems for industrial, defense, health, and consumer applications worldwide. The deal underscores a shift toward local, real-time computing beyond data centers.

Himax launches eDP TDDI for smart cockpit displays

DIGITIMES — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:23 GMT

Himax Technologies this week announced an industry-leading automotive touch and display driver integration chip (TDDI) that supports a high-speed eDP interface, combining eDP, touch sensing and display driving on a single chip to meet new-generation smart cockpit demand for large, high-resolution, high-quality displays and real-time touch.

Yageo's August revenue hits record on AI demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:59:42 GMT

Yageo posted year-over-year and month-over-month revenue growth in August, extending its streak of record monthly highs to a sixth straight month. The passive components maker said strong AI-related demand and resilient demand in Asia helped offset holiday effects in Europe and the US.

How AI and global expansion are reshaping semiconductor recruitment to production, tech integration

Yunnie Cheng — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:59:03 GMT

Driven by sustained artificial intelligence (AI) demand, global semiconductor capacity expansion is accelerating. According to the 2026 Semiconductor Industry Talent Report released by 104 Job Bank, monthly job openings in Taiwan's semiconductor sector reached 47,000 in 2026, a year-over-year surge exceeding 20%.

Arm launches second-generation CSS, targets China's AI smartphone market with C2 CPU

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:58:07 GMT

Arm unveiled its second-generation mobile Compute Subsystem (CSS), Arm CSS for Mobile 2, at its annual Arm Everywhere China event in Shanghai on September 8, further integrating AI computing capabilities across the CPU, GPU, and system interconnect while strengthening its presence in the Chinese market.

Global PMX sees semiconductor parts shipments strengthen

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:56:23 GMT

Global PMX, a major maker of automotive power and safety components, said August consolidated revenue rose to NT$802 million (approx. US$25.4 million), up 33.50% year on year and extending the company's growth momentum from July. The company said order visibility for semiconductor products now stretches through 2027, as AI server liquid-cooling parts and high-end semiconductor components ramp up.

AI server ODMs face widening component mismatches, with shortages reaching 15–20%

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:55:44 GMT

Nvidia's Vera Rubin platform is entering its production ramp, and although server ODM shipments are still expected to ramp further, server ODMs delivered strong operating results in August. Industry sources said demand remains robust for both the H-series and GB-series products.

SuperAlloy advances semiconductor aluminum certification

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:55:09 GMT

SuperAlloy Industrial, a global automotive wheel supplier, reported August consolidated revenue of NT$550 million (approx. US$17.4 million), up 2.46% from a year earlier, and NT$5.052 billion for January–August 2026, up 6.34% year on year. The company said the stronger sales base, along with progress in semiconductor material qualification, is setting up a second growth curve beyond its core auto business.

Silicon photonics boom could push InP supply-demand gap above 70%, triggering race for strategic optical resources

Scarlett Yu — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:54:24 GMT

As AI drives the transition toward high-speed transmission technologies such as 800G and 1.6T, silicon photonics has become increasingly mainstream in high-speed optical communications, attracting investment from major industry players.

Taiwan IC design firms seek government subsidies for advanced chip development

Rodney Chan — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:52:17 GMT

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) will hold a joint ministerial meeting in September to discuss subsidy applications submitted by domestic IC design firms for advanced chip development. If the applications are approved, the local IC design sector will receive a boost in its bid to raise the share of IC design industry output value generated by advanced-process chips from 45% to 47%.

Flex's EPC Power deal points to a broader shift in AI infrastructure

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:51:48 GMT

Flex has recently agreed to buy US power conversion specialist EPC Power for US$4.4 billion, a move that highlights how competition in AI infrastructure is extending beyond servers and racks into grid-side power, cooling, and energy management. The acquisition is expected to deepen Flex's role as rising compute density pushes data centers toward higher-voltage architectures.

Confidence in Germany's auto repair sector slips, even as demand hits record high

Kevin Wang — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:50:53 GMT

The auto repair industry in Germany is facing a contradiction: confidence among industry players has been falling, even though the sector as a whole is seeing repair demand rising alongside average vehicle age, while workshop utilization is at a five-year high.

Hiwin supply deal with Semes points to deeper access in South Korea's memory equipment market

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:50:32 GMT

Hiwin Technologies has signed a supply contract with Semes, Samsung Electronics' semiconductor equipment arm, for a single-axis positioning stage being tested in hybrid bonding equipment, signaling a potential opening in South Korea's advanced packaging supply chain. The deal complements Hiwin's push to broaden its co-packaged optics (CPO) business and move into higher-value semiconductor equipment components.

Three open source foundations share one stage in Shanghai

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:49:26 GMT

As AI applications move from the lab to large-scale deployment, China's open source ecosystem is increasingly focused on how to connect once-siloed technology layers to improve computing costs and operating efficiency. The KubeCon + CloudNativeCon + OpenInfra Summit + PyTorch Conference China 2026 opened in Shanghai on September 6, marking the first joint appearance of CNCF, OpenInfra, and PyTorch have converged at a single event, with discussions centered on AI infrastructure, AI agent trends, and the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Taiwan virtual asset alliance builds next-gen financial infrastructure

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:49:02 GMT

As global digital finance accelerates, stablecoins, real-world asset tokenization, and digital assets are becoming core to the next generation of financial services. With Taiwan's Virtual Asset Services Act passing its third reading in the Legislative Yuan on June 30, 2026, and being promulgated on July 22, Taiwan's digital finance sector has entered a transition toward compliance implementation, opening market opportunities.

Taiwan courts international talent as special experts qualify for permanent residency in 1 year

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:48:39 GMT

Taiwan is stepping up efforts to attract and retain foreign talent as its population declines, with the government easing permanent residency rules and offering faster pathways for specialized professionals. The Executive Yuan said its latest policy report aims to improve the immigration environment and ease labor and talent shortages across industries.

Taiwan startup ecosystem index jumps as angel fund expands

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:47:59 GMT

StartupBlink, a globally recognized startup ecosystem research platform, has released its "2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index," ranking Taiwan 20th out of 120 countries and recording the highest annual growth rate among the global top 20. The ranking comes as Taiwan has doubled the National Development Fund's Business Angel Investment Program from NT$5 billion to NT$10 billion.

Song Chuan rides 800V HVDC upgrade wave, posts record 2Q26 sales

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:47:40 GMT

Song Chuan Precision said on September 8 that its second-quarter 2026 revenue and gross margin hit record highs, as demand for AI server power supplies, energy storage, and EV charging all rose at the same time. The company also benefited from a richer product mix tilted toward higher-margin new-energy products, lifting second-quarter consolidated revenue and gross margin to record levels and swinging net profit back into the black from a year earlier.

Acer's PC, non-PC businesses drive 13-year revenue high

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:47:06 GMT

Acer posted NT$30.18 billion in revenue for August 2026, up 38.4% year-over-year, while cumulative revenue for the first eight months reached NT$214.811 billion, up 25.1%. Both August revenue and first-eight-month revenue hit their highest levels in 13 years, as the company's multi-engine business strategy continued to gain traction.

Chenbro Micom August revenue dips, core projects unchanged

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:46:45 GMT

Server chassis maker Chenbro Micom reported August 2026 revenue of NT$2.46 billion, up 41% year-over-year. Cumulative revenue for the first eight months reached NT$19.85 billion, up 51.7%, as AI-driven demand for data center infrastructure continued to climb.

Apple names 2nm node for the first time since 2024 — and raises prices on every iPhone it still sells

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:06:35 GMT

Apple used its 2026 iPhone launch to do two things it had avoided for years: name the process node in its flagship chip, and raise the price of phones already on sale. Both moves point to the same pressure. Memory is expensive, the packaging that binds memory to logic has become the hard part of building a phone chip, and Apple has stopped absorbing the cost.

Apple bets on new sensors and S11 chip to differentiate its 2026 watches

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 23:00:56 GMT

Behind the foldable, Apple used the same event to rebuild the sensing hardware in its wearables and to push active noise cancellation down to US$129. Apple announced the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5 in Cupertino on 9 September, and the two watches share the key upgrades: an all-new Health Sensing System and the S11 chip, which Apple calls its most powerful wearable silicon.

Apple's first foldable lands at US$1,999, and constraint is the panel

DIGITIMES — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 22:58:21 GMT

Apple has entered the foldable market at the top of it. iPhone Duo, announced in Cupertino on 9 September, starts at US$1,999 with 256GB and goes up to 2TB — above the US$1,899 Samsung charges for the wide-format Galaxy Z Fold8 — and is priced as a halo product rather than a volume one. The interesting question is not whether Apple can sell it. It is who gets to build it, and how few of them there are.

AI servers push Asus' August revenue up 51%

Joseph Chen — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 11:21:40 GMT

Asus reported consolidated revenue of NT$94.96 billion (US$3.02 billion) in August 2026, up 12.87% from July and 51.17% from a year earlier — the second-highest monthly figure in company history. Revenue for the first eight months reached NT$645.19 billion (US$20.5 billion), up 42.3% year over year. The company attributed the gain to AI server and PC demand, with motherboard orders also recovering.