DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Interview: Acrab CEO Ken Phua on building agentic AI silicon in Singapore

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 17:58:00 GMT

Ken Phua, former Arm China co-CEO, spent 25 years abroad building someone else's business model. He came home to Singapore to build his own.

Acer COO Jerry Kao resigns; Chairman Jason Chen to fill role

Joseph(C) Chen — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:58:23 GMT

Acer announced a major management change on August 14, saying chief operating officer Jerry Kao has resigned with immediate effect. Chairman and CEO Jason Chen will take on the duties on an interim basis.

Research insight: Delta, Lite-on raise capex to 9% of revenue in AI data center power race

Levi Li — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:46:45 GMT

The speed of AI data center deployment is raising the bar for power and cooling suppliers. Chipmakers such as Nvidia and AMD are refreshing platforms annually, with each generation bringing sharp increases in power density and thermal requirements. Suppliers that cannot match that pace in R&D or capacity deployment risk missing the next design cycle.

Memory supply crunch pushes long-term contracts beyond the big three

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:55:15 GMT

The global memory supply shortage is intensifying, with long-term agreements (LTAs) rapidly expanding beyond the three major memory manufacturers—Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Micron Technology—to include Sandisk, Nanya Technology Corporation, and China's ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT).

AI server tracker: Demand drives July revenue gains across Taiwan infrastructure suppliers

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:47:26 GMT

Data center infrastructure providers reported revenue gains across baseboard management controllers (BMCs), optical modules, power supply components, and thermal management products. Some companies, such as LandMark Optoelectronics and Auras Technology, reported year-over-year July revenue growth exceeding 100%.

AI infrastructure enters multi-architecture fabric competition; Optical-copper interconnects and supply-chain coordination determine system performance

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:38:02 GMT

AI infrastructure enters multi-architecture fabric competition; Optical-copper interconnects and supply-chain coordination determine system performance

SK hynix scouts US memory fab sites as customers seek local supply

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:12:43 GMT

SK hynix has spent more than a month studying potential locations in the US and other regions for a front-end memory fab, as American customers press the company to expand wafer production closer to home.

South Korea chip cluster could expand to nine fabs as SK plans new investment

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:22:27 GMT

South Korea's planned southwestern semiconductor cluster could eventually expand from four fabs to as many as nine as the government accelerates land, power, and infrastructure work around Gwangju, while local officials say SK Group is expected to unveil a major investment in eastern Jeonnam.

China AI chip demand lifts Hygon revenue 67%, Sugon profit 34% as domestic computing expands

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:55:00 GMT

Hygon Information posted a 66.5% increase in first-half 2026 revenue as accelerating artificial intelligence deployment and stronger demand for domestically developed computing chips lifted sales of its high-end processors.

Alibaba Cloud's 6-year evolution: five super data centers pivoting to AI compute

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:50:00 GMT

Alibaba Cloud's Lingjun Zhenwu M890 supernode has officially gone live, with its initial commercial deployment in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia—the same super data center launched six years ago. The site is now hosting next-generation AI supernode compute capabilities, bringing Alibaba Cloud's "Five Super Data Centers" back into the spotlight as the company positions itself for the AI era.

South Korea's memory-chip exports surge 277% as system chips slip

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:27:43 GMT

South Korea's semiconductor export boom was heavily concentrated in memory in July. Memory-chip export value surged 276.9% year over year, while system semiconductor exports slipped 0.7%, as server demand and higher memory prices created a sharp split between the two segments.

Alibaba Cloud races ahead with Ulanqab AI infrastructure

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 06:55:00 GMT

Since early 2026, AI upstarts such as DeepSeek have increasingly pivoted toward building or co-owning their own data centers. This reflects a broader shift across China's AI sector: moving away from asset-light models reliant on leasing server space to gaining deep control over computing infrastructure. AI firms are no longer merely buying GPUs; they are stockpiling strategic compute assets, with 10,000-to-100,000-card GPU clusters becoming the baseline requirement.

Global PMX sees semiconductor demand driving growth through 2027 as product mix shifts

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 06:55:00 GMT

Global PMX said its semiconductor business is emerging as the main growth driver and is expected to continue expanding through 2027, while automotive sales remain steady and are expected to improve as the global auto market recovers. The company also said its workforce is still rising, reflecting stronger shipments from Vietnam and Zhejiang plants.

OCP APAC 2026: What if AI's next efficiency breakthrough is simply moving less?

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 06:55:00 GMT

For years, the logic of AI infrastructure has been straightforward: move more data, push more power, transmit more signals, remove more heat.

Insight: Intel raises US$20B, but its 14A ambitions may need twice as much

Levi Li — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 06:28:48 GMT

DIGITIMES analyst Luke Lin, speaking on a recent podcast, used Intel's latest equity fundraising plan to examine who is benefiting most from the current surge in server CPU demand and how much more capital Intel may need to reach the 1.4nm generation.

Alibaba Cloud cuts AI data center build time to 100 days, triples global modular capacity

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 06:15:40 GMT

Alibaba Cloud has cut the delivery cycle for large AI data centers to 100 days with its CUBE 5.0 modular architecture, while lowering construction costs by more than 10% and increasing computing density as demand for AI infrastructure accelerates.

SanDisk lays out multiyear NAND roadmap and AI storage targets at investor day

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 06:12:00 GMT

SanDisk Corp used its August 13, 2026 investor day to detail a technology roadmap and a set of financial targets it says will carry the flash-memory maker through the end of the decade. The plans center on new multiyear supply contracts with data center customers and an accelerating NAND product cadence built around artificial intelligence inference workloads.

MPI posts record 2Q26 revenue, profit as probe card capacity stays fully loaded

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 05:55:00 GMT

Taiwanese test interface provider MPI said that continued strong expansion demand from global artificial intelligence (AI) customers, along with its growing global market share in mid- to high-end test interfaces, drove both revenue and profit to record highs in the second quarter of 2026. The company added that probe card capacity remained fully utilized as demand outpaces supply.

Compal lifts profit on AI PCs and servers as component costs rise

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 05:33:32 GMT

Compal Electronics said second-quarter 2026 revenue and profit increased as AI PCs and server demand offset higher memory and other component costs. The Taiwanese electronics maker said the PC industry is moving into a gross margin readjustment phase, and it plans to defend margins while pushing for higher absolute gross profit as AI server scale-up becomes more important in 2027.

Chinese analog chipmaker Novosense returns to profit on AI server, auto demand

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 05:33:07 GMT

Suzhou Novosense Microelectronics expects to return to profitability in the first half of 2026, with revenue rising nearly 67% as demand for AI computing infrastructure, automotive electronics, server power supplies, and renewable energy systems lifts semiconductor shipments.

AMD reportedly to issue up to US$5B in bonds amid tech debt sale wave

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is launching up to US$5 billion in debt offerings, part of a wave of tech companies reaching for capital markets to fund investments in AI-driven technologies. The move comes as the company is competing with both Intel and Nvidia to capture enormous opportunities from data center development and agentic AI.

VinSpace signs SpaceX launch deal for first satellites in 2027

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:50:00 GMT

Vietnamese aerospace startup VinSpace has signed a contract with SpaceX to launch its first satellites in 2027. Bloomberg reported that the payloads will fly on a SpaceX Transporter mission, a rideshare service that carries multiple customers on a single launch.

Samsung weighs moving legacy memory backend work to Vietnam to free up capacity for HBM

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:25:47 GMT

Samsung Electronics may move part of the general-purpose DRAM and NAND packaging and testing now handled at its Cheonan and Onyang sites in South Korea to Vietnam, potentially freeing domestic backend capacity for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), according to DealSite.

Eternal Precision Mechanics accelerates advanced packaging push with wafer lamination

Charlene Chen — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:22:44 GMT

Eternal Precision Mechanics (EPM), a small but fast-growing subsidiary of Eternal Materials, is accelerating its shift from IC substrates into advanced packaging equipment. The company said it is now developing equipment for chip-in-package, glass substrates, and organic interposers, while also moving from panel lamination into wafer lamination, primarily targeting "Taiwan's largest semiconductor manufacturer."

US report puts China-linked tariff evasion through Asia under the spotlight

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:16:05 GMT

A new US government-linked report says American tariff revenue is being drained by tens of billions of dollars a year through illegal transshipment, with exporters routing China-origin goods through more than 40 third countries — many of them in Asia — to dodge higher US duties. The report, titled "The Great Transshipment Scam," traces the practice to Chinese exporters' response to the Section 301 tariffs imposed in 2018 and estimates current annual illegal transshipment flows at US$40 billion to US$303 billion, depending on methodology.

Seoul Semiconductor wins permanent India injunction, completing a three-region patent sweep

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:55:00 GMT

Seoul Semiconductor and its affiliate, Seoul Viosys, have secured a permanent injunction from India's Delhi High Court against Ornate Agencies Private Limited, barring the Indian company from selling products that infringe Seoul Semiconductor's opto-semiconductor patents. The court separately enjoined Ornate's managing director from further involvement in the infringement, according to a joint statement from the two Korean companies issued on August 12, 2026.

European notebook revenue jumps 14.8% as unit sales fall

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:54:21 GMT

European notebook sell-through fell 1% year-over-year in units in the second quarter of 2026, but revenue rose 14.8% as the average selling price (ASP) climbed 15.3% to EUR801 (approx. US$923), according to CONTEXT's European distribution panel.

Tungsten prices surge sixfold as US-China restrictions tighten supply for chips, aerospace, defense

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:46:25 GMT

International tungsten prices have risen 666% year-on-year amid China's export controls, while the US Department of Commerce recently announced restrictions on exports of tungsten scrap and battery black mass. Tungsten is used across a broad range of strategic industries, including semiconductors, aerospace and defense.

Nvidia Feynman pushes TSMC A16 and CPO ramp

Charlene Chen — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:42:43 GMT

Nvidia is accelerating development and supply-chain alignment for its Feynman generation in the second half of 2028, even as Vera Rubin enters mass production and ramps up. The move is set to drive upgrades at TSMC and could trigger another wave of orders across the global equipment and materials supply chain.

Intel's US$20B equity raise puts Lip-Bu Tan's turnaround strategy to the test

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:36:32 GMT

Intel has priced the largest equity raise in its history, selling 210,526,315 shares of common stock at US$95 per share to raise roughly US$19.67 billion in net proceeds, according to a prospectus supplement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

IBM and OpenAI partner to accelerate secure enterprise AI deployment

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:35:44 GMT

IBM announced on August 13 a strategic partnership with OpenAI to help global enterprises integrate frontier AI models into core operations, application modernization, and cybersecurity frameworks. By combining OpenAI's advanced technologies, including GPT-5.6 and Codex, with IBM Consulting Advantage, the joint initiative targets key industries such as financial services and retail to safely modernize legacy systems and scale AI operations.

Apple opens advanced manufacturing center in Houston to expand US smart skills

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:31:40 GMT

Apple opened of its new 20,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) today in Houston, Texas. Designed to bolster American smart manufacturing, the facility functions as an educational hub where local businesses, workers, and students can gain firsthand knowledge of the pioneering production and design techniques behind Apple's products.

Lam Research to spend more than US$3 billion expanding global R&D labs

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:30:04 GMT

Lam Research plans to invest more than US$3 billion over the next five years to expand its global research and development lab network, increasing experimental capacity as semiconductor manufacturing grows more complex.

Silicon Motion completes US$1.15 billion zero-coupon bond offering

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:08:53 GMT

Silicon Motion Technology has completed a US$1.15 billion convertible bond sale, giving it fresh capital to support growth and debt repayment. For global investors and chip buyers, the financing signals confidence in storage, automotive, and physical AI demand, while also showing how semiconductor firms are using low-cost structures to fund expansion.

Analysis: Taiwan Mobile takes control of Systex to close ICT gap with Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:03:02 GMT

Taiwan Mobile announced on August 13 that it will acquire additional common shares of Systex through its wholly owned subsidiary Taiwan Cellular, raising its total stake to more than 50% and securing majority control of the IT services provider.

DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Interview: Acrab CEO Ken Phua on building agentic AI silicon in Singapore

Acer COO Jerry Kao resigns; Chairman Jason Chen to fill role

Research insight: Delta, Lite-on raise capex to 9% of revenue in AI data center power race

Memory supply crunch pushes long-term contracts beyond the big three

AI server tracker: Demand drives July revenue gains across Taiwan infrastructure suppliers

AI infrastructure enters multi-architecture fabric competition; Optical-copper interconnects and supply-chain coordination determine system performance

SK hynix scouts US memory fab sites as customers seek local supply

South Korea chip cluster could expand to nine fabs as SK plans new investment

China AI chip demand lifts Hygon revenue 67%, Sugon profit 34% as domestic computing expands

Alibaba Cloud's 6-year evolution: five super data centers pivoting to AI compute

South Korea's memory-chip exports surge 277% as system chips slip

Alibaba Cloud races ahead with Ulanqab AI infrastructure

Global PMX sees semiconductor demand driving growth through 2027 as product mix shifts

OCP APAC 2026: What if AI's next efficiency breakthrough is simply moving less?

Insight: Intel raises US$20B, but its 14A ambitions may need twice as much

Alibaba Cloud cuts AI data center build time to 100 days, triples global modular capacity

SanDisk lays out multiyear NAND roadmap and AI storage targets at investor day

MPI posts record 2Q26 revenue, profit as probe card capacity stays fully loaded

Compal lifts profit on AI PCs and servers as component costs rise

Chinese analog chipmaker Novosense returns to profit on AI server, auto demand

AMD reportedly to issue up to US$5B in bonds amid tech debt sale wave

VinSpace signs SpaceX launch deal for first satellites in 2027

Samsung weighs moving legacy memory backend work to Vietnam to free up capacity for HBM

Eternal Precision Mechanics accelerates advanced packaging push with wafer lamination

US report puts China-linked tariff evasion through Asia under the spotlight

Seoul Semiconductor wins permanent India injunction, completing a three-region patent sweep

European notebook revenue jumps 14.8% as unit sales fall

Tungsten prices surge sixfold as US-China restrictions tighten supply for chips, aerospace, defense

Nvidia Feynman pushes TSMC A16 and CPO ramp

Intel's US$20B equity raise puts Lip-Bu Tan's turnaround strategy to the test

IBM and OpenAI partner to accelerate secure enterprise AI deployment

Apple opens advanced manufacturing center in Houston to expand US smart skills

Lam Research to spend more than US$3 billion expanding global R&amp;D labs

Silicon Motion completes US$1.15 billion zero-coupon bond offering

Analysis: Taiwan Mobile takes control of Systex to close ICT gap with Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone

Lam Research to spend more than US$3 billion expanding global R&D labs