DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Analysis: AI data centers face mounting power hurdles as Taiwan grid strain deepens

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 00:02:39 GMT

Taiwan's AI data center push is exposing a wider global problem: artificial intelligence needs vast, reliable power, but grids, permits, and green-energy rules are not keeping up. As countries race to host new computing hubs, the speed of AI deployment is increasingly determined by electricity access, not just chips.

China's AI chip buyers turn from Nvidia to local suppliers in H20 squeeze

DIGITIMES — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 00:02:17 GMT

Chinese companies are shifting more AI accelerator spending away from Nvidia and toward domestic suppliers, a sign that US-China technology tensions are no longer just reshaping chip exports, but the buildout of China's AI infrastructure itself.

Compeq says AI and satellite demand offset seasonal slowdown

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 00:01:36 GMT

HDI board maker Compeq Manufacturing Co. said strong shipments of low-Earth-orbit satellite and consumer electronics boards, along with higher volumes and prices in its AI line, helped it avoid the usual second-quarter slowdown. The Taiwan-based company expects more momentum in the second half of 2026, with implications for global satellite, AI, and optical networking supply chains.

China 618 smartphone sales fall 13% as Huawei takes lead

DIGITIMES — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 00:01:10 GMT

China's smartphone sales fell 13% year over year during the 2026 618 e-commerce shopping festival, as higher memory costs and less aggressive promotions weighed on demand, according to Counterpoint Research.

Foxconn's Young Liu says sovereign AI is turning data center supply chains local

Levi Li — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 00:00:41 GMT

Foxconn chairman Young Liu said sovereign AI is expanding beyond data residency to AI data centers and their supply chains, forcing a structural shift in global manufacturing.

SK Hynix supplier talks show AI memory boom shifting pricing power

DIGITIMES — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 00:00:22 GMT

The AI data center boom is reshaping the memory supply chain, giving Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron greater pricing power while pushing cost pressure into PCs, smartphones, cars, and other end markets.

Asian VCs urge startups to expand regionally before targeting the US

DIGITIMES — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Venture capitalists from Japan, Singapore, and Salesforce Ventures converged at the 2026 Asia VC Summit in Taipei to argue that Asian startups should prioritize regional expansion over jumping straight into the US market. They pointed to cross-border collaboration within Asia as a more viable path to building competitive tech companies.

Aurona sees strong PCB demand as AI and high-end chip trends lift sales

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:59:37 GMT

Aurona Industries said demand for its PCB process materials remains strong, with order intake rising year over year, and high-end products in particular are seeing robust traction. The company's update reflects continued momentum for global electronics supply chains, as AI-related upgrades and high-speed computing fuel broader demand across Asia.

Innodisk revenue surges on AI memory demand and price hikes

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:59:12 GMT

Industrial memory module maker Innodisk reported record June revenue of NT$8.208 billion in 2026, while first-half revenue climbed to about NT$35.626 billion. The gains reflected higher prices and AI-driven memory shortages that kept demand strong through the second quarter.

Interview: UK courts Taiwan suppliers for AI hardware buildout

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:58:57 GMT

The UK is pitching itself as a new base and technology partner for Taiwanese electronics suppliers as AI demand shifts from models to the physical infrastructure behind them: chips, packaging, servers, cooling, power, and data centers.

Yulon Nissan sticks to 2026 sales target as currency pressure builds

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:58:15 GMT

Yulon Nissan Motor said it is keeping its 2026 sales target at 13,000 units, while warning that exchange-rate volatility could become the biggest challenge to its full-year operating performance.

Ruihe Carbon targets diesel backup market with ammonia-to-hydrogen system

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:57:54 GMT

Ruihe Carbon is expanding its rooftop solar holdings and moving into low-carbon hydrogen as it looks to reshape backup power for Taiwan's technology sector.

Record 84-month auto loans raise concerns over longer US vehicle replacement cycles

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:57:41 GMT

Generative AI drives enterprise content automation as Taiwan localization gains momentum

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:57:26 GMT

Salesforce Ventures shares AI investment playbook at Asia VC Summit, eyes Taiwan startup

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:56:51 GMT

Salesforce Ventures laid out how the AI boom has reshaped its investment strategy over the past three years at the 2026 Asia VC Summit today, while acknowledging it has yet to close its first deal in Taiwan despite actively searching for one.

PLAUD rides AI hardware-subscription model to US$100 million ARR

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:55:58 GMT

Rapid advances in generative AI and AI agents are moving AI beyond software tools into everyday workflows, particularly in voice, meeting, and conversational applications, giving rise to new AI-driven business models.

Team Group posts record first-half revenue on industrial and AI demand

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:55:21 GMT

Memory module maker Team Group reported a June 2026 consolidated revenue of NT$3.0 billion (US$94.2 million), up 18.1% from May and 35.0% from a year earlier. The Taiwan-based company also said that its first-half revenue for the year reached NT$16.6 billion, a record for the period, as demand from the industrial and system integration (SI) sectors stayed firm.

Compal's Rayonnant expands liquid cooling lineup for AI servers

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:55:01 GMT

Compal Electronics subsidiary Rayonnant Technology has launched a full line of coolant distribution unit (CDU) products for AI servers, covering liquid-to-air sidecar, in-rack, and in-row liquid-to-liquid solutions. The rollout gives the Taiwan-based electronics group a deeper in-house role in liquid cooling as rack power densities increase across AI factories, large-scale training clusters, and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.

Macronix and Winbond post record June revenue as memory prices stay firm

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:54:44 GMT

Macronix and Winbond Electronics reported record consolidated revenue in June 2026 and for the second quarter of the year as memory chip demand and pricing strengthened. The Taiwanese makers benefited from a rally across the memory market, while industry watchers continued to flag the risk of volatility after a sharp price run-up.

SAS Group deepens 'manufacturing + services' strategy as renewable energy, semiconductor units gain

Eifeh Strom — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 23:54:30 GMT

Driven by the global energy transition and the rapid development of emerging applications such as artificial intelligence (AI) and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, demand for renewable energy continues to rise.

Grab's Uber-affiliated director steps down from board with foodpanda Taiwan acquisition in process

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 10:10:52 GMT

Grab Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GRAB) announced that Uber Technologies CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has resigned from its board of directors, effective July 6, 2026, as the Singapore-based ride-hailing and delivery company works to close its proposed US$600 million acquisition of foodpanda's Taiwan business from Delivery Hero.

Asia VC leaders call for deeper cross-border tech investment at inaugural regional summit

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:57:04 GMT

Heads of venture capital associations from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea gathered in Taipei today for the first Asia Venture Capital (VC) Summit, a historic trilateral meeting aimed at deepening cross-border investment as AI reshapes the region's tech landscape.

Novatek beats second-quarter revenue guidance on strong customer stockpiling

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:40:27 GMT

Novatek reported June revenue of NT$10.023 billion, up 6.48% from the previous month and 18.96% from a year earlier, pushing second-quarter revenue to NT$28.66 billion. The chip designer's second-quarter result rose 24% quarter over quarter and 9.59% year over year, topping its earlier forecast of NT$27.5 billion to NT$28.5 billion.

ELAN revenue hit the top of forecast as notebook and AI products gained traction

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:38:59 GMT

ELAN reported June 2026 revenue of NT$1.059 billion, up 5.48% from the prior month and 7.13% from a year earlier. The Taiwanese chip maker said second-quarter 2026 revenue reached NT$3.368 billion, up 4.4% quarter-over-quarter and 11.1% year-over-year, while first-half revenue totaled NT$5.37 billion, a 4.04% increase from a year earlier.

Samsung's Jae-yong Lee heads to Sun Valley Conference for likely AI talks

Lily Hess — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:14:55 GMT

Samsung Electronics Chairman Jae-yong Lee departed for the Sun Valley Conference in the US on July 7, marking his second straight year at the event as he looks to deepen AI cooperation with global tech giants. Industry watchers expect the trip to help Samsung expand its ties with major customers and partners.

Taiwan and South Korea to deepen startup investment ties

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:06:02 GMT

Taiwan and South Korea's venture capital groups have signed a pact to expand cross-border funding and exit opportunities, a move that could widen capital access for startups and reshape innovation links across Asia. The deal may also offer global investors new routes into two technology-heavy markets.

HVDC power to ramp up in 2H26, as Delta eyes momentum in AI power systems

Kevin Wang — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:04:53 GMT

US cloud service providers (CSPs) are continuing to expand AI-related capex, which has in turn driven up data center server rack specifications and power architectures. As a result of the continued rise in per-rack power consumption, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power racks are expected to enter the market starting from the second half of 2026, with initial shipments focused on select platforms and specific customers.

France-Taiwan tech ties move from talks to factory floor

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 09:04:20 GMT

France's push into Taiwan's tech ecosystem has entered a new phase. After three years of cultural outreach and research exchanges, cooperation is now showing up in steel, silicon, and server racks. Foxconn, SiPearl, and a growing list of AI data center projects are turning bilateral goodwill into industrial output.

AI memory boom turns price hikes into antitrust flashpoint across supply chain

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:49:05 GMT

As AI demand drives record price increases in the memory market, the aftermath of such volatility is weighing on the wider supply chain, rippling into downstream industries where manufacturers are already trapped in their own price wars while facing rising input costs.

Microsoft starts swapping OpenAI and Anthropic models for its own in apps

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:41:16 GMT

Microsoft is reportedly beginning to replace OpenAI and Anthropic models in its software with its own offerings, likely a strategic move by the software giant to reduce expenditures and bolster its role as an AI provider, soon after the launch of several of its in-house models.

TSMC earnings call could signal how long the AI boom can keep lifting its outlook

Jingyue Hsiao — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:37:45 GMT

TSMC's July 16 earnings call is likely to test how far the chipmaker can extend its already upbeat guidance, as investors look for signs that AI demand, flagship smartphone launches, and broader wafer orders can offset inflation, materials shortages, and mounting manufacturing complexity. The market is watching for another upgrade to revenue, spending, and margin targets.

AI server maker MiTAC gears up for stronger 2H26 with new capacity after 44.8% revenue jump

Levi Li — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:24:33 GMT

MiTAC is set to enter a new phase of growth in the second half of 2026 as new production facilities begin mass production, providing a meaningful boost to operations. Earlier, MiTAC president Billy Ho said the company's business growth in 2026 is firmly on track, driven by sustained demand for AI.

Netherlands presses China talks on Nexperia and ASML trade frictions

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:14:06 GMT

The Netherlands used a trade mission to Beijing this week to reopen economic ties with China while semiconductor tensions remained at the center of the agenda. Dutch trade officials met Chinese counterparts as Amsterdam sought to manage disputes involving Nexperia and ASML amid broader US-China technology restrictions.

National Center for Instrumentation Research helps academia break 2D materials bottleneck

Rodney Chan — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 07:52:50 GMT

As AI infrastructure chip orders flood in and TSMC runs near nonstop, academia has found it difficult to carry out industry-academia collaboration with the world's top foundry house. Taiwan's government-funded research institutes, including the National Institutes of Applied Research (NIAR) and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), are emerging as a better route for partnerships.

Samsung widens Nvidia Vera Rubin memory play with PCIe 6.0 eSSD

DIGITIMES — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 07:23:35 GMT

Samsung Electronics has started mass production of its PM1763 enterprise SSD, a PCIe 6.0-based drive built for AI infrastructure and slated for Nvidia's next-generation Vera Rubin platform, expanding the company's AI memory strategy beyond HBM into high-performance server storage.