With TSMC and ASE Holdings (ASEH) gearing up to build additional fab capacities for advanced packaging, relevant supply chain participants are optimistic about growth driven by their development plans, according to industry sources.

Rapidus, a Japanese company building a semiconductor factory in Chitose City, Hokkaido, Japan, said the construction progress is going smoothly despite the tight schedule. The company also said that its strategy for developing the most advanced chips will not overlap with existing major manufacturers such as TSMC and will focus on developing specialized chips for AI.

Major Japan-based semiconductor equipment saw their market capitalization more than double in 2023, with other suppliers reporting nearly doubling of their market valuations, highlighting the demands for semiconductor equipment when chipmakers are expanding their production capacities amid rising Chinese demands and generative AI.

Samsung Electronics has recently declared the launch of the Galaxy S24 series, integrating AI into its proprietary smartphones.

Thanks to rising production and exports by Apple suppliers, India continued to witness surging electronics exports, and the export momentum is expected to remain.

Apple's no. 2 supplier, Pegatron, has faced challenges on multiple fronts, with an oversaturated smartphone market, recent iPhones being criticized for lacking innovation, and increasing encroachment from China-based Luxshare Precision. As Apple's halo fades, Taiwan-based OEMs have been seeking new opportunities. Pegatron's ventures into new businesses and markets show the agility that Taiwan-based OEMS have gained from years of experience in the field.

IDC estimates worldwide shipments of used smartphones, including officially refurbished and used smartphones, will reach 309.4 million units in 2023. The unit growth represents a 9.5% increase over the 282.6 million units shipped in 2022. In addition, IDC projects that used smartphone shipments will reach 431.1 million units in 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8% from 2022 to 2027.

Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the S24 series, which features on-device AI capabilities. Samsung praised the contribution of the Indian R&D team to the smartphone and confirmed local production of the device.

According to the latest market tracker, India recorded a 2% fall in smartphone shipments in 2023, a minor drop compared with the global market. India's smartphone shipment is expected to experience a slight rebound in 2024.

In recent years, the market share of New Energy vehicles (NEVs) has risen steadily, emerging as a dark horse in the automotive industry. However, their global market penetration remains below 20%, indicating significant growth potential. Chinese EV manufacturers previously engaged in price wars to incentivize consumption, aiming to increase sales by reducing prices. However, the NEV supply chain stakeholders have mixed opinions about this aggressive pricing strategy.

The rivalry between Tesla and BYD will continue in 2024 and titles of the biggest producer and the sales king are up for grabs.

As the global EV market grows, more emerging automakers have risen. They innovate car designs and production. Moreover, these companies have created new rules for their collaboration with suppliers.

Food Cycle Sciences, a Canadian company that produces FoodCycler, the kitchen waste processor, is planning to expand its market in Taiwan via a local partner.

Infineon's climate strategy rests upon two fundamental pillars: the continuous reduction of its own emissions and the proactive role played by Infineon, along with its innovative products and solutions, in contributing to climate protection. Having achieved a commendable reduction of 56.8% in emissions to date compared to the 2019 baseline, the company attributes this success to implementing smart abatement concepts, energy efficiency programs, and the transition to green electricity in Europe and North America.

Delta Electronics announced a groundbreaking GBP43 million deal with Ceres Power Limited, a subsidiary of UK-listed Ceres Power Holdings plc, specializing in fuel cell power generation and hydrogen production through water electrolysis. The agreement focuses on the transfer and licensing of hydrogen fuel cell stack technology.

The craze for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites began in early 2022 with the start of the Ukraine-Russia war. Recently, driven by international satellite operators, an international supply chain similar to the mobile phone and laptop industry has taken shape. Observing the current number of satellites launched by the four major operators, most have a significant gap compared to their planned targets, except for OneWeb.

In recent years, the Taiwanese government has attached great importance to the development of the space industry. Besides being categorized as a core strategic industry, the sector would see an additional investment of over NT$40 billion, in addition to the original NT$25.1 billion investment planned for the coming ten years as Taiwan's "National Space Technology Development Long-term Plan" enters its third phase.

China is outpacing the U.S. and Japan in LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology thanks to its prodigious speed of development.

Asia Optical, an optical components manufacturer, is diversifying its business by collaborating closely with LG Innotek (LGIT) in the high-end mobile and car lens sectors.

TCL CSOT CEO and COO Zhao Jun talked about automotive display tech breakthroughs and inkjet-printed OLED progress in an exclusive interview during CES 2024.

Ennostar Group, a Taiwanese LED maker, has re-evaluated its microLED production strategy, foreseeing that the widespread adoption of microLED applications, especially in TVs, may not occur until 2027-2028.