XMC, a leading Chinese semiconductor manufacturer specializing in NOR Flash memory chips, has received approval for its IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market, one of the few instances of IPO approval in China's semiconductor sector recently, indicating that the company has garnered support from the Chinese government.

Rapidus, a Japanese semiconductor startup aiming to mass-produce 2nm chips by 2027, faces significant funding, technology, and market competitiveness challenges.

Qualcomm is set to unveil its next flagship mobile platform, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, along with other products at its annual launch event scheduled for late October. However, new products in its Snapdragon X Elite series for PCs will have to wait until the second half of 2025, according to sources. The launch event is expected to focus primarily on mobile chips and automotive electronics, as suggested by the invited media attendees.

From January to August 2024, Taiwan's exports grew by 10.94% compared to the same period in 2023, while imports increased by 9.34%. The trade surplus for this period reached US$52.45 billion, marking a growth of 19.47%. Notably, integrated circuits (ICs) and information and communication products accounted for a significant portion of this growth.

Wanzhou Meng has resumed her role as Huawei's rotating chairwoman, further cementing her position as the company's top leader, second only to founder and CEO Zhengfei Ren. Her reappointment underscores her continued ascent within Huawei's leadership structure.

Electronic paper giant E Ink has teamed up with Hanshow to deploy the world's first product utilizing 13.3-inch E Ink Spectra 6 electronic paper technology, called Polaris Max, at Aeon China's new store in Changsha. This marks the first commercial application of a full-color electronic paper product in the retail sector.

The shortened delivery times for the iPhone 16 series have sparked mixed reactions. Some view it as a sign of weaker demand, while others attribute it to improved supply chain management. Nevertheless, supply chain players remain optimistic about the overall industry's outlook, driven by the growing influence of AI applications.

At Meta Connect 2024, Meta unveiled its new Orion AR glasses and the latest Ray-Ban smart glasses, showcasing innovative technologies. The company emphasized that Apple's Vision Pro may be heading in the wrong direction.

Global mobile phone shipments are expected to grow by approximately 2% in 2024, driven by the integration of generative AI technologies. However, industry experts caution that significant growth in the next two years may be challenging, as mobile hardware specifications approach their limits and consumers require time to familiarize themselves with generative AI applications. This situation is likely to intensify operational pressures on smartphone brands, component suppliers, and manufacturers.

Foxconn is set to host its fifth annual Hon Hai Tech Day on October 8-9, where it will showcase its latest electric vehicle (EV) developments. At a pre-event press conference on October 1, the company announced plans to debut a multi-passenger minibus, dubbed Model U, in addition to the previously unveiled SUV-like Model D.

Taiwan's Carbon-Based Technology (CBT) on October 2 announced a strategic partnership with automotive e-commerce company CARPOST Information System to introduce advanced carbon fiber composite technology to the aftermarket for used luxury and imported vehicles. The collaboration will focus on providing interior design enhancements and exterior upgrades.

Automaker Volkswagen has announced several plans to shut down or migrate its factories, signaling a strategic adjustment for the company in the global market. In particular, this is a response to a decline in demand for fuel vehicles and the rapidly growing competition pressure from Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

China's solar energy firms, which have 85% of the global market, are being hit by an unprecedented level of oversupply and encountering export challenges in the European and US markets, according to industry sources.

The global shift toward clean energy, driven by the need to address extreme climate events, is reshaping both the power and automotive industries. As the push for net-zero emissions gains momentum, traditional automakers are pivoting toward electric vehicles, while power grids are transitioning to low-carbon systems. Taiwan, aligning with global energy targets, has revised its goals to ensure renewable energy accounts for 15% of the country's supply by 2025, increasing to 20% by 2026.

The semiconductor industry is highly resource-intensive, requiring large amounts of water, electricity, and raw materials, including various chemicals, during production. Consequently, the industry generates significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as carbon dioxide and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs).

Taiwan is gearing up to launch its 6G commercial trial network in 2028, supported by a government-approved five-year funding plan focused on advancing key technologies in non-terrestrial networks (NTN). This initiative aims to help Taiwan's industry, academia, and research sectors secure a foothold in next-generation communications and lay the groundwork for practical future applications.

Following the visit of 26 US drone organizations at the end of September, Taiwan-US collaboration has taken another step forward. The newly established "Taiwan Drone Excellence Overseas Business Alliance" has welcomed its first cooperative partner.

Amid the rise of generative AI and global supply chain restructuring, Taiwan's exports to the United States and ASEAN have surged to unprecedented levels. In August 2024, Taiwan's exports to the US reached a record US$11.89 billion, with cumulative exports for January to August hitting all-time highs of US$75.45 billion to the US and US$56.33 billion to ASEAN. Premier Jung-Tai Cho emphasized the need for Taiwan to enhance supply chain resilience in light of these developments.

Despite the growing popularity of OLED, AU Optronics (AUO) believes that LCD will continue to be the standard display technology for many mass-market device applications.

As market demand rebounded in 2024, Bright LED Electronics Corp. achieved stable operations starting in the second quarter. The company posted an after-tax net profit of NT$89 million (approx. US$2.78 million) for the first half of the year, representing a 40% year-over-year growth. Despite ongoing uncertainties in order visibility, Bright LED expects its performance in the fourth quarter and throughout 2025 to remain consistent with that of the first half of 2024.

LG Display (LGD) has sold its LCD plant in Guangzhou, China for approximately US$1.54 billion, a strategic move critical to the company's pivot towards OLED production. This sale, spearheaded by company president Jeong Chul-dong, has sparked industry speculation on whether LGD will now accelerate its investment in the competitive OLED sector.