Nvidia's H20 chip has been granted approval by the US government to be sold in China, despite being a lower-spec version compared to its original design. This approval has quickly led to a surge in demand, with Chinese customers placing substantial orders. The H20 is available in two versions: initially featuring Samsung Electronics' HBM3, before switching to SK Hynix's 8-layer HBM3E.

Rapidus, Japan's leading semiconductor company, unveiled its first set of 2nm prototype chips on July 18 during a press event held in Chitose City, Hokkaido. The unveiling took place at a hotel near the company's pilot production site and drew a crowd of about 200 suppliers and prospective clients.

JS Foundry, a Japanese contract chipmaker specializing in power semiconductors, has filed for bankruptcy with the Tokyo District Court after failing to withstand mounting pressure from a wave of Chinese capacity expansions. The company's inability to secure a strategic partnership with a Taiwanese firm and a collapse in fab utilization forced its exit, marking a sobering end to what had once been a symbol of Japan's semiconductor revitalization push.

Pegatron Chairman T.H. Tung welcomed the sharp reduction in US tariffs on Indonesian exports to 19%—the lowest among Asian countries to date—as a timely boost for the company's newly ramped-up production facility in Batam. He noted that the cut offers Taiwanese companies with operations in Southeast Asia a stronger foothold in global tech competition.

OpenAI has diversified its cloud infrastructure beyond Microsoft Corp. to include Google Cloud, CoreWeave Inc., and Oracle Corp., underscoring the intensifying competition for scarce AI computing resources that has left multiple providers reporting capacity constraints in early 2025.

The US has yet again extended the deadline for its reciprocal tariff negotiations to August 1, leaving many exporters on edge. US policy mainly aims to control China's low-priced dumping. Many countries' customs agencies have launched strict inspections to prevent becoming unwitting conduits for China's origin-washing and counterfeit rebranding.

The foldable smartphone space is buzzing with increased support from brands, hardware innovations, and generative AI enhancements. Since the release of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, the market has the potential to expand.

Fixed wireless access (FWA) is only playing second fiddle to fiber in Taiwan's broadband market. Despite that, FWA is far from being just an optional technology, as it offers huge growth potential.

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), Taiwan's largest integrated telecommunications operator, announced last month it would invest more than NT$2.4 billion (approx. US$81.6 million) in the new Asia United Gateway (AUG) East submarine cable system. On July 16, CHT participated in the signing ceremony for the new AUG East cable in Singapore, where it shared construction details for the new cable.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has pledged to rein in aggressive price-cutting in China's fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) sector, marking a clear pivot from self-regulation to direct government oversight. Speaking at a recent State Council executive meeting, Li called for restoring order in the new energy vehicle market and denounced what he termed "irrational competition," according to China Central Television (CCTV).

LG Energy Solution (LGES) and General Motors (GM) have decided to convert the second factory of their joint venture, Ultium Cells, located in Spring Hill, Tennessee, from producing nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) ternary batteries to manufacturing lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

Taiwan's domestic and imported car markets have long been locked in a delicate tug-of-war. In 2024, local vehicles held a narrow lead with a 52% market share, compared to 48% for imports. But that balance could be upended if the latest trade rumors prove true.

President Donald Trump hailed more than US$92 billion in investments in artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure during a visit to Pennsylvania, highlighting his efforts to bolster US competitiveness in the AI field.

Taiwan's photovoltaic industry association dismissed public concerns about toxic liquid leakage from solar panels damaged by Typhoon Danas, saying the public is confusing solar cells with household batteries.

Meta Platforms and Anthropic secured separate legal victories in copyright disputes over using books to train artificial intelligence models, with federal judges ruling the practice constitutes fair use despite expressing divergent views on the technology's implications.

HY Tech unveiled its SkyVTOL 2 electric long-range drone, highlighting Taiwan's growing capabilities in unmanned aerial vehicle development as the island seeks to strengthen its defense industry. The Taipei-based company's latest model can carry 5-kilogram payloads for logistics applications while also serving potential military reconnaissance roles.

Taiwan's Hsuan Yuan Tech Co., a drone systems integrator and component developer, is targeting the US and European markets as global demand shifts from complete aircraft to high-value modules amid rising geopolitical tensions.

The US is intensifying efforts to reshape the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) landscape, tightening oversight of the drone supply chain in a bid to reclaim technological leadership and fortify national security. At the center of this strategy is the Blue UAS Cleared List—a Defense Department-approved roster of drone makers deemed safe for government use. While inclusion isn't limited to US companies, industry officials say the criteria have quietly expanded to favor American-made drones, pushing foreign suppliers to bring production stateside if they want access to the lucrative US market.

With China's domination in the global LCD panel industry, coupled with long-term overcapacity in panel production and the fact that higher-generation fabs are more efficient and cost-effective than older, lower-generation lines, panel players from Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan have been continuously closing and selling plants in recent years.

Taiwan's polarizer manufacturers have successfully negotiated price increases exceeding 10% with panel makers as they grapple with currency headwinds and rising raw material costs, according to industry sources.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) shortages continue to squeeze polarizer manufacturers as Japanese suppliers announce consecutive price increases effective in 2025. Industry sources estimate PET costs will climb another 10% in the third quarter of 2025, adding to pressure from rising optical film prices.