Apple Inc. is seeking to import most of the iPhones it sells in the US from India by the end of next year, accelerating a shift beyond China to mitigate risks related to tariffs and geopolitical tensions.
As US President Donald Trump mounts tariffs against exporters, India's EMS players are benefiting due to the relatively lower duties on Indian goods.
Telecom operators have sought to expand their businesses by integrating communications, AI, cloud, and IoT services, venturing into a range of fields that benefit from vertically integrated systems such as e-commerce, media streaming, startups, and blockchain. Moreover, Taiwan's three leading telecoms have each pursued their distinct direction in their financial services offerings.
Pegatron unveiled its new manufacturing facility on Indonesia's Batam Island yesterday, featuring a dedicated 5G private network spanning the entire plant. The facility, developed in partnership with Indonesian telecom operator Telkomsel, positions itself as the world's largest 5G-enabled smart factory.
As the US continues to recalibrate its trade policy toward China, Taiwanese technology suppliers find themselves caught in a state of strategic limbo, anxious over the potential implications of every twist and turn in US tariff decisions.
The US has imposed retaliatory tariffs on imports from China and Vietnam at rates of 125% and 46%, respectively. This has disrupted the supply chain strategies of major electronics manufacturers like Samsung Electronics, which has substantial production facilities in both countries. As a result, Samsung is reportedly considering shifting some of its smartphone manufacturing from Vietnam to India, following similar moves by other tech giants like Alphabet.
Apple Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. were hit by relatively modest European Union fines totaling EUR700 million (US$798 million) for violating tough new antitrust rules for Big Tech, following warnings of harsh retaliation from US President Donald Trump.
Ericsson Antenna System (EAS) is expanding its manufacturing operations in India, aiming to localize 100% of its passive antenna production for the Indian market by June 2025. The initiative is part of the company's broader supply chain strategy and aligns with India's ongoing 5G rollout.
US-China competition remains fierce despite tariff stalemate, with technology decoupling accelerating behind the scenes. Taiwan's MediaTek may find unexpected opportunities amid this conflict, according to market analysts.
As the US imposes a 46% tariff on Vietnam and a 26% tariff on India, Alphabet executives are reportedly urging Pixel smartphone manufacturers to boost production in India. This shift from Vietnam to India supports the growing US-India trade relationship, which aims for US$500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the role of telecom operators, expanding their reach beyond traditional network infrastructure to enterprise solutions. Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET) has taken a major step in this direction with the launch of its proprietary "FET AI Model Agent" platform for external clients, marking its official entry into the enterprise and public sector AI consulting and application market.
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