Since its debut in 2009, Nvidia's GTC has been held in San Jose, California. Over the years, the conference has expanded to Japan, China, Taiwan, Germany, and other countries as technology and markets have evolved. The main highlight remains CEO Jensen Huang's two-hour keynote speech. This year, however, Nvidia held an additional event in Washington, DC, sparking speculation about Huang's next moves for the industry.

Skyworks Solutions and Qorvo have agreed to merge in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at about US$22 billion, forming a US-based leader in high-performance radio frequency (RF), analog, and mixed-signal semiconductors. The announcement coincided with Skyworks' release of preliminary fiscal 2025 results.

The foldable phone market is finally hitting its stride. After years of false starts and skeptical consumers, the segment is experiencing genuine momentum. Counterpoint Research projects US shipments will surge nearly 68% year-over-year in 2025, while China's annual volume is closing in on 10 million units—a threshold that signals the category has moved beyond experimental territory.

Digital transformation solutions integrator International Integrated Systems (IISI) held a pre-IPO performance briefing on October 28, announcing plans to list in November. The company aims to fuel its next growth phase through cloud-native SaaS offerings, transitioning toward a subscription-based revenue model built on long-term partnerships while actively expanding into overseas markets.

Samsung Electronics is reportedly preparing a limited release of its upcoming tri-fold smartphone in select markets, which include South Korea, China, and Taiwan. The US is expected to miss out on the initial release. Industry sources estimate that production will be limited to 50,000 units, with a possible price tag of up to US$3,000.

Samsung Electronics currently leads the foldable phone market and holds the largest share of foldable phone sales in the US, alongside Motorola and Google. However, Apple is expected to enter the competition by the end of 2026. With foldable hardware design, component durability, and supply chain maturity improving, Apple is expected to challenge Samsung in the US market and potentially compete with Huawei for the top shipment position in China.

As global memory prices surge rapidly, smartphone makers face increasing cost pressures that are driving retail price adjustments. Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions division anticipates improved semiconductor prospects, but its Mobile eXperience business confronts pricing challenges for upcoming devices amid rising DRAM and NAND Flash costs.

As the global digital transformation accelerates, 5G has become a critical foundation driving comprehensive upgrades across industries. However, its revolutionary potential remains largely untapped. Ericsson CTO Erik Ekudden and industry consultant Chetan Sharma recently jointly released a report titled "New Wave of Mobile Innovation," revealing that only 26% of operators worldwide invest in 5G standalone (SA) networks, with over 90% of SA users concentrated in China, India, and the US. This concentration leaves other regions significantly behind in next-generation digital infrastructure competition.

Chinese mobile electronics manufacturers are expanding their footprint in India amid signs of easing tensions between the two countries, industry executives told the Economic Times. Despite thinner profit margins compared with local players, firms such as DBG and BYD are ramping up production and rehiring staff to meet growing demand from Chinese smartphone brands, including Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo.

Xiaomi partner and president Weibing Lu is spearheading the company's push into the premium smartphone segment, marking the Xiaomi 17 series in 2025 as a critical battle for the price tier above CNY6,000 (US$842.51). This range has long been dominated by Apple's iPhone.