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Tuesday 14 April 2026

Taiwan's auto suppliers pivot to AI and system integration in EV transition, says DIGITIMES Research

The annual "360°MOBILITY Mega Shows," a major gathering for the auto parts and mobility industry, opens on the 14th, drawing heightened attention to the growing role of Taiwan's suppliers in next-generation automotive technology. As software-defined vehicles (SDVs) emerge as a central industry direction, the share of automotive semiconductors and software in vehicle development is rising rapidly, according to a DIGITIMES Research report.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

March 2026 revenue for ODM/EMS surged on back of AI server demand

Taiwan's ODM and EMS sectors saw a surge in revenue in March 2026, driven primarily by strong AI server demand alongside seasonal quarter-end restocking. Notably, growth extended beyond AI servers to general-purpose servers and network switches, signaling broad-based momentum across product lines.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Asus exceeds expectations with 2x server revenue and growing notebook shipments

Asus has recently unveiled two major surprises in its business outlook. According to supply chain sources, the company's newly set internal targets for 2026 notebook shipments and AI server revenue have both exceeded market expectations.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Phison eyes US$1.4B fundraising to tackle severe NAND shortage in 4Q26

Phison Electronics founder and CEO Pua Khein-Seng warned that the current NAND Flash shortage will worsen significantly in the second half of 2026, with an acute supply crunch expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, where "even money can't buy stock." To secure inventory amid this tight market, Phison has broken its no-debt tradition by launching a syndicated loan in March and plans to issue US$800 million in Euro-convertible bonds (ECB), targeting over NT$43 billion (US$1.4 billion) in total fundraising for 2026.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Yaskawa Electric sees AI robot, chip demand boost profits

Japan's Yaskawa Electric is pointing to a turning point in its earnings trajectory, with AI-driven robotics and semiconductor equipment demand converging to lift orders, margins, and outlook.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Google and Intel expand CPU partnership, boosting ASIC and startup opportunities

Google recently announced an expanded collaboration with Intel to increase the deployment of Xeon processors in its cloud AI data centers. This move reflects the rapidly growing demand for CPUs in AI infrastructure, prompting Google to secure supply chains early to avoid future chip shortages that could hinder AI investments.

Tuesday 14 April 2026

Alibaba boosts fusion startup NovaFusionX in bid to secure AI energy edge

As generative AI and large-scale computing infrastructure continue to expand, the industry is coming to recognize "power as the limit of compute." With AI data centers demanding a high-intensity, stable power supply, Chinese tech giants are accelerating their expansion into the energy sector.

Monday 13 April 2026

Taiwan's robot strategy focuses on practical use

Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) chair Cheng-Wen Wu recently told the Legislative Yuan that Taiwan's robot development strategy aims to deploy machines for heavy and hazardous tasks. The government plans to invest NT$20 billion (US$629.4 million) in a smart robot industry promotion program, prioritizing sectors such as dangerous work environments, caregiving, food service, and healthcare.

Monday 13 April 2026

A robotics push signals Taiwan's shift from supplier to system builder

Taiwan has formally launched its first national-level robotics hub, signaling an ambitious effort to build a globally competitive industry around intelligent machines. The National Center for AI Robotics, led by the National Institutes of Applied Research, is based in the southern innovation cluster of Shalun and was inaugurated on April 10.

Monday 13 April 2026

Taiwan launches national AI robotics center to build homegrown start-ups

Taiwan has formally inaugurated its first national-level robotics hub. The National Center for AI Robotics, established under the National Institutes of Applied Research, is a strategic bet on converting academic research into globally competitive companies. The center is expected to anchor the island's push to build a world-class intelligent robotics industry.

Monday 13 April 2026

Taiwan's AI revenue boom masks deeply divided industry: 1Q26 data analysis

The headline numbers for Taiwan's listed tech companies in the first quarter of 2026 are strong, but a sector-by-sector breakdown of 238 companies reveals a story far more nuanced than the AI-server narrative dominating the financial press. Growth is heavily concentrated, structurally bifurcated, and in some cases, arithmetically misleading.

Monday 13 April 2026

Taiwan's monthly exports top US$80 billion for first time, fueled by AI demand

Taiwan's exports rose to a record high in March, supported by demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and memory-related products, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Monday 13 April 2026

Weekly news roundup: Shortages spread to MLCCs; SK Hynix reportedly in talks with Microsoft and Google

Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of April 6-April 13, 2026:

Monday 13 April 2026

Supreme Court ruling stalls Taiwan-US trade deal, zero-tariff car imports in limbo

Taiwan and the US signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) on February 13, 2026, capping 10 months of negotiations. The deal set a reciprocal tariff of 15% without stacking and secured Taiwan the most favorable terms yet under Section 232 for semiconductors. But the US Supreme Court's invalidation of most of President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs has since frozen the agreement. Taiwan's Executive Yuan cannot submit it to the Legislative Yuan for review, and the prospect of zero-tariff US car imports has stalled along with it.

Monday 13 April 2026

Taiwan ramps up science park expansion as TSMC growth pushes capacity limits

Powered by surging semiconductor investment—led by TSMC—Taiwan's science parks are nearing full capacity, accelerating government efforts to expand land, infrastructure, and next-generation industry clusters.

Monday 13 April 2026

Taiwan and US forge a cross-Pacific robotics axis

Taiwan and the US are accelerating efforts to build a bilateral robot ecosystem as embodied AI converges with robotics. GeoAsia Foundation chairman C.Y. Huang says Taiwan is now assembling a large-scale robotics alliance drawing on resources from Taiwan, the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia — a platform for international collaboration across industry, academia, and research institutions designed to bridge Taiwan-based companies into the global market.

Monday 13 April 2026

Samsung caught between worker payouts and chip ambitions

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics is facing a large-scale strike threat, and whether it will extend into May remains an open question, as labor-management negotiations remain at a deadlock. The union's demand for a substantial allocation of a performance bonus has widened the gap between the two sides, raising the risk of industrial action.

Monday 13 April 2026

Aurotek posts record 1Q26 revenue on AI software, robotics integration

Aurotek reported record-high revenues in March and the first quarter of 2026, driven by a surge in market demand for its robotics products integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) software.

Monday 13 April 2026

How Foxconn is winning a bigger slice of MacBook Neo orders

Apple's most price-competitive notebook ever, the MacBook Neo, triggered a buying frenzy immediately after its launch in March, with market demand significantly exceeding expectations. According to supply chain sources, Apple has already begun raising its annual shipment target from the original 5–8 million units to around 10 million. This move not only boosts confidence across the supply chain but also ignites a new round of order competition among major contract manufacturers.

Monday 13 April 2026

Delta Electronics hits record revenue on AI server, liquid cooling surge

Delta Electronics' record March revenue signals a global shift as cloud providers ramp up AI infrastructure spending, boosting demand for AI server power supplies and liquid cooling. Worldwide operators face pressure to adopt liquid cooling and higher-voltage DC power, affecting data center design, supplier strategies, and procurement across regions and markets.

Sunday 12 April 2026

TSMC's Kumamoto impact drives Autopass one-stop mobile payment launch in Japan

As TSMC's entry into Kumamoto accelerates local industry, population, and tourism growth, Taiwanese smart mobility integrator Autopass announced on April 9, 2026, its plan to export integrated mobile and payment services to the Japanese market, starting with Kumamoto. The company aims to further expand across the entire Kyushu region.

Saturday 11 April 2026

Beyond AI: Energy, capital and sovereignty will define Asia's next factories

Artificial intelligence is entering a capital-intensive phase, with industry executives warning that Asia's next generation of factories will be defined less by breakthroughs in algorithms than by constraints in energy, infrastructure, and capital allocation.

Saturday 11 April 2026

Catcher adopts cautious outlook, citing supply chain bottlenecks and cost pressures

Despite revenue growth in March 2026, Catcher Technology is maintaining a prudent outlook for 2026, citing supply chain bottlenecks, cost pressures, and uncertain end-market demand.

Friday 10 April 2026

Compal sees PC demand steady, server shipments set to double quarterly

Compal Electronics' stronger-than-expected March and first-quarter 2026 results signal supply-chain and product-mix shifts with global implications for PC supply, server capacity for AI workloads, and memory pricing dynamics. Investors and enterprise buyers may see tighter PC inventories and accelerated non-PC offerings as Compal pivots toward AI-focused server solutions and smart devices.

Friday 10 April 2026

US expands China lab ban, testing orders shift to Taiwan

The US is moving to broaden restrictions on Chinese laboratories testing electronics, a step that could effectively exclude a large portion of China's testing ecosystem if the proposal is approved.

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