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Jul 8
Whistleblower exposes Huawei's PanGu AI model copycat scandal
On June 30, 2025, Huawei released the source code for its PanGu 7B dense parameter model and the larger PanGuPro mixture-of-experts (MoE) 72B model, both tailored for inference on its in-house Ascend AI chips. Initially lauded as a landmark in China's drive for AI independence, the announcement was quickly overshadowed by a technical analysis published on GitHub just days later.
Apple has announced that Jeff Williams will step down as chief operating officer (COO) later this month, with Sabih Khan, the company's senior vice president of Operations, set to assume the role in a planned leadership transition. Williams will continue to oversee Apple's design team and Health initiatives until his retirement later this year.
Taiwan-based Kinko Optical has strategically avoided low-price competition by expanding its mid- to high-end lens and next-generation product offerings, resulting in nearly 25% revenue growth in the first half of 2025.
US President Donald Trump notified 14 trading partners on July 7, 2025, of updated reciprocal tariff rates while postponing the original July 9 implementation date to August 1. The delay provides governments additional time to negotiate or adjust to US trade measures, with global shipping rates already showing sharp declines.
Meta Platforms Inc. bought a minority stake in the world's largest eyewear maker, EssilorLuxottica SA, a deal that increases the US tech giant's financial commitment to the fast-growing smart glasses industry, according to people familiar with the matter.
US President Donald Trump notified trade partners on July 7, 2025, Eastern Time, of new tariff rates set to take effect on August 1. He first informed Japan and South Korea that a 25% reciprocal tariff would be imposed on their goods, warning that rates could increase further if retaliatory measures are taken.
GlobalFoundries has announced an agreement to acquire MIPS, a supplier of AI and processor intellectual property (IP). The acquisition aims to broaden GlobalFoundries' customizable IP portfolio and enhance its process technologies with integrated IP and software capabilities.
With volume production of server chassis for Nvidia's GB200 turning stable, the operation of suppliers for related components such as cooling modules, sliding rails, and battery backup units (BBUs) has all turned positive, prompting them to hold a positive view for the second half of 2025. In addition, Nvidia's upcoming next-generation GB300 will help prolong the momentum during the period. Despite the requirement of a learning curve, industry visibility remains high, insulating its performance from market fluctuations.
Hans Dekkers, General Manager of IBM Asia Pacific, recently returned to Taiwan for his fifth visit in less than a year since taking office. He believes Taiwan and Japan will play important roles in the quantum field after reviewing Taiwan's notable growth in industry and academia surrounding quantum technology.

Groq, the US-based AI chipmaker, has launched its first European data center in Helsinki, accelerating its global expansion and tapping into the rising demand for sovereign AI infrastructure. Developed in partnership with Equinix, the facility will host Groq's proprietary Language Processing Units (LPUs), engineered for fast deployment and cost-efficient AI inference at scale.

The recent documentary on Taiwan's semiconductor development history, A Chip Odyssey, highlights how the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) licensed and transferred semiconductor technology to Taiwan, launching a half-century journey in semiconductors for the island.
August 2025—Meta dominates the smart glasses market. Over one million Ray-Ban Orion units sold. Wearable technology is now a battlefield.