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Wednesday 14 January 2026

Meta doubles down on AI smart glasses, shuts VR studios

Meta Platforms is reshaping its hardware and AI strategy. After reports of layoffs at its Reality Labs division, the US tech giant is now in talks with EssilorLuxottica to double the annual output of its AI-powered Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to 20 million units by the end of 2026, from an original target of 10 million. If demand remains strong, production could rise to 30 million units, though no final agreement has been reached.

Wednesday 14 January 2026

U-Best Innovative develops water-based resin for automotive interiors, targets diverse sectors

U-Best Innovative, a subsidiary of Sun Yad Group, announced the development of a water-based resin developed in collaboration with major domestic manufacturers of automotive interior materials. The company is also expanding partnerships with local firms to enter sectors including electronics, medical devices, green energy, optical films, and flexible HC materials.

Wednesday 14 January 2026

AI boom pushes Taiwan's GDP growth past 7%, masking tariff and talent strains on non-ICT sectors

Taiwan recorded a GDP growth of over 7% in 2025, driven by an AI-fueled export surge, yet the headline growth conceals mounting pressures on traditional industries grappling with US tariffs and an intensifying domestic talent crunch.

Tuesday 13 January 2026

Xiaomi's XRing strategy raises pressure on MediaTek, Qualcomm

Market sources say Xiaomi is expanding its in-house XRing chip lineup. Beyond developing the next-generation XRing O2 on TSMC's N3P process, the company also plans to extend these processors into "non-smartphone" products to further raise its level of self-reliance.

Tuesday 13 January 2026

Column: IBM's 50-year-old liquid cooling patent shapes today's AI data center cooling

If today's AI data centers are blazing "powder kegs" of heat, IBM was the visionary that prepared the "fire extinguisher" half a century ago. While Nvidia's top chips now require water cooling to operate, few realize that this technology's "biological father" actually dates back to IBM in the 1960s. Today, we explore this groundbreaking US patent 3,524,497 ("Patent 497") and its blue-cooling revolution spanning over 50 years.

Monday 12 January 2026

CES 2026 sparks debate over Chinese product innovation

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, China's major exhibitors prominently showcased products under the banner of "innovation," drawing significant attention on the show floor. However, some observers noted that many Chinese products closely resemble existing concepts from global companies, with industry insiders accusing Chinese firms not only of imitation but also of repackaging copied designs as independently developed innovations.

Monday 12 January 2026

Commentary: CES 2026 marks end of AR hype, start of price wars

For years, smart glasses and augmented reality (AR) headsets were among the most visible attractions at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), peaking in 2025 when they dominated the exhibition floor. At CES 2026, their presence was noticeably reduced. This does not point to an industry slowdown. Rather, it signals the sector's exit from the "concept phase" and its entry into a market defined by price competition and practical commercialisation.

Monday 12 January 2026

Jarllytec seeks more foldable smartphone shipments in 2H26

Notebook hinge maker Jarllytec said that its confirmed orders for the 2026 3C product lines include one new China-branded foldable smartphone model, which is scheduled to enter mass production and shipment in the first half of the year. The company is also pursuing orders for new models in the second half. New laptop models from US-based laptop brands are expected to ramp up shipments in the first half, along with continued contributions from high-priced China-branded foldable notebooks. The LCD-related business is expected to remain relatively moderate.

Monday 12 January 2026

GSEO's 2025 revenue rises nearly 8% YoY, with significant potential benefits in 2026

GSEO announced that its consolidated revenue for December 2025 reached NT$2.63 billion (approx. US$83.3 million), up NT$361 million from November's NT$2.269 billion, representing a month-over-month increase of 15.92%. Compared to December 2024's NT$1.449 billion, this marked an 81.50% year-over-year growth. The company's cumulative consolidated revenue for the entire 2025 was NT$24.987 billion, rising by 7.78% year-over-year.

Monday 12 January 2026

Qisda-backed Elixiron tackles Alzheimer's with new drug developments

Biotechnology firm Elixiron Immunotherapeutics is the only company in Asia to have twice received "Part the Cloud" grants sponsored by the US-based Alzheimer's Association and Bill Gates, securing roughly NT$60 million (US$1.9 million) in non-dilutive funding.

Monday 12 January 2026

FCCL maker Taiflex pushes fine-pitch materials to lift product value

Taiflex Scientific, a flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL) supplier, has begun a transition toward three new material businesses, led by fine-pitch materials used mainly in display panels and camera lenses. Fine-pitch products were the primary driver of revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2025. Despite exiting the automotive-related business due to margin pressure and market risk, Taiflex lifted full-year revenue beyond NT$10 billion (approx. US$330 million), marking its highest level in seven years.

Monday 12 January 2026

CES 2026: modular vs. thin notebook designs

CES 2026 revealed two clear paths in the global notebook market. While Apple continues to push the MacBook Pro toward extreme thinness, major PC vendors such as Dell, HP, and Lenovo are collectively pivoting toward modularity and repairability, with the intention of rebuilding competitiveness by extending product lifespans.

Friday 9 January 2026

South Korean tech giants accelerate robot actuator development at CES 2026

At CES 2026, leading South Korean corporations such as LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, and Samsung Electronics drew attention by focusing on robot actuators—critical components that function as joints in humanoid robots. Industry experts highlight actuators as a key growth market, as a single humanoid robot requires over 100 actuators to ensure performance and manage costs. This focus aligns with the growing interest in physical artificial intelligence applications across sectors.

Friday 9 January 2026

CES 2026: robot vacuums have their presence felt in smart home sector

Humanoid robots demonstrated more advanced intelligence and dominated CES 2026. However, they have yet to enter large-scale commercialization and widespread adoption. In contrast, various functional robots are already thriving, including increasingly sophisticated robot vacuum cleaners, pool-cleaning robots, and lawn-mowing robots. Innovation did not disappoint at CES this year, with many competing in the smart home space.

Friday 9 January 2026

Largan braces for 1Q26 seasonal dip as capacity utilization loosens

Largan Precision, a leading optical lens manufacturer, held its earnings call on January 8 to announce its fourth-quarter 2025 and full-year 2025 financial results. Benefiting from new product pull-ins by customers, the company posted consolidated full-year 2025 revenue of NT$61.15 billion (US$1.94 billion), up 3% year over year and surpassing the previous record of NT$60.75 billion set in 2019. However, gross margin in the fourth quarter of 2025 unexpectedly fell below 50%, slipping to 47.8%.

Friday 9 January 2026

CES 2026: Smart glasses market shifts focus to AI capabilities

The smart glasses sector marked a clear transformation at CES 2026, moving beyond the chaotic showcase of numerous startups seen in 2025 to a more streamlined exhibition featuring fewer but larger booths and heightened visitor interaction. Attendees demonstrated greater enthusiasm for trying on devices and exploring practical applications compared to last year's cautious approach.

Friday 9 January 2026

Google and Samsung bet again on smart glasses, this time with Android XR

Multiple indicators suggest Google will re-enter the smart glasses market in 2026, more than a decade after exiting the category. The company is expected to partner with Samsung to launch a new generation of smart glasses built on the Android XR platform, signaling a renewed push into augmented reality and wearable computing.

Friday 9 January 2026

Taiwan accelerates infrastructure expansion to fortify AI and chip supply chains

As Taiwan's semiconductor and AI server industries rapidly expand—led by TSMC and major hardware manufacturers—the government is accelerating infrastructure planning to secure industrial land, water supply, and green energy, while balancing domestic capacity constraints with overseas investment.

Friday 9 January 2026

Taiwan's HCmed scales up high-end nebulizer CDMO business to tap global respiratory therapy market

HCmed Innovations is accelerating its push into the high-value respiratory therapy market, leveraging Taiwan's electronics engineering strengths to build advanced nebulizers as drug-device combination products under a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) model. With demand already exceeding capacity, the company is planning a major production expansion while preparing for a mainboard listing on the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

Friday 9 January 2026

Demand for smartwatches rises unexpectedly, even with early 2026 cold wave

A sudden temperature drop in early 2026 has led to a notable increase in demand for smartwatches and fitness bands, alongside rising sales of warming home appliances in Taiwan, according to data from e-commerce platform PChome. The cold weather surge has driven consumers toward health-focused technology and protective products.

Friday 9 January 2026

Taiwan's subsea cable and drone push drives cable and wire industry to record 2025 output

Benefiting from government initiatives to enhance grid resilience, green energy projects, and expanding investments in AI and semiconductor sectors, Taiwan's wire and cable industry is expected to report a record high output value for 2025. Established market demand remains stable while major cable manufacturers accelerate expansion into emerging blue ocean markets such as drones, low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, and submarine cables.

Friday 9 January 2026

South Korean startup WARP Solution advances Wi-Fi-like wireless charging

South Korean startup WARP Solution is advancing the commercialization of radio frequency (RF) wireless power transfer (WPT) chips and components, via applications such as electronic shelf labels (ESL). The company has already begun collaboration and validation efforts with consumer electronics brands such as Samsung Electronics and is showcasing its products at CES 2026, aiming to expand partnerships worldwide.

Thursday 8 January 2026

Anli hits record December revenue on notebook order surge

Anli International reported its highest monthly revenue of 2025 in December as notebook brands accelerated orders to avoid anticipated price hikes for key components.

Thursday 8 January 2026

Qisda-backed TSA ramps up pet health alongside human care amid 'fur baby' boom

Taiwan's Qisda Group is accelerating its push into healthcare by backing emerging health brand TSA International, which is preparing to enter the capital markets while scaling a dual-engine strategy spanning human health and pet wellness.

Thursday 8 January 2026

Cooling module suppliers see record revenues in 2025 on AI server liquid cooling demand

Cooling module manufacturers delivered strong operational results in 2025, driven by rising demand for liquid cooling solutions for artificial intelligence (AI) servers. Industry players such as Auras Technology, Asia Vital Components (AVC), and Fositek all posted record-high revenues.

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