Smartphone distributors in Taiwan have recently said they are no longer able to obtain Asus handsets through local agents and claimed they had received information indicating that Asus's smartphone unit would operate only through December 31, 2025, after which the company would stop launching new smartphone products.

Taiwan's push to build strategic AI, robotics, and quantum computing infrastructure is facing delays after the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) NT$10.85 billion (approx. US$345.3 million) 2026 budget has yet to enter legislative review, leaving several flagship projects in limbo.

Demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) is crowding out production capacity for consumer memory. Despite capacity expansions by major memory makers, including Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, the supply of HBM for AI servers remains tight, and the demand from large chipmakers is difficult to satisfy immediately. IC distributors report that lead times from memory manufacturers have now extended to 52 weeks. With priority allocation given to large clients, almost no stock is available. Both distributors and customers must now pay upfront and wait in line for delivery.

The upcoming CES 2026 is set to elevate artificial intelligence (AI) from a prominent topic to the exclusive central theme, reflecting the technology's maturation toward everyday application. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), organizer of the event, announced that all showcased products and innovations will focus on AI, indicating a shift in focus from prior years, when AI was one of several highlights.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has announced that artificial intelligence (AI) will be the central theme of CES 2026, under the banner "AI Forward." The event will emphasize AI's impact on product launches and technological advancements, with keynote addresses and major announcements from leading technology companies.

With the shift from black-and-white to color boosting pull-in demand, ESG, and AI, e-paper terminals are thriving. Both E Ink Holdings, the leading global e-paper materials supplier, and Netronix, the world's largest ereader ODM, have seen clear growth in 2025 and are expected to continue into 2026.

2025 proved turbulent for downstream applications and end-user devices. Tariffs and geopolitical tensions dominated the first half, while AI gained momentum later in the year. Global market unpredictability pushed many brands—particularly in China, the epicenter of geopolitical tensions—toward domestic markets and self-sufficiency.

Taiwan-based tech products distributor Weblink International is riding a surge in memory prices and robust demand for AI servers, positioning the company for strong growth in 2026. President Dave Lin said both segments continue to face supply constraints, but remain among Weblink's most promising growth drivers.

Facing severe memory shortages and rapidly rising prices, global PC brands are implementing strategies to offset cost pressures, including price increases or maintaining prices with downgraded specifications. Channel partners point out that memory accounts for nearly 20% of a PC's total bill of materials (BOM), and recent sharp hikes in memory prices have forced many vendors to quietly adjust their PC pricing.

Ability Opto-Electronics Technology (AOET) expressed optimism for its 2026 operations during its earnings call on December 30, despite the notebook market being impacted by rising memory prices in the fourth quarter of 2025, prompting some customers to scale back shipment volumes. Chairman Victor Kao pointed to the company's new product line expansions and the gradual securing of customer certifications as key drivers of confidence for 2026.

Passive components maker Inpaq, under Passive System Alliance (PSA), held its annual investor conference. Looking ahead, CEO Eunice Chen expects 2025 orders driven by the PC/notebook (PC/NB) replacement cycle to be much stronger than supply chain forecasts, pushing utilization rates above 90%. She is optimistic that this strong order momentum will extend into 2026, becoming a key driver for steady growth in antenna product shipments.

As 2025 concludes, Taiwan's information and communication technology (ICT) and electronics sectors have experienced significant export growth driven by AI-related demand, particularly from the United States. This comes according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). Despite record-breaking trade surpluses and rising foreign-exchange earnings, industry surveys indicate varying confidence about future prospects.

Memory prices are soaring as much as four to five times year-over-year. PC brand vendors that were originally expected to gradually finalize supply contracts with memory makers by the end of the third quarter of 2025 have, as of year-end, not had a single contract fully signed. Suppliers are tight on supply and unwilling to sign, and prices are also lacking consensus. Memory makers still have capacity, but demand far exceeds supply. Therefore, brand vendors must rely on their own capabilities. In facing this tough situation, the supply chain reports that memory makers are giving priority to Apple, Lenovo, Asus, and Dell.

Tariffs, inflation, and geopolitical risk continue to cloud the global economy, while the smartphone industry faces fresh pressure from higher upstream material costs and component shortages. As 2026 approaches, several structural issues are set to define the market's direction.

GPU prices are expected to rise in early 2026 as memory costs surge. AMD may implement hikes starting in January 2026, with Nvidia following in February 2026, according to industry sources. Pricing adjustments will likely continue for several months.

Foxconn's operating structure is clearly shifting. Previously driven mainly by consumer electronics cycles, it is now gradually tilting toward AI servers, cloud, AI infrastructure, and high-performance computing (HPC). With continued investment and deployment in emerging businesses such as electric vehicles (EVs), results are expected to surface in 2026.

Apple Inc. has unveiled an AI imaging technology called DarkDiff, designed to improve photo clarity in low-light conditions by integrating generative diffusion models into the camera's image signal processor (ISP). While effective in reducing blur and enhancing detail, the technology's high computational demands currently limit its deployment on consumer devices.

Samsung Electronics is prioritizing artificial intelligence adoption, local manufacturing, and consumer financing in India, foregoing an initial public offering for its local business. The company aims to strengthen its footprint in one of its most important growth markets through internal expansion and strategic investments.

Xiaomi stated that it is not a Chinese military-industrial company, is not affiliated with any military entity, and only provides consumer-focused civilian and commercial products, adding that the proposal to place Xiaomi on the 1260H list is unfounded, according to The South China Morning Post.

As the global memory market enters its sharpest price upswing in nearly five years, one top-tier PC maker has moved quickly to lock in supply, dispatching senior executives to negotiate directly with major memory producers, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology.

Following the launch of its first AI glasses, Vive Eagle, HTC has continued to expand its sales channel footprint. Beyond its official rollout in Hong Kong, the company has increased physical demo locations and after-sales service points in Taiwan. HTC is also expected to hold an event in China in January 2026. If AI glasses are introduced in the country, market attention will center on local partnerships, AI function localization, as well as sales targets and go-to-market strategy.

Following ByteDance's early December 2025 launch of the Doubao AI Phone with Nubia, a ZTE subsidiary, Jiemian News and National Business Daily reported that the company is expanding partnerships with smartphone makers. ByteDance has been pushing AI phone collaborations with Vivo, Lenovo, and Transsion. The most direct goal is finding a compliant, stable, and sustainable system identity for AI agents.

In mid-December 2025, a China-based assembler for Apple was reportedly targeted in a cyberattack, potentially compromising production-line information linked to the tech giant's operations. This situation has raised concerns among customers regarding supply stability and cybersecurity risks.

HTC is pursuing an open platform approach for its VIVE Eagle smart glasses, allowing users to select from multiple artificial intelligence (AI) models to enhance user experience and expand market presence. The glasses, launched in August 2025 in Taiwan, have recently been introduced in Hong Kong and are planned for release in Japan, Southeast Asia, and Western regions.

The 8K TV market, once seen as the hallmark of premium products, is rapidly fading as major manufacturers cease launching new models. Currently, Samsung Electronics remains the primary player in the 8K TV space, while the 8K Association, which it spearheads, is shrinking swiftly.