Pure-play foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has started seeing chip orders for Android devices ramp up recently, with its fabless clients including HiSilicon, MediaTek and Qualcomm stepping up their pace of orders, according to industry sources.

Largan Precision is striving for orders for in-panel optical fingerprint-recognition lens modules and 3D sensing lenses from the non-Apple camp as a move to diversify its customer base, according to market observers.

Taiwan-based General Interface Solution (GIS) and Egis Technology are set to maintain strong sales momentum in the first half of 2019 for ramping up their respective fingerprint sensors to Samsung Electronics, according to industry sources.

Asia Vital Components (AVC), which specializes in thermal solution products, expects demand for smartphones to boom when 5G devices become commercially available.

Intel is reportedly to begin working on engineering projects that will enable mass-production of 5G modem chips with its collaborative partners in the second quarter of 2019, according to sources from Taiwan's IC backend service providers.

Samsung Electronics has begun mass production of what the company claims is the industry's first 12GB low-power double data rate 4X (LPDDR4X) package optimized for next-generation smartphones.

Qualcomm, Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai) and Asustek Computer have announced jointly the commercial launch of new Asustek smartphones that utilize Qualcomm's cellular system-in-package (SiP) technology in Brazil.

Flexible PCB manufacturer Fuyang Technology, a joint venture between Pegatron and Kinsus Interconnect Technology, has reportedly entered the supply chain of Apple.

Smartphone lens module maker Largan Precision and its subsidiaries are jointly recruiting workers with various technological backgrounds regardless of working experience, according to the company.

Optical lens module maker Genius Electronic Optical has reported consolidated revenues of NT$220.3 million (US$7.2 million) for February, the lowest monthly level since September 2010 with decreases of 48.27% sequentially and 47.10% on year. Fellow maker Newmax Technology's NT$178.8 million in February...

MediaTek saw its February revenues fall to a 12-month low of NT$14.16 billion (US$458.2 million).

AU Optronics (AUO) has begun shipping its first 6.4-inch blind-hole all-screen handset displays to clients, with plans to ship another model of 6.4-inch blind-hole displays in the second quarter of 2019, according to company sources.

Taiwan's companies which participated in the recently concluded MWC 2019 managed to highlight an array of products, technologies, analyzing software and applications related to 5G technology that were in line with the 5G development plans showcased by the industry's major players.

Smartphone-use lens module maker Largan Precision has reported consolidated revenues of NT$2.532 billion (US$82.3 million) for February, decreasing 24.33% sequentially but increasing 14.14% on year.

Intel has quietly ceased its 5G partnership with China's state-owned Unisoc, previously know as Unigroup Spreadtrum & RDA, amid ongoing trade tensions between the US and China.

China handset vendor Huawei is set to release new smartphone model P30 Pro in late March as one of its major offerings for the first half of 2019, but Taiwan PCB supply chain is conservative about shipment momentum to be driven by the new model, given the lingering lackluster sales sentiment in global...

Foldable smartphones are gradually emerging as a new handset trend, promoting Taiwan PCB makers to make preparations for cashing in on the consequent market demand, according to industry sources.

AU Optronics (AUO) is moving at full throttle to build up its production capacity for flexible OLED displays and will see its flexible panels used in new foldable smartphones launched by handset brands in 2019, according to company chairman Paul Peng.

China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) is ramping up its capacity for TV and handset panels, aiming to become the third-largest players in the both sectors in the near term, according to industry watchers.

Taiwan-based Auras Technology has Korea and China smartphone vendors among its clients for cooling modules and will move to expand production of heat spreaders seen to be increasingly needed for 5G smartphones, according to company chairman YS Lin.

Taiwan IC designer Agis Technology is expected to see its shipments of capacitive fingerprint identification chips surge starting March, as the company is to fulfill orders from Samsung Electronics for such chips to support its Galaxy S10e smartphone models and may also land similar orders for Galaxy...

The planned launch of foldable smartphones by vendors other than Samsung Electronics such as Huawei and other Chinese brands, will benefit Taiwan's supply chain makers related to LCD driver IC-design houses, backend service providers and substrate suppliers, according to industry sources.

While the release of high-priced foldable smartphones is still in the initial stage of testing market reaction, handset brands will need to overcome issues including securing steady supply from the upstream and integrating the use of related new materials before the market can take off.

LG Display (LGD) has outraced fellow company Samsung Display to become the world's largest supplier of OLED panels for smartwatch applications, Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) has reported.

Chipmakers are expected to showcase their new-generation chip solutions for AI and 5G applications at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade fair, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) being their major foundry partner thanks to the competitiveness of its EUV-based process...