Technology giants are continuing to expand AI computing infrastructure, driving demand for high-performance optical interconnect components. US optical communications leaders Coherent and Lumentum are actively developing 6-inch indium phosphide (InP) wafer production technology. Industry sources said 4-inch wafers remain the mainstream format, but fast-growing demand in optical communications is accelerating the shift toward 6-inch substrates. Supply constraints, however, persist, with substrate technology maturity and supply availability cited as the main bottlenecks.
Optical film and nano-coating materials developer Victory For Technology (VFT) is focusing on three key areas — AI and semiconductor processes, foldable displays, and key new-energy materials — as it deepens R&D and product deployment to capture emerging opportunities in the global supply chain.
AI is no longer a localized software novelty. It is now aggressively wiping out traditional hardware infrastructure across Europe. According to new market intelligence reports from CONTEXT World, there has been an unprecedented displacement of legacy systems. Driven by complex professional workflows, massive public sector procurement, and a fundamental restructuring of telecommunications networks, AI-optimized hardware has transitioned from a progressive choice to an absolute operational necessity.
Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone appears to be moving closer to reality, with reports from multiple Chinese media outlets suggesting that parts of the supply chain have already begun small-volume shipments ahead of a planned launch next year later this year.
China began approving a new batch of indium phosphide (InP) substrate exports in late May 2026, but optical communications supply chain sources said the relief remains limited and is unlikely to fully resolve material shortages in the near term.
AI glasses are gaining momentum as Meta, Rokid, RayNeo, Xreal, Viture, HTC, and other vendors step up their efforts, with Google and Samsung Electronics expected to enter the market in the second half of 2026. The category is widely seen as a potential essential mobile device after the smartphone.
China has launched a probe into a Beidou high-precision smart monitoring project in Shandong, after reports of severe construction defects at the base sparked public concern over the quality of new infrastructure projects. The project, with a total investment of nearly CNY300 million (US$44.4 million), has drawn scrutiny after its base structures were described as "easy to tear apart by hand."
