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Friday 6 February 2026
APE 2026 Singapore: Opto Precision highlights smart glass modules with Taiwan supply chain
The smart glasses market drew attention at the third Asia Photonics Expo (APE 2026), where Singapore-based Opto Precision showcased smart glasses module solutions that integrate artificial intelligence features while addressing myopia, a long-standing challenge for some potential users.
Friday 6 February 2026
AI smartphone upgrades trigger memory cost shock, pushing low-end models to the brink
The smartphone sector is entering a new hardware upgrade cycle driven by AI. Yet the impact is proving far more disruptive than positive. Rapidly rising memory prices are reshaping cost structures and market dynamics, squeezing handset makers' margins to the limit and pushing low-end smartphones close to a financial breaking point.
Friday 6 February 2026
Qualcomm, MediaTek strike cautious tone as smartphone market pressures mount
Qualcomm and MediaTek struck a similar cautionary tone on the smartphone market outlook during their latest earnings calls, pointing to mounting pressure from memory shortages and rising component costs. Pressure is already being felt across the supply chain, with these factors expected to place substantial strain on smartphone brand customers, particularly Chinese brands.
Friday 6 February 2026
Qualcomm 1QFY26 earnings call: memory shortages redefine smartphones despite strong demand
Qualcomm delivered record results in its fiscal first quarter, but executives warned that a worsening memory supply imbalance is now constraining the global smartphone market, even as underlying consumer demand remains strong.
Friday 6 February 2026
China smartphone market stumbles at 2025 finish line as December shipments plunge 29%, Apple share slips below 15%
China's smartphone market ended 2025 on a weaker note than expected, despite Apple's strong fourth-quarter earnings and the early success of the iPhone 17. December shipments fell sharply, dragging full-year volumes down and dimming hopes of a broader market rebound.
Friday 6 February 2026
Japan's consumer electronics decline: From mobile phones to TVs
Sony has recently chosen to partner with TCL in managing its Bravia TV brand, reflecting the long-standing downturn of the Japanese vendor's television business. In Japan, once-dominant domestic TV brands have largely been replaced by rising Chinese competitors.
Friday 6 February 2026
MediaTek CEO warns of smartphone demand challenges in 2026, while Pegatron chairman sees growth in emerging markets
During MediaTek's earnings call on February 3, CEO Rick Tsai cautioned that smartphone demand is expected to encounter difficulties in 2026. Contrasting this outlook, Pegatron chairman Tzu Hsien Tung expressed a more optimistic view, highlighting the dominance of smartphones over the past 16 years and the potential for future growth driven by emerging markets.
Wednesday 4 February 2026
India wins electronics investment, but key gap threatens momentum
India's rise as an electronics manufacturing hub has been one of the fastest shifts in the global supply chain over the past decade. Geopolitical realignments, generous incentives, and growing interest from multinational companies have pushed the country into the spotlight as a serious alternative manufacturing base.
Tuesday 3 February 2026
iPhone gains in China squeeze MediaTek, Qualcomm revenues
Last week, Apple released its latest financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, with the iPhone 17 series continuing to post strong sales. Overall, iPhone shipments grew 23% year over year, with particularly standout performance in the Chinese market. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the number of users switching from Android to Apple far exceeded expectations. Considering that China's overall smartphone market did not actually grow in the previous quarter, this implies a relative decline in market share for other Chinese smartphone brands. This undoubtedly adds revenue pressure for other SoC vendors such as MediaTek and Qualcomm.
Tuesday 3 February 2026
India's smartphone market posts mixed growth in 2025, premium segment drives value gains
India's smartphone market experienced a mixed trajectory in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The year began on a softer note, weighed down by elevated inventory and a slow product launch calendar. Momentum picked up in the second quarter, driven by fresh device launches, aggressive promotions, and festive-season channel stocking, pushing third-quarter shipments to a record quarterly value. Shipments slowed again in the fourth quarter as brands focused on inventory correction and managed rising component costs. Overall, the market grew 1% year-on-year in volume but posted a stronger 8% year-on-year growth in value, reflecting sustained premiumization.
Monday 2 February 2026
Apple boosts high-end iPhone share as Foxconn solidifies assembly lead
Amid a cautious recovery in the consumer electronics market, Apple highlighted the critical role of its iPhone series in driving overall operations in its fiscal first-quarter 2026 earnings report. The company reported record-high iPhone-related revenue this quarter, with year-over-year growth significantly outpacing the overall average and serving as the core driver of holiday-season sales expansion.
Sunday 1 February 2026
Transsion profits halved in 2025 because of memory price increases
The smartphone industry is bearing the brunt of rising memory prices, and the impact is most evident in mid- to low-end models. Transsion, the Chinese smartphone maker regarded as a leading brand in emerging markets, has become one of the first handset vendors to be clearly hit by this wave of memory price increases. On the evening of January 29, 2025, Transsion announced its earnings forecast for full-year 2025, estimating annual revenue of CNY65.568 billion (US$9.4 billion), down about 4.6% year over year. Net profit is estimated at about CNY2.546 billion, plunging 54.11% year over year, nearly half of the previous year. This marks the first significant profit decline since Transsion went public.
Friday 30 January 2026
Apple dominates 2025 smartphone rankings, with iPhone 16 as the world's best-seller

According to a recent report from Counterpoint Research, the Apple iPhone 16 finished 2025 as the world's best-selling smartphone, topping global sales ahead of all other models. The iPhone 16's strong performance capped a remarkable year for Apple, which claimed seven out of the top ten best-selling smartphone models worldwide. Only Samsung's devices filled the remaining three positions, underscoring a duopoly at the top of the market that has held steady for several years.

Friday 30 January 2026
Apple posts historic US$143.8 billion quarter as China revenue climbs 38%

Apple has reported record financial results for its fiscal 2026 first quarter, ending December 27, 2025. The company achieved all-time highs in both total revenue and earnings per share, largely supported by a significant increase in iPhone sales and continued expansion in its Services sector.

Friday 30 January 2026
Taiwan's smartphone shipments exceeded 5 million in 2025, iPhone 17 drives market dynamics
Taiwan's monthly smartphone shipments surpassed 500,000 units in October and November 2025, largely driven by strong sales of Apple's iPhone 17 series. However, shipments declined to about 400,000 units in December, with Apple maintaining close to 50% market share despite a slight dip.
Thursday 29 January 2026
Why can't tech giants escape China's smartphone production grip?
Global technology companies, including Google, are increasingly shifting new product introduction (NPI) stages away from China to reduce geopolitical risks, with recent reports indicating Google has begun relocating NPI for its premium smartphones to Vietnam. Industry insiders note initial progress but emphasize significant structural hurdles in this complex transition.
Wednesday 28 January 2026
Apple's iPhone 17 powers a strong quarter as memory costs soar
Apple is set to report fiscal first-quarter 2026 earnings on January 29, with strong sales of the iPhone 17 expected to drive record operating performance and solid smartphone shipments. The iPhone 17 lineup, which offers added features without price increases, has seen particularly strong demand in China and the US.
Tuesday 27 January 2026
Samsung doubles down on Galaxy A as Chinese brands take half the market
Samsung Electronics said on January 26, 2025, that it will launch its new Galaxy A07 5G smartphone in Taiwan, aiming to lift shipment momentum in the mass-market segment.
Monday 26 January 2026
How rising memory prices are reshaping the smartphone supply chain

As the global surge in artificial intelligence continues to drive up memory chip prices, pressure is mounting across the electronics supply chain—and display panel makers are increasingly feeling the strain.

Monday 26 January 2026
Commentary: Apple's foldable iPhone faces design questions ahead of widely expected 2026 debut

Beyond the closely watched rivalry between Samsung Electronics and Huawei in foldable smartphones—and the shifting balance of market share—another question drawing market attention is whether Apple will launch its first foldable iPhone, tentatively dubbed the iPhone Fold, on schedule in 2026.

Monday 26 January 2026
iPhone 17 high-end model demand exceeds expectations as Taiwanese carriers struggle to meet supply
The iPhone 17 series has been on the market for over a quarter, yet Taiwan's telecom channels still face significant shortages of high-end models. A check on local carrier websites shows that the iPhone 17 Pro Max is nearly sold out across all storage capacities, while the iPhone 17 Pro and new iPhone Air models with 512GB or higher storage remain extremely hard to find.
Sunday 25 January 2026
From cars to robots: automakers expand into AI and wearable tech
At major international auto shows, sleek supercars and long-range electric vehicles are no longer the sole attractions. Increasingly, visitors encounter humanoid robots moving through exhibition halls and smart wearable devices synced in real time with driving data.
Thursday 22 January 2026
China rolls out trade-in subsidies again to support ICT device sales
Despite forecasts of a decline in sales of ICT products, including smartphones and notebooks, by 2026 due to memory supply shortages, China is introducing new purchase subsidies to sustain consumer demand. The government aims to bolster the market with trade-in incentives following policy measures implemented in early 2025.
Thursday 22 January 2026
Commentary: China's NPI edge comes under pressure
Geopolitical uncertainty shows little sign of easing, driving continued adjustments across the global consumer electronics supply chain. In manufacturing, the industry is moving beyond simple capacity dispersion and entering a new phase marked by the geographic redistribution of engineering capabilities. Recent market reports that Google plans to relocate portions of new product introduction (NPI) work for select high-end smartphone models to Vietnam starting in 2026 have drawn close attention across the industry.
Wednesday 21 January 2026
China's 2025 smartphone shipments dip slightly in 2025 as brand competition heats up
Apple, with its iPhone 17 series driving sales, has seen its monthly market share in China surge above 20%, while other major brands like Huawei, Vivo, Honor, Oppo, and Xiaomi have also delivered strong performances. However, inflation, high smartphone penetration, and extended replacement cycles contributed to a slight decline in overall smartphone shipments in China in 2025.