The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Intel a waiver to its ban on foreign-made mobile robots, which will allow it to update its fleet of autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs). Intel had earlier petitioned the agency for an exemption, saying that not doing so would threaten chip production in the country.
JCET Group lifted third-quarter revenue 13.53% year-over-year to CNY11.43 billion (approx. US$1.71 billion) and net profit attributable to shareholders 59.99% to CNY773 million. For the first nine months of 2026, revenue rose 7.96% to CNY30.95 billion, while net profit climbed 69.58% to CNY1.62 billion. Profit excluding non-recurring gains and losses increased 99.17% to CNY1.56 billion.
The US Department of Commerce has signed letters of intent with four companies to provide up to US$389 million in federal research and development awards under the CHIPS and Science Act, targeting the semiconductors and materials used to control, convert, and deliver power. The department announced the agreements on October 22, 2026.
The world's largest contract chipmaker is weighing whether the motors inside its factory-automation equipment can run without rare-earth magnets, a sign that China's grip on rare earths now reaches the machinery that keeps fabs running, just as a key Chinese export-control pause approaches its legal expiry date.
Apple's iPhone Duo has gone on sale, with pre-orders in several key markets reportedly exceeding the company's expectations. Delivery dates have stretched to late 2026 and even early 2027. The strong initial response could partly offset weaker-than-expected sales momentum for the iPhone 18 Pro series, pointing to growing consumer interest in foldable smartphones.
AI-driven growth will push the semiconductor industry past the US$1.6 trillion mark in 2026, while accelerating chip development cycles to one new product every nine months, Etron Chairman Nicky Lu said. He warned that the next 3 to 5 years will be critical for Taiwan, which risks facing intense competition unless it builds stronger software, system, and architecture advantages.
TSMC is scouting Texas for possible new US capacity, even as it builds out its advanced-process fabs in Arizona. Chairman C.C. Wei confirmed that a team has been sent to Texas to assess expansion opportunities. TSMC is also discussing cooperation with Elon Musk's Terafab, on the condition that it keeps operational control. Together, the moves could shift TSMC's US strategy from expanding existing sites to choosing new locations and exploring capacity partnerships.
Liquid cooling in AI data centers is moving toward more granular control architectures. Patrick Zeng, general manager of data center thermal management at Texas Instruments (TI), told DIGITIMES that as next-generation GPU computing power and rack power continue to rise, thermal management will shift from centralized control by a CDU to independent control for each server tray, a shift that will increase the use of sensors, drivers, MCUs, and other components within each rack.
Samsung Electronics' foundry business will extend its 8-nanometer process, now more than eight years old, into another generation with the launch of the second-generation 8LPU+ platform in 2026. The move targets demand for automotive electronics, robots, and edge AI chips while leveraging existing deep ultraviolet (DUV) production lines to control wafer costs.
Lam Research reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of US$8.2 billion, up 22% quarter-over-quarter, and forecast fourth-quarter revenue of US$8.6 billion, plus or minus US$400 million. The semiconductor equipment maker expects the wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) market to reach the mid-US$150 billion range in 2026 and initially forecasts more than US$200 billion in 2027, with percentage growth led by DRAM.
Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing (PSMC) is urgently expanding its 3D AI foundry business and evaluating new plants in Taiwan, Singapore, and Japan, while exploring strategic joint ventures with customers. Its product portfolio includes integrated passive devices (IPDs), interposers, wafer-on-wafer (WoW) technology, and post-wafer finish (PWF) services, with demand for IPDs expected to remain visible through 2028 as AI server power consumption rises.
China's Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) has shipped the first unit of its Primo Domingo high-selectivity vapor-phase etching system to a major domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing customer, marking a step forward in China's efforts to develop indigenous equipment for next-generation 3D chips.
Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing (PSMC) reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of NT$21.3 billion (US$654.3 million), up 23% quarter-over-quarter, as higher foundry prices, a stronger average selling price (ASP) and improved capacity utilization lifted gross margin from 28% to 48% and drove net profit to NT$6.5 billion. With AI servers fueling demand for memory, power-management ICs and advanced packaging, PSMC expects double-digit revenue growth in the fourth quarter and has indicated that foundry prices will rise another 10% to 20% in 2027.
Infineon Technologies is expanding its work with Nvidia on 800-volt direct current power architectures for AI data centers, with a focus on gallium nitride (GaN) chips in the intermediate bus converter (IBC), the company said on October 21.
As the global foundry leader accelerates construction of advanced-process and advanced-packaging facilities in the US, semiconductor facility engineering integrator Chi Yi Hsin Technology is expanding its role in Arizona, from core facility systems and equipment hook-up to materials supply. Chi Yi Hsin Technology said its backlog reached NT$4.476 billion (US$137.5 million) as of the end of September 2026, with projects scheduled for execution through around 2028 and overall order visibility extending to 2030.
Texas Instruments reported strong revenue growth in its third-quarter earnings call due to strong demand across its industrial, automotive, and data center businesses. The company said it is facing a tight supply environment for its chips, but brought up its ramping of production and testing capacity, including through its new Malaysia back-end facility.
Elon Musk is moving ahead with Terafab, as Tesla and SpaceX reportedly negotiate with about 10 South Korean semiconductor materials, components, and equipment suppliers. The discussions cover process materials, piping and valves, wastewater recycling equipment, and semiconductor testing components, raising questions about whether Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain will benefit from the massive expansion.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will finalize a five-year plan by the end of 2026 outlining an investment blueprint for 17 strategic sectors. The plan will prioritize semiconductors and gaming for near-term investment, while physical AI and hydrogen are positioned as the next growth drivers.
Intel is accelerating work on its long-delayed US semiconductor manufacturing projects, with equipment installation underway at its Fab 62 facility in Arizona and construction progressing at its Ohio site. The developments come as stronger demand for AI data center processors supports the chipmaker's efforts to expand capacity and strengthen its foundry business.
Lam Research is grooming Indian companies to become its suppliers rather than relying only on its global vendor base, a senior executive said, as the US chip equipment maker deepens its presence in a market where the government now ties incentives to local sourcing.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has announced a new investment by industrial minerals company Sibelco to expand semiconductor-related manufacturing in North Carolina, as the Trump administration pushes to bring more of the chip supply chain onto US soil.
Elon Musk's Terafab semiconductor production initiative is expanding its supplier outreach in South Korea, with Tesla and SpaceX approaching materials, components, and equipment suppliers across nearly every segment of the planned supply chain, from basic piping components and process materials to testing components.
Texas Instruments' third quarter suggested the analog chip upturn has moved beyond restocking into a broad-based recovery, and that the company's multi-year build-out of 12-inch wafer capacity is now lifting margins rather than absorbing cash. Revenue rose 28% year on year and 11% sequentially to US$6.06 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2026.
Nvidia used its GTC Berlin keynote on October 21 to argue that AI's bottlenecks now lie in deployment speed, power, and security rather than silicon, unveiling reference designs and software that extend its reach from GPUs to how entire AI factories are built and run.
