Just after midnight on May 15, Apple quietly cut prices across its iPhone 17 lineup in China, lowering official retail prices for the iPhone 17 Pro series by CNY1000 (approx. US$146), the first formal price reduction since the devices were introduced.
Oppo and Vivo are expanding their flagship Ultra models into overseas markets in 2026 as they upgrade operating systems, deepen cooperation with Google and other partners, and add more AI and cross-device connectivity features to strengthen product differentiation.
Cisco's latest earnings report has injected fresh momentum into the networking industry, with CEO Chuck Robbins highlighting strong order momentum in AI infrastructure, which helped drive product orders up 35% year-over-year in the third quarter of fiscal 2026. AI infrastructure orders from hyperscalers reached US$1.9 billion during that quarter, and US$5.3 billion for the year to date, beating the company's original US$5 billion target. Looking ahead, Robbins also struck an upbeat tone, saying hyperscaler AI infrastructure orders in fiscal 2026 are expected to reach US$9 billion, or roughly 450% of 2025 levels.
Google announced Gemini Intelligence in the US on May 13, further integrating Gemini's AI capabilities into Android. The move pushes Android from a traditional operating system toward a "smart system," but in China, local AI ecosystems leave little room for Gemini Intelligence to gain traction.
Sony announced on May 13 that it will launch the Xperia 1 VIII flagship phone as it seeks to reclaim market share amid intensifying competition in the premium smartphone segment. The company said the device debuts a new AI photography assistant powered by Xperia Intelligence and a redesigned telephoto image sensor aimed at improving detail and high-resolution performance for distant subjects.
Cisco Systems reported record fiscal third-quarter results for fiscal 2026, surpassing its own financial guidance, driven by triple-digit order growth from hyperscale cloud providers. The company significantly raised its full-year outlook for AI-related infrastructure orders. It announced a major restructuring plan to reallocate human and financial resources toward high-growth technologies, including proprietary silicon and optics.
Oppo Taiwan said on the 12th that annual smartphone shipments were likely to fall 5% to 8% this year as surging memory prices pushed up handset costs and extended replacement cycles from 38 months to 42 months. Still, the company expected higher sales value from stronger demand for mid-to-high-end models. The firm launched its new Find X9 series in Taiwan on the 12th alongside wearable products, including earphones and watches, as it sought to use product upgrades and a broader lineup to lift local performance.
China's Fiberhome Telecommunication Technologies has unveiled what it claims is the world's largest optical fiber preform, highlighting China's accelerating push to strengthen its position in AI-driven optical networking and high-speed data infrastructure.
India's smartphone shipments fell 4.1% year over year to 31.0 million units in the first quarter of 2026, according to IDC. Rising memory prices and subdued consumer demand pushed average selling prices higher, reshaping the balance between volume and value in the world's second-largest smartphone market — and signaling a structural shift that carries significant implications for global suppliers.
Taiwan's major telecom operators delivered robust April results, supported by continued 5G migration, seasonal smartphone demand around Mother's Day, and sustained contributions from enterprise ICT projects. Chunghwa Telecom posted record April revenue and EBITDA, Taiwan Mobile outperformed in profitability and year-to-date EPS, while Far EasTone Telecommunications extended its monthly mobile service revenue growth streak to 62 consecutive months.
Nvidia is deepening its partnership with US fiber-optics maker Corning, with plans to replace copper cable connections with optical fiber in next-generation rack-scale AI systems. The move is drawing renewed attention to China's role in the global optical communications supply chain.
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