Cobalt is essential for producing lithium-ion batteries and is extensively used in electric vehicles, computers, and smartphones. As demand for electric vehicles rises, global cobalt demand is projected to quadruple.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is boosting rapid advancements in data center construction but with increasingly massive power demands. Research institutions predict that energy consumption in data centers will grow exponentially in the coming years, resulting in significant carbon emissions—an issue that contrasts sharply with the global push towards net-zero carbon.
The US Department of Justice's antitrust probe against Nvidia came as no surprise. The chip vendor has made enormous profits since early 2023 with its stock price skyrocketing, thanks to its dominance in the AI sector.
VSO Electronics, a specialist in the development, production, and distribution of connection cables, is targeting six major industries for future developments, and has begun developing internal cables for advanced AI servers through ODM projects.
Nvidia's founder and CEO, Jensen Huang, revealed that the Blackwell chip will be mass-produced and delivered to clients in the last quarter of 2024. He also states that demands for the Blackwell chip have been great, and several data centers are using liquid cooling. All of this has temporarily calmed the cooling factories which will have to go through expansions due to client needs.
It was previously reported that Meta Platforms has canceled its planned high-end mixed reality (MR) headset project, internally codenamed "La Jolla," originally slated for release in 2027. However, new information now suggests that the company plans to launch a new product integrating smart glasses with MR functionality.
Samsung Display (SDC) has reportedly achieved a breakthrough in tandem OLED yield rates, positioning the company to increase its supply of OLED panels for tablets and to aggressively expand its presence in the IT OLED display market by the second half of 2024.
Major players in Nvidia's supply chain, such as global foundry leader TSMC, have good order visibility extending to 2026, despite stock investors' concern about the US chip vendor's slowing growth, according to industry sources.
NVIDIA's recent fiscal 2025 second-quarter financial report, ending July 28, has not only surpassed market expectations but also addressed concerns surrounding the supply of its new Blackwell architecture. CEO Jensen Huang confirmed that the new generation of products will begin shipping in the fourth quarter of 2024, alleviating worries among supply chain partners who had been unsettled by rumors of delays.
Electronic component distributor Macnica Anstek reported steady orders for automated testing in the second half of 2024, benefiting from strong CoWoS demand. The company expects its full-year revenue in 2024 to rebound after securing significant orders from industrial computer customers for AMD's edge computing solutions.
Apple is expected to prioritize improving optical zoom capabilities in its future iPhones to remain competitive with other smartphone brands. According to sources familiar with Apple's supply chain, the company plans to rely on Largan Precision and Genius Electronic Optical's (GSEO) glass-plastic hybrid (G+P) lens solutions, combined with flash and LiDAR scanner technologies, to achieve this goal.
To dispel rumors regarding the progress of new product shipments for a major client Foxconn Chairman Young Liu has assured that production lines across the company's facilities are proceeding on schedule, with further details to be revealed soon.
Major US-based cloud service providers (CSPs) have estimated their 2024 capex will increase by at least 35% year-over-year, with research firms expecting the amounts to rise further in 2025 as the CSPs continue expanding new ASIC projects in the wake of the AI boom.
A Chinese game developer recently launched the AAA title "Black Myth: Wukong," which has sold over 10 million copies globally since its release on August 20. Due to the game's stunning visuals, the market anticipates it will drive a wave of hardware upgrades among gamers. However, supply chain sources caution that while there is excitement, it's still uncertain whether this will lead to significant growth in overall performance.
Taiwan's Acme Electronics is anticipating flat or slightly declining demand for its silicon carbide (SiC) powders used in electric vehicles (EVs) during the second half of 2024. To offset this impact, the company is actively exploring new applications for its products, according to company president Wen-hao Wu.
Upcoming next-generation hardware releases by Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Nvidia, as well as the launch of China's first AAA game "Black Myth: Wukong," are expected to boost PC sales. This surge is prompting related PC and motherboard manufacturers to raise their shipment targets for 2024 by 3-10%, according to industry sources.
Despite a recent downturn in the overall automotive market, suppliers of automotive components have reported a rise in revenue. This trend is particularly pronounced in the automotive lens and PCB supply chains, although some companies within these sectors have experienced minor temporary setbacks. However, the long-term outlook for these industries remains positively competitive.
Amid concerns in the AI server supply chain regarding Nvidia's delayed GB200 shipments, Lite-On Technology reports that its clients are continuing product testing, and shipments can commence once the supply chain is ready.
Apple's annual new product announcement event is approaching, with rumors from foreign media suggesting it will be held on September 10th, US time. There is speculation that the theme of the event, "Capture," hints at a high likelihood of a lens upgrade.
Repon has announced its approval as a recommended vendor for Nvidia's GB200 AI server slides. The company anticipates beginning mass production in the third quarter, with shipments potentially commencing as early as the end of 2024.
Taiwan-based Adata Technology has partnered with Advantech to develop an AI Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) using Nvidia's Nova Orin. This advanced AMR integrates upper and lower computers into a single unit, reducing deployment time by 70% and speeding up the process threefold.
Benefiting from the surge in AI server demand, optical communication manufacturer EZconn has joined the growth wave. In the first half of 2024, its consolidated revenue reached NT$2.268 billion (approx. US$70.31 million), a 52% year-over-year increase, with an average gross margin of 51.69%, setting a new high since its IPO.
US-based xMEMS Labs is set to deliver its newly unveiled XMC-2400 µCooling™, a single-chip (SoC) air-cooled all-silicon active cooling solution utilizing MEMS technology, to customers for validation in the first quarter of 2025 and begin commercial production by the end of next year. TSMC and Bosch are among the prospective foundry partners.
