Google has newly unveiled Android XR, a spatial computing operating system (OS) designed for extended reality (XR) devices, poised to compete with Meta Platforms and Apple. The OS supports XR headsets, smart glasses, existing Android apps, and immersive VR content.

Google has appointed Preeti Lobana as the new country manager and VP for its India operations, succeeding Sanjay Gupta, who was promoted to president of the Asia-Pacific region in July. Lobana will be instrumental in advancing Google's strategy to leverage AI across its customer base.

As AI and big data technologies gradually rise, the privacy and security of personal data have become a significant focus for regulatory organizations and businesses. Following the European Union's (EU) introduction of the latest Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), companies interacting with global and EU markets may face substantial impacts.

AI has accelerated the transformation of all industries, providing tremendous opportunities for hardware infrastructure players. However, the market is optimistic that "second phase beneficiaries" will include software companies.

Apple's Vision Pro, its first mixed-reality (MR) headset, is approaching its first anniversary in February 2025. However, projections for 2024 shipments stand at just 500,000 units, well below the company's initial goal of one million units, indicating poor market performance.

Chinese domestic electronic design automation (EDA) leader Empyrean announced on December 9 that the state-owned China Electronic Corporation (CEC) will become its largest shareholder. Empyrean was included in the latest batch of the US Department of Commerce's Entity List on December 2, and with this new partnership, Empyrean is seen as receiving strong backing from the Chinese government, enhancing control over key semiconductor component enterprises.

Planning a camping trip, Matthew Berman remembered hearing that pitching your tent on top of your car instead of on the ground was a good way to avoid animal encounters. It was the kind of claim Berman used to assess by typing into Google's search engine. Now he turns to a chatbot called Perplexity.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is extending its cloud capabilities beyond data centers to edge endpoints, integrating drones and satellite communications to enhance disaster response. Generative AI applications also took center stage at a recent exhibition, with robots creating portraits while engaging in real-time conversations—an alternative highlight of the event.

Server ODMs demonstrated strong performance in the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by general purpose (GP) servers filling the gap as AI servers undergo a transitional period. ODMs project that AI servers will enter a renewed growth phase once production of Nvidia Blackwell GPUs ramps up in 2025.

India is intensifying its focus on establishing sovereignty in artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing technological self-reliance and global competitiveness.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled its latest innovation, the Trainium3 chip, featuring an advanced 3nm manufacturing process and scheduled for release in late 2025. The announcement event notably featured Apple's presence, highlighting the tech giant's significant reliance on AWS cloud services.

AWS has expanded beyond its existing Titan series with the introduction of the Nova family of AI models. The announcement came during the annual AWS conference, where Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made a special appearance to unveil various Nova versions including Micro, Lite, Pro, and Premier. While the first three versions are now generally available, Premier is scheduled for a later release.

Megvii Technology, one of China's original "AI Elite Four" which specializes in computer vision and deep learning, announced its application for an initial public offering (IPO) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange Science and Technology Innovation Board (STAR) has been withdrawn.

Both Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang consider humanoid robots to be the ultimate chapter in AI development. According to a Goldman Sachs research forecast for the first half of 2024, humanoid robot shipments are expected to exceed 250,000 units by 2030, with nearly all deployments in industrial sectors.

The growing adoption of AI across industries and intensifying geopolitical tensions have led to escalating cybersecurity threats, fueling demand for robust solutions and digital forensic services. Taiwan-based Acer Cyber Security Inc. (ACSI), a cybersecurity specialist, has seen steady revenue growth as a result.

The US Federal Trade Commission has opened an antitrust investigation of Microsoft, drilling into everything from the company's cloud computing and software licensing businesses to cybersecurity offerings and artificial intelligence products.

According to a press release published by the Press Information Bureau of India, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has greenlit a significant transaction involving the investment in Flipkart Private by Alphabet-owned Shoreline International Holdings. This development marks an important step for Flipkart, a subsidiary of retail giant Walmart, as it continues expanding its presence in the Indian e-commerce sector.

Apple's attempt to delay a report indicating it violated competition laws in India has been denied by the nation's antitrust authority, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), according to Reuters, which cited an internal order from the regulator. The decision permits the proceedings against Apple to advance.

Huawei's product launch event took place on the afternoon of November 26, showcasing what it claims to be the "most powerful" Mate in history, along with the fourth iteration of Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance—"Maextro," developed in collaboration with JAC Motors. This announcement comes just before the US is expected to announce an expansion of its restrictions against China, drawing significant attention from the public and industry observers.

Taiwan's role in the global AI ecosystem cannot be overstated, according to Paul Lorimer, corporate VP of Office 365 Enterprise and cloud engineering at Microsoft.

Google is advancing its global data center expansion while targeting sustainability goals centered on energy efficiency, carbon neutrality, and water reuse. Senior executives emphasize that energy costs represent the largest operational expense for maintaining data center infrastructure, underscoring the importance of strategic energy planning during transitions from legacy to new technologies.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed a substantial fine of INR2.13 billion (approx. US$25.3 million) on Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, citing the abuse of its dominant market position in India.

NetApp, Taiwan's leading storage brand, has announced plans to move beyond the manufacturing sector and venture into finance, healthcare, and retail to create more growth opportunities. GM of NetApp Taiwan, Peter Chu, emphasized that Taiwan is a global hub for server manufacturing, and through the integration of servers and storage solutions, there are significant opportunities to jointly explore vertical markets.

Semiconductor Week in Review (Nov 10 - 16): In a week dominated by seismic shifts in the semiconductor landscape, TSMC's suspension of sub-7nm chip supply to Chinese AI firms and postponement of its Arizona fab opening bookended a series of industry-reshaping developments, as geopolitical tensions continue to redraw the global tech supply chain map.

On November 14, Foxlink Group (formerly Cheng Uei Precision Industry) inaugurated Ubilink, establishing Taiwan's largest AI supercomputing center and first platform utilizing Nvidia Hopper GPUs. The center aims to serve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that cannot afford dedicated computing facilities.