Apple is reportedly set to launch a screen-equipped HomePod in 2025, though contrary to earlier speculation about OLED technology, it will feature an LCD panel exclusively supplied by Tianma Microelectronics in China. Taiwan's Radiant Optoelectronics will handle backlight module production. Industry insiders expect shipment volumes to remain modest throughout 2025.

During the inauguration ceremony of SPIL on January 16, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang stated that the Blackwell system has now fully entered production, which will gradually enhance CoWoS-L capacity. He further stated that "physical AI," the combination of AI and robotics, presents a significant opportunity for Taiwan.

Taiwan-based chassis provider Chenbro Micom experienced a complex 2024, reaching NT$145.2 billion (approx. US$4.41 billion) in revenue, reflecting a 29% year-over-year increase. As geopolitical challenges persist, the company is expanding its manufacturing capabilities to Malaysia and the US and remains optimistic due to strong AI demand.

Japanese manufacturers of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are forecasting promising opportunities in the rapidly expanding AI sector, with surging server demand driving market growth. Business performance for the fiscal year 2024 (April 2024 to March 2025) varies across companies.

China continues to expand its production capacity for polarizers, resulting in a market oversupply and making it hard for polarizer prices to rise. To cope, Taiwanese manufacturers such as BenQ Materials, Cheng Mei Materials Technology (CMMT), and Optimax Technology are transforming, with each taking a different path.

After the success of the smart glasses collaboration between Meta and Ray-Ban, AI smart glasses are now seen as a high-growth potential application. DIGITIMES Research projects accelerated adoption once AI smart glasses shipments reach 10 million units per year, with annual shipments surpassing 20 million units by 2030.

CES, one of the world's most influential technology events, once again showcased groundbreaking innovations. Although electronic paper wasn't the main highlight of this year's event, companies like PocketBook and Continental AG introduced fresh, eye-catching applications, all powered by E Ink's technology.

AcBel Polytech (AcBel) anticipates a year of growth in 2025, driven by the gradual emergence of synergies from its acquisition of OmniOn and the steady expansion of its renewable energy business, according to Chairman Jerry Hsu.

The 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) wrapped up in Las Vegas on January 10, 2025. What began as an event centered on high expectations for AI transformation (AX) concluded with AI robots as the key theme. While CES 2024 focused on AX, CES 2025 demonstrated how deeply and rapidly AI is integrating into everyday life and improving business efficiency, effectively debunking the "AI bubble" theory.

Nvidia's stock price once fell below US$10 and was frequently rumored to be a target for acquisition by several large firms, yet its market capitalization has now soared to US$3.4 trillion, with profits reaching US$9.3 billion last quarter. Major companies may regret not seizing the opportunity back then.

China's recent export controls on dual-use items are disrupting the supply chain, impacting companies like Apple and causing delays in shipments. China's regulations, effective in late 2024, are seen as attempts to prevent manufacturing shifts. Despite reassurances from Chinese officials, confusion remains due to wide-ranging enforcement interpretations.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2025) that Nvidia and its partners have begun full-scale production of the Blackwell GPU for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC), as well as servers based on Blackwell.

UHT Unitech has entered into a significant partnership with Ablecom Technology, a Taiwanese server parts supplier of Supermicro, to push forward the development of advanced immersion cooling AI server cabinets.

Largan Precision chairman Adam Lin has emphasized that specifications for robotic vision applications are not necessarily higher than those of smartphones, particularly noting that 5 plastic (5P) lenses are anticipated to become a future trend.

Yen Sun Technology projects strong growth in its automotive electronics and lifestyle technology divisions throughout 2025. The company's new plant in Kaohsiung Renwu, opening in the second half of 2025, will serve as the operational headquarters, R&D center, and manufacturing base for its automotive and high-end cooling products.

CES 2025 has been more than a showcase for leading brands and their latest technologies, as many small and medium Taiwanese startups have also brought their unique capabilities to the show floor. One of these distinctive exhibitors is Taiwan Nano & Micro-Photonics (N&M), which has applied silicon photonics (SiPh) technology not to the more common field of communications, but instead to the sensor market.

According to industry sources, Nvidia and MediaTek are broadening their collaboration to include core chips for Nintendo's Switch 2 gaming consoles, following their partnership in developing AI supercomputer chips.

The Nvidia GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip demonstrates the successful collaboration between MediaTek and Nvidia, highlighting the strong foundation of mutual trust between both companies, according to MediaTek corporate SVP Jerry Yu.

Largan held an earnings call on January 9, where chairman En-Ping Lin discussed future trends in lens specifications and dedicated significant time to unveiling the latest developments in their entry into the robotics market.

In December 2024, Chenbro Micom, a server chassis manufacturer, recorded an all-time high revenue of NTD 16.1 billion (approx. US$490 million), a 33.1% increase from the previous month. This achievement was driven by strong AI demand and efficient shipments. The company anticipates continued growth in AI server projects in 2024 and maintains a positive outlook for 2025.

The significance of humanoid robots lies not in their human form, but in their capacity to replicate human behavior, according to Haw Chen, CEO of the world's second-largest collaborative robot (cobot) maker Techman Robot. In this sense, AI will allow robots to learn behaviors much like how human children learn, rather than through programming via mathematical operations.

Humanoid robots are hailed as one of the greatest inventions of 2024, receiving a cover feature and tribute from Time. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has previously placed humanoid robots alongside cars and drones as the three types of robots poised for large-scale production in the future.

The demand for backend testing interfaces has surged due to advancements in semiconductor processes, leading CHPT to achieve record-high revenues in the fourth quarter of 2024. Notably, the revenue share from high-performance computing (HPC) high-speed test boards has exceeded 50% for the first time, marking a significant shift in CHPT's business focus.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes that the development of "very useful" quantum computers may require approximately 20 more years. Speaking at CES 2025, Huang also highlighted the advanced autonomous driving technology from Chinese automakers, noting that companies including BYD, Nio, Xiaomi, and XPeng have established new benchmarks in the field.

LG Electronics (LG) has released its preliminary financial results for 2024, showcasing impressive annual revenue figures. However, the operating profit for the fourth quarter saw a significant year-over-year decline of 53.3%, drawing attention from the public.