Cable and connector maker BizLink expects steady demand for high-performance computing (HPC) and semiconductor production equipment (SPE) to drive growth in 2025, with chairman Roger Liang decidedly optimistic about quarter-by-quarter growth this year, in contrast with the cautious optimism held previously.
Wireless communication testing laboratory Sporton International is expected to maintain growth momentum in 2025, with consolidated revenue for the fourth quarter reaching NT$1.126 billion (US$34.4 million), a consolidated gross margin of 50%, and a consolidated pre-tax net profit of NT$386 million. The post-tax net profit stood at NT$295 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3.87%. For the entire year of 2024, consolidated revenue is projected to be NT$4.555 billion, with a consolidated gross margin of 50%, a consolidated pre-tax net profit of NT$1.677 billion, and a post-tax net profit of NT$1.29 billion.
As US President Donald Trump continues to make statements about Taiwan's semiconductor industry, concerns are rising that the US might replicate its past tactics of undermining Japan's semiconductor sector—this time targeting Taiwan. Such fears have sparked debates over whether Taiwan is overly concentrating its talent and resources in semiconductors, potentially putting all its economic eggs in one basket.
Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 launched on January 30, but demand has far outstripped supply. The limited initial stock, a common trend for high-end Nvidia GPUs, quickly vanished due to skyrocketing global demand, bulk purchases from Chinese buyers, and resellers hoarding inventory to capitalize on price surges. In Taiwan, the RTX 5090, originally priced at NT$70,000–80,000 (approx. US$2,138–2,444), is now being resold for NT$200,000, making it nearly impossible to find at its official price.
San Francisco-based startup Plaud.AI has unveiled NotePin, touted as the world's smallest wearable AI recording capsule, following its smart recording card. Yet, with AI-powered smartphones already offering voice-to-text features, what edge do standalone AI recorders bring?
Nuvoton, a microcontroller (MCU) provider, is emerging stronger from inventory corrections. Driven by recent pre-shipment demand from notebook/PC clients and continued adjustments to automotive inventory, the company anticipates improved demand across several product lines. Nuvoton is optimistic about its prospects in 2025, projecting overall performance to surpass that of 2024. A key driver will be the mass production of a remote server control (BMC) chip developed in collaboration with Microsoft, expected to positively impact revenue.
US President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on imported automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductor chips, a decision that could disrupt global supply chains and intensify trade tensions, according to Bloomberg and Reuters.
Coretronic, a manufacturer of LED backlight units (BLU), has raised its capital expenditure (capex) target to approximately NT$1.5 billion (approx. US$45.86 million) in 2025, up from the previously estimated NT$800-900 million. New orders for OLED monitors are driving the increase. Coretronic's capex was around NT$2.68 billion in 2024.
Primax Electronics, a manufacturer of audio-visual components and solutions, is undergoing product and market diversification, resulting in its 2024 gross margin reaching the second-highest level in its history.
Win Semiconductors (WIN), a GaAs foundry, is reportedly one of the beneficiaries of Apple's in-house RF component initiative. Although the Taiwan-based company has declined to provide any information regarding customer status or orders, it stated that the demand for RF chips is expected to be strong.
Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over a meeting with Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma and other prominent entrepreneurs on Monday, signaling Beijing's endorsement for a long-marginalized private sector now considered key to reviving the world's No. 2 economy.
Geni Ideas, an engineering firm for specialty semiconductor gases, is bracing for surging demand as its top customer, TSMC, accelerates capacity expansion in advanced processes and packaging.
MOSFET provider Force Mos Technology has secured a legal victory in a patent infringement lawsuit against Asus, with the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ruling in its favor on February 13, 2025. The court found Asus guilty of willful infringement and ordered the company to pay US$10.5 million in damages.
With Panasonic announcing its exit from the television business in 2025, all eyes are on global TV giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics to see how they will navigate the Japanese market. However, both South Korean brands currently maintain a minimal market presence in Japan, struggling against the price-competitive strategies of Chinese competitors.
PixArt Imaging reported strong financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024, primarily fueled by robust mouse product sales. Despite an anticipated slight dip in gaming mouse revenue share, the company projects stable revenue for the first quarter of 2025, driven by growth in other mouse categories and the upcoming launch of a major client's game console in the first half of 2025.
UK-based semiconductor IP giant Arm is reportedly expanding its efforts in chip design, with plans to release its first self-developed processor as early as summer 2025. Reports indicate that Meta Platforms is among its initial customers, signaling a potential shift in Arm's role within the industry.
The consumer electronics industry anticipates a gradual recovery in 2024, with supply chain improvements remaining modest—except for companies positioned to capitalize on the AI server boom.
Nvidia's high-end RTX 50 series launch, originally set for January 2025, has been postponed to March, according to notebook supply chain sources. This delay also impacts the mid-range and entry-level models, moving their release from March to April.
US clients have long collaborated with Taiwan's manufacturing sector, rendering the US the foremost export market for Taiwan's medical equipment industry. However, with the initiation of a new series of tariffs by the Trump administration, Taiwan's medical equipment exports to the US may be impacted.
Meta's launch of its Orion augmented reality (AR) glasses has ignited industry interest, with artificial intelligence (AI) accelerating the trend. As a result, full-color micro-LED is increasingly seen as a must-have for next-generation premium AI eyewear.
VSO Electronics, a leading developer and manufacturer of connection cables, projects strong growth in 2025, driven by expanding opportunities in server and data storage markets, despite ongoing changes in its production strategy.
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has captured global attention in recent weeks with its R1 inference model, which the company claims matches OpenAI's o1 model in performance while requiring significantly lower development costs. This breakthrough has resonated throughout the AI industry, particularly for its potential to reduce both development and operational expenses for businesses.
Asus has acquired a 10% stake in Freedom Systems to enhance IT management and plans to increase this holding by another 10%, while Advantech has acquired a 20% stake. With the support of these two major companies, Freedom Systems is expected to register for the emerging stock market by the end of 2025 and be listed on the Taiwan Innovation Board by the end of 2026.
