As an exclusive ODM supplier for AMD's desktop chipsets, ASMedia Technology saw inventory turnover boost its gross margin to 59% in the first quarter of 2024, a marked improvement of 6% over 2023. Net income after tax in the first quarter increased sequentially by 31% to NT$886 million (US$27.3 million), marking a 10-quarter high, and a year-on-year improvement of 127%, while earnings per share stood at NT$12.8.
Apple has unveiled its new iPad products. Besides OLED panels, the M4 chip featured in the new iPad Pro series was the biggest surprise reveal. In particular, Apple dedicated much of its presentation to introducing the Neural Engine, claiming it to be the best Neural Processing Unit (NPU) among all current AI PC chips.
Apple's latest release of the brand-new iPad series brings a fresh outlook to the long-stagnant tablet market and is expected to serve as a revenue booster for the main assembler, Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn), in the months ahead. However, according to supply chain sources, Foxconn's overall revenue contribution from the new iPad series could still be affected by off-season effects in the second quarter of the year.
Asia Optical, one of Taiwan's leading optical device suppliers, has achieved several breakthroughs in recent months, as stated by chairman Lai Yi-Jen during the company's earnings call on May 8. The company will pursue a three-pronged strategy as it expands its business: a strategic alliance with LG Innotek (LGIT), one of South Korea's leading lens module manufacturers; expansion of its facilities in the Philippines; and investment in cutting-edge Metalens technology.
Peter Chen, Chairperson of Qisda, stated that the company has passed the lowest ebb of operation in 2024, with growth expected to occur quarter by quarter.
Business Finland, the government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel, and investment promotion, has recently brought some of the country's leading quantum technology companies and research organizations to Taiwan.
Although demand for smartphones, wearables, and tablets is expected to grow in the second half of 2024, Samsung Electronics has recently pointed to uncertainties that could potentially impact upcoming supply and demand, including price increases for key components and geopolitical factors.
In Taiwan's dynamic industrial landscape, the pursuit of smart manufacturing heralds a new era of resilience and innovation. However, beneath the surface of progress lies a formidable challenge: the complex interplay between customization and scalability threatens to impede widespread adoption.
US Intelligence Communities have successively pointed out that the geopolitical risks in the Taiwan Strait seem to be increasing with incidents such as Xiamen coast guard vessels frequently appearing in sea areas near Kinmen.
AI PCs are estimated to be a focal point of the industry in the second half of 2024. However, there has yet to be a clear definition of what constitutes an AI PC. Analysis by the notebook supply chain pointed out that, from an Industrial Design (ID) perspective, two design aspects of AI PCs are most likely to subvert the industry's imagination: keyboards and screens.
The most unexpected development in Qisda's history occurred in 2005, when the company's predecessor, BenQ, failed to merge with Siemens Mobile. It made a large loss of NT$30 billion (US$927.4 million) at the time. For the industry, BenQ's failure to integrate Siemens Mobile remains a lethal mergers and acquisitions lesson.
The shortage of Nvidia GPU supply is easing, allowing players in the server supply chain, such as cooling solutions provider Sunon, to ramp up shipments starting in the first quarter of 2024 and expect continued quarter-by-quarter growth, according to industry sources.
Amidst the global economic downturn and the continuous slowdown in end-product IT demand, Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco) and LG Innotek, which previously experienced severe performance slumps, have outperformed industry expectations in the first quarter of 2024 by supplying high-value-added products for AI and EV demand.
In the first quarter of 2024, AMD's data center and client revenue experienced year-on-year growth rates of over 80%. The company is optimistic that AI will fuel these two businesses to continue to grow. In contrast, AMD's gaming business saw a significant decline of nearly 50%, with prospects appearing even bleaker. It's speculated that this could affect the launch of new products.
As smartphone sales plateau compared to the rapid growth seen 5-10 years ago, Taiwan's optical solutions providers, primarily serving the smartphone market, are seeking new growth engines, such as exploring new end applications and clientele to mitigate the risks associated with reliance on a single application or customer.
Apple Inc. surprised investors with a decent beat on quarterly revenue from China, countering months of data that showed a quickening decline in iPhone sales.
Meta regained market focus with the widespread popularity of its open Llama. Nevertheless, as its AI investments are still in the early stages, it will take years to see returns.
Taiwan's GDP increased by 6.51% from the previous year in the first quarter of 2024, outpacing South Korea's 3.4% and Singapore's 2.7%, thanks to exports of AI chips and AI servers.
Apple is expected to rebound from a lackluster first half of 2024, with shipments of both iPhones and Mac computers picking up in the latter part of the year, say supply chain sources. As mere hardware refreshes can no longer stimulate consumer purchases, market attention has focused almost exclusively on AI and foldable screens; in Apple's case, however, implementing AI into their products may be the quicker option.
In the wake of the Ukraine War, the ripple effects are felt far beyond the Eastern European theater. As China and Iran throw their weight behind Russia, the landscape of global commerce undergoes seismic shifts.
The announcement for Apple's iPad Pro 2024 has been repeatedly delayed, reportedly due to issues related to OLED panels. Despite this, it was recently revealed that the two major South Korean manufacturers, LG Display (LGD) and Samsung Display (SDC), are responsible for supplying OLED panels for the new iPad and will incorporate many new panel technologies not previously used in iPhones.
Thanks to the server supply chain shift out of China due to the US-China trade conflicts, Taiwan's computer production value has grown significantly over the past 5 years. Although China remains the biggest production site of Notebook PCs (NB), manufacturers of high-end servers have returned to Taiwan.
In the first quarter of 2024, Samsung Electronics successfully turned a profit in its semiconductor business due to increased demand for AI-related memory. Coupled with the sales growth of the Galaxy S24 series, the outstanding performances from these two sectors led to a revenue return to the KRW70 trillion level (approx. US$50.85 billion) after 5 quarters.
