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Tuesday 6 January 2026
CES 2026: Samsung showcases 130-inch Micro RGB TV, Ballie robot nowhere to be seen
Samsung hosted The First Look ahead of the opening of CES 2026, led by head of the Device eXperience (DX) division Han Jong-hee, together with SW Yong, head of the Visual Display (VD) Business, and CK Kim, head of the Digital Appliances (DA) Business. The theme of this year's event was to promote Samsung's "Companion to AI Living" vision for 2026
Tuesday 6 January 2026
TCL's RGB mini LED claims on Q9M TV draw industry scrutiny
TCL's marketing of its entry-level RGB Mini LED television has come under closer industry scrutiny after market research firm Omdia said the product does not fully adopt the RGB backlight architecture implied by its branding. The findings have prompted discussion among analysts and regional media about how emerging display technologies are defined and communicated to consumers, particularly as competition intensifies in the premium TV segment
Tuesday 6 January 2026
China accelerates semiconductor self-sufficiency through foundry M&A: updates on Hua Hong, SMIC
China's semiconductor sector is entering a new phase of domestic consolidation, as leading foundries Hua Hong Semiconductor and SMIC move to tighten control over key manufacturing assets. The deals reflect Beijing's drive to localise chip production, strengthen mature-node capacity, and curb reliance on external supply chains amid sustained US-China technology tensions
Tuesday 6 January 2026
China Mobile, CNBM anchor Huaxin Micro-Nano's 8-inch MEMS expansion
China's drive to localize high-value sensor manufacturing gained momentum this week, as China Mobile and China National Building Material (CNBM) Group became core shareholders of Anhui Huaxin Micro-Nano Integrated Circuit Co., an emerging domestic MEMS foundry specializing in 8-inch wafers
Tuesday 6 January 2026
SK Hynix says HBM3E to dominate memory in 2026 as HBM4 ramps up

SK hynix announced on Jan. 5 that it expects its fifth-generation high-bandwidth memory, HBM3E, to remain the dominant product in the AI-driven memory market through 2026, even as preparations accelerate for a transition to HBM4

Tuesday 6 January 2026
HKC reportedly eyes OLED debut as industry pivots to bigger panels
HKC, a major Chinese display manufacturer, is weighing a potential entry into organic light-emitting diode production through a proposed sixth-generation facility. The move would mark a shift for the liquid crystal display specialist. However, it faces technical hurdles and skepticism from equipment suppliers
Tuesday 6 January 2026
Chinese chipmakers confront yield challenges despite localization push
China is speeding up efforts to localize its semiconductor supply chain to overcome US restrictions on high-end technology exports. Supply chain sources acknowledge that while Chinese manufacturers are advancing rapidly, significant technical bottlenecks remain in the mass production of advanced processes
Tuesday 6 January 2026
Chang Wah interview: strong lead frame growth despite precious metals shortage
Post-pandemic inventory digestion for mature semiconductor processes has come to an end. Market conditions have rebounded amid tariff-hedging and precautionary stocking, driving Taiwan's leading packaging lead frame supplier, Chang Wah Technology, to see rising demand for high-end products in the second half of 2025. The company has also accelerated capacity expansion plans across Taiwan, China, and Malaysia
Monday 5 January 2026
Black Sesame's Huashan A2000 clears US Commerce, Defense reviews, secures global sales approval
Black Sesame Technologies has secured a rare regulatory breakthrough for a China-based automotive AI chip developer. On January 4, 2025, the company said its high-performance Huashan A2000 intelligent driving SoC had cleared reviews by the US Department of Commerce and the US Department of Defense, allowing global sales and deployment. The decision effectively moves the A2000 into large-scale commercialization, an outcome few peers have achieved under current regulatory conditions
Monday 5 January 2026
TSMC kicks off 2nm production with Samsung in hot pursuit
The global foundry race has entered a new phase after TSMC announced it has begun volume production of its 2nm process, intensifying competitive pressure on Samsung Electronics as the two chipmakers vie for leadership at the industry's most advanced manufacturing node. The move is closely watched across the semiconductor sector because 2nm technology is expected to underpin the next generation of AI, mobile, and high-performance computing chips, shaping pricing power, customer relationships, and supply-chain diversification
Monday 5 January 2026
Samsung bets on smart driving, testing old alliances

Samsung Electronics' decision to acquire a major advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) business through its subsidiary Harman is widely viewed as a decisive escalation of its ambitions in automotive electronics. Yet the move is also stirring unease among industry observers, who warn that it could complicate Samsung's long-standing partnership with Hyundai Motor Group, raising questions about how the two South Korean giants will navigate an increasingly crowded and competitive automotive technology market

Monday 5 January 2026
Lee Jae-myung's first China visit signals warming South Korea-China ties
According to Bloomberg and The Korea Economic Daily, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung made a four-day trip from January 4-7, 2026, to Beijing and Shanghai, including a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The heads of the four major South Korean conglomerates (Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai, and LG Group) also traveled with Lee as part of an economic delegation
Monday 5 January 2026
Japan's Rapidus to launch advanced packaging pilot line in Hokkaido by spring 2026
Japanese chipmaker Rapidus is advancing its 2nm process technology while developing advanced packaging solutions tailored for AI chips. The company aims to officially start trial production on its advanced packaging line in April 2026
Monday 5 January 2026
China pulls ahead of the US in humanoid robot commercialization
Once confined to research labs, humanoid robots moved decisively into public view across China in 2025. Viral footage showed robots dancing at the Spring Festival gala, operating on factory floors, running marathons, and even sparring in boxing matches.​
Monday 5 January 2026
China memory makers' IPO line up: CXMT seeks US$4.2 billion, YMTC prepares filing
Strong AI demand has pushed the memory sector into a rare upcycle. China's leading DRAM maker CXMT is advancing an IPO application on the STAR Market, targeting CNY29.5 billion (US$4.21 billion), the second-largest fundraising in STAR Market history. In parallel, supply chain sources say China's NAND flash leader YMTC is likely to file for an IPO in the first half of 2026