Apple enters the holiday selling season with stronger demand for its core products, but its latest results show that expanding sales do not automatically translate into faster operating profit growth. Record September-quarter iPhone revenue and an all-time high for Services supported the business as research spending increased and tariff refunds helped reported margins.

Marvell Technology's agreement to buy Lumentum Holdings would give the custom chip designer its own supply of indium phosphide (InP) lasers, one of the scarcest components in AI data center networking, and make it one of the few suppliers spanning both the electrical and optical sides of the link. The deal positions Marvell more directly against Broadcom as connections inside AI clusters move from copper toward optics packaged alongside processors and switches.

Humanoid robots and self-driving cars were hard to miss at South Korea's Future Innovation Tech Expo (FIX 2026) in Daegu. But some of the less flashy technologies on display were just as interesting.

Samsung Electronics is reportedly in talks with Japanese motor maker Nidec to jointly develop robot motors as the South Korean company expands its humanoid robotics business and pushes to automate its factories.

Nuvoton expects its baseboard management controller (BMC) business to grow faster in 2027 than in 2026, driven by strong AI demand, higher orders from existing customers, and new customers entering mass production. The company said new customers, including cloud service providers (CSPs) and startups, will expand its BMC shipment base.

As edge AI applications and AI agents move toward real-world deployment, industrial control and embedded processors are undergoing a structural upgrade in computing capabilities.

Taiwan became Thailand's third-largest trade partner in the first half of 2026 as AI growth and geopolitical shifts accelerate Taiwanese investment in the country, Taiwan Representative to Thailand Peter Lan said. Around 200,000 Taiwanese businesspeople are now based in Thailand, with the pace accelerating under the China+1 trend.

JPP Holding's Thai operating arm, Jinpao Precision Industry, joined Praksa subdistrict authorities in Samut Prakan Province, Thailand, on October 31 to hold the finals of the Jinpao–Praksa automation and robotics innovation competition, strengthening its efforts to develop AI and smart-manufacturing talent locally. Chairman Chung Kuo-sung said corporate philanthropy should involve long-term engagement with local communities rather than one-time donations.

Murata Manufacturing announced plans to invest around JPY1 trillion (US$6.3 billion) in expanding multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) capacity by 2030. Booming demand from data centers and AI applications has pushed up orders for MLCC makers. MLCCs are a crucial component in managing power demand.

Tong Hsing Electronic Industries (THEIL) outlined the latest developments and market trends across its four major product lines of optical communications, ceramic substrates, new semiconductor materials, and image sensors, during an earnings call on October 30.

As AI data centers expand, Taiwan is facing challenges in securing power supply, battery backup, and cooling systems, with the state-run Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) requiring about two years to build dedicated 161 kV high-voltage lines. The island's limited land and growing industrial and population demand in northern Taiwan are raising concerns over whether electricity availability will keep pace with the expansion of AI computing capacity.