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Tuesday 8 April 2025
South Korean firms' decades-long US cultivation: Shield against protectionism?
On April 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced a new round of tariffs, imposing rates as high as 46% on products from Vietnam, 34% on those from China, 32% on Indonesia, and 26% on goods from India—key regions where many South Korean companies have production hubs. This escalation threatens to disrupt the complex global supply chains of these firms. However, for businesses like Hanwha Solutions and OCI, which run solar energy plants in the US, the changing geopolitical landscape could strengthen their competitive position
Tuesday 8 April 2025
AI server providers face tariff headwinds, DIGITIMES Research proposes two key strategies
In response to tariff barriers constructed by the US, many electronics manufacturing service (EMS) providers are developing related countermeasures
Tuesday 8 April 2025
Tech braces for tariff tsunami: DIGITIMES analysts break down impact across six key sectors
As Donald Trump ramps up his tariff-heavy trade agenda in a bid to bring manufacturing back to US soil, Taiwan's tech and manufacturing sectors are bracing for impact—again. From auto parts to semiconductors and servers to smartphones, a sweeping new set of tariffs threatens to unravel years of global supply chain planning
Tuesday 8 April 2025
Lip-Bu Tan gets real about Intel's foundry roadmap—and what it takes to win customers
For nearly 50 years, Intel remained committed to its integrated device manufacturing (IDM) model. From its founding CEO Robert Noyce to Paul Otellini, the company prioritized in-house chip design and production while building the globally recognized "Intel Inside" brand. That strategy held until 2013, when then-CEO Brian Krzanich began cautiously exploring the contract chipmaking business
Monday 7 April 2025
Trump's tariff policies force global supply chains to adapt
Supply chain operators worldwide are carefully navigating the impact of President Trump's sweeping tariff policies, which have rapidly reshaped global trade dynamics since his January inauguration. From initial adjustments affecting Mexico and Canada to recent reciprocal tariff measures, companies are strategizing optimal responses amid ongoing uncertainty
Monday 7 April 2025
Shift in Taiwanese manufacturers' investment strategy under Trump's policies
The US is the world's largest economy, and following Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025, there have been significant changes across various policies, including trade, domestic affairs, foreign relations, and research funding. Even during Joe Biden's administration, Taiwanese companies were compelled to take sides due to the US's efforts to contain China's technological development. The proportion of Taiwan's investment in China has dropped from 83.8% in 2010 to just 8% by 2024, with little chance of reversal in the coming years
Monday 7 April 2025
With chip tariffs on the horizon, China goes solo—Is Taiwan prepared?
Just when the global supply chain thought it had a breather, US President Donald Trump's administration is stoking renewed tensions with China by threatening sweeping new tariffs. Beijing has retaliated with equal force, rolling out a 34% "reciprocal tariff" package. Strategic sectors—including semiconductors and pharmaceuticals—may soon be in the crosshairs
Monday 7 April 2025
Supply chain forced to reinvent survival playbooks as US-China tariff war redefines industry rules
On April 3, 2025, the United States announced a 34% "reciprocal tariff" on Chinese goods. The next day, China retaliated with a 34% punitive tariff, marking the most significant escalation in the trade war between the two nations since their economic tensions began in 2018. This move has drawn global attention, signaling that the economic battle between China and the US has expanded beyond traditional trade disputes into full-scale confrontations over technology and supply chains
Saturday 5 April 2025
Microsoft's AI outlook faces noise: An isolated case or a market reflection?
Microsoft has experienced significant momentum in the past two years due to GenAI, but recent signals indicate a shift towards cautiousness. Despite previously emphasizing urgent demand for data centers at the end of 2024, Microsoft has reportedly canceled leases for some data centers in the US and Europe since the first quarter of 2025
Friday 4 April 2025
OpenAI meets Studio Ghibli: Computing power over artistic brilliance?
OpenAI's ChatGPT recently introduced a new image generation feature, allowing users to transform images into the style of Hayao Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli), once again setting off a trend. However, high system traffic has led OpenAI to impose usage limits
Thursday 3 April 2025
Has Intel finally found its foundry-savvy CEO with Lip-bu Tan?
For the first 45 years after Intel's founding, from its first CEO Robert Noyce to its fifth, Paul Otellini, the company focused on perfecting the IDM (integrated device manufacturing) model. The "Intel Inside" campaign became a global success, cementing Intel's position at the top of the semiconductor industry. It wasn't until 2013 when Brian Krzanich became Intel's sixth CEO that the company made its first tentative steps into foundry services
Wednesday 2 April 2025
'Machine gun' tariffs: Trump's economic barrage forces supply chain recalculation
US President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff policy has struck the global economy like a machine gun blast. His 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, coupled with uncertainties surrounding the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), have already sent shockwaves through the automotive industry
Tuesday 1 April 2025
AI data center demand: Bubble or boom? Taiwan's server ODMs paint optimistic picture
There is growing speculation regarding a potential slowdown in the demand for AI data centers. Despite these concerns, Taiwan's server original design manufacturers, who hold more than 90% of the global market share, insist that the adjustments in customer orders are primarily due to shifts in supply conditions, with demand momentum remaining strong. Amid shifting US tariff policies, recent order surges have pushed production to full capacity, propelling server revenues to new heights
Tuesday 1 April 2025
Foxconn's CEO rotation signals strategic evolution
When Foxconn (Hon Hai Technology Group) launched its rotating CEO system in April 2024, it was seen as a bold experiment aimed at grooming future leaders and strengthening corporate governance. The company named CC Lin, General Manager of the E Business Group, as the inaugural rotating CEO. After completing his one-year term, Foxconn announced on March 30, 2025, that Kathy Yang, the Group's Chief Campus Officer, would assume the role as the second rotating CEO
Monday 31 March 2025
Rise and fall of the metaverse: How AI and AR are shaping the future
The metaverse trend briefly surged after Facebook rebranded to Meta Platforms in October 2021, fueling industry-wide interest in virtual reality (VR) and its integration with augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) into extended reality (XR). The ambition was to create immersive digital experiences, with Meta leading substantial investments into building a metaverse ecosystem. However, initial enthusiasm quickly faded as the concept struggled to gain market traction