Memory makers have estimated an only single-digit reduction in orders for Chromebooks, which will have a minor impact on their sales in the third quarter, according to industry sources.

Uneven inventories across chipmakers are generating more costs facing downstream device assemblers in not only the PC and handset sectors but also the auto industry, according to industry sources.

North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted US$3.59 billion in billings worldwide in May 2021 (three-month average basis), logging a record high for the fifth consecutive month, according to SEMI.

Corning has announced it will implement a moderate increase to its display glass substrate prices in the third quarter of 2021.

Notebook panel shipments are forecast to increase 4.8% on year in 2021, driven by demand for notebooks supporting stay-at-home activities, according to industry sources.

The supply of AMOLED panels by Samsung Display (SDC) for production of Apple's next-generation iPhone devices slated for launch in the latter half of 2021 is unlikely to be affected by a strike reportedly to be taken by its workers starting June 21, according to sources from Taiwan's panel industry.

Taiwan tech firms have made considerable achievements in the EV sector, having entered the supply chain of Tesla. But as the car market is still dominated by traditional marques who are now also keen to continue the market of future cars, Taiwan tech firms face quite some hurdles to entering the supply chains of these major car vendors. With the easing of the pandemic possibly slowing demand for devices supporting stay-at-home needs, chip vendors are now said to be expecting Chromebook shipments to grow at a slower pace in 2021. Corning has announced a moderate price hike to its display glass substrates in third-quarter 2021 to reflect rising production costs.

Foxconn Technology Group (Hon Hai Precision Industry) has announced plans to invest NT$1 billion (US$36.1 million) for new shares to be issued by PV conductive paste maker Giga Solar Materials through private placement.

Foxconn Technology Group (Hon Hai) will form a joint venture with PTT, Thailand's majority state-owned oil and gas company, in the second half of 2021 as part of their memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed for cooperative production of electric vehicles (EV) in the Southeast Asian country.

Graphics card makers may see their profit growth constrained by a slowdown in cryptomining demand in the second half of 2021, as China steps up its crackdown on cryptocurrency, according to industry sources.

The supply of battery cells for two-wheel electric vehicles (EV) has fallen far short of demand, with suppliers seeing the visibility of customer orders strengthened to mid 2022, according to industry sources.

The ongoing shortages of power management chips and display driver ICs will constrain notebook ODMs' shipment growth to just single digits sequentially in the second quarter, according to industry sources.

Some networking device makers, including Wistron NeWeb and Arcadyan Technology, have said the shortages of some parts and components currently affecting the production of networking devices may ease a bit in third quarter 2021.

China's smartphone demand failed to gain as much momentum as expected during the Labor Day holidays, resulting in declines in smartphone component shipments in the second quarter, but related orders from Apple will begin to increase in the second half, according to sources from IC distributors.

Networking device maker Accton Technology has said that it will kick off its shipments of 400G switch products as scheduled in June despite the impacts of confirmed COVID infections among its employees and the persistent shortages of some crucial components.