TSMC is accelerating advanced packaging capacity expansion as supply remains tight, with market chatter indicating its CoWoS monthly output will reach at least 200,000 wafers in 2027. Equipment makers are still waiting for TSMC to finalize order allocation, a delay that is raising fears of price-cutting competition and delivery delays, as lead times run at least seven to nine months.
ASE Holdings posted record second-quarter and first-half 2026 revenue, driven by strong demand for advanced semiconductor packaging and testing, conventional backend services and AI-related applications. June revenue reached its second-highest monthly level on record, while quarterly growth exceeded the company's previous guidance.
New figures from Counterpoint Research estimate that the bill of materials (BOM) for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max could rise nearly US$300 compared with the iPhone 17 Pro Max released in September last year. Ballooning memory costs largely account for this increase, although Apple may be better placed than most other smartphone brands to weather such price hikes.
Samsung Electronics' preliminary earnings have shaken financial markets. Drawing on a report from a US brokerage, DIGITIMES Intelligence analyst Luke Lin examined the actual progress of advanced-node capacity expansion at TSMC, Intel, and Samsung, arguing that market expectations in several areas have run ahead of reality.
Apple and Broadcom have extended their custom-chip partnership through 2031 under agreements expected to exceed US$30 billion, reinforcing Broadcom's position as a critical Apple chip supplier.
