Alchip, Global Unichip (GUC), and Faraday each hold unique strengths as leading ASIC design service providers. Benefiting from major US cloud service providers' (CSPs) push for in-house chip development, their long-term operations are highly anticipated. Among them, Alchip focuses on high-end AI and sub-5nm advanced processes for US customers; GUC primarily serves TSMC-related projects; while Faraday targets mature to advanced process nodes in artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) and industrial control sectors.
Competition in the smart glasses market is heating up, with startups launching new products in rapid succession and major consumer electronics brands preparing to enter the space.
German state governments are stepping up efforts to secure new semiconductor partners in South Korea after Intel shelved plans to build fabs in Europe, leaving gaps in the region's advanced chip supply chain, according to Korean industry reporting by The Guru.
As global competition in semiconductor technology intensifies and protectionist trends tied to national strategy gain momentum, South Korea's industry is emphasizing the need to localize critical equipment. With chipmakers fully reliant on ASML of the Netherlands for extreme ultraviolet lithography tools, industry participants say South Korea must invest in X-ray lithography, a technology still at an early stage of development, to secure long-term competitiveness and reduce dependence on a single supplier.
Japanese materials maker Sumitomo Bakelite has announced plans to acquire the materials business of Japanese electronic components company Kyocera. Industry observers say the companies' product lines are highly complementary, positioning the deal to deliver stronger synergies. Leveraging Kyocera's strengths in discrete and power products in China is expected to support Sumitomo Bakelite's global market expansion.
Before Intel released its latest earnings report, market sentiment was unusually upbeat. In a DIGITIMES podcast program, DIGITIMES analyst Luke Lin noted that expectations were buoyed by anticipated US government investment, a phenomenon some investors dubbed the "Trump advisory" effect, which helped push Intel's share price to peak levels.
Jensen Huang, the CEO of the world's most valuable chipmaker, departed Taiwan for Houston tonight on Monday with a clear message for the tech world: The AI race is accelerating, and NVIDIA intends to keep its lead by "running as fast as we can".
Microsoft reported better-than-expected revenue and profit for its fiscal second quarter 2026, but concerns linger over slowing cloud growth. Despite expanding capital expenditure (capex), Azure's core business showed a decline in growth, raising questions about Microsoft's competitive edge in the AI race.
Kinsus, the IC substrate arm of Pegatron, has approved additional project-based capital spending totaling NT$23.5 billion (approx. US$744 million) to support ABF substrate equipment purchases over the next three years. The expansion will be located at its Plant 6 facility in Yangmei, Taoyuan, with monthly output expected to increase by about 25% by 2027.
Apple reported strong results for its fiscal first quarter of 2026, but the company's supply chain did not share in the enthusiasm. The key reason is that Apple is feeling the impact of rising prices for critical components while striving to maintain a certain gross margin range. This means increased pricing pressure on suppliers.
Wuhan Jingce Electronic Group forecasts net profit of CNY80 million to CNY90 million (approx. US$11.5 million to US$13 million) for 2025, representing year-over-year growth of 181.97% to 192.21%. Net profit excluding non-recurring items is expected to reach CNY21.66 million to CNY31.66 million, up 113.66% to 119.97%, reversing losses from the previous year.
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