As next-generation AI server platforms enter volume deployment, supply chain constraints are extending beyond high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Bottlenecks are increasingly emerging in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and critical upstream materials, according to DIGITIMES analysis.
The IC substrate industry is accelerating its recovery into a new bull cycle, driven by steady growth in AI-related application demand. At the same time, price increases are gradually taking effect, benefiting companies like Unimicron and Nan Ya PCB, which reported doubled profits for December 2025.
Siemens has acquired ASTER Technologies, a privately held provider of printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) test verification and engineering software, as it moves to expand its electronic design automation (EDA) portfolio. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
On January 16, 2026, Taiwan and the US finalized a trade agreement that cuts tariffs on Taiwanese exports to the US to 15% without stacking. The US also pledged most-favored-nation status and duty-free quotas for Taiwan under Section 232 semiconductor-related tariffs regardless of future rate changes. This outcome reflects Taiwan's technological strength and raises questions about whether Taiwanese firms investing in China and Vietnam will now consider reshoring amid improved US-Taiwan trade terms.
Jabil Inc., the global manufacturing and supply-chain services company, said on Tuesday that it had made a strategic minority investment in Eagle Harbor Technologies, a Seattle-based developer of advanced power systems for semiconductor manufacturing, and would partner with the company on production.
The year 2026 is set to mark the commercial debut of 2nm mobile SoCs, with Qualcomm, Apple, and MediaTek among the first to release 2nm process chips for smartphones. The market expects Qualcomm to introduce two flagship platforms: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. Xiaomi's upcoming 18 series is poised to secure the first adoption of these 2nm chips among Chinese smartphone brands. The Xiaomi 18 Pro will lead by featuring the Gen 6 Pro version, while the Xiaomi 18 Ultra may arrive later in the year, signaling that China's Android ecosystem is officially entering the 2nm generation.
Supply chain sources report that Chromebook shipments have stabilized under Google's support. Despite facing a memory market turmoil, Google has set a full-year shipment target of 19.5 million units for 2026, matching 2025 levels. Intel, Qualcomm, and MediaTek remain optimistic about Chromebook demand and continue launching new platforms to expand their market share.
Vietnam has officially begun construction of its first homegrown semiconductor chip manufacturing facility, marking a significant step in the country's plans to develop a domestic semiconductor ecosystem.
Intel has poached Eric Demers, a veteran GPU architect, known for developing Qualcomm's proprietary Adreno GPU architecture. Demers will become Intel's senior vice president of GPU engineering. This suggests that even though Intel has long been unable to compete with Nvidia and AMD in the GPU market, it still hopes to strengthen its own GPU capabilities.
Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) recently approved a major investment plan led by Zhen Ding Tech (ZDT), the world's largest printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer, in partnership with local firm Saha Pathana Inter-Holding (SPI). The project involves approximately THB65 billion (US$2.1 billion) to establish advanced PCB production capacity, aiming to position Thailand as a key PCB manufacturing center in Southeast Asia.
Apple is losing the preferential access it held for more than a decade at TSMC as surging demand for AI chips shifts the balance of power toward Nvidia and other high-performance computing customers. The change highlights how AI workloads are reshaping capacity allocation at the world's largest contract chipmaker, reducing Apple's ability to secure priority production at the most advanced nodes.
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