DIGITIMES Communications: Mobile components news

Home Tech Communications Mobile components

Thursday 2 April 2026

Mobile chip inventory correction weighs on OSAT supply chain

As the industry enters the stocking phase ahead of new smartphone launches, mobile chip customers are undergoing an inventory adjustment period. The supply chain indicates that this demand correction has cascaded from IC design down to foundry, packaging, and testing — expected to significantly dampen order growth for Taiwanese OSAT players such as ASE, SPIL, and KYEC heading into the consumer peak season.

Wednesday 1 April 2026

Samsung's 2nm Exynos 2600 loses to Qualcomm's 3nm on battery and thermals

Samsung's Exynos 2600 application processor (AP), built on the company's 2nm process, lags in battery endurance behind Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — a 3nm chip — by about 30%, according to a recent test. This gap has had a tangible impact on Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S26 series, with battery life varying significantly across regions depending on which AP the device uses.

Tuesday 31 March 2026

Samsung targets 1nm production by 2030, challenges TSMC with new chiplet technology

Samsung Electronics is aiming to launch its 1nm semiconductor process by 2030 as part of a direct technological competition with rival TSMC. The move seeks to secure leadership in the next-generation semiconductor market.

Tuesday 31 March 2026

Memory chip shortage drives surge in China's used phone chip market

The used mobile phone recycling market in China has recently heated up, with even non-functional old phones being collected at significantly higher prices than before. This surge is driven by a severe global shortage of consumer-grade memory chips.

Monday 30 March 2026

AI optical boom forces FICG into overdrive expansion

Demand for optical communication modules driven by artificial intelligence is exceeding supply, prompting FIC Global (FICG) to accelerate capacity expansion in Malaysia and China, the company said.

Tuesday 24 March 2026

Rising costs and soft demand prolong smartphone panel slump; AMOLED prices to drop over 20% in 2H26

As March nears its end, the smartphone panel market has yet to see a post-Lunar New Year replenishment cycle. With upstream costs rising and end demand softening, overall market conditions continue to deteriorate.

Sunday 22 March 2026

MediaTek, Microsoft Research crack AOC power barrier with Micro LED, 50% reduction

A joint R&D team, including MediaTek, Microsoft Research, and other suppliers, has developed a next-generation active optical cable (AOC) based on miniaturized Micro LED light sources. The Active Micro LED Cable delivers copper-like reliability while significantly extending transmission distance.

Saturday 21 March 2026

Analysis: Samsung's Exynos chip rebounds with mixed performance in 2nm era

Samsung Electronics' self-developed mobile application processor (AP) series, Exynos, long criticized for poor performance and overheating issues, is showing signs of revival. The new Exynos 2600, built on the advanced 2nm second-generation process (SF2), has delivered unexpectedly strong performance results compared to its previous chips, laying a foundation for the once-struggling chip line to bounce back.

Thursday 19 March 2026

Samsung strike vote nears, DS and DX divisions clash over bonuses

As Samsung Electronics' union members vote on whether to strike, market attention is shifting from the labor negotiations themselves to the disparities in benefits and potential conflicts of interest between the company's two core business groups: Device Solutions (DS) and Device Experience (DX).

Wednesday 18 March 2026

Samsung taps Apple, IBM, Walmart executives in global talent push

Samsung Electronics is actively recruiting top global talent, having lured several senior executives from multinational giants such as Apple, IBM, and Walmart through 2025. The move aims to strengthen the competitiveness of its mobile eXperience (MX) and visual display (VD) businesses.

Wednesday 18 March 2026

Apple adopts MediaTek Wi-Fi chip for MacBook Neo to save costs, say sources

Apple's recently launched affordable MacBook Neo has been found to use MediaTek's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips instead of Broadcom or Apple's own N1 chip, according to teardown reports. Industry insiders assess that Apple likely made this decision to reduce costs while buying time to improve its in-house N-series chip specifications.

Wednesday 18 March 2026

AI data center optics boom lifts Ezconn; orders seen through 3Q26, margin floor set at 50%

Surging global investment in AI data centers is accelerating growth for optical communications supplier Ezconn, which posted record revenue in 2025 after surpassing NT$10 billion for the first time.

Wednesday 11 March 2026

Vivo targets 20% growth for Taiwan phone sales in 2026 despite component price hikes

Vivo unveiled its V70 series in Taiwan on the March 10, aiming to drive continued growth in its 2026 local operations by bringing flagship features to a broader audience. Although Taiwan's smartphone market is expected to slow in 2025 due to high penetration rates and the price of components continues to rise, Vivo Taiwan President Yi-ting Chen said the company plans to boost revenue by 30% and increase shipment volume by 20% through targeted product segmentation and innovative marketing strategies.

Monday 9 March 2026

Next-gen flagship smartphones shift to optical innovation with variable aperture and metalens

The global smartphone market is shifting from volume expansion to value-driven competition. Although rising costs have slowed shipment growth, optical specifications remain the main arena where flagship models differentiate themselves.

Monday 9 March 2026

Samsung Display secures largest OLED supply for iPhone 17e, BOE's lead role questioned

Samsung Display (SDC) has reportedly secured the largest share of orders supplying OLED panels for Apple's latest budget smartphone, the iPhone 17e. This development overturns earlier industry forecasts that predicted BOE Technology Group (BOE) would be the primary OLED supplier for the iPhone 17e.

Friday 6 March 2026

Commentary: Memory price surge and the Middle East conflict bring severe challenges to Transsion

Rising geopolitical risks in the Middle East threaten to directly impact Chinese smartphone brands deeply rooted in emerging markets. For Transsion, known as the "king of low-end phones" in Africa, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region is not only a major sales hub but also a critical market segment.

Thursday 5 March 2026

How Apple's 'triple $599' strategy could change everything for 2026

While thousands of tech executives gathered this week in the cavernous halls of Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress (MWC), showcasing motorized cameras and ultra-thin folding screens that few will ever buy, Apple executed a far more consequential maneuver from the quiet of its California headquarters.

Wednesday 4 March 2026

Despite memory shortage and price surge extending through 2026, three industries hold strong purchasing power

The global memory market faces ongoing shortages and price hikes driven by robust AI data-center demand, sparking a fierce resource competition expected to last through 2026. However, semiconductor and IC distribution players identify three major industry groups that remain resilient amid the supply crunch, experiencing relatively limited disruption.

Tuesday 3 March 2026

From smartphone plateau to AI expansion: MWC 2026 signals the next connectivity paradigm

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, held from March 2 to 5, showcased a decisive shift for the global mobile industry. No longer centered solely on smartphones, this year's event highlights a broader, deeply integrated ecosystem spanning satellite communications, WiFi 8, AI, automotive connectivity, and robotics—signaling the next growth chapter for wireless technologies.

Monday 2 March 2026

Airoha eyes strong 2026 growth with optical, Ethernet, and fixed broadband

A subsidiary of MediaTek, Airoha held an investor briefing on February 26, outlining its outlook for continued growth. The company said it expects consolidated revenue to reach a record high in 2025, supported by steady expansion in both revenue and profitability.

Monday 23 February 2026

Samsung Foundry rebounds with utilization above 80% in 1Q26

Samsung Electronics' foundry utilization exceeded 80% in the first quarter of 2026, its highest level in over a year, increasing the probability of a quarterly profit turnaround this year.

Friday 13 February 2026

Samsung's non-memory unit to turn profitable in 4Q26 as Exynos 2700 targets 50% share in Galaxy S27

Industry analysts indicate that Samsung Electronics' non-memory division is expected to return to profitability in the fourth quarter of 2026, with a full-year turnaround projected for 2027.

Thursday 12 February 2026

Samsung Display reviews capacity expansion for Apple foldable OLEDs

Samsung Display (SDC) is reviewing additional investment to expand production capacity for foldable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels intended for Apple's first foldable iPhone, as Apple prepares to launch the device in the fall of 2026 and advances plans for subsequent models, according to industry sources.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Novatek predicts memory and visual edge AI to be the main demand drivers in 2026

Taiwanese display driver IC (DDI) giant Novatek recently held an investor briefing, where Vice Chairman and General Manager Steve Wang said that memory supply and costs will be the most critical factors affecting various electronic products, especially smartphones and PCs, in 2026. Aside from traditional DDI products, Novatek has recently made progress in new areas such as system-on-chip (SoC), application-specific ICs (ASICs), imaging, and edge AI. The company plans to continue launching new products and expand into diverse applications.

Friday 6 February 2026

Qualcomm 1QFY26 earnings call: memory shortages redefine smartphones despite strong demand

Qualcomm delivered record results in its fiscal first quarter, but executives warned that a worsening memory supply imbalance is now constraining the global smartphone market, even as underlying consumer demand remains strong.

More Mobile components coverage