DIGITIMES Communications: Mobile devices news

Home Tech Communications Mobile devices

Friday 20 March 2026

Samsung reportedly ceasing TriFold smartphone sales

Samsung Electronics is reportedly discontinuing its premium Galaxy Z TriFold smartphone just months after launch, underscoring the device's role as a technological showcase rather than a mass-market product, according to Bloomberg. The US$2,899 foldable, featuring a dual-hinge design that expands into a 10-inch tablet, will first be pulled from South Korea before sales are halted in the US. Samsung's website has already removed messaging around restocks, listing the device as "sold out."

Friday 20 March 2026

Samsung signals AI memory shift with HBM showcase at 2026 shareholders meeting

Samsung Electronics held its 57th annual shareholders meeting on March 18 in Suwon, South Korea, where it unveiled advanced memory products, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), signaling a strategic push to strengthen its semiconductor competitiveness.

Friday 20 March 2026

Meta's pullback on Metaverse shows the limits of the virtual world bet

Meta Platforms is retreating further from the metaverse, scaling back a once-central pillar of Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg's long-term vision in favor of a renewed focus on artificial intelligence.

Friday 20 March 2026

Apple CEO visits China at 50th anniversary event to strengthen supply chain

Apple CEO Tim Cook has officially kicked off his 2026 Asia tour with a visit to China, attending the company's 50th anniversary celebration at the Chengdu Taikoo Li Apple Store. The event featured concerts and consumer interactions aimed at reinforcing brand loyalty as part of the ongoing efforts to solidify Apple's supply chain in the region.

Friday 20 March 2026

Analysis: Memory price swings leave e-reader supply chain in the red

Recent shifts in the memory market are putting significant pressure on the e-reader supply chain, from upstream manufacturers to midstream module makers and downstream brand companies.

Thursday 19 March 2026

Foldable phone shipments may near 30 million in 2026 as Apple enters market

Apple's entry into the foldable phone market, alongside established players Samsung, Oppo, and Huawei, is set to expand consumer choice and accelerate global market growth. The shift stands to affect handset makers, app developers, and component suppliers alike, as competition drives innovation, product variety, and potentially lower prices.

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).

Thursday 19 March 2026

Samsung reportedly broadens emergency management as chipflation takes off

Samsung Electronics has reportedly expanded emergency management measures across several key business units as rising semiconductor prices and component costs pressure profitability, according to South Korean media reports.

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

Oppo seeks to offset component cost pressures with global expansion and premium push

Oppo is preparing to cushion its smartphone business against rising component costs, particularly memory, after reaching annual shipments of around 100 million units. The company is deploying a mix of procurement, product, and market strategies to sustain growth in 2026 while strengthening its position in the premium segment.

Monday 16 March 2026

Weekly news roundup: Memory crunch, AI supply chains, new manufacturing hubs

Below are the most-read DIGITIMES stories from the week of Mar 9-15, 2026:

Monday 16 March 2026

India roundup: A reality check of chipmaking dream

Despite semiconductor manufacturing facilities expected in 2026, India remains a small player in the global chipmaking industry, as it is reportedly considering further incentives.

Saturday 14 March 2026

Samsung S26 sales in Taiwan rise 25%, 1TB model accounts for 15% of orders

Samsung Electronics' annual flagship Galaxy S26 series recently opened for pre-orders and began deliveries on March 13. Qi-meng Chen, general manager of Taiwan Samsung's mobile communications division, said the initial wave of S26 pre-orders exceeded expectations, with overall sales growing 25% compared to the previous generation.

Friday 13 March 2026

China's NDRC warns memory price surge spreading across electronics supply chain

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has issued a rare monitoring report warning that rising memory prices are spreading across the electronics supply chain as tight supply and strong demand push up DRAM and NAND flash prices.

Friday 13 March 2026

Ai+ Smartphone to add 3 million device production capacity in India with Optiemus Electronics

Optiemus Electronics Limited (OEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Optiemus Infracom Limited, has entered a manufacturing agreement with Ai+ Smartphone and NxtQuantum Shift Technologies India Private Limited to produce mobile phones, tablets, IoT devices, and advanced wearable products in India.

Friday 13 March 2026

India weighs new smartphone export incentives and US$11 billion chip fund

According to Bloomberg and Reuters, India is considering two new incentive programs—one tied to smartphone exports and another worth more than US$11 billion to support semiconductor development—as New Delhi seeks to deepen electronics manufacturing and strengthen its position in global supply chains.

Friday 13 March 2026

Apple prepares for its 50th anniversary with global celebrations as speculation grows over new products

Apple said it will celebrate its 50th anniversary in the coming weeks with events recognizing its history and global user community, while media reports suggest the milestone could also bring new marketing campaigns, software updates, and possibly new devices.

Thursday 12 March 2026

Samsung reportedly wins foldable iPhone DRAM supply deal; 12GB LPDDR5X prices double

Samsung has reportedly secured an order to supply 12GB LPDDR5X DRAM for Apple's first foldable iPhone, negotiating a sharply higher price than in previous memory contracts.

Thursday 12 March 2026

Apple locks in book-style foldable iPhone, targets fall 2026 launch with 20% production boost

Apple has reportedly finalized the design of its first foldable iPhone, tentatively called the iPhone Fold, choosing a book-style form factor and targeting a fall 2026 launch. As market expectations grow, the company is said to have increased its initial production target by about 20%, a move expected to benefit its primary manufacturing partner, Foxconn.

Thursday 12 March 2026

Honor flagship phone to launch in Taiwan by 2Q26, shaking up market

The Taiwanese smartphone market is set to welcome a new contender as Honor plans to open stores and begin selling phones and mobile accessories in 2026. After its flagship model, the Honor Magic8 Pro, received National Communications Commission (NCC) certification, it is expected to hit shelves in Taiwan as early as the second quarter of 2026.

Thursday 12 March 2026

Taiwan supply chains show resilience amid global conflicts, says Qisda chairman

With the ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East creating global uncertainties, Qisda chairman Peter Chen warned that prolonged warfare could trigger inflation and disrupt consumer electronics sales. He pointed out that rising memory prices would particularly impact demand for mid-tier to low-end smartphones more than high-end models.

Thursday 12 March 2026

Apple's foldable iPhone may add iPad-like multitasking and wider display, Bloomberg reports

Apple's first foldable iPhone could introduce iPad-style layouts and side-by-side apps to iOS, according to a Bloomberg report, marking a shift toward larger-screen multitasking as the company prepares its long-rumored entry into the foldable smartphone market.

Wednesday 11 March 2026

WT Microelectronics posts 89% revenue surge in 2 months on AI and market recovery

IC distributor WT Microelectronics reported consolidated preliminary revenue of NT$104.4 billion (US$3.28 billion) for February 2026, up about 29% year over year. For the first two months of 2026, cumulative consolidated revenue reached approximately NT$300.2 billion, marking an 89.1% increase year over year.

Wednesday 11 March 2026

Apple's India iPhone output reaches 25% as production shifts from China

Apple significantly expanded iPhone production in India in 2025, increasing output by about 53% as the company seeks to reduce its dependence on China and mitigate tariff risks. Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, said Apple assembled about 55 million iPhones in India last year, up from 36 million in 2024. Apple produces about 220 million to 230 million iPhones annually worldwide, with India now accounting for roughly a quarter of total output.

More Mobile devices coverage