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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.

Wednesday 11 March 2026
OpenClaw AI agents pull 13 tech companies into China's cloud and device ecosystem
China's technology sector is embracing a new trend known as "raising the lobster," developer slang for deploying and operating the open-source AI agent platform OpenClaw. What began in developer communities is spreading to cloud providers, device makers, and enterprise software platforms as companies move to integrate AI agents into their ecosystems.
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.
Tuesday 10 March 2026
Samsung bets on Galaxy S26 to beat the odds in Taiwan
Samsung has opened preorders in Taiwan for the Galaxy S26 series, its latest flagship smartphone lineup. The launch comes amid cautious industry sentiment surrounding smartphone demand.
Tuesday 10 March 2026
AI short drama 'Huo Qubing' goes viral, Seedance 2.0 cuts video generation cost below US$0.14/sec
AI-generated video technology is rapidly disrupting the film and television industry. The recent AI-generated Chinese short drama Huo Qubing has gone viral on social media, sparking discussions with its near-realistic visuals and extremely low production costs.
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.