Taiwan's major motherboard and graphics card manufacturers are capitalizing on opportunities in the AI server sector, with projected operational growth in 2025, according to industry sources.

Quanta Computer is positioned to maintain its leadership in the AI sector, according to Barry Lam, chairman of the Taiwan-based ODM company. Building on AI advancements, he expects the production of AI supercomputers to commence in 2025, marking a significant milestone for the company.

The US government is seeking public input on proposed rules to secure the ICTS supply chain for drones, potentially limiting Chinese drones, which dominate US markets.

India's growing economy and the make-in-India initiative have spurred significant demand for machine tools in electronics, automotive, and semiconductors, prompting Japanese manufacturers to expand in India, although Chinese firms have overtaken them in market share.

China has added 28 US entities, including Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, to its export control list, banning dual-use item exports amid the upcoming Trump 2.0 administration and ongoing US-Taiwan arms sales.

Three prominent Chinese tech companies -- semiconductor firm Eswin Technology Group, battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), and smartphone manufacturer Honor -- are preparing for public listing in 2025.

Tesla's ambitious humanoid robots initiative, first unveiled during its AI Day in 2021, is approaching a crucial milestone. Elon Musk's Optimus robot, designed to handle mundane, repetitive, and hazardous tasks, is set to enter limited production in 2025, with thousands expected to debut at Tesla factories. This development marks a significant step forward in humanoid robotics, an industry now attracting major players worldwide.

Foxconn has reportedly completed a US$230 million project in Tamil Nadu to build dormitories for its predominantly female workforce, enhancing convenience and support for their staff as Foxconn commits to expanding its operations in India.

Near the year-end of 2024, the US government launched a Section 301 investigation into China's semiconductor sector, with a new focus on third-generation materials like silicon carbide (SiC). This development comes amid an oversupply situation in China's SiC market throughout 2024.

Taiwan's traditional industries, such as petrochemicals, are struggling while the high-tech semiconductor sector continues to thrive. This stark disparity highlights the widening gap between two critical economic pillars. Semiconductor leaders like TSMC significantly outperform traditional companies like Formosa Plastics in both market capitalization and global influence.

Recently, Japanese automakers have triggered a wave of mergers and acquisitions. Foxconn, the main force behind this shift, has provided its perspective on the changes.

According to Wccftech and The Verge, Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset has failed to meet sales expectations since its February launch. The company has revised its 2024 shipment forecast to fewer than 500,000 units, falling significantly short of the initial target of exceeding one million units. The device's US$3,499 price tag and limited application ecosystem have proven to be major barriers to adoption.

Following Donald Trump's election, the US-China trade war appeared to be entering a new phase with Trump's announcement in late November of additional tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada, a move reminiscent of his "Tariff Man" persona.

Mainstream car manufacturers are mulling expanding collaboration with Taiwan's supply chain to counter Chinese competitors' dominance in the electric vehicle (EV) market, according to industry sources.

Leading OSAT firm ASE has teamed up with leading substrate makers, major AI server manufacturer Pegatron, and others to develop an AI visual inspection system, aimed at accelerating digital transformation across the supply chain and improving production line efficiency.

Wingtech, a Chinese ODM and IDM powerhouse, announced on December 30 that it has signed a letter of intent to transfer the equity and operating assets of nine ODM subsidiaries to Luxshare Precision Industry. This acquisition would mark a watershed moment in the supply chain landscape.

AI servers are facilitating the prosperity of device assemblers and will persist in doing so until 2025, despite a decelerating consumer electronics sector.

Samsung Electronics has reportedly announced the distribution of Overall Performance Incentives (OPI) across its departments. The Device Solutions (DS) division, finally turning a profit, will have its OPI distribution ratio rise from 0% in 2023 to around 12% to 16% in 2024, drawing major attention.

As 2024 draws to a close, India's electronics manufacturing and semiconductor industries have shown steady growth throughout the year, driven by global supply chain realignments, favorable government policies, and a vast domestic market. Recent political developments in the US are expected to accelerate these supply chain shifts further, strengthening India's electronics manufacturing landscape.

Southeast Asia has cemented its position as a crucial hub for technological advancement in 2024, particularly in AI, semiconductors, and electric vehicle (EV) transformation. The region's governments are carefully navigating the challenge of attracting foreign investment while fostering local industry growth, a balance that continues to reshape the economic landscape.

Since taking over as Foxconn chairman in 2019, Young Liu has steered the company through a series of global challenges, including the pandemic, supply chain disruptions, evolving US-China relations, and geopolitical shifts. Under his leadership, Foxconn has emphasized sustainability alongside financial performance, integrating EPS with ESG principles. These decisions are driving the company's ongoing transformation and positioning it for long-term growth.

Sharp has announced the sale of its camera module assets to Fullertain Information Technologies, a subsidiary of Foxconn. Sharp stated that this move will reduce the investment burden connected with its equipment business.

Chinese Goertek is set to invest US$570 million into expanding its operations in Bac Ninh, Vietnam, pending the necessary approvals from local authorities.

India's semiconductor ambitions are gaining momentum with initiatives like SEMI's planned Semiconductor Academy and Mindgrove Technologies' US$8M RISC-V funding. Marvell and Synaptics emphasize India's potential at the VLSI conference and beyond, while Wistron, Sunnic, and Micromax strengthen local capabilities through investments, diversification, and partnerships supporting AI and chip innovations.

In the year-end message to Tata Group employees, chairman N Chandrasekaran emphasized the transformative impact of manufacturing on India's economy, buoyed by global supply chain shifts favoring the country.