Before the Lunar New Year, HTC disclosed that a portion of its extended reality (XR) research and development team would be incorporated into Google during the first quarter of 2025. Furthermore, Google will acquire non-exclusive licensing rights to HTC's XR intellectual property for a sum of US$250 million.
Google invested US$ 250 million in the acquisition of HTC Vive's R&D team, highlighting its ambitions in the headsets and smart glasses sectors. Regarding this acquisition, Google Taiwan has reportedly begun a small-scale organizational restructuring, reallocating personnel from its smartphone and tablet divisions to support new product development.
Samsung's fourth-quarter 2024 financial performance missed market expectations. The company aims to regain momentum in 2025 by focusing on AI, robotics, and subscription services. According to Digital Today, Samsung's revival strategy revolves around three key areas: robotics, AI, and smart home solutions.
As Donald Trump takes office with his "America First" agenda, South Korea's electronics and automotive industries are closely monitoring potential shifts in global trade policies. A major concern is the proposed 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, which could pose significant challenges for South Korean companies with manufacturing operations in Mexico.
Highpoint Service Network (HSN), Acer's subsidiary specializing in brand repair services, has achieved record-breaking annual revenues since its establishment in 2018. The company's robust growth is anchored by three key pillars: expanding its geographical reach, servicing more brands, and diversifying product categories. CEO Jacky Lin anticipates continued growth, forecasting a revenue increase of at least 30% in 2025.
Chromebook shipments are forecast to grow 20% in 2025; despite that, Intel's market share in the Chromebook chip sector may decline to below 65%, according to industry sources.
While Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's recent comments at CES 2025--suggesting it may take at least 20 years to develop a "truly useful" quantum computer--have sparked widespread debate, Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Cheng-wen Wu has emphasized that quantum computing is a global competition, and Taiwan remains committed to advancing quantum research. Wu noted that whether it takes 3–5 years or 30–50 years, Taiwan will not be left behind.
Shortly after taking office, President Trump swiftly signed several executive orders to fulfill his campaign promises. A key focus for the business sector is his sweeping energy policy shift, which includes rolling back net-zero carbon emissions regulations and reinstating domestic oil production. The administration aims to alleviate the rising cost of living by boosting the local energy supply.
Nvidia's partnership with MediaTek is generating significant buzz in the semiconductor industry, attracting keen interest from analysts and stakeholders alike. The collaboration aims to bring the N1X and N1 platforms to market, targeting both commercial and consumer AI PC segments as part of Nvidia’s broader expansion strategy.
LG Electronics has embarked on a strategic transformation in 2024, shifting its focus toward non-hardware businesses and B2B operations. The company has enhanced investments in automotive parts, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), embedded appliances, commercial displays, and the webOS platform. Through this strategic pivot, LG aims to achieve over 7% growth in revenue, operating profit margin, and EBITDA.
AI cloud computing will remain the primary growth driver for the tech industry in 2025, while the outlook for consumer AI applications remains mixed, largely hinging on whether users can be convinced of the need to replace their devices, according to sources at IC design houses.
As AI embraces rapid developments, the future of AI-driven lifestyles will rely heavily on display technology. According to Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), display technology is becoming integral to three key AI edge devices: TVs, AR/VR glasses, and smart cockpits. Leveraging the technological advantages of Micro LED, the emerging era of "AI of Things" (AIoT) is set to position Taiwan's display and sensor industries at the forefront of a new market.
Apple is reportedly set to launch a screen-equipped HomePod in 2025, though contrary to earlier speculation about OLED technology, it will feature an LCD panel exclusively supplied by Tianma Microelectronics in China. Taiwan's Radiant Optoelectronics will handle backlight module production. Industry insiders expect shipment volumes to remain modest throughout 2025.
Acer's chairman and CEO Jason Chen anticipates AI PCs will reach their prime before the third quarter of 2025. While some industry observers express concern about AI PCs' slow progress, Chen emphasized that strong AI server demand should not be used to predict AI PC market trends.
Lenovo is set to more than double its smartphone and notebook production in India from 6.4 million in fiscal 2024 to over 12 million units in fiscal 2025, driven by the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme. This move aims to reduce imports, foster a local component ecosystem, and enhance Lenovo's manufacturing footprint in India.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently stated that quantum computing may take 15 to 30 years to achieve practical applications, highlighting the significant hurdles that lie ahead. Despite these challenges, interest in quantum technologies continues to grow, as evidenced by CES 2025, which featured a dedicated quantum computing forum. Major players like Google and IBM have also revealed ambitious roadmaps to guide their quantum computing development.
Robots have supplanted electric vehicles (EVs) as the main attraction at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's opening keynote heavily emphasizing AI-powered robotics.
The emergence of domestic chip development among China's leading home appliance manufacturers is reshaping the microcontroller unit (MCU) market landscape, as a new trade-in program is expected to boost demand for consumer electronics and drive growth in the MCU industry. However, traditional MCU manufacturers now face competition from both industry peers and local appliance brands developing their chips.
Taiwan's tech industry is experiencing rapid growth, outpacing the capacity of government and educational institutions to train talent that matches the sector's expanding demands. A survey released by Taiwan's Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics (DGBAS) on January 10 reveals that this tech boom has significantly boosted wages, particularly in electronics and computer manufacturing. Additionally, the active trading of tech stocks in Taiwan has led to double-digit salary growth in the securities and futures sectors.
At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), major tech players are leveraging AI agents to revolutionize the smart home sector. Leading manufacturers, including TCL and Hisense, have announced that their latest television models will feature Google TV, while LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics have opted for Microsoft Copilot integration. These AI-powered smart TVs are evolving beyond traditional entertainment devices to become central hubs for personalized and automated smart home experiences.
Uncertainties will cloud the forecast in the Asia Pacific region in 2025, according to Acer's president of Pan-Asia operations Andrew Hou. Even so, the company still expects high single-digit or even double-digit growth in its Asia Pacific revenue for 2025, driven by strong performance in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The Asia Pacific region has become Acer's largest single market, accounting for 51% of revenue in the third quarter of 2024.
Acer has been experiencing strong sales momentum in Southeast Asia since the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by the popularity of its Predator League e-sports competition, according to Acer Malaysia managing director Kon Tek Yoong. The company anticipates continued growth into 2025, supported by an expected device replacement cycle triggered by upcoming next-generation graphics cards.
Leading chip manufacturers Qualcomm and NXP Semiconductors took center stage at CES 2025, showcasing their latest innovations and announcing significant partnerships while emerging companies advance AI SoC technologies.
India-based Syrma SGS Technology Limited and Taiwan-based MSI have partnered to initiate local notebook production in India amid India's push for local IT hardware manufacturing.
