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Wednesday 25 February 2026
China's humanoid robot Big 5 confirms participation in Smart Factory & Automation World 2026
As the global manufacturing and robotics industry shifts towards humanoid robots, China's world-leading Big 5 humanoid robot companies will gather in Korea for the first time this March. Asia's leading manufacturing AX expo, Smart Factory & Automation World (AW) 2026, announced on February 12 that key companies spearheading the global humanoid robot industry have confirmed their participation.
Wednesday 25 February 2026
Trump touts tariffs, AI push as pillars of economic revival
On the evening of February 24, 2026, at the State of the Union address, President Trump urged major tech firms to build their own power plants for AI data centers and said American technology is driving a historic economic renewal.
Wednesday 25 February 2026
From rebar to rockets: China Steel retools for the high-tech era amid rising trade tensions
Following the US Supreme Court ruling that US President Donald Trump had acted unlawfully in invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping global tariffs, Trump swiftly announced a new across-the-board 15% tariff hike. Taiwanese steelmaker China Steel Corporation (CSC) has stated that the tariff dispute is far from over and may intensify further, requiring close monitoring of future developments.
Wednesday 25 February 2026
Walsin Technology boosts Matsuo Electric stake to expand product lines
Walsin Technology Corporation announced plans to invest JPY508 million (US$3.27 million) to increase its shareholding in Japan's Matsuo Electric, a move the passive components maker says will support product expansion and strengthen the two companies' partnership.
Wednesday 25 February 2026
Apple's budget MacBook set for March debut as component costs increase
Apple is expected to hold a product launch event in March 2026, with a budget MacBook anticipated to take center stage. Supply chain sources indicate volume shipments are projected to begin that same month, with some key components already delivered since late 2025. Rising prices for critical components — memory in particular — are making it harder to keep the model affordable, and could weigh on shipment volumes.
Wednesday 25 February 2026
AI drives automation demand, industrial market set for gradual recovery
Following inventory corrections and demand adjustments in the global ICT industry from 2023 to 2025, the sector's economic landscape has shown clear divergence. AI server demand centered on data center construction continues to expand rapidly, standing out as one of the few high-growth areas. In contrast, industrial applications such as industrial PCs (IPCs), automation equipment, and machine tools have seen slower-than-expected recovery due to high inflation, rising geopolitical risks, and cautious corporate capital expenditures.
Wednesday 25 February 2026
Exclusive: Inside Apple’s China entanglement, with ‘Apple in China’ author Patrick McGee

In an interview with DIGITIMES, Patrick McGee, author of 'Apple in China,' joined DIGITIMES vice president Eric Huang in dissecting the complex, decades-long interdependence between "the world's greatest company" and its primary manufacturing hub. The interview highlighted a critical crossroads: as Chinese "red supply chain" firms squeeze out traditional partners, Taiwanese giants are leveraging their Apple-honed expertise to lead the global AI revolution.

Tuesday 24 February 2026
Amazon's AI sovereignty push sparks internal clash over Claude ban
Amazon has officially banned its internal engineering teams from using Anthropic's coding assistant, Claude Code, mandating a full shift to Amazon's self-developed AI system. This move reveals the cloud giant's deep strategic battle in the AI era.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
Ability Enterprises enhances robot supply chain layout with Toyota-Agility Robotics partnership
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) has signed a contract with US-based Agility Robotics to deploy its Digit humanoid robots. Prior to the formal agreement, Toyota is understood to have conducted a year-long pilot program to validate the stability of Digit robots in automotive production environments. The robot features bipedal locomotion and dual-arm operation, and will be deployed in tasks spanning logistics, empty box retrieval, and parts delivery.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
IBM opens AI GovTech Innovation Center in Lucknow, signals quantum and cloud investments in India
IBM on February 22 inaugurated an AI GovTech Innovation Center in Lucknow, India, as part of a broader push to position artificial intelligence (AI) as core infrastructure for public-sector modernization, while also outlining plans to expand investments in quantum computing, cloud, and semiconductor design in the country.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
Apple to shift Mac Mini assembly to US in latest supply chain reshoring push
Apple will move part of its Mac Mini desktop computer production from Asia to the US, marking another step in its broader effort to localize manufacturing, according to The Wall Street Journal. The initiative will begin later in 2026 at a Foxconn facility in north Houston, where Apple already assembles AI servers.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
Spring Festival Gala propels Unitree and three humanoid robot startups toward IPO spotlight

China Central Television's 2026 Spring Festival Gala became a showcase for humanoid robots. Unlike last year's polarizing yangko performance, this year's high-difficulty routines drew broad approval. Four humanoid robot companies appeared in rotation, as the national platform would likely boost their capital market appeal.

Tuesday 24 February 2026
Acer targets 4 non-core sectors to boost resilience in 50th year
Acer is marking its 50th anniversary in 2026 by redefining its core and non-core businesses, aiming to strengthen group resilience through expansion into four promising non-core sectors: industrial PCs (IPCs), healthcare, energy, and home appliances. Chairman and CEO Jason Chen outlined the company's forward-looking strategy to balance growth between core and emerging areas.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
Taiwan says 15% US tariff caps worst-case risk, but exporters face uneven outlook
Following the US Supreme Court ruling that global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unlawful, President Donald Trump announced a comprehensive tariff increase of 15%, a move Taiwanese officials say is less damaging than the alternative previously anticipated.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
Taiwan moves to safeguard trade gains as US shifts tariff authority, protecting key export sectors.
The US Supreme Court on February 20 struck down the Trump administration's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose "reciprocal tariffs," prompting the administration to switch to Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and impose a temporary additional 15% tariff on global goods. The change has immediate implications for previously negotiated exemptions and for Taiwan's export sectors.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
US Supreme Court ruling eases Apple's tariff burden but supply chain diversification continues
The US Supreme Court overturned President Donald Trump's Section 301 tariffs on January 20, a move that immediately promised relief to companies that had been paying the levies, including Apple Inc. Still, the administration responded with a new executive order imposing a 15% tariff on all imports for 150 days.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
China adds Subaru, Mitsubishi, TDK and 17 other Japanese entities to export-control watchlist
Amid intensifying China–Japan bilateral tensions, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce has placed 20 Japanese companies and institutions on a heightened export-control watchlist, citing concerns over unverifiable end users and potential military applications of dual-use items.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
Honor to debut first humanoid robot and robot phone at MWC Barcelona
Honor Device will unveil its first humanoid robot at MWC Barcelona this week, marking the Chinese smartphone maker's formal entry into a fast-emerging sector attracting intense interest across the country's technology industry, according to Bloomberg, Guancha, and MyDrivers.
Monday 23 February 2026
Nokia patent suit triggers Germany sales ban on Acer and Asus PCs
Nokia recently initiated a patent lawsuit against Acer and Asus, obtaining an injunction from a German court that temporarily banned the sales of certain notebook and desktop products by both companies in Germany. Acer stressed its respect for intellectual property rights and stated it has prepared design-around solutions to quickly resume supply legally, minimizing the impact.
Monday 23 February 2026
IEEPA tariff rollback offers relief, but Trump's 15% tariff plan clouds outlook

The US government will halt the collection of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) starting February 24, 2026, following a February 20 executive order titled "Ending Certain Tariff Actions." While the rollback removes a major cost burden for importers, President Donald Trump's plan to impose a broad 15% tariff on most global imports threatens to offset much of the relief, especially for the technology sector.

Monday 23 February 2026
Agility Robotics-Toyota deal signals shift from pilots to commercial humanoid robots in auto manufacturing
Agility Robotics and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada have signed agreements to deploy the Digit humanoid robot in a commercial production setting, moving the technology from a one-year pilot to operational use on assembly lines. The deal uses a Robots-as-a-Service model to automate logistics and material handling tasks.
Monday 23 February 2026
SoftBank leads US-Japan alliance investing US$33.3B in Trump gas power plant
SoftBank Group (SBG) is spearheading an investment alliance to develop a US-based natural gas-fired power plant project valued at US$33.3 billion, aiming to support infrastructure demands driven by artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative is one of three projects launched under the US-Japan trade agreement signed with President Donald Trump in 2025.
Monday 23 February 2026
Stargate delays push OpenAI to seek cloud compute alternatives
OpenAI is scrambling to secure computing power after its Stargate data center venture stalled, turning to cloud partners and alternative hardware to fill the gap, according to The Information.
Monday 23 February 2026
Microsoft taps AI exec Asha Sharma to lead Xbox back to console roots
Microsoft has named AI executive Asha Sharma as the new head of its Xbox and gaming division. The appointment signals a deliberate pivot back to console players, after years of chasing mobile and PC audiences.
Monday 23 February 2026
Apple bets on Visual Intelligence to power next wave of AI wearables

Apple is laying the groundwork for a new generation of wearable devices built around what it calls Visual Intelligence, signaling a deeper push into AI-driven hardware, according to Bloomberg. CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly highlighted the technology in earnings calls and internal meetings, suggesting it will anchor Apple's next major product category, following the Apple Watch and Vision Pro.