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Monday 2 February 2026

Smart glasses will become mainstream as companies 'platformize'

Human information intake relies heavily on vision. With the accelerated development of AI, augmented reality (AR), and spatial computing technologies, smart glasses are evolving beyond wearable gadgets to become a core interface for the next generation of human-machine interaction. These interactions can naturally integrate information, AI assistant functions, sensing, and interaction into the user's field of view, eliminating reliance on handheld devices or touch controls.

Monday 2 February 2026

AR glasses flop amid continued pressure to cut costs

AR glasses are no longer newcomers to the tech industry, but their development remains constrained by high costs. On January 30, 2026, Kinko Optical held the opening ceremony for its AR/VR/MR R&D center at the Tai Yuen Hi-Tech Industrial Park in Zhubei City. Chairman Ching-Chi Chen stated that the center's equipment investment totals roughly NT$400–500 million (US$12.7–15.8 million), with an initial NT$300 million focusing on AR waveguide and optical engine technologies. The company secured R&D projects with US clients in 2025 and plans to start mass production in 2027, then shifting** large-scale manufacturing to its Taichung facility.

Monday 2 February 2026

Apple and Samsung enter decade-long AR glasses race, putting Taiwan's optical suppliers on display

Demand for smart glasses is climbing. Alongside established players such as Meta, Rokid, RayNeo, and Xreal, heavyweight brands including Samsung Electronics and Apple are preparing to enter the market, raising the stakes across the supply chain. In Taiwan's optical industry, several suppliers have emerged as focal points.

Monday 2 February 2026

India roundup: EU and India concludes FTA amid global trade disruption

After two decades, India and the EU close an FTA deal as US's tariff policy is disrupting the global supply chain.

Monday 2 February 2026

LG shifts TV production to Vietnam, expands webOS reach

LG Electronics is formalizing a shift in its television manufacturing strategy, extending outsourcing beyond China to Vietnam as part of a structural overhaul. The move comes as the company seeks to address intensifying global competition and weakening profitability in the TV market.

Sunday 1 February 2026

China controls 80% of global AI glasses production

China has become the primary manufacturing and innovation hub for AI glasses, backed by an integrated supply chain. Omdia and IDC forecast global shipments exceeding 10 million units in 2026, with China holding roughly 12% market share, per Sina.

Friday 30 January 2026

Apple dominates 2025 smartphone rankings, with iPhone 16 as the world's best-seller

According to a recent report from Counterpoint Research, the Apple iPhone 16 finished 2025 as the world's best-selling smartphone, topping global sales ahead of all other models. The iPhone 16's strong performance capped a remarkable year for Apple, which claimed seven out of the top ten best-selling smartphone models worldwide. Only Samsung's devices filled the remaining three positions, underscoring a duopoly at the top of the market that has held steady for several years.

Friday 30 January 2026

Smart glasses market transitions from Meta dominance to three-way showdown in 2026

Counterpoint held an online seminar on January 28, 2026, to discuss the smart glasses market outlook, noting that with Google, Samsung, and Apple potentially entering the space, the market could shift in 2026 from a single dominant player to a three-way competition.

Friday 30 January 2026

Samsung, LG hike laptop prices as memory 'chipflation' hits

Prices for laptops and consumer IT devices are climbing as a sustained rally in memory semiconductor costs ripples through the market. The trend, described by industry observers as "chipflation," is beginning to reach consumers as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics debut their latest notebooks with sharply higher price tags.

Friday 30 January 2026

Analysis: Apple hits record quarter as iPhone 17 demand outstrips chip supply

Apple Inc. delivered a record-breaking quarter, fueled by surging demand for the iPhone 17 even as rising chip costs and tightening memory supply began reshaping its margins and supply-chain strategy.

Friday 30 January 2026

Apple achieves record-breaking revenue in India amid surging demand

Apple has reported an exceptional performance in India for its first fiscal quarter of 2026, achieving strong double-digit revenue growth in the region. CEO Tim Cook characterized the period as a "terrific quarter" for the Indian market, where the company continues to see strong momentum in emerging markets. This growth comes as Apple reaches new heights in the second-largest smartphone market and the fourth-largest PC market in the world.

Friday 30 January 2026

Memory, CPU shortages hit Wintel notebooks, benefiting Apple

Notebook makers are under growing pressure as memory shortages and price increases persist, while a widening shortage of CPUs adds a second constraint. What began as a supply gap at Intel has now extended to AMD, leaving notebook brands that had planned to pull forward orders with limited components available. The dual shortages are clouding the outlook for the notebook market in 2026. Industry observers say Apple is likely to benefit in the near term as Wintel suppliers absorb most of the disruption.

Thursday 29 January 2026

Earnings call summary: Meta accelerates AI glasses push as wearables emerge as next major consumer platform

Meta is sharpening its AI device strategy, redirecting investment toward smart glasses and wearables as management signals urgency in shaping the next consumer computing platform, with implications for hardware ecosystems, AI deployment, and the long-term role of virtual and augmented reality.

Thursday 29 January 2026

Vivo exits smart glasses race, citing three insurmountable obstacles

After preparing for half a year, China-based smartphone maker Vivo has reportedly decided to terminate its AI glasses project. Its exit was not due to a lack of technical capability, but rather the identification of three fundamental challenges facing the smart glasses market.

Wednesday 28 January 2026

China's TV subsidies lose traction, shipments likely to decline in 2026

China will continue implementing its national subsidy policy in 2026, but with stricter conditions and higher thresholds. Judging from TV sales trends in 2025, the subsidies had already lost momentum in the later stages. Although the policy will be extended into 2026, it is expected to struggle to stimulate consumer demand, and TV shipments in China are therefore projected to continue declining in 2026.

Tuesday 27 January 2026

TPCA predicts 13.9% rise in global PCB market in 2026 amid AI-driven capacity shift

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) computing is fueling a new wave of structural growth in the global printed circuit board (PCB) industry.

Tuesday 27 January 2026

Memory crunch accelerates notebook orders, reshapes 2026 demand

Rising memory prices and persistent supply tightness are prompting PC brands to pull forward notebook orders, disrupting traditional seasonal patterns and keeping shipments elevated through the first quarter of 2026, supply-chain executives said.

Tuesday 27 January 2026

Amazon: AI applications are already pervasive in 2026

Amazon has published its "2026 Global Consumer Trends Report," revealing significant shifts in consumer demand across the US, Europe, and Japan. The report identifies artificial intelligence (AI) as a pivotal driver of growth and innovation across consumer electronics, household goods, consumer products, and fashion sectors.

Monday 26 January 2026

Cybersight and L'Atitude 52°N target outdoor smart glasses for safety and lightweight design

Outdoor enthusiasts are increasingly demanding real-time information beyond what traditional bike computers or smartwatches can provide. However, challenges such as poor visibility under strong sunlight, the burden of device weight, and safety risks from looking down at data remain major hurdles for outdoor tech applications.

Monday 26 January 2026

Roborock unveils stair-climbing vacuum as Chinese rivals heats up

Chinese robot vacuum makers are accelerating product innovation at a pace that has forced weaker rivals out of the market, reshaping a category once dominated by US brands and raising expectations for what home robots can do.

Monday 26 January 2026

IT applications show potential for OLED DDI adoption, but upgrade pace remains slow

Introducing OLED technology into IT applications has been on the rise over the last couple of years, and display driver IC (DDI) companies expect this segment to provide new incremental growth momentum for OLED DDIs. Major notebook companies have already rolled out high-end product lines equipped with OLED displays, indicating that related projects are already shipping. However, DDI brands say the impact has not been particularly noticeable so far, describing the current situation as having projects but limited shipment volumes.

Monday 26 January 2026

LG Electronics India receives Maharashtra eligibility certificate for incentives

LG Electronics India Limited has received an eligibility certificate from the Directorate of Industries, Government of Maharashtra, making the company eligible for incentives worth INR7.06 billion (approx. US$77.8 million) under the state's Electronics Policy 2016.

Monday 26 January 2026

Apple appoints Craig Federighi to lead AI efforts, signaling strategic shift with Google Gemini integration

Apple has named senior vice president Craig Federighi to head its artificial intelligence (AI) division, aiming to accelerate the company's AI advancements by integrating Google's Gemini models into Apple Intelligence and Siri. This move reflects a strategic pivot in Apple's AI approach and a reassessment of its privacy policies and internal AI infrastructure.

Monday 26 January 2026

Taiwanese precision optics reaps benefits of waveguide tech

Smart glasses have transitioned from being a concept to practical use and pricing. 2026 is expected to be major for AI wearable devices, especially after the compute power of multimodal AI models is deployed. The lightweighting of hardware carriers has become the core issue determining adoption rates. Waveguide technology, with its high light transmittance and thin-form advantages, is reshaping the value-chain distribution of the global optics industry.

Friday 23 January 2026

Compal chair predicts memory shortage, price surge to last until 2027

A global shortage of memory chips and rising prices are creating challenges in the electronics supply chain. Ray Chen, chairman of leading original design manufacturer (ODM) Compal Electronics, said that tight supply and price hikes in the memory market are expected to continue through 2027 and will have a significant impact on the global electronics industry.

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