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Wednesday 7 January 2026

CES 2026: Razer announces shift to AI company, unveils new AI accelerator and products

Singapore-based gaming hardware brand Razer has announced a strategic transformation into an artificial intelligence (AI) company, revealing a range of AI-focused products and significant investment plans during CES 2026. Partnering with Canadian AI chip startup Tenstorrent, Razer introduced its first compact AI accelerator device based on Tenstorrent's Wormhole n150 chip, marking the company's entry into edge AI and generative AI markets.

Wednesday 7 January 2026

CES 2026: pushing AI to the edge

At CES 2026, Nvidia and AMD placed physical AI and on-device intelligence at the core of their keynote speeches. Taiwan's technology ecosystem is set to play an important role in shaping next-generation AI architectures. Key areas include edge computing, AI PCs, robotics, storage, and AR wearables. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and AMD CEO Lisa Su both discussed physical AI concepts, focusing on humanoid robots and real-world AI systems.

Wednesday 7 January 2026

CES 2026: Intel launches 18A Panther Lake processors as PC makers face memory cost pressures

Intel unveiled its new Intel Core Ultra series 3 processors, codenamed Panther Lake, at CES 2026. These are the first AI PC platforms built on Intel's 18A process technology and designed and manufactured in the US. Intel announced that over 200 new devices from global partners will launch based on this widely adopted AI PC platform with a comprehensive worldwide supply.

Wednesday 7 January 2026

CES 2026: Phison leverages DRAM shortage to push AI PC with Nvidia, AMD, Intel

CES 2026 has kicked off amid severe DRAM supply constraints that are driving up PC end-user costs. Phison is promoting its exclusive aiDAPTIV solution, combined with integrated GPU (iGPU) technology to power new AI PCs. Due to cost and supply limitations in PC applications, end users may have to downgrade DRAM specifications. Phison's AI solid-state drive (SSD) solution compensates for performance loss, effectively upgrading systems into AI-capable PCs. At least five PC brands have reportedly partnered with Phison, which plans "strategic supply" support to meet their storage demands.

Wednesday 7 January 2026

CES 2026: Plaud launches NotePin S wearable recorder and desktop app

US AI device startup Plaud unveiled its latest wearable recorder, the NotePin S, alongside a new desktop application at CES 2026. The products aim to enhance real-time recording, transcription, and key-point highlighting for knowledge workers managing meeting content.

Wednesday 7 January 2026

CES 2026: PC brands push new launches amid memory crunch

Facing the memory shortage, PC companies are aggressively promoting new models at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), hoping to regain momentum. Acer rolled out multiple new series, including Aspire, Predator, and Swift AI. Dell introduced the return of its classic thin-and-light XPS lineup and revealed that its gaming brand Alienware will launch new products.

Wednesday 7 January 2026

OpenAI's Gumdrop device aims to break free from Apple, Google grip

OpenAI has transitioned production of its inaugural AI terminal device, codenamed "Gumdrop," from Luxshare Precision Industry Co. to Foxconn, according to sources within the supply chain who revealed the shift. This move marks a critical step as the company moves beyond experimental phases toward mass manufacturing of its hardware product.

Tuesday 6 January 2026

CES 2026: Spotlights put on companion robots and robotic dogs from Taiwan

Small companion robots and specialized hardware from Taiwan took center stage at CES Unveiled, the traditional media preview that sets the tone for the week's exhibitions.

Tuesday 6 January 2026

Panasonic exits VR headset manufacturing, transfers MeganeX business to Shiftall

Panasonic officially ended its manufacturing and sales of glasses-type virtual reality (VR) head-mounted devices in December 2025, transferring the MeganeX product business to Tokyo-based VR manufacturer Shiftall. From January 2026, Shiftall is responsible for the development, sales, and support of the MeganeX line.

Tuesday 6 January 2026

OpenAI's reported shift to Foxconn signals a push into consumer AI hardware

As OpenAI expands its generative AI applications and integrates AI assistants more deeply into everyday life, the company is actively developing a lineup of consumer hardware products. This move aims to extend OpenAI's reach beyond its current cloud and software services into consumer-grade devices, creating an end-to-end use case that has attracted significant market attention for the design and mass production of its prototypes.

Tuesday 6 January 2026

Asus claims top spot among Taiwanese notebook brands as industry undergo AI-driven shift

Taiwan's leading notebook makers have experienced significant shifts in brand value driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), according to a report released on January 5, 2026. The 2025 Taiwan Best Global Brand Value Ranking, compiled by Interbrand and the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER), ranked Asus first with a brand value of US$2.595 billion, up 14% from the previous year.

Tuesday 6 January 2026

LG Electronics India's APA settlement clears decade-long tax overhang, boosts balance-sheet visibility

LG Electronics India Limited said it has concluded an Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) with India's Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), bringing closure to long-standing transfer pricing disputes and significantly reducing historical tax-related uncertainties. The agreement was signed on January 5, 2026, and covers nine years from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2023, following an application originally filed on March 29, 2018.

Tuesday 6 January 2026

CES 2026: Samsung showcases 130-inch Micro RGB TV, Ballie robot nowhere to be seen

Samsung hosted The First Look ahead of the opening of CES 2026, led by head of the Device eXperience (DX) division Han Jong-hee, together with SW Yong, head of the Visual Display (VD) Business, and CK Kim, head of the Digital Appliances (DA) Business. The theme of this year's event was to promote Samsung's "Companion to AI Living" vision for 2026.

Tuesday 6 January 2026

Nvidia showcases end-to-end AI stack from deskside supercomputers to autonomous driving

At CES 2026, Nvidia unveiled a suite of AI innovations spanning data center, enterprise, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. Highlights include the Rubin six-chip AI platform, DGX Spark and DGX Station deskside supercomputers, BlueField-accelerated Enterprise AI Factory, Inference Context Memory Storage, Alpamayo autonomy models, and expanded DRIVE Hyperion and robotics frameworks.

Tuesday 6 January 2026

CES 2026: Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon X2 Plus platform to power next-generation Copilot+ PCs

Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon X2 Plus platform at CES 2026, expanding its Snapdragon X Series lineup for Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs. The new processor targets modern professionals, content creators, and everyday users seeking high performance, integrated AI capabilities, and extended battery life in thin and lightweight devices. Qualcomm said select systems from major OEM partners are expected to reach the market in the first half of 2026.

Monday 5 January 2026

Weekly news roundup: TSMC widens 2 nm edge as South Korea boosts chip spending; Huawei eyes memory bottlenecks

These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories in the week of Dec 29 - Jan 4.

Monday 5 January 2026

Asus pulls back from smartphone market after two decades of losses

Asus announced on January 2, 2026, that it will not release any new smartphones this year, effectively suspending a mobile business the Taiwanese hardware giant has sustained for more than 20 years without ever achieving profitability.

Monday 5 January 2026

Foxconn reportedly emerges in supply chain reports tied to OpenAI's rumored AI devices

OpenAI is accelerating plans to enter the consumer hardware market, with reports indicating that the company is preparing a new voice-focused AI model to underpin its first generation of AI devices. According to TechCrunch and SiliconANGLE, citing The Information, OpenAI is targeting the first quarter of 2026 for the release of a next-generation voice model designed to deliver more natural speech, lower latency, and more fluid, human-like interactions.

Saturday 3 January 2026

Analysis: Chip boom squeezes device makers as surging component costs threaten margins

The global semiconductor market is projected to reach US$1 trillion as early as 2026, significantly ahead of previous industry forecasts targeting 2030. The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) forecast, released in December 2024, expects growth to be driven predominantly by logic chips, including GPUs and AI accelerators. Memory markets are poised for the steepest increase.

Friday 2 January 2026

Asus to pause new smartphone launches in 2026, maintain mobile operations

Smartphone distributors in Taiwan have recently said they are no longer able to obtain Asus handsets through local agents and claimed they had received information indicating that Asus's smartphone unit would operate only through December 31, 2025, after which the company would stop launching new smartphone products.

Friday 2 January 2026

Budget impasse halts Taiwan's first quantum-classical hybrid platform, undermining computing sovereignty

Taiwan's push to build strategic AI, robotics, and quantum computing infrastructure is facing delays after the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) NT$10.85 billion (approx. US$345.3 million) 2026 budget has yet to enter legislative review, leaving several flagship projects in limbo.

Friday 2 January 2026

Smartphones and notebook prices could increase as memory lead times extend

Demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) is crowding out production capacity for consumer memory. Despite capacity expansions by major memory makers, including Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, the supply of HBM for AI servers remains tight, and the demand from large chipmakers is difficult to satisfy immediately. IC distributors report that lead times from memory manufacturers have now extended to 52 weeks. With priority allocation given to large clients, almost no stock is available. Both distributors and customers must now pay upfront and wait in line for delivery.

Friday 2 January 2026

CES 2026 to spotlight AI as central theme with hardware and everyday life integration

The upcoming CES 2026 is set to elevate artificial intelligence (AI) from a prominent topic to the exclusive central theme, reflecting the technology's maturation toward everyday application. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), organizer of the event, announced that all showcased products and innovations will focus on AI, indicating a shift in focus from prior years, when AI was one of several highlights.

Friday 2 January 2026

CES 2026 set to highlight AI innovations with major tech companies unveiling new products

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has announced that artificial intelligence (AI) will be the central theme of CES 2026, under the banner "AI Forward." The event will emphasize AI's impact on product launches and technological advancements, with keynote addresses and major announcements from leading technology companies.

Wednesday 31 December 2025

E-paper is turning colorful, and the supply chain is scaling fast

With the shift from black-and-white to color boosting pull-in demand, ESG, and AI, e-paper terminals are thriving. Both E Ink Holdings, the leading global e-paper materials supplier, and Netronix, the world's largest ereader ODM, have seen clear growth in 2025 and are expected to continue into 2026.

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