Taiwan's optical lens makers opened 2026 with a sharp rebound, driven by a recovery in the global smartphone market and rising demand for high-end camera modules. At the same time, a new narrative is taking hold: silicon photonics (SiPh) and co-packaged optics (CPO) are pulling traditional lens suppliers into the core of AI infrastructure.
To strengthen communications resilience, Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) is promoting a high-altitude platform station (HAPS) project. The initiative uses domestically produced drones as carriers integrated with communication systems to create an aerial communications platform featuring long endurance and high payload capacity. The program aims to begin testing with telecommunications operators in the third quarter of 2026, with plans to publicly showcase its achievements in October.
China Northern Rare Earth, the leading player in China's rare earth industry, has raised its rare earth ore (REO) prices for the second quarter of 2026 by more than 44%. Amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, this significant price increase has drawn strong attention across the sector.
CyberTAN, a networking hardware maker, reported strong revenue growth in March 2026, supported by a stronger product mix and solid shipment contributions. Consolidated revenue reached NT$374 million, up 30.9% year-over-year, while first-quarter 2026 revenue totaled NT$1.112 billion, a 27.85% increase from the same period a year earlier.
Morrison expects AI smartphone penetration to exceed 60% within five years, driving continuous upgrades in optical sensor specifications. Despite short-term headwinds from memory supply-demand imbalances impacting the global consumer electronics market, the company expects sustained benefits from product upgrades through 2026.
At the recently concluded GITEX AI Asia conference, executives from Nokia, AI chip innovator Blaize, and Indonesian telecom provider Datacomm discussed the evolution of AI infrastructure. In an exclusive interview with DIGITIMES, they highlighted that while training remains centralized in low-cost remote locations, inference architectures are rapidly shifting toward edge decentralization to enhance response times and data sovereignty.
Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary and State President To Lam will pay a state visit to China from April 14-17, where he is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. Against the backdrop of ongoing conflict in the Middle East, both sides are expected to prioritise energy security and expand bilateral trade cooperation.
Despite slowing growth in the foldable smartphone market, Apple has reportedly increased its foldable display panel inventory by 20% for its first foldable phone, the iPhone Fold, signaling a significant boost to the segment. Industry and consumer attention now centers on how Apple will tackle the persistent screen crease issue.
AI data centre and high-speed computing demand are pushing optical communications and photonic chips into focus, as data transmission bottlenecks reinforce the strategic role of photonics. Against this backdrop, Huawei is expanding its photonics ecosystem through in-house chip development, capital investment, and global talent recruitment.
Samsung Electronics has raised its production plans for the Galaxy S26 series in April 2026 from 2.4 million to 3 million units, driven mainly by strong demand for its top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra model, which accounts for 60-70% of sales and serves as a key growth driver.
Apple is attempting to obtain confidential internal data from Samsung Electronics as part of its defense against a US antitrust lawsuit, aiming to use Samsung's market information to argue that it does not hold a monopoly position.
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