Several Chinese smartphone brands raised prices across entry-level and premium models on September 1, citing IT Home, Antutu, MyDrivers and Sina. The increases coincided with the start of the back-to-school buying season in China and reflected the pass-through of higher component costs to end customers.
Apple has made another major management shake-up. After Tim Cook stepped down as CEO and was succeeded by John Ternus, formerly head of hardware engineering, veteran Phil Schiller is also stepping back from day-to-day operations, giving up responsibilities tied to the App Store and product launch events while remaining at Apple as an Apple Fellow to work on undisclosed projects.
Apple on August 25 unveiled the M6 and M5 Ultra chips without holding a launch event, with the M6 becoming the company's first processor built on TSMC's 2nm process and debuting in the new Mac mini. But industry watchers say the M6's short-term significance lies mainly in showcasing 2nm design technology, not in delivering immediate commercial gains.
KKCompany Technologies, parent of KKBOX, will officially list on the Taipei Exchange's Emerging Stock Board on August 31, with chairman and CEO Steve Wang detailing, for the first time, the group's integration of PressPlay during a pre-listing investor briefing. The transaction, completed in the second quarter of 2026, is designed to expand KKCompany beyond music and AI multimedia into knowledge learning and the creator economy.
Taiwan Mobile's acquisition of Systex has moved forward, with Systex's tender offer review committee completing its review on August 27, concluding that the terms of the tender offer are fair and the funding source is reasonable.
Global smartphone shipments are set to shrink sharply in 2026 as soaring memory and core component prices hit the market, but Samsung Electronics is moving in the opposite direction. Rather than passing costs fully on to consumers like some rivals, Samsung plans to keep shipment volume steady through the Galaxy S26, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Galaxy A series, and could even retake the No. 1 spot in global smartphone shipments.
Samsung Electronics' first tri-fold handset of 2025, the Galaxy Z TriFold, has repeatedly sold out, but with global shipments of only about 30,000 units, it functioned more as a technology showcase. A second-generation model is expected in the second half of 2027, with thinner designs, durability, and mass production capability as the next focus.
Advances in low-latency and zero-latency wireless communications are seen as a critical foundation for physical AI, remote control, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR), and the latest breakthrough has come through a joint effort by MediaTek, AT&T, and Ericsson.
Huawei and Apple are set to intensify competition in foldable smartphones in September, accelerating demand across a supply chain spanning foldable OLED panels, ultra-thin glass, hinges, flexible printed circuits and thermal components.
Mobile phone sales are under pressure as shortages and price increases for multiple upstream components squeeze the market. But brand makers have stepped up new product launches, with Samsung Electronics, Honor, Oppo, and Google already rolling out devices, and Xiaomi, Sony, and Vivo set to follow.
Huawei Technologies and HP Inc. have signed a multiyear global patent cross-licensing agreement that includes a license for HP to use certain Huawei Wi-Fi patents, the Chinese technology company said Wednesday.
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