Cisco Systems forecast quarterly gross margins below market expectations, citing higher memory chip costs. The weaker margin outlook overshadowed stronger-than-expected results and sent shares down about 7% in extended trading.
Taiwan's largest telecom operators reported double-digit and mid-single-digit revenue growth in January 2026, driven by expanding ICT and non-mobile businesses alongside steady 5G adoption and improved mobile service metrics. The results point to shifting revenue composition and targeted capex moves for the year.
Samsung Display (SDC) is reviewing additional investment to expand production capacity for foldable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels intended for Apple's first foldable iPhone, as Apple prepares to launch the device in the fall of 2026 and advances plans for subsequent models, according to industry sources.
On February 10, 2025, Cisco introduced a new 102.4 terabits-per-second (Tbps) switching chip and a series of data center systems designed to support large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) networks beyond traditional hyperscale operators.
Facing challenges from soaring memory prices, inflation, and geopolitical risks, the global smartphone demand is widely expected to decline by 2-3% in 2026. However, Samsung Electronics, as one of the world's largest memory suppliers, holds an advantage this year in securing mobile memory supply and controlling costs compared to competitors.
Telecom broadband equipment maker Sercomm Corporation said on February 6, 2026, that its revenue for January 2026 reached NT$5.18 billion (US$164 million), up 32.9% from NT$3.9 billion in the same period in January 2024.
MediaTek said smartphone-related revenue is expected to fall sharply in the first quarter of 2026. The company's smartphone segment recorded a quarterly revenue high in the fourth quarter of 2025, with full-year revenue exceeding US$10 billion, up 8% year-on-year and setting a new record. Flagship chips accounted for US$3 billion of that total. Based on end-market demand, MediaTek's smartphone chip shipments are estimated to be split roughly 30% for high-end models and 70% for mid- and low-tier devices.
Texas Instruments (TI) recently announced that it will acquire IoT wireless connectivity specialist Silicon Labs for US$7.5 billion, with the deal expected to be completed in the first half of 2027. The announcement surprised the market, as it marks TI's largest acquisition since its purchase of National Semiconductor in 2011.
The smartphone sector is entering a new hardware upgrade cycle driven by AI. Yet the impact is proving far more disruptive than positive. Rapidly rising memory prices are reshaping cost structures and market dynamics, squeezing handset makers' margins to the limit and pushing low-end smartphones close to a financial breaking point.
Qualcomm and MediaTek struck a similar cautionary tone on the smartphone market outlook during their latest earnings calls, pointing to mounting pressure from memory shortages and rising component costs. Pressure is already being felt across the supply chain, with these factors expected to place substantial strain on smartphone brand customers, particularly Chinese brands.
Qualcomm delivered record results in its fiscal first quarter, but executives warned that a worsening memory supply imbalance is now constraining the global smartphone market, even as underlying consumer demand remains strong.
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