Largan chairman and CEO Adam Lin said October 2026 orders are tracking at roughly the same level as September's, but will begin declining in November as customers cut their forecasts after new phones went on sale. The comments signal that demand across the smartphone supply chain will weaken in the fourth quarter of 2026, creating challenges for handset chipmakers and other suppliers that performed strongly during the third quarter.

Taiwan-based Universal Microwave Technology (UMT) reported September 2026 revenue of NT$292 million (US$9.15 million), up 52.49% year-over-year, extending its streak of monthly year-over-year revenue growth exceeding 50% to six consecutive months. The performance underscores sustained demand for millimeter-wave communications components as global low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operators accelerate constellation deployments and capacity expansion.

As the global smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) market contracts, competition in the high-end application processor (AP) segment is intensifying. MediaTek is accelerating its push into the flagship market, putting greater pressure on Samsung Electronics, which is promoting 2-nanometer Exynos chips.

AI is changing the logic of telecom traffic growth, with Ericsson and industry researchers warning that mobile networks must now handle not only more data, but also more uplink traffic, real-time interaction, and connected-on-the-move usage. As generative AI, agentic AI, and multimodal interactions spread, telecom operators are being pushed to rethink network investment beyond downlink capacity.

Growth in the smartphone and notebook markets is slowing in 2026 as memory price hikes and other factors weigh on shipments. The market even expects that smartphone shipments in 2026 could fall by nearly 17% at the low end. Demand for wearables such as smartwatches and fitness bands, however, is rising, driven by more precise health monitoring and professional sports-tracking features.

Huawei consumer business group chairman Richard Yu said surging memory component costs have added more than US$200 to the hardware cost of each Huawei smartphone, putting fresh pressure on handset pricing as the broader memory market climbs rapidly.

Samsung Electronics' System LSI division is reportedly planning a retreat from the automotive application processor (AP) business and launching a major restructuring, with a future focus on high-margin areas such as image sensors and mobile system-on-chip (SoC) products. Analysts say Samsung is seeking to improve profitability in its non-memory businesses through a selection and concentration strategy after years of losses at System LSI and its foundry operations.

Apple and LG Electronics are reportedly pairing up to create a line of smart home devices, though the devices will carry the LG brand name. The two companies are expanding their reach into the smart home market as both face headwinds in their home product segments.

Rising memory prices are already weighing on 2026 smartphone and notebook shipments, and sustained AI infrastructure investments are expected to keep quotes climbing into 2027. To counter softer buying interest as retail prices rise, hardware vendors like Samsung are pivoting to fresh strategies. Alongside cost controls and broader product line-ups, companies are increasingly prioritizing software differentiation, AI integration, post-purchase services, and aggressive promotion of previous-generation (N-1) models.

Largan Precision will hold its earnings call on October 8, when the optical lens maker is due to report third-quarter results and outline its fourth-quarter outlook. With September revenue recovering and the company stepping up property acquisitions, investors are likely to focus on three issues: progress in co-packaged optics (CPO), capacity expansion and the pace of fourth-quarter customer orders.

SpaceX launched its Starship super heavy-lift rocket on September 28, successfully reaching orbit for the first time and deploying 26 Starlink V3 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Each Starship mission can carry up to approximately 60 Starlink V3 satellites. Although neither stage was recovered, both splashed down at sea and the satellite deployment was successful.