China's next-generation short-range wireless connectivity technology, NearLink, is actively pushing into markets beyond the Huawei ecosystem. Securing support from major chip vendors such as MediaTek, STMicroelectronics (ST), and NXP will be critical as the International SparkLink Alliance works to encourage wider adoption among non-Huawei smartphone brands, according to alliance secretary-general Guosong Zeng.

Taiwan Mobile (TWM) said its buy now, pay later (BNPL) service is expanding beyond e-commerce checkout to travel, pet care, and other consumer scenarios, driven by the growth of atypical employment and rising demand for flexible payments. The service, branded "OP Pay," had 49.9% more cumulative users as of the end of September 2026 than at the end of September 2025.

Global smartphone shipments fell an estimated 14% year-over-year in the first three quarters of 2026, even as the number of new 5G smartphone models rose 18.4%, according to DIGITIMES Intelligence. The figures show a divergence between new model launches and actual shipment volumes.

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) technology was previously used mainly in military and aerospace applications, where costs were extremely high. Now, as high-frequency communications and non-terrestrial network (NTN) technologies gain momentum, new opportunities are opening up across the communications industry.

Huawei has extended its semiconductor-focused "Tau (τ) Law" framework to 5G base station design, using co-design across algorithms, chip architectures, and high-speed interconnects to boost baseband processing efficiency and enhance the wireless user experience. The company unveiled its OSCAR intelligent channel-processing solution, its next-generation UBBPi baseband series, and the VitaAAU active antenna unit for the U6GHz band, with the VitaAAU already entering commercial deployment in select overseas markets.

Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, saw strong demand despite a typhoon disrupting its launch day. Telecom operators said sales have remained robust since the launch, with limited initial shipments creating a supply shortage.

Global satellite service revenue is projected to grow 44% over the next decade, reaching US$145 billion by 2035, according to the 33rd edition of Novaspace's Satellite Connectivity and Video Market report, released in October 2026.

LG Innotek’s 2026 third-quarter revenue topped KRW6 trillion (approximately US$4.52 billion) for the first time, driven by new mobile-device launches and technology adoption. However, a sharp decline in the Korean won against the US dollar and weaker-than-expected overall performance cut operating profit by more than half.

Taiwanese IC design leaders MediaTek, Realtek, and Parade Technologies will hold their third-quarter 2026 earnings conferences in succession this week, offering the market an early read on conditions heading into late 2026 and early 2027. Parade will go first on October 28, followed by Realtek on October 29 and MediaTek on October 30.

Huawei Technologies has reshuffled its top leadership, appointing Consumer Business Group (BG) CEO Gang He to its 17-member board. The move follows the departure of former board member Vincent Peng, who left after more than 27 years with the company, where he most recently served as president of the Global Procurement Qualification Management Department. Huawei has since updated its executive directory on its official website, removing Peng's biography.

FarEasTone Telecommunications signed a cooperation agreement with Direct-to-Device (D2D) satellite communications provider Elveo Mobile on October 27 to expand satellite-to-phone services in Taiwan. The partnership will integrate D2D capabilities with FarEasTone's existing terrestrial mobile network, supporting broader coverage, stronger communications resilience, and a future integrated space-and-ground network.