Honda and the financially troubled Nissan have announced plans to merge, with Mitsubishi Motors expected to decide on its participation within the month. While speculation suggests the Honda-Nissan merger talks aim to prevent Foxconn from gaining involvement with Nissan, past acquisitions involving Japanese corporations have yielded mixed results, potentially influencing the outcome of this proposed merger

The global display panel industry is currently experiencing a significant turning point as production lines transition into a phase of replacement and adjustment. Has the closure of outdated factories become a "necessary pain" for the display industry to transition toward transformation and upgrading

Building on the prior exploration of Foxconn's management philosophy and the advantages of its new policies, this DIGITIMES feature delves into the company's growth trajectory, the hurdles encountered by Chairman Young Liu, and his forward-looking strategies to overcome them

Since taking over as Foxconn chairman in 2019, Young Liu has steered the company through a series of global challenges, including the pandemic, supply chain disruptions, evolving US-China relations, and geopolitical shifts. Under his leadership, Foxconn has emphasized sustainability alongside financial performance, integrating EPS with ESG principles. These decisions are driving the company's ongoing transformation and positioning it for long-term growth

The evolution of smart glasses has been marked by challenges and learning experiences that continue to shape the landscape of this innovative technology. From the initial hype surrounding Google Glass, which dwindled under privacy concerns and a lack of practical uses, to the ongoing developments by Microsoft with HoloLens and Magic Leap, the journey has highlighted crucial lessons in blending technology with consumer needs

As artificial intelligence (AI) strains data center cooling limits, a seismic shift from traditional air systems to liquid cooling solutions is reshaping the US$5 billion thermal management market, industry analysts say

Two pivotal areas in the semiconductor industry- standard DRAM and mature logic processes—are undergoing significant shifts. Despite their independence, both segments share common drivers of transformation

The CHIPS and Science Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022, has been in place for over two years. While companies like Intel and Microchip have progressed with incentive agreements and investment plans, their experiences underscore the Act's challenging and complex implementation process

The US imposed export controls on Chinese entities, prompting China to retaliate against US semiconductor companies. In response, China has launched investigations into Nvidia and restricted the export of critical materials, highlighting the escalating tech war between the two nations. These actions could lead to significant fines and hinder foreign businesses' operations in China

In response to the semiconductor shortages caused by the pandemic and the ongoing tensions between the US and China, countries have increasingly focused on strengthening their semiconductor and AI industries. This push is driven by a desire to enhance security and achieve greater self-sufficiency. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in industry events like Computex and SEMICON Taiwan over the past two years

Taiwan's emerging drone sector shows promise but faces hurdles in catching up with China's established industry. Recent events demonstrate Taiwan's commitment to growing its drone sector, including the first specialized drone display at the Taipei International Electronics Show (TAITRONICS) in 2024 and the planned drone section at COMPUTEX in 2025

Donald Trump once proposed a 60% tariff on products imported from China but later reduced it to 10% to avoid an overly aggressive trade conflict. However, his announcement of a 25% tariff on partners Canada and Mexico under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has already provoked a strong backlash from both countries' leaders, who are prepared to retaliate

Intel finds itself in a precarious situation as the global supply chain, particularly among Taiwanese manufacturers, continues to struggle without viable solutions. Similarly, Samsung Electronics' foundry business remains a potential crisis point

DIGITIMES Research, by synthesizing supply chain information, regional market conditions, and analyzing global political and economic trends, forecasts that global smartphone shipments will reach 1,181.4 million units in 2024, marking a growth of 4.9%. Looking ahead over the next five years, there is an anticipated demand for feature phone users in regions such as India, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa to upgrade to smartphones, while the ongoing deployment and expansion of 5G networks in these markets are expected to further drive their smartphone shipments. DIGITIMES Research estimates that the global annual shipment growth rate will range between 3% and 4%, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6%

In the third quarter of 2024, global notebook shipments (excluding detachable models) exceeded expectations, showing a 5.8% growth compared to the previous quarter, but the volumes are expected to slip in the fourth quarter, according to DIGITIMES Research's latest report covering the notebook industry in the second half of 2024