DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Memory panic buying grips tech industry as shortage extends to 2027

Levi Li — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:05:59 GMT

The memory buying surge escalated into the fourth quarter of 2025, sparking panic purchases across the supply chain. According to market sources, brands and system vendors such as Asus and MSI have been aggressively stocking up.

Fei-Fei Li says spatial intelligence is the next frontier in GenAI

Willis Ke — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:04:23 GMT

In 1950, Alan Turing asked, "Can machines think?" The question remains the same, seventy-five years later, and AI will play a major role in answering this question. Hailed as the AI godmother, Fei-Fei Li, Stanford professor and co-founder of World Labs, released an essay declaring spatial intelligence is the future of generative AI. Li explained what spatial intelligence is, why it matters, and how researchers can build world models capable of unlocking this ability.

Wieson sees strong growth as AI and HPC markets boost demand for connectors

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:03:50 GMT

Wieson reported significant gains in its third-quarter 2025 results, driven by heightened demand for connectors in artificial intelligence (AI) servers and high-performance computing (HPC) equipment. The company's entry into the AI supply chain contributed to improved operational performance and stronger order momentum, positioning it well for ongoing expansion in these sectors.

China fine-tunes its Thousand Talents campaign to lure South Korean scientists

Levi Li — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:03:35 GMT

China's talent-recruitment efforts in South Korea's science and technology sector are entering a far more targeted phase. Under the Thousand Talents Plan (TTP), Beijing is reportedly running a personalized, data-informed campaign that draws on detailed insight into Korean researchers' pay, personal backgrounds, and academic environments. Korean media report that these offers, which include high salaries, substantial research budget,s and family-related benefits, have triggered concern across universities, state labs, and government agencies.

Commentary: The AI bubble question resurfaces, yet China's cycle logic diverges sharply

Levi Li — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:02:42 GMT

As 2025 nears its close, the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom is again prompting debate over whether the sector is entering speculative territory. From Silicon Valley to Wall Street and across China's tech and investment circles, comparisons with the 2000 dot-com bubble have intensified. With China now a central participant in the AI landscape rather than an observer, the debate has gained broader industry attention.

Yageo secures two deals to boost power component portfolio

Sherri Wang — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:02:25 GMT

Known as one of Taiwan's most aggressive dealmakers, Yageo chairman Pierre Chen, has secured two major acquisitions in rapid succession. This strengthens the company's push to build a broader portfolio in power-related active and passive components.

Taiwan's AutoSys turns self-driving Algorithms into next-gen AI exports

Elaine Chen — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:01:25 GMT

As one of the most demanding testing grounds for AI, autonomous driving technology has become a high-security laboratory where next-generation AI applications are forged. Analysts note that as much as 50 to 70 percent of the algorithms used in self-driving systems can be efficiently transferred to non-automotive fields, giving established players a distinct "spillover advantage" over newcomers. From Tesla to Chinese automakers and established brands in Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea, automotive AI is now extending into adjacent industries such as smart manufacturing, robotics, and unmanned aerial systems (UAVs).

Research insight: SpaceX strengthens lead in LEO satellites with reusable rockets, standardized bus, and cost-efficient components

Jingyue Hsiao — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:01:06 GMT

The US satellite industry has evolved over nearly seven decades through sustained investment from NASA and the Department of Defense (DoD). Early NASA commercial resupply and launch contracts also enabled SpaceX to build its technological and financial foundation, setting the stage for its dominance in the New Space era.

SK Hynix reportedly to order HBM4 equipment, accelerate mass production

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 10:21:21 GMT

SK Hynix is reportedly set to begin ordering equipment for its 12-layer sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) as early as November 2025. Considering the construction schedule of its Cheongju M15X plant in South Korea, the equipment is expected to start being installed gradually in early 2026.

Taiwan's EV market heats up as Luxgen N5 prepares for debut

Elaine Chen — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 10:20:58 GMT

Taiwan's electric vehicle market (EV) is poised for a wave of new launches in the second half of 2025, with the upcoming Luxgen N5, based on Foxtron's Model B platform, attracting the most attention. Rumors have circulated that the N5's launch schedule could be altered. In response, Luxgen's public relations team told DIGITIMES that future product plans will be officially announced at the appropriate time.

CXL development and hardware adoption

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:19:25 GMT

CXL officially enters a restart phase, with the interconnect tech expected to achieve a 90% penetration rate in new server models by 2028.

Applied Materials faces sharp China retreat in 2026, but AI workloads keep the upgrade cycle alive

Levi Li — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:10:57 GMT

Applied Materials reported US$6.8 billion in revenue for the quarter ended October 26 in FY25, a 3% year-over-year decline but still ahead of the US$6.68 billion market forecast. The company warned that widening US export controls could curb China's semiconductor equipment spending in 2026, creating the largest risk to its growth outlook.

Carbon fiber specialist Bonny Worldwide expands into Airbus supply chain

Willis Ke — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:04:21 GMT

Carbon fiber composite manufacturer Bonny Worldwide has successfully expanded from the sports equipment sector into the aerospace industry, partnering with Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) to supply composite substructure components to Airbus. Mass production and shipments began in February 2025, with output capacity targeting 480 aircraft within the first year.

G-Shank sees strong AI-driven growth for stamping parts

Rodney Chan — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:03:54 GMT

G-Shank, a supplier of stamping parts, achieved double-digit revenue growth in the first three quarters of 2025, driven by demand for AI servers and high-performance computing (HPC), according to the company's general manager Ying-Shuo Lin.

SMIC warns of 2026 memory squeeze: AI demand surges, customers turn cautious

Levi Li — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:03:15 GMT

SMIC warns that an emerging memory shortage could disrupt production of cars, smartphones, and consumer electronics as early as 2026. Co-CEO Zhao Haijun said Chinese manufacturers have become more cautious about first-quarter 2026 orders because they are unsure they can secure sufficient memory. Rising demand from AI workloads is expected to push memory prices higher and add to market uncertainty.

China's Maxone steps into the global probe-card elite with IPO approval, Huawei support

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:31:05 GMT

Maxone Semiconductor (Suzhou) has cleared the Shanghai STAR Market IPO review, a notable milestone in China's effort to end foreign control of the wafer-test hardware market. It is the only Chinese supplier in the global top 10 and has risen to sixth place in 2024, underscoring a broader shift in the semiconductor test supply chain.

Premiumization boosts Qualcomm as Apple posts fastest growth in India

DIGITIMES — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:44:44 GMT

India's smartphone market hit a five-year peak in the festive third quarter of 2025, growing 4.3% year-over-year to 48 million units, according to IDC data released recently. The rise was fueled by strong demand for premium models, boosted by new and earlier releases, while weaker entry-level Android sales and higher average prices reflected a shift toward higher-value devices.

SMIC's AI-fueled 3Q rebound sets up a US$9B year despite margin pressure

Levi Li — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:37:36 GMT

SMIC posted stronger-than-expected third-quarter results as China's surging AI investment and state-backed chip localisation fuelled earnings. Beijing's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency, set against sharpening US-China competition in AI, continued to support demand across both advanced and mature manufacturing nodes.

Coretronic and Radiant expand beyond displays, betting on drones and advanced optics

Sherri Wang — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 06:57:48 GMT

Taiwan's leading backlight module suppliers, Coretronic and Radiant Opto-Electronics, are diversifying into new sectors as demand in the traditional display market slows. The new ventures range from unmanned aerial vehicles to advanced optical systems.

AI chip test interface demand surges; Taiwan orders visible through 2026

Charlene Chen — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 06:46:50 GMT

As AI ASIC makers accelerate the release of next-gen chips to catch up with AI GPU leaders, industry observers expect a major shift in the AI chip landscape by 2026. This transformation is driving significant expansion in the backend chip testing market. With increasingly complex AI chip architectures, advanced testing durations and complexities have risen sharply compared to before.

Edison Opto expects automotive momentum to reboot operations in 2026

Rodney Chan — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 05:14:49 GMT

LED firm Edison Opto reported weak results for its lighting products in the third quarter of 2025, with shipments to customers in the Middle East and Europe falling short of expectations. The company posted a net loss of NT$23.11 million (US$0.74 million) for the quarter, while automotive product shipments remained stable.

Global Mixed-mode Technology eyes 2026 DDR5 and DDR4 demand crossover

Charlene Chen — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 05:12:30 GMT

Global Mixed-mode Technology (GMT) held its earnings call on November 12, 2025, revealing that early customer stocking in the first half of 2025 dampened the traditional peak season effect in the second half of 2025. GMT reported a significant gross margin decline in the third quarter due to reduced inventory write-back gains and currency headwinds.

Advantech targets medical and robotics in edge AI

Emily Kuo — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 05:10:40 GMT

Embedded World North America 2025 took place in Anaheim, California, from November 4-6, 2025. Advantech, alongside partners including MediaTek, Qualcomm, Nvidia, and NXP Semiconductor, showcased a range of edge AI application solutions.

H2 peak season fuels Tricorntech 4Q25 performance

Emily Kuo — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 05:08:40 GMT

By accelerating customer orders, advanced semiconductor process Airborne Molecular Contamination (AMC) nano-monitoring equipment supplier Tricorntech reported third-quarter 2025 revenue of NT$120 million (US$3.9 million), up 38.61% from the previous quarter, turning profitable and reversing its losses from the first half of the year.

Brinno targets Middle East defense market at Dubai Airshow 2025

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 05:05:57 GMT

Time-lapse camera manufacturer Brinno announced it will participate in the Dubai Airshow 2025, marking its first appearance at the international aerospace and defense exhibition, to expand into the Middle East defense sector.

Microip expands into North America, eyes growth in agriculture and defense tech

Sherri Wang — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:38:02 GMT

Microip, a provider of custom ASIC and AI software design services, has established a new business team in North America to tap into the growing demand for edge artificial intelligence. The company aims to expand its presence in sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture, and livestock management, while also targeting emerging opportunities in maritime logistics and defense-related unmanned systems. Microip projects more than 40% revenue growth in the North American market by 2026.

Ilitek completes T-Con integration, eyes DDI product synergy in 2026

Charlene Chen — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:34:19 GMT

DDI supplier Ilitek held an earnings call on November 12, 2025, attributing its third-quarter revenue growth to the completion of platform transitions by key customers and the start of OLED DDI product shipments. Early stocking ahead of the long holiday also boosted growth across the company's three main product lines.

Fortune Electric invests NT$2.5 billion to expand transformer production amid US AI infrastructure boom

Kevin Wang — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:33:26 GMT

Amid the global surge in AI data center construction, reported delays in third-party data center projects in the US have highlighted hidden infrastructure bottlenecks resulting from aging power grids and supply chain constraints.

China's supernode boom sends warning to Nvidia

Levi Li — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:31:41 GMT

Since Huawei debuted the CloudMatrix 384 (CM384) in mid-2025, China's supernode race has taken centre stage in the global AI infrastructure arena. According to SemiAnalysis, Chinese AI supernodes have surpassed Nvidia in several integration metrics, cementing the country's fast-rising influence in high-performance compute architecture.

Riding the satellite boom, Taiwan's UMT forecasts 40% revenue growth in 2025

Elaine Chen — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:29:25 GMT

Baidu sets a new Kunlun chip trajectory as chair questions the AI boom

Levi Li — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:27:44 GMT

Baidu used its World 2025 conference on November 13, 2025, to reset its long-term AI strategy, with founder and chairman Robin Li and EVP Shen Dou detailing how the company plans to expand from silicon to large-model infrastructure. Li addressed renewed debate over an "AI bubble," while Shen outlined Baidu's latest Kunlun chips and a five-year roadmap pointing to a deeper, end-to-end build-out of China's AI stack.

Veon taps Starlink to deliver satellite mobile service across emerging markets

Elaine Chen — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:03:47 GMT

Veon's move into satellite-powered mobile services began during the Russia-Ukraine war, when its Ukrainian unit Kyivstar relied on Starlink's orbital network to restore connectivity after Russian attacks damaged cellular infrastructure.

SK Key Foundry to launch SiC power chips production in 1H26, targeting EV and energy markets

Willis Ke — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 03:56:19 GMT

SK Hynix's 8-inch wafer subsidiary, SK Key Foundry, announced plans to launch its silicon carbide (SiC) compound power semiconductor business in the first half of 2026.

China's AI silicon enters the Gulf with SenseTime at the helm

Levi Li — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 03:42:01 GMT

President Donald Trump's mid-May visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, joined by Nvidia's Jensen Huang and AMD's Lisa Su, sparked renewed investment interest across the Middle East. Washington framed the trip as a push to promote US AI software and hardware and strengthen its influence in fast-growing regional compute markets.

Taiwan drone maker Thunder Tiger invests US$22 million in southern expansion

Eifeh Strom — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 03:41:40 GMT

Taiwanese drone manufacturer Thunder Tiger recently announced that its board of directors has approved a NT$710 million (US$22.88 million) investment to purchase land and factory facilities in the Dapumei Industrial Park in Chiayi, Taiwan, to support its operational growth and meet research and development and mass production needs for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).