Academia Sinica's Center for Quantum Computer is focusing only on hardware, not algorithms or applications, and executive director Chii-Dong Chen said that approach is similar to the mission Taiwan's government gave ITRI in the early days of the foundry industry. He said Taiwan enjoys a strong advantage in quantum chip manufacturing, but turning the new Quantum Chip Fabrication Space (QC-Fab) into a technology transfer model for private companies will still require regulatory easing.

Compound semiconductor epitaxial wafer maker IntelliEPI said AI-driven high-speed transmission demand continues to lift the indium phosphide (InP) market, and it expects revenue to keep rising in 2026 and set another record. The company's biggest challenge remains a shortage of InP substrates, prompting it to rely mainly on Japanese suppliers while helping German manufacturers accelerate mass production of InP substrates.

Founder and chairman of Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com Qiangdong Liu said at the 2026 APEC Business Leaders China Forum that logistics and delivery work will gradually be handled by robots, with many courier jobs likely to be replaced by automation. He added that JD.com has launched an internal program called the "Nirvana Plan" to help about 700,000 logistics and blue-collar employees retrain and transition as AI reshapes the industry.

IC design firms are scrambling to expand their partner networks as tight packaging and testing capacity remain the most pressing bottleneck in the supply chain. Companies in Taiwan, Europe, and the US say the shortage is worse than expected, pushing packaging, testing, and related materials into broader supply constraints.

Imoo beat Samsung Electronics, Oppo, and Garmin to rank as the world's No. 4 smartwatch brand in global smartwatch sales in the first quarter of 2026. In fact, imoo's global smartwatch shipments have matched Samsung's in recent years, according to Counterpoint.

The AI boom is accelerating upgrades in thermal management and power management, and it is also triggering a revolution in voltage regulator module (VRM) architecture, with workloads pushing the industry from doubler-based designs to direct native multi-phase control. Industry insiders say the growing shortage of power components has three main causes: inventory corrections over the past three years that have left stockpiles too low, AI-related applications are surging rapidly, and a shift away from Chinese supply chains is gaining momentum amid geopolitical shifts.

Optical film and nano-coating materials developer Victory For Technology (VFT) is focusing on three key areas — AI and semiconductor processes, foldable displays, and key new-energy materials — as it deepens R&D and product deployment to capture emerging opportunities in the global supply chain.

China's Unitree Robotics has slashed its humanoid robot prices sharply, in stark contrast to the industrial robot market, where prices have remained stable, and orders have continued climbing to record highs. The divergence has intensified debate over whether AI robots will first break through via humanoid or non-humanoid models.

Syncomm Technology has built solid momentum in wireless audio transmission chips and modules and is now accelerating its shift into AIoT applications across energy monitoring, elder care, and disaster prevention and security, General Manager Liang-Chun Huang said at a Taiwan Stock Exchange Innovation Board company briefing.

BenQ Materials is stepping up its medical push, with Chairman Z.C. Chen saying that its medical business is expected to account for 35% of revenue by the end of 2026, a record high. As sales continue to grow, he said its share could rise to 50% in 2-3 years, overtaking the company's polarizer business.

Samsung Display (SDC) has reportedly won Apple's production approval for the OLED modules used in its first foldable iPhone and has officially begun production for initial shipments. Along with LG Display (LGD), the two South Korean makers will handle OLED orders across Apple devices in the second half of 2026.

SK Hynix's semiconductor production base in Cheongju, South Korea, has seen a string of accidents since 2026, prompting questions over whether its safety management system has gaps. The incidents have drawn scrutiny because many occurred after the M15X fab began operation, as the company ramped up production to meet surging high-bandwidth memory (HBM) demand.

Google released a 30,000-word AI roadmap on June 14 that, for the first time, clearly defines AI having the capability of 100 million humans as a key milestone on the path to artificial superintelligence (ASI). The plan outlines a three-stage evolution from today's large models to artificial general intelligence (AGI) and then ASI, reinforcing expectations that AI capabilities will keep expanding at an exponential pace.

Demand for high-end fiberglass cloth is surging on the AI boom, and orders from copper-clad laminate (CCL) customers are leaving the world's two largest suppliers, Nittobo and Taiwan Glass, short of capacity. In particular, low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and low Dk2 products remain the tightest, with supply-demand gaps now expected to last through 2027.

Taiwan's investment office, InvesTaiwan, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, has approved expanded Taiwan investment plans from four companies, led by MSScorps, which will invest NT$1.5 billion (US$47.4 million) and is filing for the third time. The company plans to add production lines and adopt AI technology at its Hsinchu, Tai Yuen Hi-Tech Industrial Park, and Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) facilities.

South Korean battery equipment maker A-PRO says robot battery design differs sharply from electric vehicles (EVs), with hot-swap battery replacement, dual-battery setups, and autonomous energy management emerging as key solutions for keeping machines running longer and reducing downtime. The company outlined its strategy at the Korean Institute of Electric Vehicles (KIEV) 2026 summer seminar.

Taiwan's drone exports continue to gain momentum, driving local manufacturers to expand overseas more aggressively. But as they enter foreign markets, Taiwan companies face long local certification timelines and other regulatory hurdles, pushing their overseas strategies away from simple exports and toward localized production and joint ventures.

The European Union has rushed through a US-EU tariff agreement after US President Donald Trump demanded that Brussels complete the deal by July 4, the 250th anniversary of US independence, or face higher 25% tariffs on auto and auto parts imports. According to media reports, the European Parliament recently held an emergency vote to approve the agreement, while the EU simultaneously added three safeguards to guard against the risk of renewed tariff hikes.

General Biologicals (GBC) held its shareholders' meeting on the 17th, saying the group is moving from restructuring into scaled, international growth. The precision medicine company is betting on clear long-term demand in global precision medicine, smart healthcare, and regenerative medicine as it expands its CLIA/AIO systems, circulating tumor cell (CTC) testing technology, Oh care brand, and overseas footprint.