MCU makers raise prices as packaging costs surge

The microcontroller unit (MCU) sector has emerged from inventory destocking in 2025, with the easing of US-China tariff tensions signaling a market recovery. Industry insiders expect improved demand and economic conditions in 2026 to drive growth momentum. However, rising wafer and packaging costs are pressuring manufacturers, prompting some to increase product prices to reflect higher packaging expenses.

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Taiwan’s renewable backup mandate fuels energy storage growth

Taiwan’s government has mandated that renewable energy power sellers and generators must maintain “backup power capacity” to address the issue of intermittency and its impact on grid stability. The requirement is set at 10% for offshore wind and 3.3% for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Energy storage providers note that storage systems will become a key operational pillar for power sellers, allowing them to both fulfill backup capacity obligations and participate in trading on the electricity market.

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TSMC spillover lifts Xintec testing orders, 2026 growth in sight

Xintec, the packaging and testing subsidiary of TSMC, held an investor conference in which Chairman CH Chen said full-year 2025 revenue maintained modest growth, driven primarily by a sharp increase in testing service revenue. However, high-margin optical diffractive element (DOE) packaging orders continued to decline after a 3D sensing customer adjusted its supplier strategy, putting pressure on overall gross margin and profitability.

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Chinese MCU price hikes open door for Holtek’s quality play

Holtek Corp. said recent price increases announced by Chinese microcontroller (MCU) maker Cmsemicon are a positive development for the sector, arguing that rising prices among Chinese competitors will help ease excessive price wars and narrow price gaps, potentially prompting customers to choose suppliers based on quality. The company expects to capture transferred orders while maintaining margins and broadening its market presence.

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ViewSonic XG2738-2K-OLED goes global sporting a 27″ 240Hz QD-OLED display

ViewSonic XG2738-2K-OLED has been released globally, built around a 27‑inch QD‑OLED display panel with a QHD resolution. The 10-bit screen delivers 98% DCI‑P3 coverage, a typical SDR brightness of 200 nits, and a peak brightness of 1000 nits. Where this monitor really flexes is motion performance. A 240 Hz refresh rate paired with a blistering 0.03 ms GTG response time. With both AMD FreeSync…

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