Meta’s 1Q26 earnings redraw the AI hardware map
Meta Platforms’ first-quarter 2026 earnings delivered one of the most consequential procurement signals in recent memory for Asia’s technology supply chain.
30
Apr
30
Apr
Microsoft’s capex plans draw scrutiny as Azure demand outstrips capacity
Microsoft executives defended the company’s rising capital spending after reporting stronger-than-expected fiscal third-quarter results, saying demand for Azure, Copilot, and AI infrastructure continues to exceed available capacity.
30
Apr
Memory crunch squeezes smartphone SoC market as Samsung gains share
Global smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) shipments fell 8% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026, as a prolonged memory shortage weighed on handset makers and chipset vendors, according to Counterpoint Research.
30
Apr
Samsung memory buyers lock in longer deals as 2027 demand comes early
Samsung Electronics executives said major memory customers are seeking longer-term supply commitments and pulling forward demand for 2027, underscoring how tight supply is reshaping negotiations across DRAM, HBM, and server storage.
30
Apr
Taiwan wafer maker Episil triples capex to scale silicon photonics for AI
Episil Precision will reallocate production toward larger-diameter silicon epitaxy and silicon photonics to improve profitability and meet AI supply chain demand, the company announced. The move includes cutting lower-margin small-wafer lines and expanding capex to scale capacity for 2027 and 2028.
30
Apr
Alphabet’s AI surge, by the numbers: Cloud, search and subscriptions rewire growth
Alphabet’s first-quarter 2026 results point to a company increasingly defined by AI-driven momentum across search, cloud, and subscriptions—with CEO Sundar Pichai framing the quarter as evidence that its “full-stack” AI strategy is beginning to translate into measurable business performance.
30
Apr
Quanta eyes strong 2026 server demand as general-purpose orders surge
Quanta Cloud Technology’s expected 2026 server momentum could reshape global data center supply chains, as rising demand for both AI and general-purpose servers — highlighted by surging orders from Alphabet’s Google — may tighten processor supplies, alter ODM margins, and influence procurement strategies across cloud, enterprise, and edge markets worldwide.
30
Apr
Intel kills three projects in two months as Kechichian launches multi-year reset
Intel’s reorganization under Kevork Kechichian, backed by CEO Lip‑Bu Tan, aims to reposition amid Nvidia’s AI dominance and Arm’s rise, signaling a shift to CPU-centric orchestration alongside GPUs and ASICs—an opportunity with major worldwide implications for data-center economics, AI deployment strategies, and competition in the next two to three years.
30
Apr
Automotive architecture innovation raises chip barriers, boosting semiconductor content amid vehicle sales slump
Recent financial reports from leading European and American IDM companies, Texas Instruments (TI) and NXP Semiconductors, reveal that although growth in automotive chips remains modest, the continued increase is notable given the overall global automotive market downturn. Industry insiders note that the rising semiconductor content in vehicles is accelerating fast enough to offset weak vehicle sales, supporting a positive outlook for automotive chips.
30
Apr
Chunghwa Precision Test raises capex as HPC probe card orders hit 30% of sales
Chunghwa Precision Test Tech reported that strong demand from high-performance computing chip customers drove first-quarter 2026 revenue to NT$1.357 billion (US$43 million) and operating profit to NT$342 million, with earnings per share reaching 10.43 despite seasonal headwinds. The firm said probe card sales tied to HPC workloads surged, lifting full probe card revenue to NT$405 million and accounting for nearly 30% of total sales in the quarter.