APAC advances CPO positioning: ELSFP beings small-volume shipments, in-house COC line set for 3Q26 completion

Optical communications company APAC Opto Electronics reported that its inventory digestion phase is nearing completion, with market demand showing a clear rebound. Looking ahead to its co-packaged optics (CPO) strategy, the company noted that its external laser small form-factor pluggable (ELSFP) is becoming increasingly critical within the overall architecture. Small-volume shipments have begun in 2026, with volume ramp-up expected in 2027, positioning the product as a key future growth driver.

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UALink 2.0 strengthens AI interconnect standards but lags behind NVLink in deployment

The UALink Consortium has released version 2.0 of its universal interconnect standard, building on the initial 1.0 launch in April 2025 with enhanced AI accelerator communication and computation capabilities. The latest update introduces “in-network computing,” reduces latency, and improves bandwidth efficiency to better support distributed AI training and inference workloads.

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Foreign carmakers in China turn to local tech to regain lost ground

In China’s vast auto market, foreign brands — and the joint ventures they once dominated — have been steadily overtaken by domestic rivals. Market share has eroded for years, forcing global carmakers to pivot strategically: embrace Chinese design, technology, and consumer sensibilities. The upcoming Beijing Auto Show is set to showcase that transformation, as a wave of foreign models infused with a distinctly “Chinese soul” debuts in a bid to reclaim lost ground.

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Analysis: Amazon’s 11-year chip journey crowns Anthropic and OpenAI as top Trainium customers

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy declared in his latest shareholder letter that the company’s self-developed chip business is booming, surpassing US$15 billion in annualized AI revenue through AWS — a significant milestone for chip efforts that have quietly evolved over 11 years, beginning with the acquisition of Israeli startup Annapurna Labs in 2015.

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Semiconductor materials supply shifts to risk sourcing under price and geopolitical pressure

In 2026, critical semiconductor materials face a perfect storm of rising prices, shortages, and geopolitical disruption. Lead times for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and power devices are stretching, while helium supply risks from Qatar are mounting. Topco Scientific CTO Tina Ding says companies must sharpen capabilities in long-term contract locking, flexible pricing negotiations, strategic stockpiling, and risk-based sourcing — all while tracking costs in real time and staying in close step with customers.

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