Asus and Advantech invest in Freedom Systems to tap into growing commercial IT market

Asus has acquired a 10% stake in Freedom Systems to enhance IT management and plans to increase this holding by another 10%, while Advantech has acquired a 20% stake. With the support of these two major companies, Freedom Systems is expected to register for the emerging stock market by the end of 2025 and be listed on the Taiwan Innovation Board by the end of 2026.

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Taiwan’s digital economy on track for NT$1 trillion milestone, but budget cuts cast shadow

Taiwan’s digital economy has reached an annual output of NT$800 billion (approx. US$24.36 billion) and is projected to surpass NT$1 trillion by 2026, driven by the rapid expansion of AI applications, according to Yen-nun Huang, Minister of the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA). However, at a press conference on February 10, Huang expressed concerns that recent budget cuts to government subsidies could hinder this growth.

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Declining consumer power and intensifying competition challenge iPhone sales in China

The sales performance of the new iPhone series in the Greater China region has not shown improvement from 2024, seemingly confirming many market forecasts that suggest iPhone growth has hit a bottleneck in this region. The overall slowdown in China’s consumer market and intensified competition from local brands are key factors contributing to this outcome.

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Top 4 global smartphone trends shaping 2025

The global smartphone market is set to expand, with demand projected to exceed 1.2 billion units in 2024 and grow further by 2% to 4% in 2025, fueled by the rising shipment of affordable smartphones and AI advancements. Companies like Xiaomi and Samsung Electronics are enhancing AI features and optimizing supply chains to address geopolitical and inflationary issues while accounting for longer smartphone replacement cycles.

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Panel demand set to surge in 2025, but challenges loom in 2H25

Panel procurement momentum, which began in the fourth quarter of 2024, continues to strengthen in 2025, driven by four major factors. Industry experts believe that the first quarter of 2025 could see a strong off-season, while the second quarter remains uncertain. The market outlook for the second half of 2025 appears challenging, as inventory accumulation in the first half could potentially weaken the traditional peak season.

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