Benefiting from AI upscaling technology and NPU-assisted AI computing, global Windows handheld gaming device shipments are expected to grow by over 50% in 2026.

Silicon Optronics (SOI) highlighted at its recent earnings call that ongoing price hikes and shortages in consumer memory remain unresolved, potentially tightening wafer foundry supply for the company’s lens module-related chips. The firm warned that since SoCs integrated with lenses require memory support, shortages in consumer memory could limit production volumes of mid- to low-end consumer applications due to high costs or material mismatches. Given that this segment is a core shipment market for SOI, the company said it will closely monitor developments.

US autonomous sensing technology firm Luminar, once hailed as a rising star in the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sector, recently filed for bankruptcy protection, raising alarms across the industry. LiDAR has long been regarded as a critical sensor technology for achieving Level 3 autonomous driving, but its global adoption is clearly following an “East fast, West slow” pattern due to regulatory, cost, and market structure factors.

Tokyo-based startup EdgeCortix plans to deliver samples of its next-generation Sakura-X artificial intelligence (AI) processor by the end of 2026, accelerating its production timeline to address the growing energy demands of AI infrastructure. The company is positioning the new silicon as a low-power alternative to Nvidia’s dominant graphics processing units as data center operators and industrial users face increasing pressure to curb electricity consumption.