Apple fully embraces Google Gemini, ends mobile AI battle?

Apple and Google have confirmed a new level of collaboration on AI this week. Following earlier cooperation using Google’s TPU hardware, Apple will now base its future AI development entirely on the Google Gemini model. While this does not mean Apple devices will directly run large-scale Gemini services, key technologies like Siri and Apple Intelligence will be derived from Gemini going forward.

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Taiwan’s Holtek sees surge in MCU sales, launches compact energy and fire-safety units

After navigating a turbulent year of US-China tariffs, Taiwanese microcontroller (MCU) maker Holtek Corp. closed 2025 with a full-year revenue of NT$3.058 billion (US$96 million), up 22.2% from the previous year. The company said it sees growth opportunities in behind-the-meter energy storage and lithium battery fire-safety solutions, with plans to roll out medium- and small-power portable storage units for the residential market, as well as compact energy-storage fire-safety products already validated with multiple clients.

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EU minimum-price rule shifts China EV dispute from tariffs to head-to-head competition

The EU has replaced tariffs on Chinese battery electric vehicles (BEVs) with a “minimum price commitment” mechanism, signaling a shift in the ongoing trade dispute from border barriers to deeper market competition. Supply chain analysts warn that Europe’s automotive sector faces significant challenges amid US tariff pressures and China’s technological and cost advantages in new energy vehicles.

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Taiwan chipmakers unfazed by US drone policy shifts

The US Department of Commerce recently said it would withdraw a previously proposed policy to impose a blanket ban on imports of Chinese-made drones, easing immediate regulatory pressure but reviving questions in some quarters about the trajectory of non-China drone supply chains. Taiwanese chipmakers that have invested heavily in drone-related technologies have taken a more measured stance, saying that policy adjustments in Washington have not altered the underlying demand for non-China supply chains, particularly in defense applications.

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AI transforms biomedical industry with new gene therapies and robotic manufacturing

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the biomedical industry by accelerating therapy development and automating manufacturing through advanced algorithms and robotics, according to experts. Dario Amodei, CEO of AI startup Anthropic PBC, foresees AI driving breakthroughs in treatments for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, potentially extending human lifespan.

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