Samsung Electronics has reportedly begun pre-emptive production adjustments at its semiconductor facilities as its labor union sticks to a planned 18-day strike despite the company’s latest offer to resume talks without conditions.

Taiwan’s legislature recently passed the final version of a special defense budget totaling NT$780 billion (approx. US$24.75 billion), but drone-related funding was not approved. The decision has drawn attention from Taiwan’s domestic drone industry, with groups including the Taiwan Defense Industry Development Association (TW-DIDA) and Taiwan National Drone Industry Association (TNDIA) issuing statements calling for continued efforts to strengthen Taiwan’s democratic supply chain.

Metalens technology is now moving from proofs-of-concept toward targeted applications in smart glasses and machine vision, as its extreme thinness makes it well-suited for use cases with miniaturization demands, even if physical dispersion remains an issue for full-color imaging. The three main manufacturing technologies now in use are deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography, laser direct writing (DLW), and nanoimprint lithography (NIL), of which MetaOptics currently leads in DLW production, while Taiwan-based players are pursuing NIL manufacturing.

TSMC said on May 14, 2026, that it is rapidly expanding CoWoS and SoIC advanced packaging capacity as AI demand drives the construction of 18 new fabs and advanced packaging facilities worldwide. At its 2026 Technology Symposium, TSMC vice president Bor-Zen Tien detailed the company’s latest progress in advanced process nodes, 3DFabric advanced packaging, global expansion, and AI-powered smart manufacturing.