China's month-long 618 shopping festival ended last week, with supply chain sources viewing it as the final boost from fading government subsidies. While past shopping events often spurred strong sales, the 2025 edition saw limited momentum as subsidy effects diminished by the second quarter.

China's annual 618 Shopping Festival delivered weaker sales momentum this year as government subsidy programs curtailed retailers' ability to deploy aggressive pricing strategies, according to PC industry executives.

The 2025 China 618 shopping festival has prompted a noticeable uptick in microcontroller unit (MCU) sales, signaling a tentative recovery in consumer electronics demand after sluggish domestic consumption. This resurgence is attributed largely to robust government subsidy policies and aggressive e-commerce promotions.

Clevo announced that its revenue hit a low in the first quarter of 2025 due to component shortages and consumers waiting for new platform launches. However, the company expects to see increased shipments and revenue in the second quarter, driven by new product releases and changes in manufacturing trends.

Taiwan's export orders for January-May 2024 rose 15% year on year to reach US$263.8 billion, with electronics products recording an over 25% annual growth to break the US$100 billion mark, according to the latest figures disclosed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). Export orders in May 2025 arrived at US$57.93 billion, increasing 18.5% year on year.

Ability Opto-Electronics Technology (AOET) held its annual shareholder meeting on June 20, led by Chairman Victor Kao. He voiced cautious optimism for the second half of 2025, citing historical trends of stronger second-half performance and the company's goal of exceeding 2024 results. Still, he acknowledged ongoing macroeconomic challenges dragging on global demand.

Hinge manufacturer Jarllytec expects its notebook business will benefit from new Chinese foldable laptop models in the second half of 2025, with its exclusive supply of the high-priced and technically difficult Xuanwu droplet hinge serving as a key operational highlight. Traditional notebook hinge orders from American and Chinese brand customers will also continue to contribute steadily to the company.

HTC Corp. convened its annual shareholders' meeting on June 20, 2025, during which Chairwoman Cher Wang highlighted the company's recent agreement with Alphabet. The deal, reached in the first quarter of 2025, grants Alphabet non-exclusive access to a segment of HTC's extended reality (XR) research and development team and related intellectual property.

Xbox has announced a multi-year strategic partnership with semiconductor company AMD to co-engineer silicon for its next generation of gaming devices through its official YouTube channel. The collaboration will span consoles, handheld devices, PCs, cloud platforms, and accessories.

Nintendo's long-anticipated Switch 2 debuted on June 5 across Japan and several other markets, marking its first major console release in eight years. Demand has quickly outpaced supply, prompting the company to rush replenishment orders to suppliers. Market analysts have since raised their shipment projections, citing robust early sales and sustained consumer enthusiasm.

Samsung Electronics is entering a new phase of strategic transformation, shifting its focus away from China and toward emerging markets such as India and Vietnam. According to South Korean media outlet Financial News, Samsung will begin actively recruiting "regional experts" for these countries starting in early 2025. This move marks a notable departure from previous practices, which primarily centered around China.

JD.com Inc. founder Richard Liu vowed to speed up an overseas foray and compete with Meituan in new arenas, from food delivery to travel, describing his boldest attempt yet to revive an online retailer that has languished since a 2020 government crackdown.

HTC Corp. has announced significant updates to its AR/VR platforms, emphasizing enhanced support for WebXR game engines and immersive entertainment experiences. The company aims to foster innovation and new business models within the rapidly growing 3D content and immersive storytelling markets.

Synnex Technology International has invested NT$3 billion (US$101.7 million) to establish its 26th self-owned automated logistics center in Melbourne, Australia, as part of its ongoing strategy to expand its business and tap into local market opportunities. The new facility has recently commenced operations, enhancing the company's logistics network across the Asia-Pacific region.

Sony has pushed back its target to capture a 60% revenue market share in image sensors, originally set for 2025, citing sluggish growth and rising competition. The announcement was made on June 13 through a series of business strategy presentation videos released by Sony's key divisions, including its semiconductor arm, Imaging & Sensing Solutions (I&SS).

Acer's chief strategy officer, Kuo Jian-Cheng, has assumed the chairmanship of Posiflex Technology following the company's acquisition of a major stake in the industrial PC (IPC) maker.

Europe's military-industrial supply chain is experiencing renewed momentum as US President Donald Trump's hardline stance on NATO defense budgets continues to reshape spending priorities across the EU. Taiwanese manufacturer MilDef Crete, specializing in rugged industrial computers, has indicated that increased defense spending within the bloc, initially driven by policies from the Trump administration, has evolved into a long-term structural trend. This heightened military expenditure is anticipated to continue beyond the conclusion of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

China's mid-year 618 Shopping Festival has driven a surge in consumer electronics sales, with smartphones, home appliances, and computers hitting peak demand as government subsidies amplify consumer spending. However, several regions, including Chongqing, Jiangsu, and Guangdong, have exhausted their subsidy funds, raising questions about sustained consumption momentum in the second half of 2025.

Taiwan's smart home market is gaining momentum as brands increasingly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI into their product lines. This trend is drawing not only long-standing telecom operators but also a wave of new entrants, including the emerging smart home brand Mova, which officially launched in Taiwan on June 9.

Microsoft will enter the handheld gaming console market for the first time under its Xbox brand, with a product launch planned for the peak consumer season at the end of 2025. The move follows Nintendo's successful debut of its Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, which racked up over 3.5 million global sales in just four days.

Nintendo's newly launched gaming console, the Switch 2, has sold more than 3.5 million units globally within just four days of its release on June 5, the company announced on June 11. Confirmed by reports from Bloomberg and Nikkei, this marks the fastest sales pace ever for a dedicated Nintendo console, underscoring the high anticipation surrounding the next-generation device.

Taiwanese display solution provider Coretronic Corp. reported unaudited consolidated revenue of NT$3.058 billion (approx. US$100 million) in May 2025, marking a 13% month-over-month increase from April's NT$2.715 billion. However, the figure was still down 6% year-over-year compared with NT$3.261 billion in May 2024. For the first five months of 2025, cumulative revenue totaled NT$14.247 billion, a 9% decline from the same period a year ago.

US-China trade negotiations resumed in London on June 9, following a joint statement issued in Geneva on May 12. In that agreement, both sides committed to lowering reciprocal and retaliatory tariffs, cutting the previous peak rate of 125% to 34%. Of this, 24% was suspended for 90 days, while 10% remains in effect.

Global PC brands and their manufacturing partners are freezing discretionary spending and adopting a more defensive posture amid mounting uncertainty over US trade policy and a surging Taiwan dollar. The cautious stance has cast a shadow over the typically stronger second half of the year, with industry players warning that shipments may fall short of earlier expectations.