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Friday 2 January 2026
China's CXMT moves toward IPO with global DRAM share nearing 4%
China's leading DRAM producer, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), has entered the initial public offering phase as it targets a rapid increase in global market share, aiming to surpass the 4% threshold in the near term, according to its IPO prospectus and market estimates. The move comes as the company accelerates capacity expansion and technology upgrades to close the gap with industry leaders Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology in a market dominated by a handful of suppliers
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Monday 5 January 2026
Samsung bets on smart driving, testing old alliances

Samsung Electronics' decision to acquire a major advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) business through its subsidiary Harman is widely viewed as a decisive escalation of its ambitions in automotive electronics. Yet the move is also stirring unease among industry observers, who warn that it could complicate Samsung's long-standing partnership with Hyundai Motor Group, raising questions about how the two South Korean giants will navigate an increasingly crowded and competitive automotive technology market

Monday 5 January 2026
Lee Jae-myung's first China visit signals warming South Korea-China ties
According to Bloomberg and The Korea Economic Daily, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung made a four-day trip from January 4-7, 2026, to Beijing and Shanghai, including a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The heads of the four major South Korean conglomerates (Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai, and LG Group) also traveled with Lee as part of an economic delegation
Monday 5 January 2026
Japan's Rapidus to launch advanced packaging pilot line in Hokkaido by spring 2026
Japanese chipmaker Rapidus is advancing its 2nm process technology while developing advanced packaging solutions tailored for AI chips. The company aims to officially start trial production on its advanced packaging line in April 2026
Monday 5 January 2026
China pulls ahead of the US in humanoid robot commercialization
Once confined to research labs, humanoid robots moved decisively into public view across China in 2025. Viral footage showed robots dancing at the Spring Festival gala, operating on factory floors, running marathons, and even sparring in boxing matches.​
Monday 5 January 2026
China memory makers' IPO line up: CXMT seeks US$4.2 billion, YMTC prepares filing
Strong AI demand has pushed the memory sector into a rare upcycle. China's leading DRAM maker CXMT is advancing an IPO application on the STAR Market, targeting CNY29.5 billion (US$4.21 billion), the second-largest fundraising in STAR Market history. In parallel, supply chain sources say China's NAND flash leader YMTC is likely to file for an IPO in the first half of 2026
Monday 5 January 2026
Kawasaki banned by Japanese defense ministry over submarine engine fraud, raising export trust concerns
Japan's Ministry of Defense announced in December 2025 that it had suspended Kawasaki Heavy Industries from bidding on defense contracts until March 11, 2026, a 2.5-month ban following revelations of falsified fuel efficiency data for submarine engines supplied to the Maritime Self-Defense Force
Monday 5 January 2026
Samsung reportedly pitches bundled solutions to Google and AMD
As major corporations expand investments in artificial intelligence (AI), memory suppliers have seen a flood of orders. According to the latest reports from South Korean media, Samsung Electronics has not only demonstrated negotiation dominance but is also marketing a turnkey solution that bundles advanced packaging, DRAM, and foundry services to customers such as Google and AMD. This binding strategy aims to strengthen customer loyalty
Monday 5 January 2026
Nexchip Semiconductor launches US$5.1bn Hefei fab to scale 28nm mature-node capacity

China's domestic foundry expansion gained momentum this week as Nexchip Semiconductor broke ground on its Phase IV project in Hefei, committing CNY35.5 billion (approx. US$5.07 billion) to expand 12-inch wafer capacity and deepen its position in mature-node manufacturing

Monday 5 January 2026
iPhone 17 sales surge lifts Apple past 20% share in China

Apple's iPhone 17 series has driven a notable recovery in China, pushing the company's market share back above 20% and lifting monthly shipments beyond 6 million units in November 2025, according to industry estimates. The rebound marks Apple's strongest performance in the market in recent years after a period of declining share amid intense competition from domestic smartphone brands

Monday 5 January 2026
Weekly news roundup: TSMC widens 2 nm edge as South Korea boosts chip spending; Huawei eyes memory bottlenecks
These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories in the week of Dec 29 - Jan 4
Monday 5 January 2026
SK Telecom unveils South Korea's first 500-billion-parameter AI model A.X K1
South Korea's leading telecom operator SK Telecom (SKT) has introduced A.X K1, a 500-billion-parameter AI model developed under a national AI initiative to establish a foundational platform for the country, highlighting SKT's efforts to align AI technology with national strategy and industrial applications
Monday 5 January 2026
SK On slows investment and delays Seosan factory expansion with EV market uncertainty
SK On, a battery unit of SK Innovation, has scaled back its investment plans and postponed the expansion of its new factory in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, due to a slowdown in the electric vehicle (EV) market and uncertain battery demand. Initially planning to invest KRW17.534 trillion (approx. US$12.15 billion) to develop a third plant and upgrade the second plant, SK On has cut the committed investment to KRW936.3 billion so far, with around KRW820 billion to be spent later as part of the revised expansion schedule
Monday 5 January 2026
Trump orders divestment of EMCORE chip assets, tightening US scrutiny of foreign semiconductor deals
US President Donald Trump has ordered the divestment of certain semiconductor assets of EMCORE Corporation following a national security review that identified risks linked to foreign ownership, according to a White House executive order and a statement from the US Treasury Department
Monday 5 January 2026
South Korea steps up race to build sovereign AI foundation model
South Korea is intensifying competition to develop a sovereign AI foundation model, with five leading teams from industry and academia unveiling first-phase results. The contenders highlighted differences in parameter scale, multimodal capabilities, and vertical applications. By mid-January 2026, four teams will be selected to advance to the next stage
Saturday 3 January 2026
Analysis: Japan targets advanced packaging to crack TSMC's manufacturing edge
Japanese semiconductor firms are pivoting toward advanced packaging and alternative lithography as TSMC extends its scale advantage in artificial intelligence chips. TSMC's 3nm and 2nm capacity is largely locked in. Advanced packaging now contributes a growing share of sales. The company is on track to see annual revenue exceed US$250 billion around 2029 or 2030. That widening gap has pushed Japanese companies to focus on panel-level packaging and nanoimprint technologies. Both emerged at SEMICON Japan 2025 as key levers to bypass manufacturing bottlenecks and secure a foothold in the fast-expanding AI accelerator supply chain