Over the past five years, Huawei's drive to localize smartphone components has shifted from a crisis response into a calculated, strategic effort to build a self-reliant supply chain. With the Kirin 9030 set to debut in the Mate 80, the series is widely seen as a near-fully domestic flagship, a culmination of Huawei's transformation from relying on stopgaps to reshaping its position in the industry.

Following South Korea's shocking announcement to invest US$350 billion in the US, with 90% of the profits staying in the US, Nvidia and AMD reportedly have agreed to pay 15% of their chip sales revenue from China to the US government. This equally astonishing arrangement secures export licenses from the US government for Nvidia's H20 and AMD's MI308 chips shipping to China.

Taiwan's three major telecom operators released their July 2025 operational results on August 11, all showing strong performances. Chunghwa Telecom leveraged rapid growth in its information and communications technology (ICT) business to set multiple record highs. Taiwan Mobile benefited from merger synergies while accelerating its push into the AI data center (AIDC) market. Far EasTone Telecommunications maintained its industry-leading 5G penetration rate while expanding its digital services portfolio.

Xiaomi has overhauled its Africa leadership team as part of an aggressive regional push. Liu Shequan has been named general manager of the Africa regional department and head of the West Africa division, reporting directly to Lin En, general manager of the international sales department.

Samsung Display (SDC) recently launched its foldable panel brand, MONT FLEX, at the K-Display 2025, marking an ongoing effort in foldable display innovation. Despite progress, Samsung Display acknowledged that the technology is not yet a finished product.

South Korea's SK Telecom (SKT) has reported a steep drop in operating profit for the second quarter of 2025, largely due to a major USIM card data breach. The company also issued a downbeat outlook for the third quarter. Despite near-term challenges, SKT remains confident in its medium- to long-term competitiveness, identifying its AI business as a key growth driver.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently committed an additional US$100 billion investment in domestic US operations. This move is poised to reshape the competitive environment of the US smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2025, with analysts projecting Samsung Electronics as the principal disadvantaged party.

Samsung Electronics announced on August 11 the new 5G-capable A17 smartphone, aiming to drive momentum in the mid-range segment with Galaxy AI enhancements at a highly competitive price.

India's smartphone market is undergoing premiumization, with rising average selling prices driving growth in mid- and high-end segments. This shift boosts brands like Apple, which sees strong double-digit gains, but challenges budget-focused players as overall market growth slows amid subdued demand and inflationary pressures.

Samsung Electronics Co. may have secured Apple's orders and become the second supplier of CMOS image sensors (CIS) for Apple's iPhone models, breaking Sony's long-standing exclusive partnership. This shift could enhance Samsung's operating profit margin in the CIS market beyond that of Sony.

Samsung Electronics will build a CMOS image sensor (CIS) production line at its Austin, Texas, semiconductor facility for Apple's next-generation iPhones, but the chips' back-end processing may still be handled in South Korea, according to industry sources.