The US Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has launched the "Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security," bringing together 24 partner governments across Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Western Hemisphere to advance 6G development.
Samsung Electronics launched its Galaxy S26 Fan Edition in the second half of 2026 with a starting price of 1.045 million won in South Korea, or about US$714, as it sought to round out its smartphone lineup and address rising component costs. According to ET News and Bloomberg, global sales of the 256GB model were set to begin on September 4.
Apple on August 25 unveiled the M6 and M5 Ultra chips without holding a launch event, with the M6 becoming the company's first processor built on TSMC's 2nm process and debuting in the new Mac mini. But industry watchers say the M6's short-term significance lies mainly in showcasing 2nm design technology, not in delivering immediate commercial gains.
KKCompany Technologies, parent of KKBOX, will officially list on the Taipei Exchange's Emerging Stock Board on August 31, with chairman and CEO Steve Wang detailing, for the first time, the group's integration of PressPlay during a pre-listing investor briefing. The transaction, completed in the second quarter of 2026, is designed to expand KKCompany beyond music and AI multimedia into knowledge learning and the creator economy.
Taiwan Mobile's acquisition of Systex has moved forward, with Systex's tender offer review committee completing its review on August 27, concluding that the terms of the tender offer are fair and the funding source is reasonable.
More than a year after Honor first debated the idea internally, its Robot Phone has moved from a contentious concept to a mass-produced commercial product. But the significance of the device extends beyond creating a smartphone with an unconventional form factor.
Global smartphone shipments are set to shrink sharply in 2026 as soaring memory and core component prices hit the market, but Samsung Electronics is moving in the opposite direction. Rather than passing costs fully on to consumers like some rivals, Samsung plans to keep shipment volume steady through the Galaxy S26, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Galaxy A series, and could even retake the No. 1 spot in global smartphone shipments.
Samsung Electronics' first tri-fold handset of 2025, the Galaxy Z TriFold, has repeatedly sold out, but with global shipments of only about 30,000 units, it functioned more as a technology showcase. A second-generation model is expected in the second half of 2027, with thinner designs, durability, and mass production capability as the next focus.
Advances in low-latency and zero-latency wireless communications are seen as a critical foundation for physical AI, remote control, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR), and the latest breakthrough has come through a joint effort by MediaTek, AT&T, and Ericsson.
Huawei and Apple are set to intensify competition in foldable smartphones in September, accelerating demand across a supply chain spanning foldable OLED panels, ultra-thin glass, hinges, flexible printed circuits and thermal components.
Mobile phone sales are under pressure as shortages and price increases for multiple upstream components squeeze the market. But brand makers have stepped up new product launches, with Samsung Electronics, Honor, Oppo, and Google already rolling out devices, and Xiaomi, Sony, and Vivo set to follow.
More coverage
