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Friday 13 February 2026

Samsung's non-memory unit to turn profitable in 4Q26 as Exynos 2700 targets 50% share in Galaxy S27

Industry analysts indicate that Samsung Electronics' non-memory division is expected to return to profitability in the fourth quarter of 2026, with a full-year turnaround projected for 2027.

Friday 13 February 2026

Xiaomi sharpens India premium push as memory price surge squeezes smartphone margins

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is stepping up its premium push in India even as a global surge in memory prices threatens to erode margins across the handset industry, prompting brands to rethink product positioning, component choices, and pricing strategies in 2026.

Friday 13 February 2026

Apple and Samsung solidify their lead as only brands with over 1 billion active users

Chinese smartphone vendors continue to expand global shipments, supported by competitive pricing, sustained research investment, and overseas growth.

Thursday 12 February 2026

Samsung Display reviews capacity expansion for Apple foldable OLEDs

Samsung Display (SDC) is reviewing additional investment to expand production capacity for foldable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels intended for Apple's first foldable iPhone, as Apple prepares to launch the device in the fall of 2026 and advances plans for subsequent models, according to industry sources.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Samsung schedules Feb. 25 Unpacked as Galaxy S26 launch comes into view

Samsung Electronics has set February 25, 2026, for its next Galaxy Unpacked event, returning to San Francisco to unveil what it describes as a "new phase" in mobile computing.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Novatek predicts memory and visual edge AI to be the main demand drivers in 2026

Taiwanese display driver IC (DDI) giant Novatek recently held an investor briefing, where Vice Chairman and General Manager Steve Wang said that memory supply and costs will be the most critical factors affecting various electronic products, especially smartphones and PCs, in 2026. Aside from traditional DDI products, Novatek has recently made progress in new areas such as system-on-chip (SoC), application-specific ICs (ASICs), imaging, and edge AI. The company plans to continue launching new products and expand into diverse applications.

Tuesday 10 February 2026

Samsung strengthens AI and supply chain resilience to counter smartphone market headwinds

Facing challenges from soaring memory prices, inflation, and geopolitical risks, the global smartphone demand is widely expected to decline by 2-3% in 2026. However, Samsung Electronics, as one of the world's largest memory suppliers, holds an advantage this year in securing mobile memory supply and controlling costs compared to competitors.

Monday 9 February 2026

MediaTek warns of sharp smartphone revenue drop in early 2026 as cost pressures mount

MediaTek said smartphone-related revenue is expected to fall sharply in the first quarter of 2026. The company's smartphone segment recorded a quarterly revenue high in the fourth quarter of 2025, with full-year revenue exceeding US$10 billion, up 8% year-on-year and setting a new record. Flagship chips accounted for US$3 billion of that total. Based on end-market demand, MediaTek's smartphone chip shipments are estimated to be split roughly 30% for high-end models and 70% for mid- and low-tier devices.

Friday 6 February 2026

APE 2026 Singapore: Opto Precision highlights smart glass modules with Taiwan supply chain

The smart glasses market drew attention at the third Asia Photonics Expo (APE 2026), where Singapore-based Opto Precision showcased smart glasses module solutions that integrate artificial intelligence features while addressing myopia, a long-standing challenge for some potential users.

Friday 6 February 2026

AI smartphone upgrades trigger memory cost shock, pushing low-end models to the brink

The smartphone sector is entering a new hardware upgrade cycle driven by AI. Yet the impact is proving far more disruptive than positive. Rapidly rising memory prices are reshaping cost structures and market dynamics, squeezing handset makers' margins to the limit and pushing low-end smartphones close to a financial breaking point.

Friday 6 February 2026

Qualcomm, MediaTek strike cautious tone as smartphone market pressures mount

Qualcomm and MediaTek struck a similar cautionary tone on the smartphone market outlook during their latest earnings calls, pointing to mounting pressure from memory shortages and rising component costs. Pressure is already being felt across the supply chain, with these factors expected to place substantial strain on smartphone brand customers, particularly Chinese brands.

Friday 6 February 2026

Qualcomm 1QFY26 earnings call: memory shortages redefine smartphones despite strong demand

Qualcomm delivered record results in its fiscal first quarter, but executives warned that a worsening memory supply imbalance is now constraining the global smartphone market, even as underlying consumer demand remains strong.

Friday 6 February 2026

China smartphone market stumbles at 2025 finish line as December shipments plunge 29%, Apple share slips below 15%

China's smartphone market ended 2025 on a weaker note than expected, despite Apple's strong fourth-quarter earnings and the early success of the iPhone 17. December shipments fell sharply, dragging full-year volumes down and dimming hopes of a broader market rebound.

Friday 6 February 2026

Japan's consumer electronics decline: From mobile phones to TVs

Sony has recently chosen to partner with TCL in managing its Bravia TV brand, reflecting the long-standing downturn of the Japanese vendor's television business. In Japan, once-dominant domestic TV brands have largely been replaced by rising Chinese competitors.

Friday 6 February 2026

MediaTek CEO warns of smartphone demand challenges in 2026, while Pegatron chairman sees growth in emerging markets

During MediaTek's earnings call on February 3, CEO Rick Tsai cautioned that smartphone demand is expected to encounter difficulties in 2026. Contrasting this outlook, Pegatron chairman Tzu Hsien Tung expressed a more optimistic view, highlighting the dominance of smartphones over the past 16 years and the potential for future growth driven by emerging markets.

Wednesday 4 February 2026

India wins electronics investment, but key gap threatens momentum

India's rise as an electronics manufacturing hub has been one of the fastest shifts in the global supply chain over the past decade. Geopolitical realignments, generous incentives, and growing interest from multinational companies have pushed the country into the spotlight as a serious alternative manufacturing base.

Tuesday 3 February 2026

iPhone gains in China squeeze MediaTek, Qualcomm revenues

Last week, Apple released its latest financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, with the iPhone 17 series continuing to post strong sales. Overall, iPhone shipments grew 23% year over year, with particularly standout performance in the Chinese market. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the number of users switching from Android to Apple far exceeded expectations. Considering that China's overall smartphone market did not actually grow in the previous quarter, this implies a relative decline in market share for other Chinese smartphone brands. This undoubtedly adds revenue pressure for other SoC vendors such as MediaTek and Qualcomm.

Tuesday 3 February 2026

India's smartphone market posts mixed growth in 2025, premium segment drives value gains

India's smartphone market experienced a mixed trajectory in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The year began on a softer note, weighed down by elevated inventory and a slow product launch calendar. Momentum picked up in the second quarter, driven by fresh device launches, aggressive promotions, and festive-season channel stocking, pushing third-quarter shipments to a record quarterly value. Shipments slowed again in the fourth quarter as brands focused on inventory correction and managed rising component costs. Overall, the market grew 1% year-on-year in volume but posted a stronger 8% year-on-year growth in value, reflecting sustained premiumization.

Monday 2 February 2026

Apple boosts high-end iPhone share as Foxconn solidifies assembly lead

Amid a cautious recovery in the consumer electronics market, Apple highlighted the critical role of its iPhone series in driving overall operations in its fiscal first-quarter 2026 earnings report. The company reported record-high iPhone-related revenue this quarter, with year-over-year growth significantly outpacing the overall average and serving as the core driver of holiday-season sales expansion.

Sunday 1 February 2026

Transsion profits halved in 2025 because of memory price increases

The smartphone industry is bearing the brunt of rising memory prices, and the impact is most evident in mid- to low-end models. Transsion, the Chinese smartphone maker regarded as a leading brand in emerging markets, has become one of the first handset vendors to be clearly hit by this wave of memory price increases. On the evening of January 29, 2025, Transsion announced its earnings forecast for full-year 2025, estimating annual revenue of CNY65.568 billion (US$9.4 billion), down about 4.6% year over year. Net profit is estimated at about CNY2.546 billion, plunging 54.11% year over year, nearly half of the previous year. This marks the first significant profit decline since Transsion went public.

Friday 30 January 2026

Apple dominates 2025 smartphone rankings, with iPhone 16 as the world's best-seller

According to a recent report from Counterpoint Research, the Apple iPhone 16 finished 2025 as the world's best-selling smartphone, topping global sales ahead of all other models. The iPhone 16's strong performance capped a remarkable year for Apple, which claimed seven out of the top ten best-selling smartphone models worldwide. Only Samsung's devices filled the remaining three positions, underscoring a duopoly at the top of the market that has held steady for several years.

Friday 30 January 2026

Apple posts historic US$143.8 billion quarter as China revenue climbs 38%

Apple has reported record financial results for its fiscal 2026 first quarter, ending December 27, 2025. The company achieved all-time highs in both total revenue and earnings per share, largely supported by a significant increase in iPhone sales and continued expansion in its Services sector.

Friday 30 January 2026

Taiwan's smartphone shipments exceeded 5 million in 2025, iPhone 17 drives market dynamics

Taiwan's monthly smartphone shipments surpassed 500,000 units in October and November 2025, largely driven by strong sales of Apple's iPhone 17 series. However, shipments declined to about 400,000 units in December, with Apple maintaining close to 50% market share despite a slight dip.

Thursday 29 January 2026

Why can't tech giants escape China's smartphone production grip?

Global technology companies, including Google, are increasingly shifting new product introduction (NPI) stages away from China to reduce geopolitical risks, with recent reports indicating Google has begun relocating NPI for its premium smartphones to Vietnam. Industry insiders note initial progress but emphasize significant structural hurdles in this complex transition.

Wednesday 28 January 2026

Apple's iPhone 17 powers a strong quarter as memory costs soar

Apple is set to report fiscal first-quarter 2026 earnings on January 29, with strong sales of the iPhone 17 expected to drive record operating performance and solid smartphone shipments. The iPhone 17 lineup, which offers added features without price increases, has seen particularly strong demand in China and the US.

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