Delta Electronics chairman Ping Cheng said during an earnings call on October 29 that the company expects fourth-quarter 2026 operations to improve from the third quarter, supported by artificial intelligence (AI) data center construction. However, material shortages are making customer construction and equipment delivery schedules harder to predict, prompting Delta to secure material supplies, maintain buffer inventory, and coordinate delivery plans with customers. The source does not state any quantified targets for this expectation.
AI data center equipmentDelta ElectronicsDigiTimes AsiaInventory Shift
Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance are reportedly seeking long-term server DRAM supply agreements with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, with some requests extending through 2035, as Chinese cloud service providers (CSPs) join US technology giants in competing for future memory capacity. The report is of a planned, unconfirmed nature; the agreements are not confirmed as concluded, and the source states no cause beyond this competitive backdrop.
server DRAMAlibaba, Tencent and 5 totalDigiTimes Asia
Related manufacturers
Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix expect memory shortages to persist for years despite rising investment in chip factories. The source attributes this to surging AI demand and increasingly complex manufacturing processes limiting how quickly new capacity can come online. This is an outlook from the two companies about future supply conditions, not realized data on shortage duration.
memorySamsung Electronics, SK HynixDigiTimes AsiaInventory Shift
Samsung Electronics has secured a 2nm foundry order from Taiwan-based ASIC design house Faraday Technology. This win expands the application scope of Samsung's 2nm process from mobile devices to cloud AI and high-performance computing (HPC), and is expected to help broaden its advanced-process customer base and strengthen the competitiveness of its foundry business. the source does not state the cause.
GlobalFoundries (GF) is betting on specialty semiconductor technologies to capture AI demand beyond advanced processors, targeting opportunities in data center connectivity, power management, automotive electronics and humanoid robots as artificial intelligence moves into physical applications. Per the title, GF bets on FD-SOI for robots and cars. This is a statement of company strategic direction, background in nature, involving no specific capacity figures or price movements.
According to Nikkei Asia, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are experiencing severe component shortages projected to last until 2030. An unnamed executive from an American PC maker told the publication that PCB manufacturers are confirming this situation, with some predicting that orders placed today may not be fulfilled until late 2028. The executive said that even though PC shipments could decline again next year, they are still struggling to secure enough PCB supplies to meet their needs. The source does not state the cause.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple, once one of the most powerful buyers in the NAND flash market, is losing some of its negotiating leverage as AI-driven demand gives memory suppliers greater pricing power. Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon have signed long-term supply agreements with Kioxia this year at higher prices, strengthening the chipmaker's negotiating position. Separately, South Korean outlet Economy Tribune reports that Apple has reportedly turned to a long-term NAND supply agreement, with market watchers identifying Kioxia as the likely partner; the terms remain undisclosed and this is a reported plan. The report adds that Apple may also pursue long-term agreements with Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Micron to secure future LPDDR5X and LPDDR6 supplies. According to TrendForce, memory's share of the 256GB iPhone Pro's bill of materials rose from around 10% a year earlier to 34% in 3Q26 and could exceed 40% in 1H27; TrendForce also estimates the iPhone 18 Pro's total BOM cost could rise 38% YoY, potentially forcing Apple to sacrifice margins to maintain shipments.
NAND flashLPDDR5XLPDDR6Apple, Kioxia and 5 totalTrendForcePrice Movement
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Apple, Kioxia, Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Micron
Samsung Electronics reported third-quarter operating profit of $80 billion, which the source links to AI memory demand. The source also states that rising component prices caused an operating loss in mobile. No specific dates (year/month/day) or segment-level profit figures are provided beyond these facts, and no other cause is stated.
memorymobile componentsSamsung ElectronicsEE Times
Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723) announced the RL78/G21, a new member of its RL78 family and an ultra-low-power 16-bit MCU optimized for smart appliance system control. According to the announcement, the RL78/G21 achieves an operating current of just 34 μA/MHz, nearly half that of the leading RL78/G13 MCU products, achieves top ULPMark-PeripheralProfile benchmark scores, adds ±4 kV HBM ESD tolerance for reliability, operates over a 1.6V to 5.5V voltage range, and integrates a high-speed on-chip oscillator (HOCO) with ±1.0% accuracy and 4KB of data flash; it is positioned with strong price competitiveness in the class of products with 128KB or 256KB of code flash memory. Renesas also expanded its existing RL78/G23 lineup with the RL78/G23 (R7F104G): compared with the existing RL78/G23 (R7F100G), which provides 14 touch channels in the 44-pin version and 16 touch channels in the 48-pin version, the new devices increase touch channels to 24 and 25 respectively. The RL78/G21 is pin and function compatible with the existing RL78/G13 and RL78/G23. This is a new product announcement; the source does not state any supply, demand or price impact.
Hirose has expanded its hybrid FPC-to-board connector family with a narrow-width, ultra-low-profile version for space-constrained portable device applications. The BK19 Series features a 0.3 mm pitch, 0.5 mm stacking height, and 1.2 mm width, and is among the world's smallest single-row FPC-to-board connectors. The series uses a fully armored design for enhanced reliability and durability in portable electronic applications susceptible to drop impacts, with the armor helping protect against housing damage from misalignment during mating. The hybrid BK19 Series combines power and signal contacts in a single connector, helping reduce connector count and save PCB space. Key applications include compact medical devices, portable gaming devices, smartphones, wearable devices (consumer and medical), and VR/AR glasses.
Infineon Technologies AG is expanding its collaboration with NVIDIA on 800 V direct-current (VDC) power architectures for AI data centers, with the latest development focusing on high-voltage intermediate bus converters (IBCs), a stage in the power delivery chain that steps down the main distribution voltage to levels suitable for downstream conversion and processor power delivery. The collaboration builds on work announced in May 2025 and further detailed in October 2025, which addressed serviceable, hot-swappable server racks operating with 800 VDC power distribution. At the IBC stage, switching frequencies up to 1 MHz enable smaller magnetic components and passive devices, reducing converter size and board height; Infineon combines its GaN portfolio with PSoC™ Control C3 controllers and EiceDRIVER™ gate-driver products to provide integrated IBC solutions, supporting conversion ratios including 800 V to 50 V, 800 V to 12 V, and 800 V to 6 V. The collaboration with NVIDIA also extends beyond intermediate bus conversion to power-path protection, including hot-swap controller functionality intended to support safe servicing and the deployment of future server boards in 800 VDC architectures.
GaN power deviceshigh-voltage intermediate bus converters (IBCs)PSoC™ Control C3 controllersInfineon Technologies AG, NVIDIAPower Electronics NewsPartnership/M&A
Samsung Electronics reported its financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2026. The company posted KRW 195.3 trillion in consolidated revenue, another all-time quarterly high, a quarter-on-quarter increase of 14%. Operating profit reached KRW 107.4 trillion, making Samsung Electronics the world's first tech company to exceed KRW 100 trillion in quarterly operating profit. The Device Solutions (DS) Division posted a QoQ sales increase of 15%, with the Memory Business setting an all-time high for quarterly revenue and operating profit; per the source, semiconductor demand is set to remain robust. The Device eXperience (DX) Division posted a QoQ revenue increase of 8% and recorded an operating loss of KRW 0.8 trillion. This is an announced actual earnings result, a financial report rather than a price or capacity change event.
ADS-TEC Energy expects to receive a building permit shortly for a planned battery storage facility at the Pulverdingen substation in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The facility is planned with an output of around 1 GW and a storage capacity of 4 GWh, which would make it one of the largest battery storage systems in Europe. The permitting authority has confirmed the application is complete, according to a press release from ADS-TEC Energy. The permit is a key requirement for concluding financing and partnership agreements, and grid connection is targeted for 2029. ADS-TEC did not give a project cost figure but says facilities of this size typically cost from the high hundreds of millions of euros up to around EUR 1 billion. The batteries will run on ADS-TEC's own battery management system, with in-house developed electronics and software of more than 15 years; German companies will supply the batteries, switchgear, transformers and extra-high-voltage equipment, but none are named. ADS-TEC also plans to sell a majority stake in the project company, preferably to a European energy company, and is in talks with international infrastructure investors, while remaining a long-term partner providing technical services over the plant's lifetime.
battery storage systembattery management system (BMS)batteriesADS-TEC EnergyEvertiqCapacity Change
EMS provider Incap's third-quarter revenue reached a record EUR 80.7 million, up 56% year on year, with revenue also growing 18% organically; the increase was driven by the acquisition of Lacon Group and growing demand from defence customers. Comparable EBITA rose 50% to EUR 8.6 million, with a margin of 10.7% compared with 11.1% a year earlier, and operating profit increased to EUR 7.9 million from EUR 6.7 million. Incap's largest customer is diversifying its supplier base, which the company expects will put pressure on its volumes going forward, while new large customer accounts in India, particularly within data center applications, are being ramped up and are expected to balance the impact. Competition in India remains intense with high pricing pressure. Component and PCB availability remained challenging during the quarter, which the company managed through close cooperation with customers and suppliers; higher production volumes also tied up more working capital, weighing on cash flow. Incap maintains its 2026 outlook of revenue between EUR 270 million and EUR 290 million and comparable EBITA between EUR 26 million and EUR 29 million, and will present an updated strategy at a Capital Markets Day on 17 November.
ESCATEC has completed a new controlled production room at its ESCATEC Mechatronics Ltd (EUK) site in Lutterworth, UK, intended to strengthen the plant's ability to take on manufacturing for medical devices, healthcare and other highly regulated programmes. According to an ESCATEC press release, the 100-square-metre room has real-time temperature and humidity monitoring, ESD-safe flooring and controlled lighting, and is designed for manufacturing where contamination control, traceability, process consistency and product quality are critical. The room is the third investment this year aimed at medical manufacturing at the UK subsidiary ESCATEC Mechatronics: in June the site was certified to ISO 13485, the quality management standard for medical devices, and it has since invested in new SMT equipment for high-mix, high-complexity production. ESCATEC CEO Charles-Alexandre Albin said that, together with the ISO 13485 certification and the recent SMT investment, it strengthens EUK's ability to support medical device, healthcare and other high-reliability manufacturing programmes. ESCATEC is headquartered in Penang, Malaysia, with production in Malaysia, the Czech Republic, the UK, Bulgaria and Switzerland. The company has not disclosed the size of the investment in Lutterworth.
controlled production room for medical manufacturingSMT equipmentESCATEC, ESCATEC Mechatronics Ltd (EUK)EvertiqCapacity Change
Samsung Electronics' third-quarter profit came almost entirely from charging more for memory chips, not from selling more of them. On its earnings call, the company also told investors the shortage behind those prices will last into 2028, even as chipmakers raise spending. The shortage is the explicitly stated cause of the higher prices and profit, and the persistence of the shortage into 2028 is a company expectation, not an achieved fact.
memory chipsSamsung ElectronicsDigiTimes AsiaPrice Movement
Mercedes-Benz will once again offer its voluntary severance programme for indirect functions in Germany, starting in December, as part of stepped-up productivity measures while the carmaker cuts its profitability outlook for the year. According to the group's quarterly report, since June Mercedes-Benz has intensified its global productivity measures with a particular focus on its German sites, building on a reduction in fixed costs of around 25% since 2019. The company has not said how many employees it hopes will take up the new offer. The previous round was already costly: in the first nine months, Mercedes-Benz paid out around EUR 1.1 billion for restructuring, mainly related to the severance programme in Germany. As the outlook for the car business weakens, Mercedes-Benz Cars now expects an adjusted return on sales of 2–3% for 2026, down from 3–5% previously; the group cites a tougher market in China and higher costs for raw materials and product lifecycle measures in the fourth quarter, and Group EBIT is now expected to be at last year's level rather than significantly above. In the third quarter, the car division's adjusted EBIT halved to EUR 560 million and its adjusted return on sales fell to 2.5% from 4.8%; car sales fell 8% to 407,232 vehicles, mainly because of intense competition in China, while outside China sales rose, with growth of 5% in Europe and 6% in the US, and sales of fully electric cars reached a quarterly record, up 61% year on year.
South Korean company Taihan announced that its U.S. subsidiary, T.E.USA, has been awarded an extra-high-voltage (EHV) power grid project in the United States on a turnkey basis. Under the project structure, T.E.USA will oversee the entire project, including local engineering and construction, while Taihan's headquarters will manufacture and supply key materials, including EHV cables and cable accessories. In connection with the project, Taihan has executed a material supply agreement valued at approximately KRW 120 billion (about USD 90 million) with its U.S. subsidiary. The total contract value of the turnkey project, including engineering and construction, as well as the client's identity and other project details, will not be disclosed pursuant to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with the client.
Bloomberg reports that Marvell is in advanced talks to acquire optical communications component maker Lumentum, with an announcement potentially coming as soon as next week; whether the deal will be completed remains undetermined. Marvell is already a customer of Lumentum's laser products, while NVIDIA invested US$2 billion in each company earlier this year. TrendForce views the potential acquisition as a strategic move by Marvell to position itself early for optical interconnects at both the scale-in level (within servers and packages) and the scale-up level (within racks) in the CPO/NPO era. Marvell already offers electronic components such as DSPs and has gained optical I/O technology spanning package-to-rack connectivity through its acquisition of Celestial AI, while Lumentum supplies the indium phosphide (InP) lasers used as external light sources in NVIDIA's CPO switches. TrendForce notes that DSP functions are expected to gradually migrate into ASICs or electronic integrated circuits (EICs) as optical interconnects move deeper into racks and packages, while light sources remain difficult to integrate directly into silicon chips; with CPO penetration still low, the acquisition would represent a long-term positioning play.
optical communications componentsindium phosphide (InP) lasersDSPsMarvell, Lumentum and 3 totalTrendForce Official (Market Data)Partnership/M&A
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are undertaking their largest-ever equipment investments in 2026, with the investment amount stated as KRW110 trillion in the title, but the memory supply increase is not expected to materialize until 2028. By then, new South Korean plants and expanded capacity at China's ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) are expected to come online simultaneously, potentially triggering price competition in commodity DRAM. The source does not state the cause of the delay in the supply increase.
memorycommodity DRAMSamsung Electronics, SK Hynix and 3 totalDigiTimes AsiaCapacity Change
Related manufacturers
Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT)