Sep 9, 2026 Apple's Foldable iPhone Was a Decade in the Making Apple is set to unveil its first foldable iPhone after years of development, targeting a premium market with a 7.8-inch display, improved hinge and reduced crease. The device could cost up to $2,199 as Apple enters a fast-growing category. Bloomberg

Sponsor Probe Card Manufacturer 'Sees the Unseen' With X-ray Probe card manufacturer relies on mobile real-time x-ray inspection to verify the quality of its aligned probes at different stages along the assembly line. Glenbrook Technologies

Apple is reportedly exploring a Chinese memory supplier, and it's politically loaded CXMT is emerging as a potential Apple memory supplier as it expands DRAM production and develops LPDDR6 and HBM3 technologies. A limited partnership could diversify Apple's China supply chain, though CXMT's capacity remains constrained compared with global rivals. TechSpot

PCB Rework Evolves, With X-ray a Constant Support Mini Micro Stencil, a contract manufacturer focused on PCB rework, has relied on real-time X-ray inspection to verify its precision rework as the industry has evolved over 30 years. Technical Paper

'Dirty Data' Is Hurting Your Company's AI Strategy — Here's How This Tech Founder Is Fixing It Zac Choi, after two decades building data and AI systems, recognized that enterprise infrastructure was unprepared for AI's rapid rise. Now, through Big Context & Company, he aims to make enterprise data usable for AI agents. Entrepreneur

Sponsor AEC Grade-0 and MSL Level-1 Conductive Paste & Film Adhesives 240° Tg and ultra-high thermal stability for AEC Grade-0 applications. Proven rapid and snap curing die-attach paste for ultimate productivity. AI Technology, Inc.

Server shipments to soar 15.1 percent Global server shipments are forecast to grow 15.1% this year, with AI servers rising 20.7%. Growth should continue through 2028, driven by AI infrastructure spending, while Taiwanese manufacturers diversify production across Southeast Asia, Mexico and the US. Taipei Times

Is There a Thermal Cycle Limit? How many thermal cycles should we allow at a given location on a circuit board before we should consider the assembly compromised? Board Talk

Technical Papers ■ Oxide Reduction for Reliable Electronics Manufacturing ■ UHDI Fabrication for IC Substrates: SAP and mSAP Processes ■ Flux-Free, Reliable, Efficient: Soldering with Formic Acid ■ Redesigning Material Logistics for High-Mix EMS Production ■ Unlocking Academic-Industry Synergy: A Collaborative Model for Hands-On Electronics Manufacturing Education ■ Viscosity Does Not Equal Rheology: What Solder Paste Measurements Really Tell You ■ Salvaging Electronic Components: A Reliable Method for Reducing Electronic Waste and Ensuring Economic Reuse ■ Digital Warehouse Automation in High-Mix PCB Assembly MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Dedicated Tool for Process Development Advanced plating capability at Uyemura Tech Center: Process Development, UBM, pilot production. ENIG, ENEPIG, EPIG/EPAG, RAIG immersion gold; all substrates. On-site analysis. Uyemura

PC shipments are falling, but manufacturers are making more money selling pricier AI PCs PC makers are emphasizing premium, AI-capable systems as memory shortages drive up component costs. Shipments fell 4.9%, but vendors lifted revenue through higher prices. Businesses maintain demand, while consumers face fewer affordable choices. TechSpot

AI Is Moving from Hype to Hardware — and from Pilots to Scale AI investment is surging, with Gartner projecting $2.6 trillion in 2026 spending. As inference costs drive demand for better hardware, 68% of PCB makers use AI, but just 8% have scaled it, highlighting the challenge of turning pilots into gains. Global Electronics Association

Low Temperature Solder Hybrid Solder Joint Time Dependent Behavior This paper will review a model to illustrate the source of “ball drift” and will report empirical results from testing designed to confirm the mechanism. Technical Paper

Sponsor Automated Storage for High-Mix EMS Production High mix electronics manufacturing requires reliable material management. This white paper explains how BMK enhanced traceability, inventory accuracy and picking efficiency using integrated automated storage, digital workflows and reel-level visibility. Essegi Automation

Chinese giants Xiaomi, Huawei race to get ahead of Apple's rumored foldable iPhone Huawei and Xiaomi launched new foldable phones ahead of Apple's expected first foldable iPhone, seeking to gain an edge in China and globally. Both companies also highlighted their self-designed chips, intensifying competition in the fast-growing premium foldable market. CNBC

Xiaomi 18 Fold takes on the foldable iPhone with a 200MP camera and 6,000mAh battery Xiaomi unveiled the 18 Fold, its first wide-format foldable powered by the 3nm Xring O3 chip. It features dual 120Hz displays, Leica cameras, a 6,000mAh battery and redesigned hinge, with prices starting at 10,999 yuan in China. TechSpot

Flexible Circuit Materials for High Temperature Applications This paper reports on various flexible materials with recommendations for the best flexible materials for high temperature applications. Technical Paper

Sponsor PAE Certification – Oct 2-5, 2026 Advance your expertise with the ESDA Process Assessment Engineer (PAE) Certification at the 2026 EOS/ESD Symposium. Learn ANSI/ESD SP17.1 principles to assess and improve EOS/ESD processes. EOS/ESD Association

The Security AI That Learns the Language of Movement UNC Charlotte researchers are developing AI that learns normal human movement instead of predefined threats. Using pose-based motion tokens and edge computing, the system can detect unusual behavior through existing CCTV networks while avoiding facial & identifying information. EE Times

A folding iPhone was Tim Cook's decade-long passion project Tim Cook's push transformed Apple's long-running foldable research into the iPhone Ultra, making it his defining final product as CEO. After years of development, John Ternus reportedly helped bring the complex device to launch. Apple Insider

Sponsor EPA Verified Stencil Cleaning Systems Low power density ultrasonic cleaners combined with 440-R-SMT detergent provide safe and effective cleaning of stencils, pallets, oven radiators, misprints and SMD adhesives. Smart Sonic

The Growing Proof That Autonomous Cars Save Lives Research increasingly shows autonomous vehicles and driver-assistance systems reduce crashes, injuries, and insurance claims. Waymo robotaxis recorded significantly fewer injury crashes than human drivers, though experts urge better national data standards before wider deployment. IEEE Spectrum

WLCSP and BGA Reworkable Underfill Evaluation and Reliability Paper reviews study on underfill/flux compatibility issues and investigates flux compatibility between four popular commercial solder pastes and six underfills. Technical Paper

The U.S. is trying to reduce its reliance on China for batteries. Here's what it's up against The Trump administration awarded $500 million to strengthen the U.S. battery supply chain, but analysts say far greater investment is needed to challenge China's dominance in minerals, battery materials & manufacturing, where Chinese companies retain significant scale advantages. CNBC

Philippines wants to be a global semiconductor giant by 2030. Can it get there? The Philippines launched a five-year semiconductor road map targeting US$110 billion in annual exports by 2030. The strategy aims to expand advanced manufacturing, chip design and research, but analysts warn that talent shortages and political instability could hinder progress. South China Morning Post

Sponsor vCONNECT: Your Next Level of Digital Connectivity Discover vCONNECT: Analyze inspection data, monitor machine performance, predict maintenance needs, store data securely and access AI tools and the latest Viscom News. Viscom

How Much Impact Will AI Have on IoT Software Engineering? AIoT is transforming smart buildings by combining IoT data with AI for security, energy efficiency, predictive maintenance and faster software development. However, experts stress human oversight, resilient engineering and secure, reliable code to manage long-term risks. EE Times