Hello. Samsung is bringing on LB Semicon, a leading semi packaging and test provider, to carry out in-house wafer testing for its Exynos 2600 chip, which according to rumors will power the upcoming Galaxy S26 and S26+ in Korean and European markets. LB Semicon, an affiliate of LG, will join Samsung’s existing South Korean chip-testing partners Doosan Tesna and Nepes, in validating the new processor. The move expands the smartphone maker’s chip-testing supply chain, and indicates a broader rollout strategy for the upcoming Galaxy series. 

Elsewhere, Amazon begins intial testing of its Leo satellite service. As part of an “enterprise preview”, the tech giant said selected businesses will trial its production hardware and software ahead of its commercial launch. Amazon plans to use the feedback to tailor solutions for targeted use cases.

Formerly known as Project Kuiper, Amazon Leo will compete against Elon Musk’s Starlink which is already a leading name in the satellite internet market with over 9,000 deployed satellites. Amazon plans to enter the arena with “enterprise-grade features”, and “fastest download and upload speeds.”

Must Reads 

Nokia doubles down on AI: As Nokia plans to offload its arterial campus edge (ECE) division next year, the company expects to up its R&D and manufacturing investments in the U.S. soil. In a multiyear project focused on AI-ready mobile, fixed access, IP, optical, and data center networking technologies, the company committed to spend $4 billion.

Anritsu unveils vTester for AWS: The new software-based solution is designed to monitor communication quality in virtual environments, eliminating need for using physical test units in server racks.

Google extends Interlink cable to APAC: Google introduced new subsea cable system linking Australia to Thailand. Dubbed TalayLink, the system aims to enhance digital connectivity across APAC and the rest of the world.

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Keysight has a new board member: Last week, Keysight appointed former-CFO of Fortinet, Keith Jensen, to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Jensen brings four decades of expereince in finance and tech, and has held leadership toles at companies like DataDirect Networks, Sybase, and Dorado Network Systems.

MSSA’s new reference architecture: Mobile Satellite Services Association (MSSA) has dropped a new reference architecture for direct-to-device (D2D) non-terrestrial network (NTN) service, aimed to improving NTN performance, integration, and interoperability.

Rohde & Schwarz announces dates for UK seminar: The Navigating Test & Measurement seminar 2026 will be held on 3, February in Cambridge, and subsequently on the 5th in Bolton.

Gauging network performance in Amazon EKS: An AWS blog explains how platform teams can now monitor network performance of distributed workloads in Amazon EKS using newly introduced AWS-managed open-source services.

A handbook for climate goals: BV launches Manufacturer Decarbonization Strategy Playbook for small- and mid-sizes enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing, offering them research-based guidance on their decarbonization journey.

SGS’s sustainability push: In a move to bolster its sustainability portfolio, Swiss testing, inspection and certification giant, SGS group, has acquired a majority stake in Paris-based startup, Sami, that offers a carbon management platform.

Outlooks for U.S. automated test equipment: Demand for automated test equipment in the U.S. is predicted grow at 4.7% CAGR, reaching 4.9 billion by 2035 — driven by the boom in semiconductor production, electronics manufacturing, and rising complexity in integrated circuits.

Ookla speed test finds Philippines operator Smart Communications have the lowest mobile latency— 45.89 milliseconds all across — making it the winner of its Best Mobile Latency title.

Japan forecast for spectrum analyzer market: Demand for optical spectrum analyzer is on steady trajectory in Japan. The market is projected to grow from $19.3 M in 2025 to $29.4 in 2035 — propelled by rise of 5G, fiber optic infrastructure and broadband speeds.

Industry Resources

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