As the AI computing power race intensifies, Google is aggressively expanding its global computing infrastructure. In this arms race, optical modules, serving as the "highway" for data transmission, have become one of the core procurement categories for Google's data center construction. Based on data from third-party organizations such as TrendForce and LightCounting, the following outlines the key areas of Google optical module demand.

Ⅰ.Overview of Core Requirements Data for Optical Modules

Indicator	Data	Source
Google TPU Shipments in 2026	Nearly 4 million pieces	TrendForce
Demand for 800G and Above Optical Modules in 2026	More than 6 million pieces	TrendForce
Global Shipment Share of 800G and Above Modules in 2024	19.50%	TrendForce
Global Shipment Share of 800G and Above Modules in 2026	More than 60%	TrendForce
Google 800G Module Shipments in Q4 2023 (Quarter-over-Quarter)	Doubled increase	LightCounting
Google 800G Module Shipments in Q4 2023 (Year-over-Year)	30-fold increase	LightCounting
Google Total Optical Module Procurement Volume in 2025	About 3.5 million pieces	——

II. Optical Module Rate Distribution

With the increased shipment share of the new TPU version in 2026, demand for 1.6T and 800G will be significantly boosted.

III. Optical Module Supply Chain Market Share

A leading Suzhou-based optical module manufacturer has completed joint testing with Google on its 1.6T optical modules and is expected to enter mass production in 2025. Market research data indicates that Google's total demand for 1.6T optical modules in 2026 is projected to be between 3 million and 4 million pieces .

IV. Optical Module Technical Architecture Parameters

The core of Google Apollo OCS all-optical network technology lies in the use of micro-mirrors (MEMS) to directly connect data fibers, avoiding the energy consumption and latency caused by the repeated switching between "optical" and "electrical" in traditional technologies. A single OCS switch consumes only about 100 watts, compared to 3,000 watts for a traditional switch, reducing power consumption by approximately 95%. More importantly, this architecture gives Google tremendous upgrade flexibility—if bandwidth needs to be increased from 800G to 1.6T in the future, only the high-speed optical modules need to be replaced, without having to rebuild the entire system .

Summary

Google data center demand for optical modules is highly focused on two speed levels: 800G and 1.6T. 800G has already entered a phase of large-scale deployment, while 1.6T is accelerating its growth. With the continued expansion of TPU clusters and the advancement of OCS all-optical network deployment, this demand trend is expected to remain strong in the coming years.

Data source:

1. https://www.trendforce.com.cn/presscenter/news/20260210-12920.html

2. https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260210-12919.html

3. https://www.lightcounting.com/newsletter/chinese/march-2024-quarterly-market-update-288