7-26: Verizon Verizon acquires Yahoo’s operating business for USD4.83bln in cash; Cyanogen denies rumors that Cyanogen is shifting focus to apps; Huawei revenue within 1H16 is estimated at about CNY245.5bln; etc.
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Chipset |
| NVIDIA announces two Quadro models GPU that will fill out the high-end of the Quadro family, the P6000 and P5000. (AnandTech, article, OfWeek)
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Touch Display |
| OLED displays for smartphones are expected to almost double from last year’s 250 million units to 450 million units in 2017, market research firm IHS predicted. IHS said this year’s shipments could surge 42.7% to 366.9 million panels compared to a year ago. (Korea Herald, FPD Win, 51Touch) |
| MIT creates a 3D experience without the need of the 3D glasses. It is called “Cinema 3D”, which uses a mix of lenses and mirrors. Cinema 3D encodes multiple parallax barriers in one display, so each viewer sees a parallax barrier tailored to their specific seat. (Premium Beat, News Ledge, Gizmag, CN Beta, MIT)
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| An Apple patent could theoretically set the stage for iPhone and other devices with “autostereoscopic” displays, simulating 3D without the need for special glasses. The patent describes a pixel array featuring a second array of subpixels and lens structures, the latter emitting light at a number of different angles. (TechNews, Apple Insider, USPTO)
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Sensory |
| A researcher Scott Devine is using a USD25,000 industrial robot, together with an HTC Vive virtual reality setup, to help replicate situations IRL (in real life) that are encountered in the virtual world. The system is an ‘encounter haptic system’. (Engadget, Digital Trends, Vice, 163)
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| Developers of innovative sensors attracted USD3.4 billion, or nearly 80% of the USD4.3 billion funding for sensor modules over the past decade, underlining their importance in the fast-emerging IoT, according to Lux Research. (Lux Research, press, Read/Write, Smart Cities World, VCCOO)
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Battery |
| The anticipated and growing energy requirements for future computing needs will hit a wall in the next 24 years if the current trajectory is correct. Computing will not be sustainable by 2040. At that point, the world will not produce enough energy for all of the devices that are expected to be drawing power. (CN Beta, Semi Engineering, article, Daily Mail)
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Biometrics |
| Smartphone brands have been gearing up efforts to develop biometrics recognition technology, aiming to ramping up their market share with high-end models featured biometrics functionality. (Digitimes, press, Apple Insider, IT Home, iFeng)
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Material |
| Rice University has turned up an ultra-hard material that could usurp the titanium commonly used in today’s knee and hip replacements. Scientists have found that by melting gold into the titanium mix they can produce a non-toxic metal that is four times harder than titanium itself, raising the prospect of more durable, longer lasting medical implants. (CN Beta, Gizmag, PhysOrg)
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Smartphones |
| Verizon will acquire Yahoo’s operating business for approximately USD4.83 billion in cash, subject to customary closing adjustments. (PR Newswire, CN Beta, Reuters) |
| During 4-year of Marissa Mayer being Yahoo CEO, the company has spent USD3 billion acquiring 53 companies. (CN Beta, The Drum, Gizmodo, 53 companies) |
| The rest of Yahoo will morph into a yet-to-be-named publicly traded investment company, with a 15% stake in Alibaba worth $32 billion and a 35.5% stake in Yahoo Japan worth about $8 billion. The new company, referred to as RemainCo. (CN Beta, Variety, Khou, Barron’s) |
| Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster denies rumors that Cyanogen is shifting focus to apps. (Android Authority, Twitter, ZOL) |
| Huawei disclosed that the company’s revenue within 1H16 is estimated at about CNY245.5 billion (about USD37 billion), which is an estimated increase of 40% growth in revenue. (CN Beta, TechNews, Gizmo China, Android Headlines, Reuters) |
| Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro is announced in India – 5” HD Super AMOLED display, Spreadtrum SC8830 processor, 8MP + 5MP cameras, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, LTE, Smart Glow notification light, 2600mAh battery, INR9890. (CN Beta, India Times, The Mobile Indian, NDTV)
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Tablets |
| Entry tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab J is launched in Taiwan – 7” 1280×800 PLS display, 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 8MP + 2MP cameras, 1.5GB RAM, 8GB storage, Android 5.1, 4000mAh battery, NTD5990 (USD185). (CN Beta, GSM Arena, Geeky Gadgets, Sam Mobile, ePrice)
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Wearables |
| WiFore Consulting predicts that hearables will be the fastest growing wearable market, exploding upward to over USD16 billion by 2020. (EE Times, article, Nickhunn)
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| Travis Bogard, a top Jawbone product executive, has parted ways with the company. This might seem Jawbone will not continue making band products. (TechNews, The Verge) |
| Xiaomi Yi Small Ants 4K Camera announced, with Sony IMX377 CIS, US Ambarella A9SE75 processor with Broadcom BCM43340 dual-band chip, Bosch BMI160 six-axis gyro sensor, supports 157° wide-angle, supports 5G Wi-Fi,1400mAh battery, priced at CNY1629. (CN Beta, Gizmo China)
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Internet of Things |
| UK government has teamed up with Amazon in a partnership that will allow the company to test their drone delivery systems in the country. This is supported by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). (Ubergizmo, The Guardian, PC Pop, iFeng)
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| Ballooncam from Panasonic, designed for recording sports contests and other events, is completely housed inside the balloon, enhancing safety in the event of a crash in a crowded venue. A four-propeller quadcopter is wrapped up inside, along with a camera at the bottom of the balloon. (TechNews, Digital Trends, The Verge, Panasonic)
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