10-13: Samsung may consider to drop “Note” brand; Samsung may dispose of all Galaxy Note 7; Samsung not selling L7-1 LCD fab; etc.
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Chipset |
| SK Hynix has set out to develop artificial neural network devices using a ferroelectric material in joint efforts with Stanford University and U.S. companies Lam Research and Versum Materials. The collaboration is hoping to pave the way for the development of neuromorphic chips. (MIT, Pulse, iTer News)
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| Spreadtrum has announced the entry into a strategic cooperation with Internet Finance Authentication Alliance (IFAA) to jointly promote the framework and development of an iris-based payment authentication system in China. (EE Trend, PR Newswire) |
| Semiconductor manufacturers with the most exposure to Samsung business include Maxim Integrated Products, Synaptics, Qualcomm and Qorvo. Samsung discontinues Galaxy Note 7 is likely to have a “modest negative impact” on several mobile-chip suppliers, according to Pacific Crest Research. Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley said the Galaxy Note 7 recall will have a “slight impact to near-term estimates” for Qualcomm. (TechNews, Investors)
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Touch Display |
| Samsung Display is allegedly going to take apart its equipment from Tangjeong L7-1 Line, which produces 7th generation LCDs, rather than to sell it to foreign panel manufacturers (rumoured parties are Truly or CSOT). (TechNews, ET News) |
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Camera |
| Omnivision is entering China A stock market with help from Superpix Micro Technology in Beijing, seeking for funding hoping to lead the market again. Superpix cumulative shipment of its chipset is more than 50 million units, and it has successfully developed 12MP high efficiency image sensor chipset. (OfWeek, Laoyaoba)
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Memory |
| NAND flash device controller supplier Phison Electronics is partnering with Moser Baer and Sahasra Electronics, India’s 2 largest electronics manufacturers, to expand its business in India, according to Phison chairman Khein Seng Pua. (Digitimes, press, China Times) |
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Battery |
| LG Innotek has launched the world’s first 15W wireless quick charging pad. It is said to be 3 times faster than standard 5W wireless charging modules and could boost devices up to 50% in 30 minutes. (Android Authority, LG Innotek, TNW, 163)
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| Park Chul-wan, former director of the Center for Advanced Batteries at the Korea Electronics Technology Institute, indicates that the battery might not be the problem to Samsung Galaxy Note 7. It seems Samsung has yet to figure out why their Galaxy Note7 is exploding. (NY Times, Sammy Hub, Tencent, iFeng) |
| The explosions of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 are allegedly being caused due to an SoC tweak made by company’s engineers with the aim to speed up the charging process. However, the battery could not handle the rate at which it was being charged, and this is causing the handset to catch fire and explode. (CN Beta, NDTV, Financial Times) |
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Connectivity |
| Toshiba announces the unimaginatively named ‘WiGig Dock’. It features some essential connections — 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm audio, DisplayPort, and HDMI. (CN Beta, Beta News)
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| Google and Facebook are teaming up to build a 120Tbps submarine cable that will connect Los Angeles with Hong Kong. The 2 companies are working with Pacific Light Data Communication — a wholly owned subsidiary of China Soft Power Technology. (TechCrunch, ZOL)
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Smartphones |
| According to Fubon Financial checking with the supply chain, Apple will increase orders of components for its iPhone 7 series to meet the holiday season. Fubon’s analyst Liao increase forecast of iPhone 7 shipment in 4Q16 from 71 million to 75 million. He expects iPhone 7 shipment in 3Q16 to reach 45 million units. (Sina, CN Beta, China Times, UDN) |
| UBS analyst Steven Milunovich expects Apple’s current flagship iPhone 7 series will spur 8% unit growth in fiscal year 2017. Looking forward to fiscal 2018, he has predicted that sales of a so-called “iPhone 8” will cause a spike in sales, amounting to 16% year over year growth. (Apple Insider, 91.com)
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| According to Nikkei Asian, in Sept. 2016, major Taiwanese technology companies saw their sales drop in September from a year ago after a slight rebound in Aug., due to lukewarm demand for Apple iPhone 7s. In Sept. 2016, the revenue of 19 Taiwanese tech companies on the Nikkei Asian Review’s watch list fell 1.52% from a year ago, compared with a YoY gain of 5% in Aug. 2016 after a prolonged 9-month drop. (TechNews, Asia Nikkei, article pt.1, pt.2)
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| Samsung cuts its 3Q16 operating profit estimates by USD2.3 billion, suggesting the amount of damage done by ending production of the Galaxy Note 7. Profits are now expected to come in at USD4.63 billion. (Apple Insider, Bloomberg, China.com, iFeng, Sohu) |
| Global smartphone shipments are expected to grow 7.2% on year to 1.42 billion in 2016 and another 7% to 1.52 billion units in 2017, according to the latest estimate by Digitimes Research. (Apple Insider, Digitimes, press, PC Online, 163)
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| Samsung is recommended to drop the Note brand as consumers may still find it dangerous even when the new Note 8 comes out, says the Korea-Insight Institute vice president Kim Duk-jin. (Android Headlines, Digital Trends, BGR, Korea Herald, Phone Arena, CN Beta) |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 7 units that have been manufactured will be disposed of and will not be repair, refurbished, or resold ever again. (Ubergizmo, Motherboard, CN Beta) |
| Apple iPhone ODMs Foxconn and Pegatron both report Sept 2016 revenue increase: Foxconn has reported consolidated revenues of NTD468.362 billion (USD14.817 billion) for Sept. 2016, up 49.78% on month and 1.62% on year. Pegatron has reported consolidated revenues of NTD151.034 billion (USD4.78 billion) for Sept. 2016, up 82.8% on month. (Digitimes, Digitimes, press, CN Beta)
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| Apple chief Tim Cook has announced plans for a second facility in the city of Shenzhen in southern China. (Digital Trends, Quartz, SZ Daily, 163) |
| Russian search engine giant Yandex has launched a new partnership program to work with smartphone handset makers, where it will offer its Android launcher and browser, powered by its Yandex Zen artificial intelligence engine, as pre-loaded services, replacing products typically bundled with Google’s Android OS. (TechCrunch, Developing Telecoms, JKEABC) |
| Sharp Aquos Xx3 Mini is announced – 4.7” FHD IGZO display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor, 21MP + 8MP cameras, 3GB RAM, 16GB storage, Android 7.0, LTE (VoLTE), 2400mAh battery. (Android Headlines, GSM Arena)
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| Nomu S30 unveiled – 5.5” FHD display, MediaTek MT6755 processor, 13MP + 8MP cameras, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, Android 6.0, LTE, IP68 certified, 5000mAh battery. (Android Headlines, Mobipicker, GizChina)
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Tablets |
| Microsoft is expected to announce its next-generation Surface Pro series 2-in-1 and notebook products including the Surface Pro 5, Surface Book 2 and new Surface-brand desktops (likely all-in-one PCs) and most of them are expected to be made by Pegatron Technology. (CN Beta, Digitimes, press) |
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Wearables |
| According to Cleveland Clinic, the chest strap monitor was the most accurate, nearly matching the EKG with 99% accuracy—both technologies capture electrical activity coming from the heart. Of the wrist wearables, Apple Watch was about 90% accurate. (Time, 9to5Mac, CN Beta) |
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Internet of Things |
| Google’s AI division DeepMind has built a “differentiable neural computer” (DNC) that for the first time can solve small-scale problems without prior knowledge, such as planning the best route between distant stations on the London Underground or working out relationships between relatives on family trees. (CN Beta, Financial Times, Wired, New Scientist)
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