11-29: MediaTek has announced its plans to create a family of integrated chips for the automotive market; Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor is allegedly still planned for release in 2H17; etc.
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor is allegedly still planned for release in 2H17. It is rumored to features either 6 or 8 Kryo 200 cores and it will be manufactured using the same 10nm FinFET process. (WCCF Tech, Phone Arena, My Drivers)
According to Wells Fargo chip analyst David Wong, 8 of the 10 analog companies (TI, ADI, Infineon, STMicro, Microsemi, ON, Intersil, Monolithic) tabulated reported sequential growth in the September quarter, ranging from 3% to 15%. (TechNews, Barron’s, blog)
Meizu’s 2017 flagship will reportedly be fueled by either MediaTek Helio X30 or Helio X35. Now, also rumored Meizu X and Meizu M5 Note in 2016 will feature MediaTek Helio P20 and P10M, respectively. (CN Beta, Android Headlines)
MediaTek has announced its plans to create a family of integrated chips for the automotive market. The company’s main goal is to offer a more unified semiconductor solution for self-driving cars in order to address the issue of fragmentation. MediaTek will introduce the family of self-driving integrated chips in 1Q17. (Android Headlines, TechNews)
TrendForce puts sales revenue worldwide from fabless IC design for 2016 at USD77.49B, a decline of 3.2% from 2015. However, TrendForce expects strong growth in several application markets in 2017, such as automotive electronics. The global fabless IC design industry’s annual sales revenue will grow again in 2018 by 3.4%, totaling around USD80.59B. (TechNews, TrendForce[cn], press, TrendForce, press)
Touch / Display
Apple reportedly has asked its suppliers to increase their output of OLED displays, in anticipation of an OLED-equipped iPhone 2017. In addition, Apple is also said to have asked suppliers to offer up screens with higher resolutions than Samsung handsets. In all more than 10 prototypes are being considered for 2017 launch. (Apple Insider, WSJ, GMW, Sohu)
To make sure they will not fall behind of Apple, Huawei, OPPO and vivo have decided to form an alliance, to assure OLED panel supply via domestic production, and in 2017 will invest in flexible OLED. (91.com, 163, CN Beta)
Camera
Sony’s Chinese unit will sell its entire stake in Sony Electronics Huanan, which makes camera modules, to Shenzhen O-film Tech for USD95M. This has caused dissatisfaction to the local employees, and from 10 Nov. 2016, the factory has been closed down due to massive strike. After 2-week of halt production, Sony has paid off the employees to resume the operation. (TechNews, Sohu, Asian Nikkei)
Battery
The method of producing Panasonic’s next generation thin solar cell is already determined. It can make producing the solar cell more convenient, and can be bent, solving the durability problem, which can be used continuously for 2~3 years. Panasonic’s battery is called “perovskite solar cell”. (CN Beta, Nikkei)
Material
Cambridge Graphene Centre (CGC) and Jiangnan University, China have designed a wearable motion sensor using cotton coated in graphene-based ink. They chemically modified flakes of graphene so they would firmly stick to cotton fibers like colored dyes. (Digital Trends, Phys, CN Beta)
Sensory
Bandages that glow bright yellow if the wound underneath has been infected have been developed by University of Bath. The bandages work because they contain tiny ‘nanocapsules’ that contain fluorescent dye. When they come into contact with chemicals produced by disease causing bacteria, the capsules break open, releasing the dye. (CN Beta, Daily Mail, Medical Xpress)
Connectivity
Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), with Maravedis-Rethin, indicates 5G will require unlicensed technologies working in conjunction with licensed networks to enable the kinds of services that are envisioned. The licensed and unlicensed spectrum worlds will make significant contributions to the broad architecture that 5G must be, if it is to achieve its goals, more efficient version of what has gone before. (Android Headlines, Fierce Wireless, WBA, report, CC Time)
Smartphone
Apple’s USD1B plan to build a data facility in Ireland’s Atlantic coast is reportedly hit by a three-person roadblock. They are contesting the potential environmental impact and economic benefits from locals worried the company might scrap the project because of more than 1 year of delays. (Bloomberg, CN Beta, Business Times, Customs Today)
Cyanogen Inc. has reportedly laid off more of its workforce and also plans to shut down its Seattle, Washington office by the end of 2016. The cofounder Steve Kondik’s future at the company is unknown. (Android Authority, Android Police, CN Beta)
A proposal by Elliott Associates actually suggests that Samsung Electronics should split into a holding company (ownership purposes), and an operating company. Samsung said it remained “absolutely neutral” in corporate restructuring, because it has to consider various factors such as taxation. It has no plans to consider at parent level merger of a holding company with Samsung C&T. (NY Times, Reuters, Bloomberg, Android Headlines, Barron’s, blog, Tencent, IT Home)
Research director of IHS Technology Kevin Wang lists the 2017 smartphone target shipment of Huawei, OPPO and vivo—Huawei 170M, OPPO 160M, and vivo 150M. (CN Beta, ChinaZ, PC Online)
Huawei Senior Vice President Yu Chengdong has revealed that their smartphone sales in Latin America has crossed the 10M milestone. Huawei plans to expand its presence in South America, announcing that it will open around 1,500 new retail stores in the region in 2016. (GSM Arena, Playful Droid, 163, Hexun)
According to Counterpoint Research, in Oct. 2016, Apple had a 66% share of the high-end smartphone market in India as of last month, as shipments of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus outdid those of Samsung Galaxy S7 and other variants. Samsung had a 23% share. Google has captured a 10% share of the premium smartphone segment in India with its Pixel. (Economic Times, Apple Insider, Phone Arena, CNMO)
Morgan Stanley has estimated that Google Pixel will generate USD3.8B in revenue for the company in 2017. The estimate is based on the expectation that Google will sell around 5~6M Pixels in 2017, which retail between USD649~869. (Android Authority, Business Insider, TechNews, iFeng)
Microsoft’s rumored Surface Phone is said to be running trial productions of the upcoming handset. The company behind the production is said to be Pegatron. (Ubergizmo, MS Power User, CTEE)
It is rumored that LeEco is going to lay off 10% of its workforce, which is about 800 employees, and the company will use N+1 compensation model. (CN Beta, Sohu, 163)
Apple iOS sales will be topped by Alibaba’s YunOS in Mainland China. YunOS is set to take 14% of the smartphone shipments in mainland China by the end of 2016, according to Strategy Analytics. YunOS’ top smartphone suppliers include Alibaba-backed Meizu, XiaoLaJiao and Doov. Together, they are projected to help YunOS surpass 100M units in total smartphone shipments. (CN Beta, Investopedia, SCMP, Fortune)
After successfully expanding to Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, LEAGOO (owned by Shenzhen OTEDA Technology) now looks towards making their presence felt in Nepal. The CEO Mr Johnson has expressed his confidence to lead LEAGOO to become Top 10 in Nepal market within 1 year and to be Top 5 within 3 years. (Gizmo China, GizChina)
Samsung Galaxy S8 reportedly will bring over a few features including all-screen design with buttons and sensors incorporated into the display force touch support, dual-lens rear camera, and a personal voice assistant. The AI assistant will come with two personalities, including male (Bixby) and female (Kestra) voices, and bring over support for mobile payments by voice. (Galaxy Club, BGR, CN Beta)
Coolpad announces cool 1c – 5.5” FHD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 13MP PDAF + 8MP cameras, 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, Android 6.0 (eUI 5.8), LTE, dual-SIM, 4000mAh battery, CNY899. (CN Beta, 163, IT Home)
Lenovo K6 Power is announced in India – 5” FHD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, 13MP PDAF + 8MP cameras, 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, Android 6.0, LTE Cat. 4, dual-SIM, fingerprint sensor, 4000mAh battery, INR9,999. (GSM Arena, GizChina, Android Central)
Wearables
ZOTAC VR GO packs a a quad-core Intel Core i7-6700T (Skylake) processor paired with up to 32GB RAM (16GB is preinstalled) along with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card. Storage duties are handled by a 240GB M.2 SATA SSD. It is priced at around USD2000. (CN Beta, Hot Hardware, Beta News)
Internet of Things
Daimler hopes to come out on top by 2025 with 25% of its production being electric. Now an executive has confirmed that the company is planning a USD11B investment for the first series of vehicles to come out. (Electrek, Reuters, iFeng)
The Broadband Internet Technical Advisory Group (BITAG) formed by Google, Intel, Microsoft, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and other tech industry giants announced the publication of its report on the technical aspects of Internet of Things (IoT) security and privacy. (Engadget, BITAG, recommendations, OS China)
U.S. regulators are cautioning General Motors about its planned semi-autonomous Super Cruise system that will slowly bring a car to a halt if the system senses the driver is inattentive. (CN Beta, NASDAQ, Reuters, Detroit News)
Commerce
Souq.com, an 11-year-old e-commerce marketplace based in the Middle East, is considering a USD1B buyout offer from Amazon.com. (Next Power Up, Bloomberg, Geek Wire, Digital Trends, 163, Tencent)