IF / News

Chipsets

Intel introducing its new Embedded Multi-die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) technology would let a 22nm chip connect to a 10nm chip and a 14nm chip, all on the same processor. That is a radical departure from how the company has constructed most CPUs and SoCs, where all components of a CPU or SoC are built on the same process.  (CN Beta, PC World, Intel)

MediaTek’s merger with affiliate Airoha Technology has entered the 2^nd stage where MediaTek will purchase the remaining shares in the company. MediaTek through an investment arm has already increased its stake in Airoha to 69.6%. (Digitimes, press, Elecfans)

Tsinghua Unigroup has announced it had signed a deal with the China Development Bank (CDB), under which the bank will provide CNY100B (USD14.5B) of financing support through to 2020. Tsinghua Unigroup also has reached a separate agreement with Sino IC Capital, which was set up in 2014 to oversee China’s National Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund (known as the Big Fund), under which Sino IC Capital will inject up to CNY50B into Tsinghua unigroup. (Digitimes, press, Sina, Guancha)

Rockchip officially announced its multi-screen interactive chip RK3036, which can provide a complete solution for TV screen cast dongle, first support H.265 video decoding and accelerate the upgrades of consumer level intelligent hardware. (CN Beta, 163, TechWeb, Rockchips)

The “Made in China 2025” (MIC 2025) plan is published by the China State Council in May 2015. Major China-based fabless firms are looking to be capable of developing 10nm and sub-10nm chips in order to expand their global market presence. China has set a goal for its IC design industry of generating USD60B in output value and grabbing a 35% share of the global IC design market. With the government subsidies, the number of China-based IC design houses climbed to 1,362 companies in 2016 from 681 in 2014. (Digitimes, press, Digitimes, article, Laoyaoba, OfWeek)

Baidu, in collaboration with ARM, UNIS Digital and Shanghai High-Flying Electronics launching DuerOS intelligent chipset, which incorporate cost, performance and easy-to-use as one-stop smart voice interaction solution. (CN Beta, My Drivers)

Synopsys has teamed up with TSMC to develop an IP portfolio for TSMC’s 12nm FinFET process. The DesignWare Interface, Analog and Foundation IP will help designers accelerate development of mobile SoCs that incorporate logic libraries, embedded memories, embedded test and repair, USB 3.1/3.0/2.0, USB-C 3.1/DisplayPort 1.3, DDR4/3, LPDDR4X, PCI Express 4.0/3.1/2.1, SATA 6G, HDMI 2.0, MIPI M-PHY and D-PHY and data converter IP. (Laoyaoba, PR Newswire, EET Asia, Electroiq)

Touch Display

According to Yole Development, many large companies and startups are currently working on microLED technologies for display applications: from LED makers such as Epistar, Nichia or Osram to display makers like AUO, BOE or CSOT and OEMs such as Apple or Facebook / Oculus.  (Yole Development, press, Electroiq)

Japan Display Inc. (JDI) has announced changes in the scheduled dates for completion of a contract for the acquisition of shares of JOLED and completion of the acquisition of shares of JOLED. (EE Trend, Digitimes, OfWeek, Laoyaoba, 4-Traders)

Camera

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts Genius to be quality certified by Apple and receive orders for the company’s rear camera wide-angle 6P lens for iPhone in 2017. Genius is also predicted to become a major 4P lens supplier for both 3D sensing receiver module and front camera. Genius’ entry into 6P lens technology signals considerable technology improvement in the longer term and significant potential for healthy growth momentum in the fiscal year 2017-2019. Average selling prices of new iPhone models’ lenses are also expected to rise 15% -25%  in 2017 to USD0.9-1.0. (Laoyaoba, TechNews, EE World, Smart Stock News, Street Insider)

Memory

Compal president Ray Chen indicates that the shortage of DRAM is caused by human action, not really shortage in the industry – ways of selling or vendors are not releasing goods. As for panels, it is expected that in 2H17 the shortage will be slightly alleviated. Due to high demand, SSD is facing the real shortage, and it will not be solved till end of 2017. (Laoyaoba, China Flash Market, Digitimes)

SK Hynix is reportedly in talks with Japanese financial investors about forming a consortium and jointly bidding for Toshiba’s memory chip business. The consortium has offered to pay more than USD9B for a majority stake in Toshiba’s memory chip business. (Reuters, Business Insider, Seeking Alpha, Laoyaoba)

IC Insights has raised its worldwide IC market growth forecast for 2017 to 11%, due to a substantial upgrade to the 2017 growth rates forecast for the DRAM and NAND flash memory markets. IC Insights currently expects DRAM sales to grow 39% and NAND flash sales to increase 25% in 2017.  DRAM market growth is expected to be driven almost entirely by a huge 37% increase in the DRAM average selling price (ASP). NAND flash ASPs are forecast to rebound and jump 22% in 2017. (Laoyaoba, IC Insights, press)

Biometrics

Synaptics has released a new Synaptics FS4600 line of Natural ID fingerprint sensors, providing high-performance, convenient and secure biometric authentication for mainstream and affordable smartphones. FS4600 fingerprint sensors support square, round, pill shape, and slim rectangular buttons for the front, back or side of mobile devices. (CN Beta, Globe Newswire, Synaptics, Biometric Update)

Connectivity

Chinese Academy of Sciences indicates that the academy will spend CNY30M in next 18 months in  deployment of a new generation of mobile communications 5G chip industrialization projects to build a 5G chip with independent intellectual property rights and network key technology innovation chain. (Laoyaoba, 163, ECNS, China.com)

Smartphones

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has met Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, and said that his company was committed to creating over 20,000 jobs in the country by the year 2020.  (Android Headlines, Business Standard, India.com, Sohu)

HTC is reportedly competing with LG, TCL and Coolpad for the orders of the next-generation Pixel smartphones to be released by Google in 2018. HTC has shipped over 2.1M units of 5” Pixel and 5.5” Pixel XL to Google since their launch in Sept 2016. (CN Beta, Digitimes, press, Benzinga)

OPPO India faced flak after its employee allegedly disrespected national flag. Protest erupted on 28 Mar 2017 outside OPPO India’s Noida office after an employee allegedly tore the national flag and dumped it in a dustbin. (Laoyaoba, 163, Sina, India.com, Economic Times, BGR)

Amazon has announced it will be shutting down its 4^th largest acquisition, Quidsi. Quidsi was acquired by Amazon in 2011 for USD545M and is the owner of Diapers.com and Soaps.com. The shutdown is due to Amazon’s  inability to make Diapers.com and Soaps.com profitable.  (CN Beta, Reuters, MSN, MarketWatch)

Mobile phone vendors including Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO, vivo and Lenovo have been launching their actions of global expansion, shifting their domestic resource to foreign. In particular, India has become the battlefield. Supply chain has anticipated that this would initiate a cost down competition, which will further induce pressure to the supply chain cost. (Laoyaoba, Sohu, Digitimes)

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are announced, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Samsung Exynos 8895 processor, 12MP OIS+ 8MP cameras, 4GB RAM, 64GB UFS 2.0 storage,  Android 7.0, IP68 rating: S8 – 5.8” QHD+ (2960×1440) Super AMOLED display, 3000mAh battery. S8+ —  6.2” QHD+ (2960×1440) Super AMOLED display, 3500mAh battery. (Android Central, Android Central, Engadget, Phone Arena, Sammy Hub)

Dual-camera smartphone Micromax Dual 5 is announced in India – 5.5” FHD Super AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, dual rear 13MP-13MP + 13MP front cameras, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, Android 6.0, 3200mAh battery, INR24999. (Android Headlines, Android Authority)

PCs / Tablets

Samsung has introduced a new accessory that will be compatible with the new devices. Dubbed Samsung DeX, it can transform the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy S8+ into a full desktop PC running on Android. (Sammy Hub, Telegraph, Mashable, 163)

Wearables

HTC has signed a strategic alliance agreement with China-based Qingdao Publishing Group to jointly develop a VR education platform targeting China. Once complete, the platform will be delivered and used by over 10,000 schools in China, HTC said. (Digitimes, press, Yuncaijing, HiAPK)

Samsung updates Gear 360 camera with slimmer design, 4K and live video support. The new Gear 360 is equipped with 2 CMOS 8.4MP fisheye cameras. It can record 15MP JPEG images or 4K videos with a 4096×2048 resolution (24fps). It has a 1160mAh battery. (VentureBeat, Apple Insider, Samsung, Yesky, Kejixun)

Internet of Things

Didi Chuxing, the largest ride sharing app in China, is deliberating a proposed USD6B investment backed by SoftBank Group. (TechCrunch, Bloomberg, East Money)

Tapping robotics, machine vision, and AI, Ripcord is striving to create what it calls the “truly paperless workplace.” It has announced its formal launch alongside UDS9.5M in funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), with participation from Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak, Lux Capital, and Legend Star. (VentureBeat, Lieyunwang)

TCL Multimedia announced that in 2016 it has sold more than 20.2M units of TV, number 3 globally and number 1 in China. TCL is introducing new X series, C series and P series. TCL also unveils its new Internet TV brand “FFALCON”. (Laoyaoba, JRJ, Qudong, Consumer Electronics Net, SCMP)

Samsung has unveiled the Connect Home, a Wi-Fi mesh router to compete against Eero, Google, and Luma. The expectation is that this device will be the module in the home to manage not only Samsung’s line of connected devices, but all those third-party devices supported through SmartThings. (Android Authority, VentureBeat, 163)