3-31: Samsung Galaxy C series leaked; MediaTek Helio X30 leaked; Samsung developing new VR sensors; Xiaomi Rice Cooker; Xiaomi ecosystem now has 55 corps; etc.
Samsung Galaxy C series leaked, especially for China; MediaTek Helio X30 leaked; Samsung developing new VR sensors; Xiaomi Rice Cooker is announced; Xiaomi ecosystem now has 55 corps; Apple’s patent “stackable magnetically-retained connector interface”; Apple iPhone SE online sales amounted to 6% of what Apple saw with the iPhone 6s launch in 2015; etc.
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Chipsets |
| DTS announces that its DTS Headphone:X immersive sound technology is supported by MediaTek new Helio X20 processor. (EE Trend, PR Newswire, Fudzilla) |
| MediaTek Helio X30 is rumored to bet on the tri-cluster CPU design, with 2×Artemis cores at 2.8GHz, 4×Cortex-A53 at 2.2GHz, and 4×Cortex-A35 at 2GHz. It will use TSMC 10nm FinFET process, and to go into mass production at end of this year. (CN Beta, GSM Arena, MTKSJ)
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Display |
| Head-up displays as they currently exist push static images from the dashboard to your windshield using reflections. Toyota patented system acts in that same way, but instead of just displaying data pulled from the instrument display, it takes readings from speed and steering-angle sensors to change the output in real time. (CN Beta, Free Patents, CNET)
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| Samsung is reportedly working on multiple methods for allowing a VR headset wearer’s VR experience to be more social – physically social, allowing those in the wearer’s immediate vicinity to be seen and participate in the VR experience. (CN Beta, SlashGear)
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Battery |
| Developed by SIAT in Shenzhen, the new aluminum-graphite dual-ion battery (AGDIB) offers significantly reduced weight, volume, and fabrication cost, as well as higher energy density, in comparison with conventional LIBs. AGDIB’s electrode materials are composed of environmentally friendly low cost aluminum and graphite only, while its electrolyte is composed of conventional lithium salt and carbonate solvent. (CN Beta, India Times, Aluminum Inside, BGR) |
| According to IHS, the wireless charging receiver market grew more than 160% in 2015 over the previous year, as annual global shipments reached 144 million units. Annual shipment volume is expected to top 1 billion units by 2020 and 2 billion by 2025. (IHS, press, EE Times, HC360)
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Sensors |
| ITRI developing a new alcohol-sensitive chip which can be installed in smartphones and wearable devices. With a volume equal to only a 40th of a grain of rice, the chip — after warming up — takes only 10 seconds to determine if someone’s blood alcohol content exceeds permitted levels. (CN Beta, TechWeb, Taipei Times)
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| A team of researchers at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) has come up with a new infrared depth-sensing system. The new system, which works outdoors as well as in, was built by attaching a US$10 laser to a smartphone. (CN Beta, GizMag, MIT)
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| Samsung patent application reveals new sensors are coming to the side of the Gear VR headset that will be able to detect a user’s in-air gesture and cause a cursor on the display to click on an item, icon, photo, movie and so forth so as to open an app or choose a photo or other item without using any physical buttons on the headset. (CN Beta, Patently Mobile)
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Connectivity |
| Apple’s U.S. Patent No. 9,300,083 for a “Stackable magnetically-retained connector interface” outlines a method by which two or more plugs feeding peripheral devices can be stacked vertically, one atop the other, on a single surface-mounted connector. (CN Beta, Apple Insider, USPTO)
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| T-Mobile to sell USD1 billion in debt to fund additional purchases of 700MHz spectrum. (T-Mobile, Fierce Wireless, Phone Arena) |
| Google has introduced a new home phone service, Fiber Phone. The service will only be available in select areas, but will offer unlimited local and nationwide calling for just USD10 a month. (Android Central, Google, CN Beta)
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Smartphones |
| According to early data from Slice Intelligence, first weekend Apple iPhone SE online sales amounted to 6% of what Apple saw with the iPhone 6s launch in 2015, and only 3% of the iPhone 6 a year prior. Only 35% of initial iPhone SE buyers bought an iPhone online in the past two years. Some 16% of iPhone SE buyers were Android converts. (CN Beta, Apple Insider, Slice, press)
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| After 1 year, Tidal reaches 3 million paid subscribers, well behind Apple Music’s 11 million. (Apple Insider, The Verge, IB Times, CN FOL) |
| Samsung Galaxy C series is leaked from Indian customs database Zauba. The C-series is said to be meant primarily for the Chinese market. (GSM Arena, Zauba, SamMobile, Tencent)
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| Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro is official – 5” HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 616, 13MP PDAF + 5MP cameras, 3GB LPDDR3, 32GB storage, Android Lollipop (MIUI 7), LTE, dual-SIM, fingerprint sensor, 4100mAh battery, CNY899. (Phone Arena, Phone Radar, Zhicheng)
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| Samsung has refreshed the Galaxy J7 and Galaxy J5 for 2016 in China: Galaxy J7 – 5.5” FHD Super AMOLED display, 1.6GHz octa-core processor, 13MP + 5MP cameras, 3GB RAM, 16GB storage, LTE, 3300mAh battery. Galaxy J5 – 5.2” HD Super AMOLED display, 12GHz quad-core processor, 13MP + 5MP cameras, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, LTE, 3100mAh battery. (GSM Arena, Android Central, Samsung, Samsung)
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| Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro is launched in China – 6” FHD Super AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 MSM8976 processor, 16MP OIS + 8MP cameras, 4GB RAM, 32GB storage, Android 6.0.1, 5000mAh battery, CNY3499. (GSM Arena, My Drivers, Phone Radar, Android Headlines)
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| Gionee W909 flip phone is official – 2×4.2” HD IPS display, MediaTek Helio P10 MT6755 processor, 16MP + 5MP cameras, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, Android 5.1,USB Type-C connector, 2530mAh battery, CNY3999. (Android Central, Android Headlines)
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Internet of Things |
| Xiaomi announces Mi ecosystem sub-brand MIJIA. The first product Rice Cooker is Wi-Fi compatible and connects to your phone through an app. It can be set manually or figure out how to cook that particular brand of rice by scanning the pack, and the cooker currently supports over 200 brands of rice. (CN Beta, GSM Arena)
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| Xiaomi unveils new Wi-Fi ac router, BT speaker and water purifier: Xiaomi Mi Router 3 – 4 antennas with Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/c support and 3 times the performance of previous generation, CNY149. Xiaomi Water Purifier 2 – uses reverse osmosis to remove even the smallest impurities at a rate of 1 liter a minute, CNY1999. Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker – a 5W speaker with BT4.1 connectivity and a 1200mAh battery, CNY130. (CN Beta, Fone Arena, Dahe, 365Jia, OfWeek, 163)
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| Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun says, currently Xiaomi owns 55 ecosystem chain corporations, 29 of which starts from incubators, 20 corporations have already launched some products, 7 corporations already have more than millions yearly revenue, and 2 already have more than billions yearly revenue. (CN Beta, Sina, 163)
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