IF / News

Chipsets

The next generation of Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, dubbed Snapdragon 855 is allegedly going to use 7nm process. (Laoyaoba, CN Beta, CNMO)

Intel will be collaborating with Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo to provide the computing power necessary for Level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicles that can drive in most any condition. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich indicates that Waymo working closely with Intel on its in-house compute will allow the company to “carefully select the components that are best suited for fully self-driving technology.” (CN Beta, The Verge, Intel, Medium, Reuters)

Intel has funneled over USD1B into AI startups via its Intel Capital center arm. That includes participating in rounds in companies including Mighty AI, Data Robot, Lumiata, AEye and many more. (CN Beta, TechCrunch, Business Wire, ZDNet)

Mobileye, a division inside Intel, has signed an agreement to provide its aftermarket Advanced Collision Avoidance System to clients of Munich Reinsurance America (Munich Re). The advanced driver assistant system (ADAS) is designed to help avoid collisions among fleets and improve driver behavior through the use of warning signals. (Laoyaoba, Insurance Journal, Electronics 360)

According to DeviceAtlas, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) chipset is the most popular, just head of the A7 and A9 duo by Apple. Qualcomm chips are the most popular in the Android world, according to the analysts. The San Diego company is a leader in developed markets like Japan, the US, the UK and Continental Europe. (Laoyaoba, DeviceAtlas, report, GSM Arena, Go Android)

Chipmakers are adopting artificial intelligence to boost fab operations, an effort that is starting to pay off, according to Micron Technology. VP of wafer fabs with Micron, Buddy Nicoson indicates that AI was 25% faster to get to the yield target desired compared to previously without these applications, it was 35% faster to get to the defect per million (DPM) levels desired than it was before. (EET Taiwan, Laoyaoba, EE Times)

Touch Display

Innolux looks good at the applications other than TV. For industrial applications there is a full-fledged system, and for automotive, the company has already started working with a number of automotive vendors. (China Times, UDN, Laoyaoba)

More European local brands are entering OLED TV segment after Sony, LG, Skyworth, and Philips. According to AVC, global OLED TV shipment has increased 91.1% on year in Jan~Jul 2017. In particular, China OLED TV market has increased 109.7% on year. Above USD2000 TV market in US, OLED TV has gained more than 70% market share. (ZOL, My Drivers, Laoyaoba, 21Jingji, TV Home)

Memory

Samsung and SK Hynix, which have a nearly 70% share of the global memory semiconductor market, are expected to see their quarterly Performance reach a record high once again. The two companies have hit a new record high every quarter from the beginning of 2017. When this trend continues, Samsung and SK Hynix will make a profit of KRW47T~48T (USD41.5B~42.38B) in the semiconductor sector in 2017 alone. (Android Headlines, Taipei Times, Business Korea, KBS)

Battery

Pi shapes like a lampshade, or a cone with its tip cut off. It uses resonant induction, which is the same tech that Qi uses, but with a special beam forming algorithm that lets them shape and direct magnetic fields around the device. Instead of needing to put the phone directly on it, the phone can just put next to it. (Engadget, Pi, TechWeb)

Dialog leads the way in RapidCharge solutions with a broad range of charging ICs that enable much higher efficiency, a very low BOM cost, and support virtually all fast charging protocols, including the new USB Power Delivery (USB PD) specification. (Today Chemical, Dialog-Semiconductor, Laoyaoba)

Smartphones

According to the research company Susquehanna International Group, The starting price of Apple iPhone X is about 50% more than the USD650 starting price of last year’s iPhone 7 but the components cost an estimated USD581, up from USD248 for components in the iPhone 7. The gap suggests Apple’s profit margins on the new device are slimmer than on existing lines. (Laoyaoba, Fortune, WSJ, Popular Mechanics, 9to5Mac)

Huawei has filed a trademark and logo for “Huawei Pay” with US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Huawei has also filed for the same name and logo in the EU. Huawei Pay is currently only available in China and supports a small list of banks.  (Laoyaoba, Huanqiu, Sohu, Android Authority, USPTO, GSM Arena)

Samsung is rumoured to use a modular design on the Galaxy S9 to be launched in 2018 fall. This would be a huge shift for Samsung, as its local rival LG has been made a modular-like phone before, without that much success. (Laoyaoba, Tencent, Caijing, Tweak Town)

Wearables

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities estimates that the LTE-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 has accounted for 80%~90% of preorders. Kuo believes this year’s Apple Watch refresh has primed the wearable device for “significant marked shipment growth”. (CN Beta, Apple Insider, Mac Rumors, Forbes)

According to NBD, the VR market, which has been hyped, now seems to drop to a low season. Costly hardware is also one of the main reasons. To change this situation, VR vendors including Sony, HTC and Oculus have dropped their prices. However, Gartner has positioned Gartner at “slope of enlightenment” claiming that the “most disappointing moment” of VR has passed. (Laoyaoba, Sina, NBD)