4-19: Apple iPhone 7 might be delayed; UMC expands its memory business; Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 leaks; EU could fine Google USD7.45bln for antitrust; etc.
Because of Japan earthquakes, Apple iPhone 7 might be facing the risk of delay; UMC is expanding its memory business; XMC broke ground on a new wafer fab in Wuhan to launch production of 3D NAND flash memory; Metallic low-end Samsung Galaxy C series may be launched in China soon; 3G will become history in Europe in a decade; EU could fine Google USD7.45bln for antitrust; etc.
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Chipset |
| Qualcomm MSM8998, or unannounced Snapdragon 830, might be one of the Snapdragon chipsets that are supported for use on a Windows 10 Mobile handset. (Phone Arena, Microsoft, Windows Central, 163)
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| Detailed Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 (MSM8998) leak marks it with LPDDR4X RAM, 4K×2K video recording, launched 4Q16. (CN Beta, WCCF Tech, IB Times)
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| Qualcomm has signed a new 3G and 4G Chinese patent license agreement with Yulong, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Coolpad Group Limited. (CN Beta, Market Watch, Newswire Today) |
| ARM and UMC form a new strategic partnership spanning from a 55ULP platform for IoT applications to a 14nm FinFET test chip for leading-edge mobile applications. (China Times, Digitimes, 4-Traders) |
| According to IC Insights forecasting 2016-2020 global wafer foundry production, it sows that number of operating fab for 12” (300mm) wafers will continue to grow, and expect to reach 100 in 2016. (IC Insights, press, EEPW)
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| MediaTek shipments of 4G phone chips are expected to rise 20-30% sequentially in 2Q16, buoyed by replenishment demand prior to China’s May 1 holiday, and roll-outs of new models. (Digitimes, press, Sohu) |
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Display |
| BOE will construct world’s first most advanced generation production line – 10.5G TFT-LCD production line, with total investment of CNY40 billion, start construction from December 2015, and expect to start production in 2Q18. The design monthly production capacity would be 90,000pcs ((2940mm×3370mm) glass substrate. (OfWeek, Xinhuanet) |
| According to Trendforce, in 2016 global production capacity of IGZO panel would be around 6.9 million square metres, thanks to China CEC Panda’s new 8.5G production line. Compared to 2015, the growth is about 45%. Sharp expects to occupy 33% of global IZO panel production capacity, but with the increase of Apple production lines, LG Display and Samsung Display will invest in IGZO, it will become the top 3 standout. (TrendForce[cn], press, Laoyaoba)
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Camera |
| Morgan Stanley analyst Jasmine Lu warned that if Sony does not resume normal operations of its main production base for image sensors after Japan quakes in the near term, Apple iPhone 7 may be delayed. (Barron’s, CN Beta) |
| Japan quakes have affected Sony CIS supply, phone vendors start getting supplies top 2 CIS vendor Samsung. As an exclusive distributor in China CoAsia will benefit the most out of this. (EEPW, Sohu, CECB2B)
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| Memory |
| UMC is expanding its memory business, planning to collaborate with Quanzhou government to build a 12” wafer plant in Quanzhou, entering the memory foundry segment. UMC reportedly has formed an internal group, hiring memory developers and engineers, setting up small trial production line, and fully entering the China memory market. (OfWeek, EEPW, Sohu)
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| XMC, China’s foundry, broke ground on a new wafer fab in Wuhan to launch production of 3D NAND flash memory, with total investment of USD24 billion. Japanese analyst indicates that to exceed Samsung, XMC still needs at least 3-4 years. XMC aims to become a semiconductor giant that has monthly production capacity of 1 million substrates by 2030. (EEPW, Elecfans, TechNews, EE Times)
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Sensors |
| MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) has built a new AI—named AI2 (AI squared), uses three different machine learning algorithms to detect suspicious events. In tests carried out using 3.6 billion log lines of internet activity, AI2 was able to identify 85% of attacks ahead of time. (Gizmodo, Digital Trends, CN Beta)
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| Magic Leap, a U.S. startup working on a device that simulates reality, acquired Israeli cybersecurity company NorthBit to bolster its advanced software research. (CN Beta, Bloomberg, Venture Beat) |
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Connectivity |
| Columbia University has created a new kind of Wi-Fi chip that uses just one antenna. The team’s circulators, however, use rapid switching, echo cancellation, and filters to use a single antenna to both send and transmit the data at the same time. (Gizmodo, E&T, Looooker)
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| 2G networks expected to outlast 3G in Europe thanks to demand for voice roaming, low-bandwidth services. 3G could be consigned to history in Europe over the next decade. (CN Beta, Total Telecom) |
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Smartphones |
| TrendForce reports that the worldwide smartphone shipments in 1Q16 totaled 292 million units, down 18.6% QoQ and down 1.3% YoY. The decrease was mainly attributed to market saturation. (TrendForce, press)
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| The EU Commission could fine Google USD7.45 billion for pre-loading its apps on Android smartphones. EU announced the organization is “looking closely” at Google’s deals with Android smartphone makers and telecoms to establish if the company’s insistence on pre-loading “Google apps” on mobile devices might be preventing competing apps from reaching customers. (Android Headlines, Phone Arena, Reuters, IT Home, iFeng) |
| According to Sino MR, OPPO has taken the first spot in offline sales in China thanks to the soaring interest for the F1 Plus (R9 in China). The data shows that OPPO sold 180,000 units on the first day of sales (24 March). Just 4 days later, 400,000 units of OPPO R9 are sold. (GSM Arena, My Drivers, Sohu)
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| According to data computed by Citibank, by 1H16 the average American will be keeping his phone for an average of 29 months. That is up from the 28-month holding period that Americans averaged 4Q15. With the demise of the 2-year contract and the subsidized phone offer, more Americans are paying full price for their handsets; therefore they are not as eager to turn them over so quickly. (WSJ, Phone Arena) |
| Apple expects so-called first owners of iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches to replace them after only 3 years of use, and Mac computers only 4 years. (TechNews, The Guardian) |
| Apple is forced to keep production about 30% lower than a year earlier in 2Q16, since the reduced production of 1Q16. This affects the Japanese component suppliers – Sharp (LCD), Sony (CIS), Toshiba (memory), etc. As for influence to Taiwan suppliers – Foxconn and Pegatron (assemblers), Largan (lens), TSMC (processor), Catch (casing), still need some time for observation. (TechNews, Nikkei) |
| Samsun has unveiled its low-end and lower mid-range Galaxy J Series of smartphones in the Chinese market for the first time this year, and it will also release a new C series of smartphones in the Chinese market first next month. The C series will adopt the metal design at relatively lower prices than the A series. (Business Korea, Sam Mobile, Slash Gear, CN Beta) |
| YU Yureka Note is announced – 6” FHD display, MediaTek MT6753 processor, 13MP + 5MP cameras, 3GB RAM, 16GB storage, Android 5.1.1, fingerprint sensor, 4000mAh battery, INR13499. (Android Headlines)
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Wearables |
| According to Drexel Hamilton analyst Brian White, Apple will introduce a new Apple Watch that is 20%-40% thinner than the original. (Phone Arena, Mac Rumors, Sohu) |
| GoPro unveils new VR video platform, alongside its six-camera (Omni) and sixteen-camera VR rigs (Odyssey). (Huffington Post, WXYZ, Mashable, eTekNix, GoPro, Sina, 163, Leiphone)
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Internet of Things |
| Bernstein Research studied the car market in Hong Kong where it is based. Bernstein Research said because Hong Kong, and China’s, production of electricity is carbon intensive, mainly from coal in other words, electric cars are increasing rather than reducing pollution. And worse, the government subsidizes the rich to do this. (Forbes, In Auto News, CN Beta)
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| FlexCase is developed by Microsoft and University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, which uses piezoelectric circuitry to detect all kinds of gestures, including presses, pinches, and flexes. It could double as a secondary touchscreen, providing additional functionality that extends beyond the display of the phone. (CN Beta, Softpedia, Gizmodo)
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| LeEco ‘super-car’ partner Faraday Future reveals the Nevada mega-factory, putting the size of the Apex Industrial Park facility at 3 million square feet. (CN Beta, Daily Mail, Hybrid Cars)
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