06-05: AMD and Samsung have announced a multi-year strategic partnership in ultra low power, high performance mobile graphics IP; Apple’s a series of announcements; etc.
Chipsets
AMD and Samsung have announced a multi-year strategic partnership in ultra low power, high performance mobile graphics IP based on AMD Radeon graphics technologies. As part of the partnership, Samsung will license AMD graphics IP and will focus on advanced graphics technologies and solutions that are critical for enhancing innovation across mobile applications, including smartphones. (Neowin, Globe Newswire, CNYES, Laohu)
Huami Technology and Qualcomm have jointly announced that the two sides have reached cooperation in the field of smart wearable products. The AMAZFIT brand of Huami Technology will launch new products with the Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platform and support the full-network eSIM independent call function. (GizChina, IT Home, Gear Best)
Touch Display
LG Display (LGD) has allegedly temporarily halted the operation of the E6-1 manufacturing line in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, due to technical glitches. The E6-1 is one of the company’s manufacturing facilities anticipated to roll out OLED displays for US tech giant Apple’s iPhones as early as later 2019. (CN Beta, Apple Insider, The Investor)
ZTE has been granted a new patent from the CNIPA for a smartphone with dual punch hole selfie cameras. One of these will presumably house the front-facing selfie camera while the second could include a wide-angle alternative or a dedicated depth sensor. Alternative, it could be home to the in-ear speaker. (Phone Arena, Tiger Mobiles, Sina, Sohu)
Huawei will reportedly launch TV products in 2019, and has already cooperated with TCL Group’s subsidy CSOT on the supply of 65” TV panels. TCL Group has said that Huawei is an important partner of CSOT in large-size and small-size display. (CN Beta, CHEAA, South CN)
Camera
Honor president George Zhao confirms the development of in-display camera technology. Honor has already developed a prototype device featuring the under display camera though it is currently experiencing some problems. (Gizmo China, CNMO)
Memory
Chipmakers have stepped up development of their respective 120 / 128-layer 3D NAND flash process technologies for cost competitiveness, and are gearing up to have the technology transitions kick off in 2020, according to Digitimes. Some major NAND flash chipmakers have delivered samples of their 128-layer chips targeting 1H20 for volume production. (Digitimes, press)
Connectivity
The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has officially announced that 5G commercial licenses will be released very soon. ZTE has also indicated that 5G is ready to go commercial. (GizChina, IT Home)
Phone
The latest numbers from Canalys show that smartphone shipments will reach 1.35B units in 2019, a year-on-year decline of 3.1%. Due to the many uncertainties surrounding the US / China trade talks, the US Executive Order signed on 15 May 2019 and subsequent developments, Canalys has lowered its forecasts to reflect an uncertain future. Canalys anticipates that Huawei is taking steps to mitigate the effect of component and service supply issues, but its overseas potential will be hampered for some time. (Android Headlines, VentureBeat, Canalys, press)
Apple has announced its new iOS 13 with new features such as Dark Mode, performance upgrades, upgraded Messages, Mail, Notes and Reminders. The official iOS 13 release is going to happen in the fall (Sept 2019), along with the new iPhone 11 line. (Apple Insider, Phone Arena, CN Beta)
Huawei has come forward to flatly deny all the media reports that the company has cut down smartphone production, suspending a number of production lines at its major supplier. (GSM Arena, Forbes, SCMP, CN Beta)
Samsung Electronics has revealed that the company plans to cut production at a smartphone plant in China, as competition from domestic rivals squeezes its share of the world’s biggest smartphone market to less than a paltry 1%. The output reduction at the factory in the southern city of Huizhou comes just six months after Samsung said it would close its only other handset plant in China. (My Drivers, Reuters CN, Reuters, Financial Times)
Huawei Maimang 8 is launched in China – 6.21” 2340×1080 FHD+ IPS, Huawei Kirin 710, rear tri 24MP-16MP-2MP + front 8MP, 6+128GB, Android 9.0, rear fingerprint scanner, 3400mAh 10W fast charging, CNY1,899 (USD275). (Gizmo China, CN Beta)
vivo Y12 is announced in India – 6.35” 720×1544 HD+ IPS, MediaTek Helio P22 MT6762, rear tri 13MP-8MP ultrawide-2MP + front 8MP, 3+32 / 4+64GB, Android 9.0, rear fingerprint scanner, 5000mAh, INR11,999 (EUR155) / INR12,999 (EUR170). (GSM Arena, 91Mobiles)
PC / Tablet
Apple has supplemented iOS 13 with a new iPadOS, which adds more productivity features for iPad users including enhanced Split View and Slide Over plus far better file management. (Apple Insider, CN Beta)
Home
Apple is showcasing tvOS 13, launching for Apple TVs 2019 fall, which will set the stage for two new subscription services, Apple Arcade and Apple TV+. The new version of tvOS supports multi-user, everyone in the home gets personalized suggestions and an up-next list. (CN Beta, Apple Insider)
Samsung Electronics’ Consumer Electronics CEO Kim Hyun-suk has revealed that the company will launch the Galaxy Home speaker in 3Q19. Samsung may also launch the Galaxy Home Mini speaker, which is a smaller Galaxy Home version. (CN Beta, Android Central, Engadget, Korea Herald)
Automotive
General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles disclosed to the state of Delaware earlier 2019 that they had reached agreements to buy federal greenhouse gas credits from Tesla. (TechCrunch, LA Times, Wallstreet CN, Sina)