06-11: Huawei is reportedly reaching out to Play Store developers and inviting them to bring their apps to the company’s AppGallery; Huawei has reportedly already shipped 1M smartphones loaded with the new HongMeng OS onboard for testing; etc.
Touch Display
OPPO’s new foldable phone patent shows a device, which features a concertinaed hinge that allows the phone to fold outwards. (CN Beta, LetsGoDigital, SlashGear, Pocket-Lint)
Microsoft is working on a dual-panel folding laptop called Centaurus. Its patent titled “MOVEABLE DISPLAY SUPPORTS, COMPUTING DEVICES USING SAME, AND METHODS OF USE” describes how Microsoft is trying to solve the problem of folding displays. The patent describes attaching movable supports to the folding display which would prevent any bending of the display in any other direction than the direction of fold, an important element of creasing. (CN Beta, MS Poweruser, TechRadar)
Samsung’s new patent for “an electronic device comprising a flexible display having an expandable display area is disclosed” details a device with what appears to be a vertically scrolling display which can slide in and out of the handset’s body. (CN Beta, TechRadar, GearBest)
Memory
Micron Technology has introduced its new UFS 2.1 managed NAND products for automotive applications. The new Micron UFS 2.1 compliant managed NAND storage solutions deliver ultrafast boot and automotive-grade reliability using cost-effective 64-layer 3D TLC NAND architecture. (Digitimes, press, China Times, China Flash Market)
Sensory
Innoviz has announced it has raised USD132M in a Series C funding round. Innoviz is developing and launching its solid-state lidar sensors and perception software for autonomous vehicles. The company contends that solid-state lidar technology is more reliable over time because of the lack of moving parts. (TechCrunch, PR Newswire, Teller China)
Phone
HMD Global’s Global Portfolio GM, Pranac Shroff, has indicated that even though his company has launched at least 12 or 13 new smartphones in India, it did a poor job making its portfolio clear for consumers. Talking about the future, Shroff has claimed the company wants to make sure the portfolio is very clear to the consumers. (GizChina, NDTV, Phone Arena)
NSO Group claims it can hack any smartphone in the world, which is now valued at USD1B and its Pegasus is used by governments and intelligence agencies around the world to remotely and secretly hack smartphones. Communitake Technologies is developing a smartphone that is nearly unhackable, and has developed a custom-built IntactPhone. (CN Beta, Financial Times)
Huawei is reportedly reaching out to Play Store developers and inviting them to bring their apps to the company’s AppGallery. To incentivize developers, Huawei is promoting the fact that it has shipped over 350M phones over 2018, all with direct access to AppGallery. Along with that, Huawei is promising to support developers and invites them to join its developers community for free. (Android Authority, XDA Developers, 9to5Google)
Young Liu, semiconductor division chief at Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn), has indicated that 25% of their production is outside of China, and they can help Apple respond to its needs in the US market. They have enough capacity to meet Apple’s demand. (Apple Insider, Bloomberg, CN Beta)
Huawei has reportedly already shipped 1M smartphones loaded with the new HongMeng OS onboard for testing. Rosenblatt Securities has indicated that the new HongMeng OS is compatible with all of the Android applications and has “increased security functions to protect personal data”. (CN Beta, China Daily, GSM Arena)
HTC’s first tri-cam phone Desire 19+ is announced – 6.2” 1520×720 HD+, MediaTek Helio P35, rear tri 13M-8MP ultrawide-5MP telephoto + front 16MP, 4+64 / 6+128GB, Android 9.0, rear fingerprint, face unlock, 3850mAh, NTD9990 (EUR280) / NTD10900 (EUR310). (CN Beta, HTC, GSM Arena, Phone Arena)
HTC U19e is announced – 6” 1080×2160 FHD+ IPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, rear dual 12MP-20MP telephoto + front dual 24MP-2MP iris scanner, 6+128GB, Android 9.0, rear fingerprint, iris unlock, 3930mAh, NTD14,900 (EUR420). (GSM Arena, Phone Arena, HTC)
PC / Tablet
Huawei has allegedly recently asked its notebook supply chain partners to suspend deliveries, and has also halted all its new notebook projects. There is no time frame for when production and development will resume as Huawei doesn’t have an alternative to Intel and Windows OS (Wintel). (Neowin, Digitimes, Gizmo China, Digitimes, press)
Wearables
Huami Technology has released a series of new products with self-developed smart wearable artificial intelligence chips (Huangshan No. 1). These include the newly developed category AMAZFIT meter health watch, AMAZFIT smart watch 2. AMAZFIT meter health watch price CNY699, AMAZFIT smart watch 2 price CNY999. (CN Beta, Gizmo China, Gizmo China)
Automotive
Toyota finally decided to go all-electric from 2020 on with a new BEV platform and 6 global BEV models including crossovers, SUVs and more. The new plan envisions rollout of all-electric vehicles from 2020 (starting with Toyota C-HR BEV and Toyota IZOA BEV twins in China) and Toyota says that by 2025, all models to have electrified version (at least hybrid). In the early 2020s, Toyota would like to introduce 10 BEV models worldwide, including six global models, based on e-TNGA platform. (CN Beta, Auto Evolution, Motoring, Inside EVs)
The9 Limited, an established Internet company, has announced that it has signed a non-binding MOU with the Development Office of the Hohhot Shaerqin Industrial Zone. The parties will have strategic cooperation on the establishment and development of Faraday Future (FF) The9 China Joint Venture’s electrical vehicle business in the Hohhot Shaerqin Industrial Zone. (CN Beta, Sohu, Jiemian, Caixing Global, Market Screener)
NIO has announced an update to NIO Pilot, the advanced driving assistant system (ADAS), adding seven features. At the same time, the company announced the NIO OS smart operating system was upgraded to NIO OS 2.0, and unveiled a new user experience (UX) vehicle interaction and user interface (UI) design. The NIO Pilot update adds 7 features including Highway Pilot, Traffic Jam Pilot, Auto Lane Changing (ALC) and more. (CN Beta, Auto Home, Market Screener)
Honda has announced a partnership with Alibaba Group and iFLYTEK to jointly develop the 3rd-gen Honda CONNECT system. The 2nd-gen Honda CONNECT system introduces upgrades such as intelligent speech recognition, online payment, smart navigation, and vehicle location sharing, and plans to launch applications on new products launched in 2019. (CN Beta, Reuters, Business Wire)
Alibaba A.I. Labs, an AI research division of Alibaba Group, has announced partnerships with auto brands, including Audi, Renault and Honda to drive a smart mobility initiative in China. Tmall Genie Auto, an Artificial Intelligence solution developed by Alibaba A.I. Labs, will be integrated into the automakers’ specific internet cars in China. (Reuters, Business Wire, Asia Nikkei, Sohu)
