4-28: 334.9mln smartphones shipped worldwide in 1Q16; Microsoft is not giving up on smartphones; Samsung is working on standalone VR; LGD speeding up OLED panel investment; etc.
334.9mln smartphones shipped worldwide in 1Q16; Intel says it is not a PC company anymore, staing 5 pillars; TSMC is highly likely taking up all orders of Apple processors in 2017, 2018; Microsoft is not giving up on smartphones; Samsung is working on standalone VR; LGD speeding up OLED panel investment; Sharp is considering 1000 employees layoff; etc.
|
Chipset |
| IC Insights has released its 2015 top IC foundries (pure-play and IDM) ranking. TSMC, by far, was the leader with USD26.4 billion in sales last year. TSMC’s foundry sales increased by USD1.464 billion in 2015 while its sales to Apple jumped by USD1.99 billion, representing more than 100% of TSMC’s total foundry sales increase during the year. (Apple Insider, Digitimes, press, IC Insights, press, CN Beta)
|
| According co-CEO Mark Liu, TSMC intends to start the 10nm node with “a very high market share”. Motley Fool’s Ashraf Eassa suspects Qualcomm will go with Samsung exclusively at the 10nm node, so it is probably necessary for TSMC to win virtually all of the Apple business at this node. The 7nm A12, A13, TSMC has made it clear that it intends its 7nm to go into mass production 1H18. (TechNews, Motley Fool) |
| United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) 1Q16 consolidated revenue was NTD34.40 billion, up 1.6% sequentially from NTD33.85 billion in 4Q15 and down 8.6% YoY from NTD37.65 billion in 1Q15. 1Q16 consolidated gross margin was 14.6%. (TechNews, TMCNet) |
| Intel CEO Brian Krzanich says Intel is not a PC company any more, noting that the PC is just one among many connected devices. He mentioned about 5 pillars of new Intel: Cloud, connected things, evolving memory business, 5G and manufacturing / fab technology. (Intel, TechNews, The Register, PC World)
|
|
Display |
| LG Display announced its 1Q16 operating profit was KRW39.5 billion, or roughly USD34.43 million. This is a 95% decrease from the same period in 2015. (Android Headlines, iFeng, Sina, TechNews, Yonhap News) |
| LG Display is making a facility investment into flexible OLED during 2Q16 and this is an investment that is pushed by 6 months from initial plan. (TechNews, ET News)
|
| Hon Hai Precision’s aim to snatch more Apple orders with its USD3.5 billion takeover of Sharp could turn the key iPhone assembler into a force to be reckoned with in the panel sector, said LG Display President Kent Lee. (TechNews, Nikkei) |
| Under pressure to reduce costs after another year in the red, Sharp is considering eliminating about 1,000 more jobs ahead of its takeover by Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry. (TechNews, Nikkei) |
| Global production capacity for LCD TV panels in the second quarter of 2016 will reach 42.6 million square meters, increasing 8.8% on quarter, according to China-based Sigmaintell Consulting. (Digitimes, press, Sigmaintell, press)
|
|
Smartphones |
| According to IDC, vendors shipped a total of 334.9 million smartphones worldwide in 1Q16, 0.2% up from the 334.3 million units in 1Q15. Samsung remained the leader in the worldwide smartphone market despite a YoY decline of 0.6% in shipments. (CN Beta, Apple Insider, IDC, press)
|
| Microsoft Executive Vice President of the Windows and Devices Group, Terry Myerson firmly states that the company is devoted to Windows 10 on mobile for ‘many years’ and that they are currently working on next generation products. (GSM Arena, Windows Central, IT Home, 163)
|
| Apple’s research and development spending spiked at an all time high of more than USD2.5 billion during 2Q16, with the unusually large USD600 million YoY jump owing primarily to new hires and related expenses, Apple said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. (Apple Insider, CN Beta)
|
| The Meizu m3 recorded a total of around 4.5 million registrations in just 24 hours. (GSM Arena, My Drivers, Gizmo China) |
| Apple Music, not even a year old yet, grew to 13 million subscribers, up from 11 million three months ago. (GSM Arena, Fortune, IT Home, 91) |
| Sales of high-end smartphones are decelerating, affecting orders for ICs and other parts and components, according to sources from Taiwan-based IC design houses. Apple and Samsung have both seen disappointing sales of their flagship models while Huawei has reportedly cut its 2016 shipment goal to 120-130 million units from 140 million due to poor sales of its high-end models, said the sources. (Digitimes, press) |
| Makers in the PC and handset supply chains in Taiwan are conservative about a business rebound in 2H16 as well as the overall performance for the entire year amid unfavorable business news from the sectors, including layoffs at Intel and declining Apple iPhone shipments. (Digitimes, press, EE World, CECB2B) |
|
Wearables |
| Samsung is working on a standalone VR headset that will incorporate positional tracking, revealed the company’s head of R&D for software and services Injong Rhee. (Engadget, Variety) |
|
Internet of Things |
| Zero Zero Robotics unveils Hover Camera, which is an autonomous flying camera, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon Flight with Snapdragon 801 processor, able to capture 13MP photos or 4K video, face and body recognition, electronic image stabilization (EIS), priced about USD600. (Android Headlines, CNET, CN Beta)
|
| Samsung unveils a prototype robot called the Otto, which can understand users and the voice commands that they issue. It comes with a HD camera behind its display that can be used to recognize faces and double up as a security camera. (Ubergizmo, Engadget, Yesky)
|
