IF / News

Qualcomm predicts 5G mobile phone sales will reach 450~550M units in 2021, with 750M 5G smartphones shipped in 2022. 5G millimeter-wave (mmWave) speeds will be 11 times faster than up to 6GHz. In this case, the peak speed could reach double this figure. (GizChina, My Drivers)

Qualcomm is allegedly to release mid-to-high-end chips. Although reports claim that these chips will be in the Snapdragon 7xx series, there are no official details of these processors. The new Snapdragon 700 series chipset will arrive in 1Q21. Qualcomm’s new 7-series chipset may be the main competitor of the 5nm Exynos 1080  and MediaTek’s MT6893 platform. (GizChina, IT Home)

Intel has unveiled its second-generation quantum computing control chip. The chip, codenamed Horse Ridge II, is another milestone toward making quantum computing more practical. The new prototype builds on the first-generation Horse Ridge controller introduced in 2019. Horse Ridge II has more capability and higher levels of integration to control a quantum computer, which remains a long-term goal for the company. (VentureBeat, Intel, Sohu, Sina)

Intel has shared an update on progress within the Intel Neuromorphic Research Community (INRC), the ecosystem of over 100 academic groups, government labs, research institutions, and companies founded in 2018 to further neuromorphic computing. Intel and the INRC claim to have achieved breakthroughs in applying neuromorphic hardware to a range of applications, from gesture and voice recognition to autonomous drone navigation. (VentureBeat, Intel, Intel)

Samsung Electronics will expand the application of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology in DRAM production. It will also apply double-stack technology for its 3D NAND flash to cement its leadership position ahead of rivals. Samsung has collected various know-how from producing 4M wafers with EUV process applied since 2014. Samsung is reportedly planning to apply EUV process to one layer of its 1z DRAM. For 1a DRAM, the company is planning to apply the technology to four layers. (CN Beta, The Elec)

Samsung Electronics is seeking to strengthen technology and investment cooperation with Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML. Executives of ASML including CEO Peter Burnink have visited Samsung’s semiconductor plant to discuss cooperation in EUV lithography equipment supply and development. (TechNews, China Times, Business Korea)

LG Innotek is reportedly in talks with a Chinese company to sell its LED production equipment and patents. The company has revealed in Oct 2020 that it plans to exit the LED business. The company internally decided to sell the LED business back in 2019. The business has posted annual loss for 12 straight years, racking up an accumulated loss of KRW1T. (CN Beta, Sina, The Elec)

According to UBI Research, Samsung Electronics will launch 3 kinds of foldable smartphone models in 2021. These will likely be the Galaxy Z Flip 2, Galaxy Z Fold 3 and a new Galaxy Z Fold Lite. All three models will use ultra-thin glass as cover windows. (Android Authority, The Elec, CN Beta)

Samsung is reportedly working on new devices with a triple-folding screen and a rollable display. The triple-folding would eliminate the Fold’s need for an external display, as it could fold down to a third of its unfolded footprint. The rollable display gadget essentially has a long cylindrical body, which houses the flexible rolled up display. (GSM Arena, Business Standard, Samsung, Samsung)

Samsung’s patent titled “electronic device controlling screen based on folding event and method for controlling the same” describes 3 tri-fold smartphone design. The first model is based on the existing Galaxy Z Fold 2. The second one offers a Z-shape design, while the third one is kind of like the Galaxy Z Flip. (Android Headlines, LetsGoDigital)

Apple’s patent titled “electronic devices having folding expandable displays” details a foldable device bent at a right angle. The hinge has a new multi-link hinge structure with more than just one articulation joint. The patent indicates that hinge structures could include “gear teeth, belts, and/or other movement synchronization structures” and may also sport “members that move relative to each other during bending”. (Gizmo China, Apple Insider, USPTO)

OPPO patents a smartphone design with 15x hybrid zoom camera. The patent smartphone design includes a curved display on the front with a centered punch-hole. (Gizmo China, LetsGoDigital)

Samsung will allegedly release sensors with a resolution of 600 megapixels (MP) in the future; which will surpass the capabilities of the human eye. The camera alone will occupy 12% of the rear panel area of the smartphone, and the camera unit will protrude 22mm above the back panel of the smartphone. (GizChina, Twitter)

Trinamix has created molecular sensing technology that lets users use smartphone to test which cosmetics would be best for their skin. Trinamix, a subsidiary of BASF, showed off its molecular sensing technology. The sensor technology, called near-infrared spectroscopy, uses infrared light to detect the molecular vibrations that distinguish different substances. (VentureBeat, Trinamix, The News Market, BASF, The Elec)

Samsung has patented a ring that is a self-powered wireless charger. A magnetic disc inside the ring moved around by the motions of user’s hand is creating electricity. The ring will also be able to transform body heat into electricity. (Phone Arena, Galaxy Club)

Porsche, Siemens Energy and a lineup of international companies are developing and implementing a pilot project in Chile that is expected to yield the world’s first integrated, commercial, industrial-scale plant for making synthetic climate-neutral fuels (eFuels). In the pilot phase, around 130,000 liters of eFuels will be produced as early as 2022. (CN Beta, Porsche, Power Mag)

A study conducted by Nokia and Telefónica has found that 5G networks are up to 90% more energy efficient per traffic unit than legacy 4G networks. The research, which was conducted over a 3-month period, focused on the power consumption of the Radio Access Network (RAN) in Telefónica’s network. Both companies are aligned with the ambition of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC.  (Neowin, Nokia)

Xiaomi has allegedly been talking to suppliers to book components and parts for up to 240M smartphones. Xiaomi has even  told some suppliers that it has an even higher internal target to ship up to 300M smartphones in 2021. (Android Authority, Asia Nikkei, Gizmo China)

Hammad Azhar, The Pakistani Federal Minister for Industries has announced that vivo will be setting up a smartphone manufacturing facility in the country and has already purchased land to build the facility. vivo Vice President Duam Tai Ping and Director Manufacturing Zhang Bin has signed the agreement at the Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development & Management Company (FIEDMC) office with an initial investment of USD10M.  (Gizmo China, Geo News)

ZTE Blade V2021 5G is launched – 6.52” HD+ v-notch TFT, MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G, rear tri 48MP-8MP ultrawide-2MP macro + front 8MP, 4+64 / 6+128GB, Android 10.0, rear fingerprint, 4000mAh, CNY999 (USD152) / CNY1,399 (USD213). (Gizmo China, Weibo, GSM Arena)

vivo has announced new Y51 in Indonesia – 6.58” 1080×2048 FHD+ v-notch LCD, Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, rear tri 48MP-8MP ultrawide-2MP macro + front 16MP, 8+128GB, Android 10.0, side fingerprint, 5000mAh 18W, IDR3,599,000 (USD255). (GSM Arena, Sina, Twitter, vivo)

Infinix Zero 8i is announced in India – 6.85” FHD+ 2xHiD 90Hz LCD, MediaTek Helio G90T, rear quad 64MP-8MP ultrawide-2MP depth-AI sensor + front dual 16MP-8MP ultrawide, 8+128GB, Android 10.0, side fingerprint, 4500mAh 33W, INR14,999 (USD203).  (Gizmo China, GSM Arena, Flipkart)

vivo Y52s is announced in China – 6.58” 1080×2400 FHD+ u-notch IPS, MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G, rear dual 48MP-2MP depth + front 8MP, 8+128GB, Android 10.0, side fingerprint, 4910mAh, CNY1,998 (USD305).  (GSM Arena, Gizmo China, My Fix Guide)

Reliance Jio has led a Series-A funding round in augmented reality (AR) mobile gaming company Krikey. The firm has launched a new augmented reality game in India ‘Yaatra’, in which Jio users will get exclusive access to 3D-avataar features. (Live Mint, TechCrunch, TechRadar)

Virtual-reality startups are reportedly accusing Facebook of using a familiar playbook to muscle out rivals in what could be the digital platform of the future — prompting a new line of scrutiny from U.S. competition enforcers. Facebook is the world’s biggest virtual-reality hardware maker thanks to its 2014 acquisition of Oculus for USD2B. (CN Beta, The Information, Bloomberg, CNBC)

Wacom has unveiled VR Pen, which is created to work in a virtual reality environment, but also works on 2D surfaces. This pen works with its own “independent tracking system that works with major Head-Mounted Displays”. The device is a pressure sensitive stylus controller. (CN Beta, Wacom, Road to VR, SlashGear)

Uber is allegedly in advanced talks to sell its Uber Elevate unit to Joby Aviation. Joby Aviation has previously agreed to partner with Uber on air taxi services. Elevate previously ran a helicopter service in New York City, but Uber put that on hold amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (CN Beta, CN Beta, Engadget, Axios)

Google has announced that its Android Auto is expanding to dozens of new markets around the world. In the coming months, Android Auto will be available in 36 additional countries, including much of Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and a handful of countries in Africa. (CN Beta, 9to5Google, The Verge)

Samsung has announced a number of improvements to Bixby, with a focus on UI changes for the app on Galaxy smartphones. The digital assistant has a new UI. Samsung has also tailored Bixby’s suggestions to each user, with voice commands based on their usage patterns and more personalized app recommendations. Samsung has also announced that Bixby is now supported on DeX, the desktop-like interface for its Galaxy smartphones. (Neowin, Samsung)

Facebook has announced that the body behind its cryptocurrency project is being renamed. The Libra Association, which is designed to build a legal framework and support the coin itself, has now been rebranded as the Diem Association. Diem has reiterated that it would not launch until it had blessing from FINMA, the Swiss finance regulator, which is still pending.  (Engadget, Diem, Financial Times)

Credit card giant Visa has announced it is connecting its global payments network of 60M merchants to the U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC) developed by Circle Internet Financial on the ethereum blockchain. The digital currency is now valued at USD2.9B. Visa is also teaming up with BlockFi to launch a new credit card that rewards users with Bitcoin (BTC). BlockFi is a New York-based startup specializing in crypto-backed loans and savings accounts. (CN Beta, Coin Telegraph, Coin Desk, Forbes, Business Insider)