5-19: Google I/O 2016 – Android N, Google Assistant, Google Home, Allo, Duo, Android Wear 2.0, Daydream VR; etc.
Google I/O 2016 – Android N, Google Assistant, Google Home, Allo, Duo, Android Wear 2.0, Daydream VR; Microsoft selling feature phone division and Nokia rights to Foxconn’s FIH Mobile; Nokia has granted HMD an exclusive global license to create a full range of Nokia-branded smartphones, tablets, and feature phones for the next decade; Microsoft will continue to develop Windows 10 Mobile and support Lumia phones; etc.
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Chipsets |
| [Google I/O] Google CEO Sundar Pachai said it’s building what it calls the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) dedicated to running machine learning algorithms. TPU is its custom chip optimized for Google’s machine learning algorithm, TensorFlow. (CN Beta, Google Blog, WSJ, Forbes, PC World)
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| In collaboration with TSMC, ARM’s physical IP division is announcing the tapeout of a 10nm test chip demonstrating the company’s readiness for the new manufacturing process. (CN Beta, AnandTech, Hot Hardware)
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| ARM has acquired Apical, a U.K. designer of embedded computer vision technology, and plans to incorporate that technology into future ARM microprocessor and system-on-chip designs. (TechNews, ARM, PC World, Tom’s Hardware) |
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Display |
| AMOLED will bring negative impact on FFS (fringe field switching) wide-angle LCD display technology but the impact will be slight over the next 2-3 years, according to EPD (electrophoretic display) e-paper maker E Ink Holdings (EIH). Currently, EIH has 70% of consolidated revenues coming from e-paper used in e-book readers and 30% from other e-paper applications and small- to medium-size TFT-LCD panels. (Digitimes, press, CEB2B) |
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Camera |
| Apple iPhone 7 Plus leaks with more details: 1. dual-camera is confirmed, 2. cancelled 3.5mm audio jack, 3. added Smart Connector, and 4. added bigger battery. (CN Beta, Softpedia, Business Insider)
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Battery |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a stretchable mesh of power cells that sticks to surface like a Band-Aid, and it can even charge itself. It uses a series of very thin tiles of lithium-ion battery cells, bonded together with a soft, rubbery, material. (Gizmodo, Techxplore, Sohu, China Baike)
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| Tesla has confirmed some of the improvements to its Powerwall battery in advance of an expected launch of a new version of the product. Tesla has delivered over 2,500 Powerwalls and nearly 100 Powerpacks in 1Q16 throughout North America, Asia, Europe and Africa. (TechNews, Green Tech Media, SMA)
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| Stanford University has developed a high-performance aluminum battery. Aluminum has long been an attractive material for batteries, mainly because of its low cost, low flammability and high-charge storage capacity. (CN Beta, Science Daily, Inhabitat, Stanford)
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Sensors |
| BeBop Sensors Automotive Occupant Classification System (OCS) featuring with BeBop’s smart fabric sensor continuously takes full seat pressure images real-time, detecting pressure information and movement from the entire seat for all aspects of physical contact between the occupant and the seat. (CN Beta, Gizmag, Investor Ideas)
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Smartphones |
| [Google I/O] Google unveils next-gen Android N, bringing several new features, including seamless updates that lets Android devices built on N install system updates in the background, similar to Chromebooks. (CN Beta, BGR, Tribu Magazine, Fone Arena, Yamazaj)
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| [Google I/O] Google has announced Allo, a smart messaging app designed by Google to make conversations easier, and at the same time, more expressive. (CN Beta, Phone Arena, ZDNet, Cult of Mac, Quadrangle Online, IT World)
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| [Google I/O] Google announces a new video calling app Duo that enables encrypted and reliable communication. It has a smooth interface that fades away and it features HD video and audio. (IT World, ZDNet, Phone Arena, Tencent)
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| [Google I/O] Google announces Google Assistant, a new conversational assistant embedded within Android and the new Google Home smart speaker. It comes with its awareness of context and capability with follow-up questions, and it can offer proactive suggestions. (Phone Arena, Boston Globe, U.S. News, The Scotsman, Sacred Heart, CN Beta)
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| Apple has announced that it will open a Design and Development Accelerator, to assist developers working on its various platforms (Mac OS, iOS, tvOS and watchOS) in Bangalore, India, the country’s IT hub, by early 2017. (Apple, TNW, CN Beta) |
| In an internal letter sent by Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun, he has stated that from now onwards, he will personally be responsible for the phone supply chain of Xiaomi. (Gizmo China, Sina, IT Home) |
| IHS research director, Kevin Wang has revealed that Xiaomi Mi 5 current production capacity is about 700K/month, while OPPO R9 already reached 2M/month.(Sohu, My Drivers, Gizmo China)
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| Microsoft selling feature phone division and Nokia rights to Foxconn’s FIH Mobile for USD350 million. (CN Beta, The Verge, Neowin) |
| Nokia has granted HMD an exclusive global license to create a full range of Nokia-branded smartphones, tablets, and feature phones for the next decade. (Phone Arena, Nokia, Microsoft, iFeng) |
| Microsoft will continue to develop Windows 10 Mobile and support Lumia phones. (CN Beta, Winbeta, Microsoft) |
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Wearables |
| [Google I/O] Google is announcing Android Wear 2.0 with smarter messaging, apps, and enables compatible watches to do more without a phone attached. (CN Beta, CNET, Ars Technica, Google) |
| [Google I/O] Google announces Daydream, a VR platform built into Android. Coming to support. Daydream at a low level in the Android OS is a dedicated VR mode. Phones that will be capable of entering this mode will be specially certified by Google. Google has announced eight hardware partners that will make Daydream-ready phones, including Samsung, HTC, LG, Xiaomi, Huawei, ZTE, ASUS, and Alcatel. (Phone Arena, Forbes, GSM Arena, The Verge, TechCrunch, CN Beta)
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| Waverly Labs has developed Pilot, an earpiece that can translate languages for users in real time by using speech-recognition technology. For it to work, both parties in communication need to wear the earpiece at the same time. (CN Traveler, Ubergizmo, Tencent)
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| Fitbit is acquiring Coin, the payments startup that developed a universal credit card replacement. (CN Beta, Engadget, Business Wire)
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| Powerstrap has introduced Pal, the world’s first independent GPS smartstrap for Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel watches. It can also lengthen battery life of these watches by 7 extra days. (CN Beta, PR Newswire, Yahoo)
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| Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering is collaborating with ReWalk Robotics to bring its wearable robotic suit to market. Its form-fitting and fabric-based design, using small but powerful actuators tucked in the belt to assist the wearer’s legs in a more natural way. (Engadget, Wyss Institute, CN Beta)
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| PornHub is launching a new fitness system (wearable + workout videos) called BangFit. (Ubergizmo, TechCrunch, 36KR)
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Internet of Things |
| [Google I/O] Google announcement of a series of products (hardware and software) in 2016 Google I/O indicating the company is aggressively pushing the AI development. (CN Beta, NYSE Post) |
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[Google I/O] Google unveils Google Home, which will be powered Google Assistant. Consumers will be able to ask it to play their favorite music, query their calendar, check for traffic and control internet-connected light bulbs. (Phone Arena, MSN, Yahoo, Quadrangle Online, DoSpy, 163)
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| [Google I/O] Google has announced that soon the Android Auto app will be fully accessible through phone and will no longer require an actual radio compatible with the platform. (GSM Arena, Engadget, IT Home) |
| Johnson & Johnson announced a collaboration between HP Inc. focusing on using 3D printing technologies to create better health care outcomes at reduced costs. (CN Beta, Yahoo, 3D Printing Industry) |
| Acura’s second version of its RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD sedan displays a more minimalist design with the option to hide sensors, and Featuring proprietary automated technology in a sleeker, more subtle design. (Top Speed, CN Beta, Apple Insider)
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