IF / News

Chipsets

Worldwide semiconductor revenue is forecast to total USD364.1B in 2017, an increase of 7.2% from 2016, according to Gartner. This represents a complete turnaround for the semiconductor industry as the market experienced 1.5% growth in 2016. Gartner has increased the outlook for 2017 by USD14.1B in its most current forecast, of which the memory market accounts for nearly USD10B. (Gartner, press, Laoyoaba)

Samsung and Apple remained the top 2 semiconductor chip buyers in 2016, representing 18.2% of the total worldwide market, according to Gartner. Samsung and Apple together consumed USD61.7B of semiconductors in 2016, an increase of USD0.4B from 2015. (Laoyaoba, Gartner, press)

Touch Display

With the arrivals of a number of Touch and Display Integration (TDDI) products from various vendors, market demand for TDDI is increasing. In terms of shipment, Synaptics and FocalTech lead the market at first, but there are Himax and Novatek might follow closely. Recently Solomon Systech and CEC Panda have successfully developed its own TDDI. This drives the rising prices of TDDI, and it expects a prices battle in 2H17. (Laoyaoba, China Times)

Battery

Samsung Electronics is discussing a supply deal with Japan’s Murata Manufacturing for batteries for its Galaxy S8 smartphones. (Laoyaoba, Reuters, AA Stock)

As published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple’s “Charging apparatus for wearable electronic device” lays the groundwork for designing and manufacturing an inductive Apple Watch charger that is either embedded in a strap accessory or attaches itself onto an existing band. (Daily Mail, Apple Insider, HSW, Laoyaoba)

Smartphones

According to Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 3% annually to hit a record 1.5B units in 2016. Apple iPhone recaptured first position with 18% global smartphone market share in 4Q16, while OPPO grew 99% annually and was the star performer. (Android Central, Android Headlines, Strategy Analytics, press, CN Beta)

According to IDC, smartphone vendors shipped a total of 428.5M units during 4Q16, resulting in 6.9% growth when compared to the 400.7M units shipped in 4Q15. For 2016 full year, the worldwide smartphone market saw a total of 1.47B units shipped, marking the highest year of shipments on record, yet up only 2.3% from the 1.44B units shipped in 2015. (Laoyaoba, IDC, press)

The Indian market is estimated to ship 270M mobile phones in 2017, of which 130M (48%) will be smartphones, Gurgaon-based market research firm CyberMedia Research (CMR). (Android Headlines, NDTV, Economic Times)

Sony has posted a JPY19.6B (USD169B) profit on revenue of JPY2,397.5B (USD20.7B) for 3Q16 fiscal quarter (ended 31 Dec 2016). Revenue was down 7% year-on-year, but net profit sunk by 84% on unfavorable foreign currency rates and a JPY112.1B (USD920M) impairment charge of goodwill for Sony Pictures. (Android Authority, TechCrunch, Sony, JRJ, Sina)

Sony sold 5.1M Xperia smartphones in 4Q16, 2.5M less than 4Q15. Overall in 2016, Sony sold 15M smartphones. (Phone Arena, Sony, 163)

Samsung’s digital payments platform Samsung Pay is available on select Galaxy smartphones in 11 countries. In a bid to increase the reach of its services, Samsung has announced Samsung Pay Mini, an online payments solution that will be available on all Android phones. (Android Central, CN Beta, IT Home)

Senior vice president of Lenovo Group, Mobile Business Group (MBG) Co-President Qiao Jian released Internal letter, announcing that Lenovo Group will appoint Jiang Zhen (Jaden) from the Samsung as vice president, serving the MBG department. (CN Beta, VV Cat)

Apple, IBM, and United Airlines are teaming up to develop a new generation of mobile apps for the carrier’s front-line employees. The new collaborative effort, announced on February 2, is aimed at creating greater levels of functionality for the more than 50,000 Apple Watches, iPhones, and iPads United has issued to its flight attendants, gate agents, and other front line employees.  (CN Beta, 9to5Mac, Apple Insider, Business Insider)

Apple CEO Tim Cook has revealed the company’s plans for original content, saying that thus far, Apple has a “toe in the water” and will see how things play out going forward. Cook also pointed out that the Apple TV and Apple Music are the beginning of the growing focus Apple is placing on subscription revenue. (CN Beta, CNBC, BGR)

The latest Apple iPhone ownership data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners shows the size of the challenge facing Apple in making the iPhone 8 a success. Within the installed base, the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus comprise 25M units, or 19% of the total. The 2-year-old iPhone 6 and 6 Plus comprise 51M units, or 38% of the total installed base. (9to5Mac, CN Beta, Feng)

Snap aims to raise USD3B in the initial public offering (IPO). Snap came through with a USD514.6M net loss on USD404M in revenue in the year that ended on 31 Dec 2016. Revenue for that period was up nearly 500% from the prior year. (VentureBeat, SEC, Tencent, Sina)

Facebook announced 4Q16 earnings, generating USD8.81B in revenue. User numbers continue to rise for Facebook as there are now 1.86B monthly active users, a 17% increase from this time last year. 1.23B people use the site daily, up 18% annually. Mobile adoption also continues its upward momentum with 1.74B monthly active users, a 21% rise. (VentureBeat, Facebook, Gucheng)

Tablets

Price remains a key sticking point for consumers to adopt powerful new 2-in-1 Tablet devices, such as the iPad Pro or Surface Pro 4, leaving more room for cheaper alternatives from smaller vendors like Lenovo. Global tablet market shipments fell 9% as market leaders Apple and Samsung experienced double digit declines but smaller vendors are capitalizing more effectively on growth segments, according to Strategy Analytics. (Strategy Analytics, press, Sohu, ZOL)

According to IDC, vendors shipped 52.9M tablets in 4Q16, which was a decline of 20.1% from the same quarter one year ago. Similarly, shipments of 174.8M units for the full year 2016 were down 15.6% compared to 2015, marking the second straight year of declining shipments. (IDC, press, CN Beta)

Wearables

According to Strategy Analytics, global smartwatch shipments grew 1% annually to hit a record 8.2M units in 4Q16. Apple Watch drove growth and dominated with 63% global smartwatch market share, while Samsung maintained 2^nd position. (Strategy Analytics, press, Huanqiu)

Snap Inc. introduced “Lenses” in 2015, an AR feature which would let users overlay animated objects onto their Snapchat selfies. Snap is working on a new version of its Lenses product that lets people overlay images onto landscapes in the real world, not just faces. (Android Authority, Tech Times, The Information, Daily Mail)

Snap in 2017 the company plans “to significantly broaden the distribution of Spectacles, which will increase our costs and overall financial risk.” (CN Beta, 163, TechCrunch, VentureBeat)

By partnering with a company called AppliedVR, Samsung is testing the use of VR interaction to help patients focus on something other than their pain. The methods are an attempt to help reduce the dependency on opioid prescriptions which, while effective, pose the risk of addiction which is a whole other issue beyond the pain that resulted in the prescription being handed out. (Android Headlines, China AR, Med City News)

GoPro reported its 4Q16 and 2016 earning results. And they were not good. The company reported USD540M in 4Q16 revenue. And the company did not fare much better in yearly reporting either, netting just USD1,185M in 2016, down 26.8% from 2015. (CN Beta, TechCrunch, Yahoo, Market Watch)

Elephone released a new camera for smartphones which can convert a smartphone into a 360° panorama pictures and VR video capturing device, dubbed Dual 360 Panoramic VR Camera. (Gizmo China, PC-Tablet)

A Dallas, Texas jury awarded USD500M to ZeniMax after finding that Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey, and by extension Oculus, failed to comply with a non-disclosure agreement he signed. ZeniMax tells Polygon that in light of the decision, it may seek an injunction to stop the sale of Oculus Rift headsets, at least temporarily. (Ubergizmo, Polygon, 36Kr, Sina, China Daily)

Jawbone is officially exiting the consumer wearables space, seemingly confirming rumors that the audio accessory maker turned fitness tracking firm will instead focus on high-margin health products sold to clinicians. (Laoyaoba, TechCrunch, Apple Insider)

Internet of Things

While Waymo’s test fleet in the state drove 635,868 miles in 2016, 50% more than in 2015, safety-based disengagements fell from 0.8 per 1,000 miles to just 0.2, something highlighted by Waymo’s head of self-driving technology, Dimitri Dolgov. (Apple Insider, Medium, DMV, 163)

Global shipments of LCD TV sets for 2016 increased 1.6% annually to reach 219.2M units, according to TrendForce. Shipment growth was attributed to the strong sales in North America’s distribution channels during the busy season, the increasing affordability of large-size TVs and the robust housing market in China. The top 5 TV brands by shipments in order are Samsung, LG, Hisense, TCL and Sony. (TrendForce[cn], press, TrendForce, press)

Technology giant IBM is known for of making bold predictions about the future, and it‘s just announced its latest “5 in 5” list, highlighting the five innovations that they think will have the biggest impact on our lives over the next 5 years. (CN Beta, Science Alert, Daily Mail, IBM)