IF / News

Chipsets

A special-purpose chip for artificial intelligence and other tasks in Google new Pixel phones draws on Intel technology.  Addition to Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, the new Pixel series features a new custom Pixel Visual Core co-processor, which is meant to improve speed and battery life when shooting photos with Google’s HDR+ technology, and better handle AI workloads in apps.  (Android Authority, CNBC, Google, CN Beta)

Jefferies analyst Mark Lipacis predicts Nvidia will eventually capture 80% of the artificial intelligence (AI) chip market’s profit pool. Nvidia’s graphics processing chips have become popular with gaming, and its Volta chip is proving to be popular with AI applications, something that will “translate to upside surprises over the next 18-24 months”. (Laoyaoba, CNBC, Investors, Benzinga, Market Watch, Laoyaoba)

AI startup DeePhi Tech announced complete USD40M A+ funding, led by Ant Finance and Samsung. DeePhi Tech also announced its plan of releasing deep learning standard products, its self-developed “Ting Tao” chipset and expecting to complete product in 1H18. (Sina, Laoyaoba, 36Kr, Korea Herald, EE News Europe)

Touch Display

As OLED displays are used in more smartphones and high-end flat panel TVs, panel makers have boosted their investments in new OLED display fab construction. As a result, the global production capacity of AMOLED panels — including both red-green-blue (RGB) OLED and white OLED (WOLED) — is forecast to surge 320% from 11.9Mm² in 2017 to 50.1Mm² in 2022, according to new analysis from IHS Markit. (IHS Markit, press, Laoyaoba)

Camera

Sony has announced the release of the IMX324, a new 1/1.7-type stacked CMOS image sensor equipped with the industry’s highest resolution 1 7.42 effective megapixel RCCC filter for forward-sensing cameras in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).  (CN Beta, Sony, Deccan Chronicle)

Biometrics

Bank of America has announced it would begin implementing Intel Online Connect technology, that enables fingerprint touch payments, into its online banking platform, giving customers added security when they bank online.  (Android Headlines, Reuters, Engadget, Bank of America)

Redrock Biometrics, a startup based in San Francisco, has a solution that involves “reading” palm using just about any camera. Dubbed PalmID, the technology utilizes the palm of user’s hand as a secure “key” to authenticate into a variety of services, online and offline. (Android Authority, TechCrunch, RedRock Biometrics, Sohu)

Synaptics has viewed Internet of Things (IoT) as their 4^th target market, after PC and smartphone. Synaptics CEO Rick Bergman reveals that the company’s under-display fingerprint sensor will enter mass production by end of 2017. (XNN News, Laoyaoba, EE World)

Battery

Apple has announced the purchase of PowerbyProxi, a small New Zealand-based firm specializing in wireless charging technologies.  (Apple Insider, Stuff, Sina)

Smartphones

Shipments of Apple iPhone X are expected to total around 20M units (only half the planned amount for 2017), the Nikkei said, as Apple has struggled to solve technical issues with components supporting the new face authentication feature. The problem was that at the beginning of mass production, there were defects in the bonding process for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels. (Apple Insider, Asia Nikkei, JRJ, Wall Street CN)

Karbonn Titanium Jumbo is announced in India – 5” HD IPS LCD display, 1.3GHz quad-core processor, rear 13MP + front 8MP cameras, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, Android 7.0, 4000mAh battery, INR6,490. (GizChina, India Today, NDTV)

Moto Z 2018 is launched – 5.5” 2K AMOLED ShatterShield display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, rear dual 12MP (monochrome + RGB) + front 5MP cameras, 6GB RAM, 128GB UFS storage, Android 7.1, USB-C 3.1, 2730mAh battery; Kingsman VIP Special Edition comes with a briefcase with a VIP card, TurboPower battery mod, wireless charging mod, USB-C to 3.5mm audio adapter, leather flip case, etc., priced at CNY9999. (Android Headlines, GSM Arena, Gizmo China, iFeng, Tencent, 163)

BLU Vivo 8L is announced – 5.3” HD display, MediaTek MT6753 processor, rear 13MP + front 20MP cameras, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, Android 7.0, 4000mAh battery, USD150. (GSM Arena, Gizmo China, BLU Products)

Internet of Things

Delphi, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, is acquiring Boston-based self-driving car startup NuTonomy for an upfront purchase price of USD400M as well as USD50M in earn-outs. (CN Beta, TechCrunch, The Verge, Delphi)

Vimeo has revealed plans to acquire live video platform Livestream in Sept 2017 and finalized the deal on 18 Oct 2017. Now the duo launches first livestreaming product Vimeo Live. (VentureBeat, Vimeo)

Baidu announces DeepVoice 3, its third generation AI speech generation project. The Deep Voice projects use deep learning techniques to teach the text-to-speech system using real voice data. Deep Voice 3 speeds up the learning process with the ability to scale over 800 hours of training data and synthesize speech from more than 2,400 voices. (CN Beta, Seeking Alpha, The Verge)