IF / News

Chipsets

[IFA2018] Intel is unveiling Amber Lake and Whiskey Lake chips using the same 14++ nm process as Coffee Lake CPUs, and join the crowded 8th Gen chip family. These new parts are at the core the same as the current 8th generation Kaby Lake Refresh parts, but they have been equipped with newer chipsets.  (CN Beta, AnandTech, ExtremeTech, Laptop Mag)

[IFA2018] Qualcomm has introduced the aptX codec for Bluetooth audio with Adaptive sound. The company introduced the platform with a promise for a robust, hi-res and glitch-free listening experience. The aptX Adaptive standard is designed to adjust depending on the content. (CN Beta, GSM Arena, Qualcomm, The Verge, Android Police)

Touch Display

E Ink has announced its beginning to deliver Advanced Color ePaper (ACeP) products to clients for digital signage. Previously e-paper signage relied on the Spectra, Prism and Triton display. ACeP, however, displays 32,000 colours. It comes with a 1,600×2,500-pixel resolution, giving displays about 150 PPI. (CN Beta, The Verge, Good Reader, Mobile Syrup)

Samsung Display has reportedly sent samples of potential folding displays to OPPO and Xiaomi. A possible reason is to grow the folding ecosystem before they launch their own foldable device. (CN Beta, Neowin, ET News, XDA-Developers)

HMD Global has filed a trademark for ‘PureDisplay’. Before, Nokia has described PureMotion HD+ as combining “4 leaps forward into one to deliver the fastest, brightest, most-sensitive smartphone display with the highest pixel density in the industry”. (CN Beta, Neowin, Nokia Mob)

Sensory

Canada’s University of Waterloo is showcasing the prototype sensor that takes the form of a small flexible cylinder that is powered by both electromagnetism and triboelectricity – the latter involves the generation of an electrical current via the friction that occurs when one specific type of material rubs against another type, and the sensor incorporates two such materials. Whenever the brace-mounted sensor is bent or twisted, it generates enough electricity to wirelessly transmit a signal that can be picked up by a device such as a computer, smartphone or smartwatch.  (CN Beta, New Atlas, Univ. of Waterloo)

Biometrics

Touch panel supplier General Interface Solution (GIS) is expected to kick off shipments of its 3^rd-generation ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensors in 2H18  for premium smartphone models be launched in 2019, according to company chairman Chou Hsien-ying. Monthly production of GIS is about 1M-2M units, and expects to increase to 4M-6M units in 2019. (Digitimes, press, CNYES, China Times, UDN, Yahoo)

Connectivity

A Texas jury has found that Huawei Technologies and its subsidiary Huawei Device USA infringed five of PanOptis Patent Management’s standard-essential patents. The jury has agreed that Huawei should pay USD10.5M to PanOptis for the violations. Allegedly Huawei has infringed upon multiple patents (5 in total) regarding 4G LTE connectivity in consumer-grade devices. (GSM Arena, World IPR Review, Baijiahao)

Phone

[IFA2018] Richard Yu, an executive director and CEO of the Huawei Consumer Business group, has announced Huawei has shipped more than 20M handsets from the P20 and Mate 10 series. (Android Headlines, WCCFTech, GSM Arena)

Wearables

The Indian wearables market witnessed an impressive growth in 2Q18 as the overall wearables market grew 66% YoY and 40% sequentially. According to IDC, 1M units of wearables were shipped in 2Q18 with top three brands retaining their position in the overall wearables market. Xiaomi maintained its leadership of the market with 46% market share. (IDC, press, CN Beta)

[IFA2018] Diesel debuts Full Guard 2.5 featuring 1.39” display, size of 47×56mm, powered by Android Wear OS. It features Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100, NFC for Google Pay support, GPS, 4GB storage, and with one full charge can last 1-2 days. (CN Beta, Android Authority, The Verge, Techradar, 9to5Google)

Livio AI from Starkey Hearing Technologies s the world’s first hearing aid to provide both superior sound quality and the ability to track body and brain health. Featuring integrated sensors and artificial intelligence, Livio AI redefines what a hearing aid can do. It can also automatically translate foreign languages. (Digital Trends, Starkey Intelligence, Baijiahao, From Geek)

Home

[IFA2018] Friends of Hue is Philips’ partner program, made up of companies using or integrating with the smart bulb technology.  Illumra, Feller, and Busch-Jaeger are joining the party, with an array of different models that each fit into single- and multiple-gang wall frames.  (Digital Trends, 9to5Mac, SlashGear, CNET)

[IFA2018] Eve has opened preorders for the Eve Room 2 HomeKit air quality monitor, with a new and improved design including an e-ink display and integrated rechargeable battery. (Pocket-Lint, 9to5Mac, Apple Insider)

[IFA2018] Huawei has squeezed GPS and A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Beidou reception into Huawei Locator. That means positioning accurate to less than 5 meters, the company suggests, when outdoors. Huawei has outfitted the Locator with a 660mAh battery, and claims that it will run for up to 15 days on standby. (CN Beta, Ubergizmo, SlashGear)

[IFA2018] NetGear has announced the world’s first mesh Wi-Fi System with Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and Wi-Fi Mesh Satellite with built-In Amazon Alexa. Orbi Voice as part of any Orbi WiFi System creates expansive whole home WiFi coverage up to 186m² or more of high-performance Wi-Fi up to 3Gbps combined WiFi speed, along with premium audio by Harman Kardon for incredible sound in any room. (Android Central, NASDAQ, Android Police, VentureBeat, East Day)

[IFA2018] According to Amazon executive Daniel Rausch, at the beginning of 2018, Alexa is on more than 4,000 devices. 9 months later and that number has jumped north of 20,000. (TechCrunch, CNET, Digital Trends, Sina)

Fintech

LINE Corporate, the firm behind the popular messaging app, LINE, has announced a new cryptocurrency called LINK that runs on a blockchain network called LINK Chain. The new cryptocurrency will be available exclusively via the BITBOX exchange from Sept 2018 but the primary means of acquiring the asset will be via compensation for using services in the LINE ecosystem. (CN Beta, Neowin, LINE)

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has received 29 applications for the first batch of virtual bank licences as of 5PM on 31 Aug 2018. Confirmed applicants included Standard Chartered Bank, online lender WeLab, a consortium led by CASH Financial Services Group, and Zhong An Bank allied with China Citic Bank. Tencent, Alipay, JD.com, Xiaomi are reportedly some of those applicants. (CN Beta, SCMP, CNBC)