IF / News

Chipsets

Intel’s chief engineering officer, Murthy Renduchintala says that the company is still on track to deliver volume production of its 10nm consumer processors in late 2019 and for the sever market in 2020. (CN Beta, Sina, Hot Hardware, Digitimes, Extreme Tech)

MIT and the University of Colorado have fabricated a 3-D transistor that is less than half the size of today’s smallest commercial models. To do so, they developed a novel microfabrication technique that modifies semiconductor material atom by atom. They have fabricated 3-D transistors that are as narrow as 2.5nm and more efficient than their commercial counterparts. (CN Beta, New Atlas, MIT)

Qualcomm has won a preliminary order in a Chinese court banning the import and sale of Apple iPhones with older versions of iOS installed out-of-the-box, over software patents that Apple was found to have violated in iOS 11. Apple has filed an appeal to overturn a broad iPhone sales ban in China. (Android Central, Qualcomm, CNBC, Apple Insider, CN Beta, CN Beta, Sina, VOA)

IBM is reporting 8-bit precision – the highest yet – for an analog chip, which the company says roughly doubles accuracy compared to previous analog chips. The new approach consumes 33x less energy than a digital architecture of similar precision. (CN Beta, Techspot, IBM)

Touch Display

Samsung is reportedly preparing 3 Galaxy S10 phones with varying display sizes 5.8”~6.4”: 5.8” S10 Lite, 6.1” S10, and 6.4” S10 Plus. The front “punch holes” are allegedly going to be located either at the center or at the top-right corner. (Android Headlines, Sina, Mashable, TechRadar)

Camera

Huawei Honor is announcing new camera technology with the industry-first 48MP rear camera with Sony IMX586 sensor. Honor says it achieved the possibility of an in-screen camera smartphone by drilling a hole with 4.5mm diameter. (PR Newswire, IT Home, BGR, Tencent)

Battery

Sony is launching battery 21700, with a diameter of about 21mm, a length of about 70mm, a capacity of 4000mAh, a discharge performance of 35A, and an internal resistance as low as 10mohm. This is used for high capacity and high power. It performs well for 100W USB PD charging. (CN Beta)

Apple’s patent on AirPower wireless charging pad describes technology that can charge multiple devices at the same time. It will bring enhanced security features that showcase the charging status of multiple Apple devices. The charging status will be shown on the largest display devices among all that is connected with the charging pad. (CN Beta, Gizmo China, Phone Radar, Patently Apple)

Connectivity

Verizon plans to double the speeds available through its 5G Home service in the next 6 months. Verizon’s VP of technology development and planning Bill Stone has explained that Verizon currently runs its 5G Home service in its 28 GHz licensed spectrum in 400 MHz channels. But he said the carrier has the ability to increase that spectrum allotment to 600 MHz and 800 MHz channels. (VentureBeat, Fierce Wireless)

Huawei Honor is launching Link Turbo, which can automatically analyze users’ usage models and network conditions to switch seamlessly between Wi-Fi or 4G networks and boost downloading speed by simultaneously adopting both networks. (Yicai, Tencent, My Drivers, PR Newswire, Gizmo China)

After U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, Japan has allegedly decided to effectively exclude Chinese telecommunication equipment giants Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp from public procurement from Apr 2018, reflecting U.S. concerns over the companies’ perceived close ties with the Chinese government. (VentrureBeat, Kyodo News, Android Headlines, Reuters, Epoch Times, VOA)

Phone

Andy Rubin’s Essential has acquired CloudMagic, makers of the Newton email app. (CN Beta, TechCrunch, Economic Times)

Xiaomi international brand director Donovan Sung has announced that the company officially enters Mexico market, launching the first Mijia retail store in the country. (CN Beta, My Drivers, PC Pop)

Analyst of Nomura Anne Lee believes that Apple’s 3 new iPhones in 2H19F will likely have the same form factors (body size and displays) as the 2H18 iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, with some added AR -related features. She estimates Apple iPhone unit sales will drop to 204M in fiscal 2019 from 213M in fiscal 2018, and then falling again to 200M in fiscal 2020. (My Drivers, CN Beta, 9to5Mac, Barorn’s)

Huawei Honor has claimed the title of “No. 1 Smartphone E-brand in China” (as in one focused on Internet retail). This is based on the last 9 quarters (so just over 2 years). (GSM Arena)

Samsung has filed trademarks of Rize10, Rize20, and Rize30, which belong to smartphone category, with UK’s Intellectual Property Office and other jurisdictions in the European Union. (Neowin, Galaxy Club, Gizmo China, CN Beta)

Samsung Galaxy A8s is announced in China with Infinity-O display – 6.4” 1080×2340 FHD+ IPS LCD, Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, rear tri-cam 24MP-10MP-5MP + front 24MP, 6/8GB + 128GB, Android 9.0, rear fingerprint scanner, IP68 rated, 3400mAh. (CN Beta, GSM Arena, Samsung)

Huawei Enjoy 9 is launched – 6.26” 720×1520 HD+ IPS LCD, Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, rear dual 13MP-2MP + front 8MP, 3+32GB / 4+64GB, Android 8.1, 4000mAh. (GSM Arena, Vmall, Sina, iFeng)

vivo Y93s is announced in China – 6.2” 720×1520 IPS LCD, MediaTek MT6762 (Helio P22), rear dual 13MP-2MP + front 8MP, 4+128GB, Android 8.1, no fingerprint scanner, face unlock, 4030mAh, CNY1698. (IT Home, Gizmo China, GizChina)

Wearables

Google and Levi’s Commuter X Jacquard smart jacket has gotten smarter as the former has introduced a new “Always Together” mode designed to prevent users from leaving their smartphone or jacket behind. (CN Beta, NDTV, Geek, OfWeek, Mirror)

Augmented / Virtual Reality

Less than 1 month after StarVR started accepting applications for its USD3,200 developer kit program, StarVR has confirmed it is putting the process ‘on hold’. StarVR has said that it is the most responsible course of action to put the StarVR Developer Program on hold while there are uncertainties with our key overseas shareholder, and also while the company is in the process of going private. (Engadget, Upload VR, Baijiahao)