IF / News

Chipsets

ARM will collaborate with Unity Technologies to ensure that 3D applications such as games and entertainment run smoothly on hardware that uses ARM architecture. (Android Authority, VentureBeat, Yahoo, Sina)

ARM has announced a new industry consortium designed to coordinate industry collaboration over autonomous vehicles, namely Autonomous Vehicle Computing Consortium (AVCC). AVCC also counts Bosch, Continental, Denso, General Motors, Nvidia, NXP and Toyota among its founding members. Its initial work will involve developing a set of recommendations of a system architecture and a computing platform to promote scalable deployment of automated and autonomous vehicles. (VentureBeat, ARM, Telecoms, OfWeek, CN Beta)

Qualcomm reportedly will unveil its Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform in Nov 2019. The early prototypes running the Snapdragon 865 SoC will be produced by Samsung, OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi. The first phones to use the new chipset will probably be Samsung Galaxy S11, which could be unveiled in Feb 2020. (Phone Arena, WCCFTech, CN Beta)

Apple reportedly aims to have its 5G modem ready by 2022. However, Apple needs to secure the necessary certifications from governments around the world, a time consuming process that puts the 2022 deadline in question. (Apple Insider, Fast Company, My Drivers)

Touch Display

Samsung Electronics plans to spend KRW13.1T (USD11B) developing and building next-generation displays QLED. It will build a quantum-dot display production line in Asan, which will begin operations from 2021 with an initial annual capacity of 30,000 panels larger than 65”. Production will then scale up, with a long-term development plan extending to 2025. (Android Headlines, Bloomberg, Japan Times, My Drivers)

Samsung has filed a patent with the USPTO for an ‘Electronic device and method for processing gesture’. The said phone will include a foldable screen that will feature a flexible display. As seen in the picture, the device can be folded, either way, that is from inside and also outside. The picture also reveals that the S Pen can be used on-screen as well as the fold line dividing the phone. (Sammy Hub, LetsGoDigital, EXP Review)

Japan Display Inc (JDI) has said it aims to clinch a deal in Oct 2019 for least JPY50B (USD470M) in vital funding, having had to scramble after an investment group suddenly pulled out of a bailout plan for JDI. JDI has said a major client (possibly Apple) intends to invest USD200M, double the amount it previously planned. Hong Kong-based Oasis Management will also contribute USD150-180M. (Gizmo China, Cult of Mac, Reuters, IT Home)

From the MIUI 11 beta, it is discovered that Xiaomi may be working on a phone with 120Hz refresh rate. There is a refresh rate toggle in the display settings that come with a 120Hz option. (GSM Arena, XDA-Developers, CN Beta)

Camera

Xiaomi is reportedly working on a phone with 5x telephoto camera. The camera app menu in MIUI 11 has revealed support for a new telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom. In addition to that, there is an ultra-telephoto mode that will offer up to 50x digital zoom. (XDA-Developers, GSM Arena, IT Home, CN Beta)

Samsung has registered a patent with the Korea Intellectual Property Office (KR) for a smartphone with triple punch-hole display cameras. The patent also envisions a front panel that pairs the punch hole with impressively thin bezels. (Gizmo China, Phone Arena, Tiger Mobiles, Tencent)

Connectivity

Nokia has said that it has affirmed more than 2,000 patent families as essential for the 5G standard to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). (Gizmo China, Economic Times, CN Beta)

Phone

Google has reportedly started test production of a 5G-connected Pixel phone, which is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. (Android Authority, Asia Nikkei, GSM Arena)

Google has allegedly held discussions about acquiring a video-sharing startup Firework that could help it counter fast-growing TikTok. (Android Authority, WSJ, Sina)

Google’s Stadia vice president of streaming, Madj Baker, has revealed that the service will be even more responsive than local gaming hardware in “a year or two”. Google will use AI to counteract any potential delays, in what it calls “negative latency”. This means the service will try to predict the expected amount of latency for the user’s connection and then try to mitigate the effects of that latency. (Neowin, Pocket-Lint, PC Games SN, CN Beta)

Huawei has allegedly more than a dozen 5G mid-to-high-end mobile phones. These devices have got a couple of certifications thus they are ready to hit the market. (GizChina, My Drivers)

Redmi 8 is unveiled in India – 6.22” 720×1520 HD+ IPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, rear dual 12MP-2MP + front 8MP, 4+64GB, Android 9.0, rear fingerprint scanner, 5000mAh 18W, INR7,999 (USD112). (GSM Arena, NDTV)

Sony Xperia 8 is announced in Japan – 6” 2520×1080 FHD+ 21:9 IPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, rear dual 12MP-8MP + front 8MP, 4+64GB,  Android 9.0, side fingerprint scanner, 2760mAh 18W, IP65/68 rated, JPY54,000 (USD505). (GSM Arena, Android Central, Sony)

Motorola One Macro is announced in India – 6.2” 720×1520 HD+ IPS, MediaTek Helio P70 MT6771, rear tri 13MP-2MP macro-2MP depth + front 8MP, 4+64GB, Android 9.0, rear fingerprint scanner, 4000mAh 10W, INR9,999 (USD140). (GSM Arena, NDTV, Motorola)

OPPO Reno A is launched in Japan – 6.4” 1080×2340 FHD+ AMOLED, Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, rear dual 16MP-2MP depth + front 25MP, 6+128GB, Android 9.0, under display fingerprint scanner, IP67 rated, 3600mAh, JPY35,800 (USD332). (GSM Arena, GizChina)

OPPO Reno Ace is announced in China – 6.5” 1080×2400 FHD+ 90Hz AMOLED, Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, rear quad 48MP-13MP telephoto-8MP ultrawide-2MP + front 16MP, 8+128 / 8+256 / 12+256GB, Android 10, under display fingerprint, 4000mAh 65W, CNY3,199 (USD450) / CNY3,399 (USD476) / CNY3,799 (USD534). (GizChina, GSM Arena, OPPO)

OPPO K5 is announced in China – 6.4” 2340×1080 FHD+ AMOLED, Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, rear quad 64MP-8MP ultrawide-2MP depth-2MP macro + front 32MP, 6+128 / 8+128 / 8+256GB, Android 9, under display fingerprint, 4000mAh 30W,  CNY1,899 (USD267) / CNY2,099 (USD295) / CNY2,499 (USD351). (Gizmo China, My Drivers, Fonearena, IT Home)

OnePlus 7T Pro is announced – 6.67” 1440×3120 QHD+ 90Hz Fluid AMOLED, Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, rear tri 48MP-8MP telephoto-16MP ultrawide + front pop-up 16MP, 8+256GB, Android 10, under display fingerprint, 4085mAh 30W, EUR760 / GBP699. (GSM Arena, Android Authority)

ZTE Blade A7s is launched in China – 6.088” 1560×720 HD+ IPS, MediaTek Helio P22, rear tri 16MP-8MP ultrawide-2MP depth + front 5MP, 4+64GB, Android 9.0, no fingerprint scanner, 4000mAh, CNY799 (USD112). (Gizmo China, IT Home)

Augmented / Virtual Reality

TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has indicated that Apple will collaborate with ‘third-party brands’ to release its first round of iPhone accessory augmented reality (AR) headsets. The device would mainly be driven by the CPU, GPU and network connectivity of a wirelessly connected iPhone. (Engadget, 9to5Mac, TF Securities)

Apple may have recently acquired UK-based motion capture company IKinema. IKinema offers animation technology that is used for games, virtual reality, and more. IKinema is specialized in technology that allowed for real-time motion animation of virtual characters. (TechCrunch, Gizmo China, Mac Rumors, IT Home, Sina)

Home

A survey run by YouGov asked 2,000 users about their entertainment viewing habits and found some interesting details that Google Android TV’s feature-set can assist with. One of those features is having the Google Assistant built-in for voice search. 62% of users found it faster to find something to watch using their voice. 79% of participants also wanted to control smart home devices from their TV, and Google Assistant also allows that, soon with routines too. (Digital Trends, 9to5Google, Google)

Automotive

Waymo, the autonomous vehicle business under Alphabet, has announced that it will be deploying “completely driverless” cars on certain routes in the United States. (Neowin, TechCrunch, CN Beta)

U.S. planemaker Boeing has indicated that it is working with Volkswagen’s sports car brand, Porsche, to develop a concept electric flying vehicle capable of transporting people in urban settings. (TechCrunch, CNN, Reuters, Auto Home)

Artificial Intelligence

Grammarly, the Kyiv, San Francisco, Vancouver, and New York startup behind the eponymous cross-platform grammar- and spell-checking platform, has revealed that it has secured USD90M in its second-ever funding round, led by General Catalyst, with participation from IVP as well as undisclosed existing and new investors. (VentureBeat, TechCrunch, Sina)

Payment

Samsung Pay is launched since 2015. Samsung is introducing Samsung Pay Cash, a virtual cash wallet that can be used for shopping. Samsung Pay Cash works where Samsung Pay and Mastercard are accepted. Samsung Pay Cash uses Samsung’s Knox and Mastercard token services that store the card details securely without exposing the 16-digit card number. (Sammy Hub, Samsung, GSM Arena)