1-1 Happy 2020: Samsung has partly halted some semiconductor production at its Hwaseong chip complex; Huawei says survival is “first priority” in 2020; etc.
Touch Display
Gree Electronics has patented a new design for a foldable smartphone. If Gree Electronics is working on this foldable handset, however, chances are it will become official sometime in 2020. (Android Headlines, CN Beta)
Taiwan-based LED wafer and chip maker Epistar and China-based LED display maker Leyard Optoelectronic are looking at CNY5B (USD7.18B) in annual revenues from a joint venture they are forming for making mini and micro LED chips and modules in China, according to Digitimes. Production at the JV will kick off in 2020, with its capacity to be fully ramped up in 2023. (Digitimes, press, China Times, China Times)
TCL CSOT has officially announced that its Gen-6 flexible AMOLED production line in Wuhan has begun mass production and shipment to phone vendors, including dual-curved flexible punch-hole display and foldable display. The AMOLED product delivered by CSOT integrates 4 major technologies such as curved display, punch-hole display, on-cell touch, and DC dimming mode. (Laoyaoba, Sohu, Sina)
Memory
Samsung Electronics has confirmed that on 30 Dec 2019, the company has partly halted some semiconductor production at its Hwaseong chip complex in South Korea after about a minute-long blackout. Some DRAM and NAND flash chip production lines were stopped after electricity was cut due to a problem with a regional power transmission cable, and a full recovery is expected in about 2-3 days. (My Drivers, NY Times, YNA)
Biometrics
Goodix Technology CEO Zhang Fan has revealed the company’s product plan for 2020, which includes continuing to promote the commercial use of ultra-thin under display optical fingerprint solutions and mass production of under LCD optical fingerprint solutions. There are 110 commercial models of optical fingerprint solutions under the screen. (My Drivers, CN Beta)
Phone
Huawei’s rotating chairman Eric Xu has indicated it will continue to remain on the US Entity List in 2020. The executive adds that Huawei will not grow as quickly as it did in 1H19, when it enjoyed plenty of sales momentum (and 18% year-on-year growth in sales revenue). He says survival is “first priority” in 2020. (Android Authority, Huawei, RFI, Epoch Times)
Xiaomi’s founder and CEO of Xiaomi Lei Jun mentioned in Nov 2019 that Beijing Yizhuang Xiaomi’s future factory is designed to produce 1M mobile phones per year, mainly for the development and production of Xiaomi’s flagship 5G mobile phones. Xiaomi Group’s co-founder and Vice-Chairman, Lin Bin has announced that after more than a year of hard work, Xiaomi’s very own research and development production line is finally ready. The first phone to be manufactured is Mi 9 Pro 5G. (Laoyaoba, Sohu, Sina, Gizmo China, IT Home)
Home
Vizio says LeEco has breached the settlement the two companies agreed to 2018 in the USD60M lawsuit over their failed merger, and claims the Chinese tech conglomerate still owes a “substantial amount of money,” according to a new motion filed in California’s central district court. (CN Beta, The Verge)
Commerce
Huawei authorized smart unmanned shop is officially opened in Wuhan. The shop is located in Guanggu New Development International Center, with a circular flying saucer cabin that have the shelves of goods neatly listed. These can be viewed easily from external through the transparent display. (CN Beta, My Drivers, Small Tech News)
Reliance Industries, India’s biggest company by market value, has started its web portal Jiomart, harnessing the might of its two largest consumer-facing businesses to announce its entry into online food and grocery shopping by early 2020. (TechCrunch, Economic Times, NDTV)
