5-11: JDI estimated a net loss of JPY31.8bln for the year ended March; 1Q16 104.7mln smartphones shipped to the China market;
JDI estimated a net loss of JPY31.8bln for the year ended March; XMC expects to mass produce 48-layer 3D NAND Flash in 2018; micro fuel cell lasts 10 times longer than battery; 1Q16 104.7mln smartphones shipped to the China market; 1Q16 Taiwan-based phone vendors and ODM shipped 13.95mln smartphones; etc.
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Chipset |
| NVIDIA announces VRWorks Audio, which allows the GPU to calculate physically-based audio in real time. It allows the Optics engine, which is used for ray tracing technology, to calculate audio signatures in the same way it calculates light signatures. The result should be much more realistic environmental sound. (TechNews, Tom’s Hardware, NVIDIA, Forbes)
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| NVIDIA announced the GeForce GTX 1080 using the Pascal architecture, which has virtual reality (VR) optimizations built in. (Forbes, PC World, WCCF Tech, Huanqiu, Sohu)
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Display |
| Japan Display estimated a net loss of JPY31.8 billion (USD291.96 million) for the year ended March, wider than the JPY12.3 billion loss it reported for the previous year. JDI, which generates about 40% of sales from Apple, also cut its full-year operating profit estimate to JPY16.7 billion from the JPY22.0 billion it forecast in February. (Apple Insider, WSJ, Yahoo, CCIDNet, China Times) |
| Universal Display developed a new AMOLED structure that is a sort of WOLED – RGB hybrid structure. The idea is to use a large blue sub-pixel and a large yellow sub-pixel that is split into three areas – unfiltered and red and green filtered. (OLED-Info, Display Daily)
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Memory |
| Citigroup’s analyst Atif Malik believes that XMC could finish its 48-layer 3D NAND Flash production trial in 2017, and will start mass production in 2018. Currently, Samsung, SK Hynix and Toshiba / SanDisk 3D NAND Flash technology has already reached 48 layers. (TechNews, Barron’s) |
| Samsung 256GB EVO Plus microSD hits the market in June 2016 for USD250. (The Verge, Android Central, GSM Arena, CC Time, iFeng)
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Battery |
| Nissan is entering the home power storage market with the launch of xStorage, teaming up with a power management company Eaton, aiming to provide a domestic power reserve via the use of batteries. (Pocket-Lint, Utility Week, Yahoo)
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| Micro fuel cell, which is a fuel cell converts chemical energy into electricity, is reportedly going to be launched in the market soon, and it can power devices 10 times longer than batteries. They are coming to market from Intelligent Energy, Brunton, MyFC JAQ, Kraftwerk and Ardica. (TechCrunch, CN Beta) |
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Smartphones |
| Shipments of smartphones by Taiwan-based handset brands and ODMs totaled 13.95 million units in 1Q16, declining 22.2% on quarter and 20.5% on year, according to data gathered by Digitimes Research. (Digitimes, press)
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| There were 104.7 million smartphones shipped in the China market during 1Q16, slipping 11.2% on quarter but growing 20.1% on year and accounting for 33.8% of global total, according to Digitimes Research. (Digitimes, press, Phone Arena)
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| Xiaomi states that MIUI has over 200 million users worldwide. (Android Central, 163, Yesky)
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| Lenovo Z1 (ZUK Z1 in China) is launched in India with Cyanogen OS – 5.5” FHD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 13MP OIS + 8MP cameras, 3GB RAM, 64GB storage, Cyanogen OS 12.1, LTE, USB Type-C, 4100mAh battery, INR13499. (Android Central, First Post)
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| Huawei Honor V8 is announced designed for VR – 5.7” QHD IPS display, HiSilicon Kirin 950 processor, 2×12MP + 8MP cameras, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, LTE (VoLTE), USB Type-C, fingerprint sensor, 3500mAh battery, priced from CNY2299. (CN Beta, GSM Arena, Fone Arena)
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| Xiaomi Mi Max is official – 6.44” FHD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (32GB) / 652 (64/128GB) processor, 16MP PDAF + 5MP cameras, 3/32 or 3/64 or 4/128 RAM/storage, MIUI 8, LTE, dual-SIM, 4850mAh battery, priced from CNY1499. (Phone Arena, Xiaomi, CN Beta)
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Wearables |
| VRidge is a system that adapts the stereoscopic output and head-tracking input for the Oculus Rift to an Android smartphone app, allowing games and demos to be played on a cheap headset like Google Cardboard. (RiftCat, Android Police, The Verge, JS China, Gamedog)
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| Huawei Honor Band A1 is a fitness tracker with a UV sensor – compatible with Android / iOS, Bluetooth 4.1, fitness tracker, notification with a LED light, 70mAh battery, IP57 rating, priced from CNY99. (GSM Arena, OfWeek, Fone Arena, CNMO)
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| Huawei Honor VR Headset announced – built-in HiFi offering 360° sound, can adjust wearer’s myopia up to 7 points, supports the Video 2.0 mode of the Honor V8. Huawei will work with Youku to provide more VR content. (Gizmo China, OfWeek, TechWeb)
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| EYSE camera can capture 3D (stereo) video and live-stream virtual reality content to VR headsets and goggles. Comes with a pair of 5MP or 13MP specialized video processors, able to record a dual perspective stereoscopic video and offer a wider field of view (110º), priced from USD399. (CN Beta, The Verge, Kickstarter, Ubergizmo, Sohu)
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| Halo Sport is launched by Halo Neuroscience, which claims can increase the sports performance in its wearer through the discharging of electrical pulses. It will deliver 2.0mA pulses to the wearer’s motor cortex, thus allowing their neurons to react faster, which in turn will help boost their movements and coordination. (Ubergizmo, Read/Write, The Stack)
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Internet of Things |
| uHoo smart air sensor has 8 dedicated sensors to check the quality of air. It can also measure the level of toxins and allergens that make the air inside home hazardous – specifically detecting carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, dust, humidity, temperature, ozone, volatile organic compounds and air pressure, priced at USD129. (Ubergizmo, Venture Beat)
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| Xiaomi iHealth Box measures biometric data including heart rate and blood pressure, equipped with 4.3” colour display, and could transmit data to smartphone via Wi-Fi, it has 2200mAh battery, which can be recharged via a micro-USB port, priced at CNY399. (GSM Arena, Gizmo China, IT168, My Drivers)
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| Samsung and advertising company Leo Burnett created ‘Samsung Galaxy Surfboard’ – a prototype providing live connectivity to surfers at sea and in real time. (Design Boom, Creativity Online, TNW, CN Beta)
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| General Motors (GM) and Lyft will test self-driving taxis within the next year. It could involve a self-driving Chevrolet Bolt, a GM-made electric car due out later this year (TechNews, WSJ, IEEE, Fortune) |
