IF / News

Tesla has unveiled a custom chip for training artificial-intelligence (AI) networks in data centers. The D1 chip, part of Tesla’s Dojo supercomputer system, uses TSMC’s 7nm manufacturing process, with 362 teraflops of processing power. Tesla places 25 of these chips onto a single “training tile,” and 120 of these tiles come together across several server cabinets, amounting to over an exaflop of power. (CN Beta, Tom’s Hardware, HPC Wire, CNBC)

TSMC has laid out its advanced packaging technology roadmap and showcased its next-gen CoWoS solutions, which are ready for next-gen chiplet architectures and memory solutions. The company expects to release its Gen 5 CoWoS packaging solution later this year which will push the transistor count by 20x over the 3rd Gen packaging solution. The new package will come with an interposer area increase of 3 times, 8 HBM2e stacks for up to 128 GB capacities, a brand new TSV solution, Thick CU interconnect, and a new TIM (Lid package). (CN Beta, WCCTech, Hot Chips)

AMD has further detailed its future Multi-Layer Chiplet Design technologies which are going to be integrated within next-generation processors such as the upcoming Zen 3 chips with 3D V-Cache technology. According to AMD, 2021 will mark the first introduction of its 3D Chiplet architecture design. The first product to feature this technology is going to be AMD’s Zen 3 core which will feature an SRAM cache over the main Zen 3 CCD. (CN Beta, WCCFtech)

SK Inc, the investment and holding company of SK Group, will absorb SK Materials, the group’s industrial gas manufacturing affiliate, in a corporate restructuring aimed at enhancing shareholder value. Under the proposed merger, SK Materials will split off into a surviving holding company and a new entity that produces gases used in semiconductors and rechargeable batteries. (Laoyaoba, KED Global, Business Korea)

Taiwan-based IC design houses have seen a strong pull-in of orders for 4G mobile chips recently from their China-based handset clients, with the orders being placed at a much more rapid pace than those for 5G chips, according to Digitimes. The price of 4G mobile chips has been rising recently and is expected to rebound in the short term. Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo have all increased their purchases of chips for 4G smartphones launched in emerging markets since 3Q21, because they have realized that the profits of 5G smartphones have shrunk, competition has become increasingly fierce, and related mobile chips have been dragged down. (Digitimes, Laoyaoba)

vivo may launch its proprietary image processor (ISP) dubbed “Yueying” in Sept 2021. The first devices that will receive an ISP of their own design may be smartphones of the Vivo X70 series. (GizChina, IT Home)

Intel has signed a deal with the Department of Defense to support a domestic commercial chip-building ecosystem. The chipmaker will lead the first phase of a program called Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes – Commercial (RAMP-C), which aims to bolster the domestic semiconductor supply chain. The chipmaker’s recently launched division, Intel Foundry Services, will lead the program. (CN Beta, Intel, TechCrunch)

Samsung’s new smartphone models, Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3, are estimated to have logged a combined 450K preorders. Total preorders could reach at least 600K units. If sales of unlocked phones, or phones not locked to a particular mobile carrier, are included, the figure could even hit 800K. (Android Headlines, Phone Arena, Korea Herald, Gizmo China)

Kingston has announced in China a new line of MicroSD cards designed to work under extreme conditions. The new memory cards are under the Industrial line. They have a write speed of 100MB/s, up to 1920 TBW and 30,000 P/E cycles, are built with long-lasting Pseudo SLC (pSLC) flash memory and can work at a temperature range between -40ºC and 85ºC. (CN Beta, Gizmo China)

Apple iPhone 13 series that are to be launched in 2H21 reportedly will not feature in-display Touch ID. Apple has been testing ‌Touch ID‌ technology that would have allowed the company to place the sensor under the display on the ‌iPhone‌. Apple’s eventual goal is to embed Face ID under the display rather than ‌Touch ID‌. (Mac Rumors, My Drivers, Bloomberg, Phone Arena)

General Motors (GM) is voluntarily expanding the current Chevrolet Bolt EV recall to cover the remaining 2019 and all 2020-2022 model year vehicles, including the new Bolt EUV. GM will replace defective battery modules in Chevrolet Bolt EVs and EUVs with new modules, with an expected additional cost of approximately USD1B. GM and LG are working to rectify the cause of these defects. In the meantime, GM is pursuing commitments from LG for reimbursement of this field action. (CN Beta, Reuters, GM, NY Times, The Verge, Industry Week)

Ford has revealed that it will soon offer an electric crate motor for enthusiasts looking to convert their internal combustion projects to fully electric propulsion. Ford Performance calls it the Eluminator. The Blue Oval will join GM with its Electric Connect and Cruise eCrate kit in offering the necessary hardware to electrify older cars. (CN Beta, Motor Trend, Inside Evs, Road and Track)

OPPO has demonstrated its magnetic wireless charging technology dubbed “MagVOOC”. The company’s MagVOOC chargers are available in 40W and 20W models. In addition to the two MagVOOC chargers, the company also unveiled a new power bank. OPPO’s charging stand holds the smartphone magnetically and can push out 40W to supported smartphones. When it comes to the MagVOOC power bank, it offers 4,500 mAh capacity and can send to supported smartphones 20W. (GSM Arena, GizChina, Laoyaoba)

Restaurants have replaced physical menus with Quick Response (QR) codes in US restaurants, a change that many in the industry believe is likely permanent. QR code downloads have soared 750% over the last 18 months, according to Bitly. Restaurant tech experts also see more opportunities for QR codes, like placing digital orders on premise and keeping track of customer data and past orders. (Neowin, CNBC, Yahoo)

Taiwan-based IC distributors including Answer Technology (ANStek), GMI Technology, WPG and WT Microelectronics have all seen a strong pull-in of orders for Wi-Fi and other networking chips with order visibility extending through 1Q22, according to Digitimes. The supply of networking chips, including those offered by Taiwan-based IC design houses such as MediaTek and Realtek Semiconductor, has been lagging demand with the supply shortfall set to persist throughout 2H21. (Digitimes, press, Laoyaoba)

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed that the Starlink project, which aims to provide global broadband connectivity via a constellation of satellites, has shipped 100K terminals to customers. The service has begun satellite launches in Nov 2019 and opened its USD99 / month beta program for select customers around a year later. Since then, SpaceX has launched more than 1,700 satellites and in addition to the 100K shipped terminals, it has received over 500K additional orders for the service. (CN Beta, TechCrunch)

According to a previous report, Google will produce the Pixel 6 series in a factory in Vietnam. However, due to the pandemic, the latest news says that Google will change the manufacturing location to China. (My Drivers, GizChina)

LATAM smartphone shipment increased 41.8% YoY in 2Q21 but declined 6.5% compared to the previous quarter, according to Counterpoint Research. Smartphone demand in the region grew steadily but volume growth was impacted by the ongoing chipset shortages and manufacturing constraints. The region is still suffering from COVID-19. Only a couple of countries have been able to fully vaccinate more than half of their population. Therefore, most countries are enduring various degrees and forms of lockdown, leading to an economic slowdown. This, in turn, has affected the purchasing ASP (average selling price) rather than the rate of replacement. (Laoyaoba, Counterpoint Research)

Ten years after launching the first smartphone bearing the Mi brand, Xiaomi is ready to make a big change: The company is reportedly dropping “Mi” from its product names going forward. This change in branding started with the company’s recently-released MIX 4 smartphone. (XDA-Developers, Android Central)

Samsung allegedly will not launch any new Galaxy Note smartphones in the future. No more new products on bar type Note Series as of now. Samsung is allegedly internally referring to the Galaxy Z series as the Note Z series instead. (CN Beta, TechRadar, GizChina)

vivo Y33s is launched in India – 6.58” 1080×2408 FHD+ v-notch, MediaTek Helio G80, rear tri 50MP-2MP macro-2MP depth + front 16MP, 8+128GB, Android 11.0, side fingerprint, 5000mAh 18W, INR17,990 (USD242).  (Gizmo China, India Times, vivo)

Apple’s 9th-generation inexpensive iPad slated for launch in Sept 2021 may not come with significant design changes, but is still expected to boost Apple’s overall iPad shipments to as many as 60M units, according to Digitimes. Also expected to help Apple hit 60M tablets shipped in 2021 is a new iPad mini (2021). (Telegraph, Phone Arena, Digitimes, Digitimes)

Since 2Q20, PC has finally gotten rid of its declining trend over the years. However, what has attracted much attention is whether the notebook (NB) boom can continue until 2022. The current market views are divided. Most NB brand owners are still quite optimistic, while many research agencies have turned conservative. The unexpected and unstoppable epidemic in 2021 will also keep the demand for work from home, distance learning, and e-sports entertainment. This will drive the rise of NB demand. The market estimates that the growth rate will increase by another 10~15%. Due to the issue of limited length and short materials, the sales performance of many factories will be more eye-catching. However, the NB industry has ushered in a good situation for 2 years. Whether the momentum will continue in 2022, the current market views are divided. Looking forward to 2022, Lenovo’s NB and desktop (DT) are expected to rise to 60M and 24M units, respectively, while Chromebooks will be reduced to 9M units. The overall PC shipments will maintain growth momentum. (Digitimes, press)

TikTok has launched a new creative toolset called TikTok Effect Studio, currently in private beta testing, which will allow its own developer community to build AR effects for TikTok’s short-form video app. (TechCrunch, TikTok)

Major South Korean credit card issuer Samsung Card has said it has decided to sell its entire 19.9% stake in Renault Samsung Motors. The card issuer purchased the stake for KRW87.6B (USD74.8M) in Apr 2000 in line with an agreement between Samsung Group and French automaker Renault S.A. on the sale of Samsung’s car unit. (CN Beta, Korea Herald, KED)

PayPal now allows users outside the U.S. to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrency for the first time. The company has announced the launch of a new service that will allow customers in the U.K. to select between 4 types of cryptocurrencies — including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash — which can be purchased using a connected bank account or debit card. (TechCrunch, CNBC, PayPal)