IF / News

Chipsets

MediaTek and Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) have developed a range of technologies that include what they say is the world’s first LWA (LTE / Wi-Fi Link Aggregation) prototype system in preparation for commercialization of 5G by 2020. The partners have developed LWA technology that can improve network bandwidth in the 38/39 GHz millimeter range to overcome limitations with high-frequency transmission. (Laoyaoba, China Times, CTimes)

Touch Display

The new patent filed by Samsung at the USPTO shows a foldable smartphone. This  is aimed at hardcore gamers. Besides being able to use the phone’s display as a touchpad, the device would also include a stylus, just like the Note series.  (Phone Arena, LetsGoDigital, My Drivers)

Biel Crystal Manufactory, the biggest cover-glass maker for Apple iPhone, plans to raise about USD1.5B from a Hong Kong IPO as early as 1H18. (Laoyaoba, ET Telecom)

Lens Technology has announced that its subsidy Lens International has signed a strategic contract with Sinocera Functional Material to form a collaborative company, aiming to promote the application of special precision ceramic materials use in smart wearable industry. (East Money, JRJ, Sina)

University of Tokyo has discovered a type of glass that can heal itself, which could be used in phone screens and other devices. This is all thanks to a new polymer called “polyether-thioureas” that allows the screen to repair cracks when pressed upon. (Android Authority, Science Mag, ZJOL, Sina, The Guardian)

Samsung Display will reportedly supply Apple with between 180M~200M flexible OLED panels for Apple iPhone in 2018. That is around 4 times the amount it supplied in 2017, and translates into roughly USD19.8B~22B revenue at the supply price of USD110 based on calculations by IHS Market – including the price of the cover glass and touch sensor.  (CN Beta, Seeking Alpha, Android Authority, Apple Insider, The Investor)

Japan Display Inc (JDI) is reportedly negotiating with BOE, CSOT and Tianma for a JPY200B (about USD1.8B) investment. (Laoyaoba, OfWeek, Sina, Sohu)

Memory

Samsung has begun mass producing the industry’s first 2nd-generation of 10nm class (1y-nm), 8-gigabit (Gb) DDR4 DRAM. Samsung’s 2nd-generation 10nm-class 8Gb DDR4 features an approximate 30 percent productivity gain over the company’s 1st-generation 10nm-class 8Gb DDR4. In addition, the new 8Gb DDR4’s performance levels and energy efficiency have been improved about 10% and 15%, respectively. (CN Beta, Business Wire, Samsung)

Strong, ongoing demand put significant upward pressure on DRAM average selling prices. According to IC Insights, this trend continued into 4Q17 and is expected to drive quarterly DRAM sales to an all time high mark of USD21.1B, capping an incredible year of growth in which DRAM sales set a new all time high sales mark each quarter. (IC Insights, press, Laoyaoba)

Sensory

According to supply chain, 3D sensing technology will replace fingerprint recognition as the mainstream biometric authentication technology for smartphones in 2018. More smartphone manufacturers including Huawei, Xiaomi and OPPO are expected to adopt 3D sensors for their new smartphones. OPPO and Xiaomi have validated 3D sensing solutions developed by Qualcomm and its partners. (Tencent, Yahoo, Laoyaoba)

Needham & Co analyst Alex Henderson finds Lumentum well positioned to benefit. He expects Finisar to be the number two supplier with 2018 3D Sensing revenues of roughly USD100M-130M. He expects IIVI to be the only other supplier in the market. Lumentum should be able to deliver at least USD500M in 3D Sensing revenues and this should drive significant margin benefits.  (Benzinga, Barron’s, press, Laoyaoba)

Battery

Solid Power, a leading developer of solid-state rechargeable batteries, has announced a partnership with the BMW Group. Solid State produces batteries made up of inorganic materials developed by the company specifically for the purpose, which can produce battery cells that have a higher energy density vs. their lithium-ion equivalents. (Engadget, TechCrunch, PR Newswire, ITDCW)

China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) subsidy TTL lab has announced China’s first fast-charging standards requirements and testing methods. The chosen 5 fast charging standards include Qualcomm Quick Charge, Huawei SuperCharge, MediaTek Pump Express Fast Charging, USB PD, and OPPO VOOC. (Laoyaoba, My Drivers, CN Beta, Sina)

Connectivity

The members of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) have officially approved the hardware specifications for the Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G New Radio (NR) standards. The specs were confirmed during a meeting of the 3GPP group in Lisbon, Portugal. (Android Authority, Fierce Wireless, CN Beta)

Smartphones

Huawei’s President of Consumer Business, Richard Yu, confirmed that the company would launch its Mate 10 Pro flagship phone on a United States carrier in 2018.  (Android Authority, Android Central, ABC News, Sina)

Meizu’s Head of Global Marketing, Ard Boudeling, has just announced that the company grew more than 50% on a global scale in 2017. Boudeling also said that the company expects to keep growing in 2018, and that Meizu is in talks with “a number of potential partners” to bring its products to even more countries in 2018. (Android Headlines)

Analyst Gene Munster of Loup Ventures sees supply-demand balance for Apple iPhone X being reached by mid-Jan 2018, which should help sales in the Mar 2018 quarter. (Apple Insider, CN Beta)

Apple is reportedly planning to let developers create apps that will adjust to whichever platform they are running on, so that they will support touch input on an iPhone or an iPad and mouse and trackpad input on a Mac. (TechCrunch, The Verge, Bloomberg, Sohu)

Jeffrey Kvaal, an analyst at Nomura’s Instinet brokerage agency, warns about Apple’s supposed slowdown. He argues that the stock’s gains for the iPhone X supercycle are in the late innings. He believes unit growth, if not quite ASP growth, is well anticipated by consensus and a historically full multiple. (Laoyaoba, Sohu, TechNews, Benzinga, Business Insider, 9to5Mac, Tip Rank)

According to analytics firm Localytics, it seems that Apple is selling over a combined 1M units of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X on a daily basis. The iPhone 8 represents about 2.22% of total iPhones in the market and translates to about 17.5M sold. The iPhone 8 Plus appears to represent 2.94% of the iPhone market and is about 23.2M sold. The iPhone X is said to account for 2.63% of the market and represents about 20.7M units sold.  (Localytics, press, Forbes, Ubergizmo, CN Beta)

Huawei Enjoy 7S is launched in China – 5.65” 2160×1440 FHD+ display, HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor, rear dual 13MP-2MP + front 8MP cameras, 3 / 4GB RAM, 32 / 64GB storage, 3000mAh battery, from CNY1499. (Android Headlines, CN Beta)

Leagoo M9 is launched – 5.5” 1280×640 HD- display, MediaTek MT6580A processor, rear dual 8MP-2MP + front dual 5MP-2MP cameras, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, Android 7.0, 2850mAh battery. (Gizmo China, Leagoo)

Meiigoo Note 8 is launched – 5.99”  2160×1080 FHD+ display, MediaTek MT6750T processor, rear dual 13MP-2MP + front 5MP cameras, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, Android 7.0, rear fingerprint scanner, 3300mAh battery, USD160. (Gizmo China, Meiigoo, Gear Best)

Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8+ are announced, powered by Samsung Exynos 7885 Octa processor, rear 16MP + front dual 16MP-8MP cameras, Android 7.1.1, rear fingerprint scanner: A8 – 5.6” 2220×1080 FHD+ Super AMOLED display, 4GB RAM, 32 / 64GB storage, 3000mAh battery. A8+–  6” 2220×1080 FHD+ Super AMOLED display, 4 / 6GB RAM, 32 / 64GB storage, 3500mAh battery.  (Android Authority, CN Beta, NDTV, Business Insider)

Gome U7 is launched in China – 5.99” 2160×1080 FHD+ display, MediaTek Helio P25 processor, rear 13MP PDAF + front dual 13MP-13MP cameras, 4 / 6GB RAM, 64GB storage, Android 7.1.1 (Gome OS 2.0), 3100mAh battery, from CNY1399. (CN Beta, Sohu, Sina, iFeng)

InFocus Vision 3 is launched in India – 5.7” 1440×720 HD+ display, MediaTek MT6737 processor, rear dual 13MP-5MP + front 8MP cameras, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, Android 7.0, rear fingerprint scanner, 4000mAh battery, INR6,999. (Gizmo China, India Today, Economic Times)

Wearables

Magic Leap unveils first AR headset Magic Leap One set, Referred to as Magic Leap One Creator Edition, which includes a pair of Lightwear goggles, a portable Lightpack computer that will launch in 2018.  (Android Central, Android Authority, Rolling Stone, Yesky, Sohu)

Google’s Chinese unit headquartered in the Shanghai World Financial Center is presently working on wearables and a number of other devices amid a major expansion in the Far Eastern country. Besides wearables, the Shanghai-based unit is said to be developing Google Pixel, Home, and Pixelbook products, as well as virtual reality headsets. (Gizmo China, The Information, Android Headlines, Sina, 36Kr)

The overall wearables market is expected to grow from 113.2M shipments in 2017 to 222.3M in 2021 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.4%, according to IDC. Watches (both smart and basic) are on track to take the lead and are expected to grow from 61.5M in 2017 to 149.5M in 2021 as more vendors – particularly fashion brands—and cellular connectivity built into smartwatches help to drive growth in this category. (CN Beta, IDC, press)

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will release an upgraded version of AirPods in 2H18. He predicts that in 2018 AirPods shipments will grow 100% YoY to 26M~28M units. He forecasts the ASP of RFPCB for upgraded AirPods in 2H18 may increase, further benefiting business momentum of Unitech and Compeq. Kuo said the new AirPods will continue to be assembled by Inventec, with individual components supplied by fellow Taiwanese companies such as Unitech, Compeq, TXC, and HLJ. (Laoyaoba, India Today, Mac Rumors, Sina, iResearch)

Internet of Things

Apple is confident with HomePod even they have delayed the launch. The company has increased its sales estimate with 50% to 12M~15M units. Inventec is currently rushing for the first batch of product. (CN Beta, UDN)

Toyota has announced it would introduce at least 10 new electric vehicles by the early 2020s — first in China and then globally. It says it plans to sell at least 5.5M electrified vehicles by 2030, including 1M “zero-emissions” vehicles that include full battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. (The Verge, Toyota, Ubergizmo, 163)

LG will launch products and services that use AI under a new sub-brand called “ThinQ” starting in 2018. All its upcoming TVs, fridges, even electronic devices and services under the new brand will have features developed with deep learning techniques and will be able to communicate with one another.  (Android Central, LG, Pocket-Lint, Digital Trends, Engadget, Sohu, TechWeb)

Waymo has partnered with on-demand insurance technology startup Trov to offer insurance coverage to riders in the Alphabet-owned company’s future self-driving cars.  (Android Headlines, CNET, PR Newswire, WSJ, Technode, CN Beta)