IF / News

Chipsets

Samsung is allegedly in the middle of developing several types of chips that will be capable of processing massive data from AI applications on devices, eliminating the need to communicate with cloud servers. (Gizmo China, Android Authority, Korea Herald)

University of Michigan has developed a chip with a maze-like pattern. This is a microfluidic chip that can apparently help to separate cancer cells from the rest of bloodstream. This is thanks to the use of physics  where the curves will help to push the larger cancer cells forwards, while the smaller, regular cells will cling to the walls. (Ubergizmo, Engadget, University of Michigan, eBiotrade)

Brite, SMIC and Synopsys have announced a collaboration resulting in an IoT platform. The platform consisting of Synopsys’ DesignWare ARC Data Fusion Subsystem with ARC EM9D processor, USB, I3C and Mobile Storage IP solutions was integrated by Brite Semiconductor design services using SMIC’s 55nm ultra-low power (ULP) process. (Laoyaoba, Business Insider, EE Times)

Intel has announced that its new family of 8th Gen Intel Core desktop processors. Ranging from Intel Core i3 to Intel Core i7, these processors deliver premium performance for what comes next, opening the door for a new level of faster, easier and more immersive experiences. (iTer News, Kit Guru, My Drivers)

Touch Display

LG’s new patent on VR displays details a display that is “capable of alleviating a screen-door effect,” thus improving image quality inside VR. Screen-door effect relates to being able to see the gaps between pixels in a VR headset’s display, which is magnified by the pair of lenses you peer through. Higher-resolution displays with increased pixel density can improve upon this issue. (UploadVR, Fresh Patents, 83880, 946VR)

Apple reportedly is trying to reduce reliance on Samsung for OLED panel supply, the company has already shared the technologies with BOE, LG Display (LGD), and Japan Display Inc (JDI). In particular, BOE’s Sichuan Mianyang fab plans to enter production in 2019 to supply Apple’s new iPhone. (Apple Daily, Laoyaoba, Asia Nikkei)

A listing for the SM-G888N0 has been spotted at South Korea’s National Radio Research Agency. The model number was spotted in Apr 2016 on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi verification, which the industry believes is a code related to “Project Valley” or “Galaxy X” foldable phone. Though not many information is revealed, it still reveals that Samsung is likely to launch a foldable phone in 2018. (CN Beta, Sam Mobile, Laoyaoba, National Radio Research Agency)

Automotive panel has a huge market potential, and panel makers are aggressively entering this market segment. AUO, Innolux and CPT have gained some benefits from this market segment, even glass vendor Corning, they expect to perform well in 2018. (UDN, Laoyaoba, SEMI)

BOE aims to ship its first flexible OLED out of the Chengdu fab at the end of Oct 2017. BOE’s new fab has a capacity of 45,000 monthly substrates – enough to make around 90M smartphone sized AMOLEDs annually. In Oct 2016 BOE announced another 6-Gen OLED fab, in Mianyang, which will also have a similar capacity of 45,000 sheets per month and will enter production in 2019.  (OLED-Info, Asia Nikkei, Sina)

Biometrics

vivo X series product manager Han Boxiao indicates that vivo is going to lead the under-glass fingerprint technology. vivo and Qualcomm are applying ultrasonic solution. (CN Beta, Sohu, Sina)

vivo emphasizes that Face Wake facial recognition technology. X series product manager Han Boxiao indicates that bi-directional 3D recognition is more advantageous than other solutions. However, vivo’s so-called 3D facial information scanning is actually relying on dual-pixel camera. (CN Beta, Sohu, Sina)

Connectivity

Intel has shown off a demo this week of WiGig wireless networking technology that can connect a high-performance PC with a wireless virtual reality (VR) headset, providing a new option for doing VR without the annoying cables. The WiGig technology, which uses a short-range 60GHz radio, can transfer data at fast enough rates to feed VR imagery from a PC to the display in a VR headset, said Kim Pallister, director of virtual reality excellence at Intel. (VentureBeat, MS Poweruser, eTekNix, Engadget, Laoyaoba)

Broadcom is starting to make a mass-market GPS chip that can pinpoint a device’s accuracy to within 30cm. That is compared to today’s GPS solutions, which typically have a range of 3m~5m. The increased accuracy is down to both the design of Broadcom’s new BCM47755 chip and upgraded satellite systems broadcasting a more accurate signal termed L5. (Android Headlines, The Verge, News Atlas, IEEE Spectrum, CN Beta)

According to Civil Aviation Administration of China, in 2016 China’s total passengers reached 488M, domestic flight has 426M, Hong Kong / Macao and international flight has 62M. According to airbus forecast, by 2033, China will increase civil aircraft to more than 5300 units, which indicates a huge aviation market. Airborne Wi-Fi market is proportionately related to traffic volume, which indicates a huge potential of Wi-Fi market is emerging. (CN Beta, iFeng, C114)

Smartphones

Apple iPhone X’s price is noteworthy because it approaches, and breaches, the key threshold of USD1,000. Boosting prices into four-digit territory crosses an important psychological barrier for consumers. A key reason involves using a premium price to set an expectation of excellence in consumers’ minds. (CN Beta, Harvard Business Review, article, CNN)

Apple has reportedly instructed component suppliers to withhold part of the component shipments prepared for the production of iPhone X devices, according to Digitimes. Suppliers are currently shipping parts and components that amount to only about 40% of the quantities originally planned for the initial production of iPhone X. (Digitimes, press, GSM Arena, CN Beta)

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities believes that preorder demand for Apple iPhone X could top 50M units. The 3D sensing (TrueDepth camera) on iPhone X is composed of a structured-light system, time-of-flight system and a front-facing camera, which represents a far more complex structure than those of rivals. It will therefore be harder to achieve mass production. (Apple Insider, Laoyaoba)

Dual display Hisense A2 Pro is launched – 5.5” FHD AMOLED display + 5.2” e-ink display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, rear 12MP + front 16MP cameras, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, 3090mAh battery. (My Drivers, PC Pop, JRJ)

Gionee M7 is launched – 6.01” FHD+ 2160×1080 AMOLED display, MediaTek Helio P30 processor, rear dual 16MP-8MP + front 8MP cameras, 6GB RAM, 64 / 256GB storage, Android 7.1, 4000mAh battery, CNY2799. (Android Headlines, CN Beta, PC Pop, Sina, 91Mobiles, Gizbot)

Gionee M7 Power is also launched – 6” HD+ 720×1440 display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, rear 13MP f/2.0 PDAF + front 8MP cameras, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, 5000mAh battery. (NDTV, Gizbot)

Leagoo S8 is announced – 5.72” HD+ 1440×720 display, MediaTek MT6750 processor, rear dual 13MP – 2MP + front dual 8MP – 2MP cameras, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, 3050mAh battery, USD170. (Leagoo, Gizmo China)

Wearables

Levi’s Commuter Trucker jacket has a smart sleeve that connects to phone through Bluetooth. The touch-sensitive fabric that makes this possible has been coming for a while now. The technology comes out of Google’s ATAP division. This particular garment comes in at a hefty USD350 whereas normal Trucker jackets start at around USD150. (Liliputing, Levi’s, The Verge, Android Authority, iFeng)