At a time when Huawei's breakout Kirin 9000S processor is widely celebrated in China, Huawei's rotating chairman, Xu Zhijun, admitted at the 2023 World Computing Congress that Huawei believes China's semiconductor manufacturing technology is in a state of "lagging behind" and "catching up." He emphasized that this situation will persist for a "considerable period of time" and cautioned against having any illusions about the future.
Xiaomi Inc. supplier Dixon Technologies India Ltd. is set to open a massive new factory on the outskirts of New Delhi, as India pushes Chinese tech firms to use local assembly partners.
At the Apple Event 2023, the new Apple Watch product line was unveiled as the first-ever carbon-neutral product of the US consumer electronics giant and became one of the spotlights of the day. Originally, Apple was planning to reach the goal of 100% carbon-neutrality of its supply chain by 2030. Now with Apple Watch hitting the goal first, the supply chain partners of Apple's MacBooks, iPhones, etc., will have to get ready for the rigorous alignment.
The new S9 system-in-package (SiP) that powers the just-unveiled Apple Watch is manufactured by Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and Universal Scientific Industrial (USI), both of which are under ASE Technology Holding, according to industry sources.
The new iPhone processor, A17 Pro, represents a significant step forward in the commercialization of 3nm chip manufacturing technology, according to industry observers.
On August 29th, Huawei unexpectedly launched the Mate 60 Pro, which has attracted widespread attention over the past 10 days. However, concerns have arisen due to challenges related to yield rates, production capacity, as a result of shift of key components, such as HiSilicon Kirin processors, to the Chinese supply chain. These concerns raise doubts about the stability of the supply.
The extent and impact of China's prohibition on the use of iPhones in the public sector remain unclear. It will certainly negatively impact iPhone sales in China, but Taiwanese IC design firms may unexpectedly become beneficiaries.
If Huawei can revive its handset business by rolling out more 5G and other handset-related chips with support from SMIC's 14nm and 7nm manufacturing capability, Qualcomm and MediaTek will be negatively impacted, particularly the US chip vendor, DIGITIMES Research believes.
In a market somewhat bereft of high-growth segments, foldable smartphones have emerged as the singular bright spot. Huawei's Mate 60 Pro, featuring 5G, has ignited a surge in sales, leading industry insiders to speculate that the upcoming foldable Mate X series will also use the 5G technology. Amidst this backdrop, other manufacturers are eager to enter the foldable phone market, although there are significant barriers to entry, especially in sourcing key components like hinges.
Huawei's in-house developed chip architecture has piqued the market's interest, and the company may accelerate the development of non-handset chips, according to industry sources.
In the escalating trade tension between China and the United States, Huawei has been doubling down on its 5G mobile technology. According to industry insiders, Huawei has also been stockpiling essential mobile phone components, such as power amplifiers (PAs) and other essential communication chips, as a precautionary measure against potential new sanctions.
For SMIC, providing support for Huawei's 7nm chip without access to EUV technology could prove to be detrimental to its profitability, according to industry sources.
Huawei's Mate 60 Pro recently made an unexpected debut, sparking curiosity among Chinese consumers that the model might not necessarily carry truly top-notch SoC specs. In a public statement, Huawei has boldly claimed that the Mate 60 Pro is the most powerful Mate smartphone in the company's history. Is it true or not?
China-based Huawei surprisingly launched its latest flagship model, Mate 60 Pro. Although Huawei is under US sanctions, the new smartphone model reportedly features SMIC's N+2 technology with a potential network support of 5G.
Huawei is rumored to be planning to introduce new 5G smartphones in the second half of 2023. Beyond the expected September launch, the top-end model may potentially feature satellite call functionality, according to supply chain sources.
Smartphone camera lens specialist Largan Precision has recently announced its entry into the beauty and health industry, setting up a subsidiary to offer eyelash and nail beauty services and to produce health supplements.
Samsung announced 1.5x growth in pre-orders for its latest Flip and fold smartphone models, looking to grab more market share as its arch-rival Xiaomi is ceding ground amid India's regulatory pressure against Chinese brands.
Following HonorTech CEO Madhav Sheth's announcement saying that the company will sell Honor-branded smartphones in India under a license agreement, China-based Honor denied any association with HonorTech.
Taiwan's mobile phone chips backend supply chain players have recently expressed pessimism about the handset application market outlook. Major OSATs ASE Technology and King Yuan Electronics, and test interface specialist Chunghwa Precision Test Tech, have all indicated that global handset sales are expected to reach a conservative range of 1.1–1.2 billion units in 2023.
Over the past week, a series of developments and rumors regarding Foxconn's investments in India have occurred. Global PC and notebook manufacturers are closely watching if India will recosider implementing its import restrictions on computers.
As Huawei's Executive Director and CEO of the Consumer Business Group, Richard Yu, loudly declared in early August that "Huawei's flagship smartphones are making a comeback," the announcement has led to speculations of Huawei's imminent return to 5G smartphone market.
NAND flash prices may remain at rock bottom for longer than anticipated, due to a lack of killer applications to clear stockpiles, according to industry sources.
