DigiTimes

Apple Watch Series 3 to release in second half of 2017, older models likely to be discounted

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 5, 2017

A third-generation Apple Watch is expected to be announced in the fall with battery life and performance improvements. Today, DigiTimes said Apple had asked its suppliers to begin shipping parts for the device in the second half of 2017.

The tentatively named Apple Watch Series 3 should be assembled by Compal Electronics, with Quanta Computer taking over production of current models.

In other words, existing Apple Watch Series 2 and 1 models should be kept on sale at reduced prices after Apple Watch Series 3 hits.

Read More

More evidence points to late 2017 launch for iPhone 8

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 14, 2017

Evidence continues to mount suggesting that Apple's AMOLED-based iPhone 8 flagship aka “iPhone Edition” may in fact launch later in the fourth quarter of 2017, unlike the refreshed LCD-based iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus that should hit store shelves shortly following an announcement in September.

Citing industry sources, DigiTimes reported Tuesday that touch panel maker TPK Holding won't begin churning out next-generation 3D Touch sensors for use in iPhone 8 before the fourth quarter of 2017.

Read More

Shift to OLED screens said to necessitate thin film solution for iPhone 8’s 3D Touch

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 8, 2017

Without mentioning sources, DigiTimes reported Wednesday that the widely expected shift from LCD to OLED screens will necessitate a thin-film solution for iPhone 8's 3D Touch module instead of the older glass solution adopted for 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s/7 series. Suppliers behind the new 3D Touch modules are dropping big bucks on advanced factories to retain the precision that Apple demands.

Read More

Foxconn and TSMC joining together to bid for Toshiba’s flash memory business

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 7, 2017

Aside from other firms, companies like storage maker Western Digital, iPhone manufacturer Foxconn and Apple mobile chip maker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) have all been named as potential bidders seeking a stake in Toshiba’s memory business.

According to a new report in the Chinese-language Liberty Times, quoted by DigiTimes, Foxconn and TSMC are joining forces in an attempt to acquire a majority stake in Toshiba's NAND flash business. A successful bid by the two Apple suppliers may pose a great challenge to Samsung Electronics' leadership in the flash memory market.

Read More

DigiTimes: iPhone 8 with in-screen fingerprint sensor entering mass production in September

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 3, 2017

Rather than use one of the few readily available off-the-shelf fingerprint scanners that can be integrated into a smartphone display, Apple's iPhone 8 will sport biometric fingerprint recognition via a custom-designed sensor, also embedded into the display. In addition, according to DigiTimes' report Friday, the built-in fingerprint sensor inside iPhone 8 will replace Apple's capacitive-based Touch ID fingerprint reader, as previously rumored. The handset is expected to enter mass production in September, claimed industry sources cited in the report.

Read More

iPhone chip maker TSMC also eyeing Toshiba’s flash memory business

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 2, 2017

According to DigiTimes, Apple chip maker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is also interested in acquiring a stake in Japanese giant Toshiba's memory business. The semiconductor foundry has been looking to expand into the lucrative 3D NAND memory sector.

Apple's top supplier of memory chips, Toshiba is looking to spin off its flash unit into a separate company after reporting a massive $6.3 billion loss, with the split to become effective on April 1, 2017.

Firms like storage maker Western Digital and iPhone manufacturer Foxconn are among the potential bidders seeking a stake in Toshiba's memory business, too.

Read More

TSMC kicking off commercial shipments of 10-nanometer chips next month

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 24, 2017

Semiconductor foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is kicking off commercial shipments of chips built on its new ten-nanometer process technology, ahead of iPhone 8, sources told Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes. TSMC is building iPhone 7's A10 Fusion chip and is said to have landed an exclusive contract to manufacture processors for 2017 iPhone and iPad models.

Read More

Xiaomi launching sub-$200 smartphone with 5.5″ screen & 13MP/8MP cameras on February 28

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 22, 2017

Chinese gadget maker Xiaomi Technology, also known as the Apple of China, has sent out invitations for a media event to be held on February 28. The company is expected to announce a new entry-level handset rocking a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen, a thirteen-megapixel camera out the back and an eight-megapixel selfie camera out the front.

The phone is expected to be priced at 1,299 yuan unlocked, or about $190. Additionally, Xiaomi is likely to unveil a pair of in-house developed CPUs at the event, DigiTimes says.

Read More

Apple Watch Series 3 with glass-film touch display to ship in second half of 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 21, 2017

A third-generation Apple Watch is expected to adopt a different display technology based on glass-film panels versus touch-on-lens panels utilized on Apple Watch Series 2 and glass-on-glass (two pieces of glass) ones on the original Apple Watch. Shipments of the tentatively named Apple Watch Series 3 are expected to start in the second half of 2017, as per sources cited in a Tuesday report from DigiTimes.

Read More