5G and foldable will be “major pillars” of Samsung Mobile’s future, said Global Executive Vice President Federico Casalegno, in the company’s first virtual Galaxy Unpacked product event Wednesday. The scripted event had components of a live Unpacked event. A live audience -- which gathered last year at Barclays Center in Brooklyn -- was replaced by an artificial intelligence creation: a curved video wall of some 200 Samsung community members, presented in Hollywood Squares-style, tuning in from their home bases. A “completely re-engineered” hinge provides more durability in the next Samsung foldable phone “to improve resilience so you can use it with greater confidence,” said Victor Delgado, who works on global mobile B2B-strategic alliances. Samsung’s first foray into foldable designs last year was spoiled by a delay when a faulty hinge design in review units damage the phone. The new hinge has a firmer “snap” and can stay open at multiple angles due to friction created by two ridge-shaped pieces that slide up and down in a cam mechanism, said the company. Samsung doubled cam and elastic components to more than 60. A “sweeper” mechanism with bristles is located under the hinge to keep away debris, it said. The new 6.7-inch Galaxy Note 20 ($999) and 6.9-inch Note20 Ultra ($1,299) are the first Galaxy devices with Ultra Wide Band technology. Samsung is working with carmakers on future technology that will allow UWB-equipped devices to function as a digital key. The company expanded its relationship with Microsoft, allowing users to access mobile apps from a Windows PC.
June semiconductor sales increased 5.1% from a year earlier to $34.5 billion, but down 0.3% from May, reported the Semiconductor Industry Association Monday. Q2 sales of $103.6 billion were up 5.1% from the 2019 quarter but down 0.9% from Q1, said SIA. “Significant uncertainty remains for the second half of the year due to ongoing macroeconomic headwinds,” said CEO John Neuffer, “Sales into the Americas stood out in June,” rising 29% year over year, he said.
A new HDMI device can connect, control and link devices with HDMI terminals to allow audiovisual equipment to perform new operations, said manufacturer Socionext. Applications include connecting audio and video equipment with smart appliances, building home IoT systems, and using with video streaming services.
Ligado joined the Open Radio Access Network Policy Coalition, said the company Friday. Open RAN will enable operators to build networks at lower cost and update their infrastructure more quickly, said Ligado. It also will help "drive U.S. leadership in 5G and advance national security."
Foldable smartphones are the “optimum product” to satisfy customer “needs” for larger screens and “multitasking,” said Samsung Display Vice President Kwonyoung Choi Wednesday on a Q2 investor call. “It also enables a differentiated design” that appeals to consumers, he said. “The wider adoption of 5G technology is expected to be a catalyst that accelerates the growth of the foldable market.” Samsung is working on “differentiated form factors for our foldable products,” using ultra-thin glass with transparent polyimide-film “cover window technology” (see 1912120004), he said. “We will be introducing foldable displays that meet even a higher standard” of performance, the executive said. “Investments will be considered according to market needs and technology advancements. But as of yet, we have not decided on any specific investment plans.”
Copilot announced Wednesday an automated customer experience platform to help consumer electronics companies develop relationships with customers through connected products. The software-as-a-service program collects data from devices and allows device makers to send contextual communications to users automatically, co-CEOs Zvi Frank and Tsiki Naftaly told us. "The days of the closest consumers ever got to the manufacturer was the warranty postcard that fell out of box are over,” said Frank, who said the SaaS platform gives manufacturers insights into how consumers use products and enables communication between them. IoT products contain “valuable usage information” and can communicate by mobile, app, email and voice, enabling a “personalized experience for customers,” Naftaly said. On privacy, he said it’s important to “be forthcoming with customers,” telling them how and how often their data will be used.
InfinaCore announced a pocket-size portable Qi charger that, once charged, can charge devices wirelessly without being plugged into an AC outlet. The P3 can also function as an 18-watt power bank when plugged into a wall socket, offering USB 3.0 Quick Charge technology and USB Type C Power Delivery, it said.
Qualcomm said Monday it’s sampling Quick Charge 5 with customers, calling it the fastest commercial charging technology available for Android devices. It has new battery technologies, accessories and safety features, said the company. Devices can be charged from 0 to 50% in five minutes. It supports up to 100 watts charging power. Quick Charge 5 is supported on Snapdragon 865, 865 Plus, and future premium- and high-tier Snapdragon mobile platforms. It is expected to be in market in Q3.
As demand increases for IoT sensors and wearables, so does the need for efficient power, AirFuel Alliance President Sanjay Gupta emailed us Friday. IoT sensors and wearables such as smart glasses and hearables are typically powered by batteries that need to be replaced or charged frequently, a “significant pain point” the alliance hopes to address with an RF-based wireless power standard (see 2007230071), Gupta said. RF-based wireless power delivers power “in a 3D volume, can charge multiple devices safely and simultaneously, and can be readily integrated into small devices with no flat surfaces,” he said. Among the 30 alliance members listed are Samsung, STMicroelectronics, Huawei, Energous, TDK, WiTricity, EPA’s Energy Star and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
The AirFuel Alliance is inviting worldwide participation in setting an RF wireless charging standard, it said Thursday. AirFuel RF uses RF wave to transfer energy from a few centimeters up to a few meters, which the alliance calls “true spatial freedom.” RF technology can be integrated into small electronic devices, such as wearables, hearing aids and IoT sensors, it said. The alliance didn’t respond to questions.