Huawei’s Consumer Business CEO, Richard Yu, has publicly revealed plans for Huawei’s next-generation tri-folding phone for the first time. He stated that this product, widely considered challenging to achieve in the industry, is finally about to be launched after five years of development.

According to a report from the Chinese technology website ” Chinaz,” the tri-folding phone features an innovative inside-out folding mechanism and a dual-hinge design, with the screen size expected to reach approximately 10 inches.

Richard Yu pointed out that this new design will not only revolutionize the way phones are used but also broaden their use cases. When fully unfolded, the phone can rival a tablet, meeting basic office needs such as text and spreadsheet processing.

The latest industry news cited by the report further suggests that Huawei’s tri-folding phone will be unveiled in September, set to compete with Apple’s iPhone 16 series. Although the price of Huawei’s tri-folding phone is expected to be very high, potentially starting at nearly CNY 20,000, significantly surpassing the price of an iPhone, it showcases Huawei’s top-tier domestic technology and innovation in China.

However, despite the relatively noticeable growth in shipment volumes, the base number of foldable phones is very low, and the overall market size remains small.

Compared to the traditional smartphone market, which easily reaches sales volumes of over one billion units, TrendForce previously estimated that the shipments of foldable phones are expected to reach 17.8 million units in 2024, making up only 1.5% of the smartphone market. Despite high repair rates and costs, market penetration is projected to climb to 4.8% by 2028.

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(Photo credit: Huawei)

According to a report from Commercial Times, Apple is said to have informed its suppliers and partners that it is confident in boosting sales of the upcoming iPhone 16, set to be released in the second half of this year, through the addition of AI features. Reportedly, the goal is to increase iPhone 16 shipments by approximately 10% compared to the iPhone 15, reaching 90 million units in the second half of this year.

Apple showcased its advancements in AI at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, including the introduction of the generative AI large model Apple Intelligence, AI upgrades for Siri, and collaboration with OpenAI. Apple is expected to launch Apple Intelligence in the U.S. market this fall, with full functionality projected to be available in the spring of next year.

Per sources cited by Bloomberg, Apple did not perform well in the second half of last year, particularly facing challenges in its third-largest market, China. Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro, equipped with a domestically manufactured 7nm processor, has gained favor among local consumers.

The same report from Bloomberg indicated that after a turbulent 2023, Apple is relying on AI services to boost demand for its new products. Data cited by Bloomberg shows that in the second half of last year, iPhone 15 shipments were approximately 81 million units.

Furthermore, for the first quarter this year, TrendForce reported that Apple also faced a decline in sales in the Chinese market, resulting in a drop in annual production to 47.9 million units. This decline prompted several adjustments within the component supply chain, although production plans for processor chips remained unchanged. TrendForce posits that the second quarter falls within a product iteration gap for Apple, and production is expected to decrease by approximately 10%. 

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• Q1 Smartphone Production Increases Due to Low Base Last Year, Expected to Decline 5–10% in Q2, Says TrendForce
• [News] Apple’s AI Push on iPhone 16 in China Faces Obstacles in Finding Local Partners

(Photo credit: Apple)

Apple is reportedly pushing the boundaries of AI with the upcoming iPhone 16 series, which is expected to have computational power that surpasses industry expectations. According to a report from Economic Daily News, it has suggested that Apple is developing the A18 chip for this year’s iPhone 16 models, with performance potentially exceeding that of Apple’s current most powerful AI chip, the M4. This advancement means the iPhone 16 series will be more capable of running AI models on-device, adapting to various AI tasks.

While these applications are primarily aimed at high-end smartphones, the sources cited by the same report have shown optimism that TSMC and Foxconn, as parts of Apple’s supply chain, are likely to benefit from this development.

The same report further cites the rumor that the A18 chip developed for the iPhone 16 series will feature a highly powerful neural engine, crucial for handling generative AI functions. To keep up with the AI trend, Apple introduced its proprietary AI application, “Apple Intelligence,” in collaboration with OpenAI at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). This application is designed for high-end models like the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, with hardware capabilities exceeding expectations.

The iPad Pro which unveiled in May is the first to feature the M4 chip. Compared to its predecessor, the M2, the M4 chip boasts up to a 50% increase in CPU speed. Built with TSMC’s second-generation 3-nanometer technology, the M4 chip includes Apple’s fastest neural engine to date, capable of supporting up to 38 trillion operations per second.

If the A18 chip is equipped with an even more powerful neural engine, its computational speed will surpass that of the M4 chip. This means the iPhone 16 series will be able to run AI models locally with greater efficiency. Reportedly, TSMC is the exclusive supplier for the iPhone 16’s processors, therefore expected to be benefited from the strond demand of A18.

On the other hand, Foxconn, historically the largest assembler of iPhones, has recently focused on high-end models. As Apple intensifies AI functionality in new devices, the market anticipates a new wave of device upgrades, enhancing Foxconn’s performance in consumer electronics in the latter half of the year.

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(Photo credit: Apple)

The upcoming iPhone 16 series from Apple is set to debut in the latter half of the year, and according to a report from Korean media outlet “The Elec,” LG Display, a major panel manufacturer in South Korea, has secured OLED panel orders from Apple for the iPhone 16 Pro Max model, ahead of its rival Samsung.

Earlier in May, both LG Display and Samsung Display secured orders for OLED panels for Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro, according to the report. Subsequently, LG Display also has acquired orders for iPhone 16 Pro Max panels, which could be the first time ever for LG Display to be ahead of Samsung display. 

Reports indicate that LG Display failed to secure the initial batch of orders for OLED panels for the iPhone 15 Pro last year, with the majority of orders going to its competitor Samsung Display. This bolstered Samsung Display’s profitability significantly. However, this year, LG Display has finally regained its footing by securing orders for both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models, marking a turnaround in its fortunes.

However, Samsung Display continues to firmly hold orders for OLED panels for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models, while LG Display is responsible only for supplying OLED panels for the higher-end positioned iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models.

Previous revelations from South Korean source yeux1122 also indicated that LG Display holds a higher share than Samsung Display in the supply of OLED screens for Apple’s new iPad Pro.

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(Photo credit: Apple)

Source to Tai Sounds, in what is considered a major camera upgrade highlight for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the “periscope lens,” Apple made no mention of it during its product announcement. Industry insiders suggest that the 5x optical zoom is achieved using a periscope lens, and Apple may have chosen not to disclose this technology, possibly due to competition within the industry. Renowned analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, who is known for his deep understanding of Apple, stated that Largan Precision has expanded its production capacity to meet this order.

Kuo explained that Apple’s long-range camera for the iPhone will adopt a periscope design starting this year. This design will be used in the iPhone 15 Pro Max released this year and the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro scheduled for next year. Largan Precision, a Taiwanese manufacturer, has expanded its production facilities in both Taichung and Xiamen to accommodate this order.

During the Apple product presentation, they emphasized the 5x optical zoom capability of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, claiming it’s equivalent to having seven individual camera lenses. However, there was no mention of the key technology, the “periscope lens,” which led some market experts to believe that the iPhone 15 Pro Max did not incorporate this technology, causing a decline in optical lens-related stocks.

According to the analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo’s,  from Tianfeng Securities’ latest research on September 13th, Apple’s long-range camera for the iPhone will indeed adopt a periscope design starting this year, covering the iPhone 15 Pro Max, next year’s iPhone 16 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 Pro.

In terms of technical specifications, Kuo’s analysis indicates that the periscope lenses on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 will share similar specifications, including a 1/3″ 12MP sensor, f/2.8 aperture, Sensor shift support, and 5-6x optical zoom.

Kuo also pointed out that the cost of components depends on yield rates in mass production. Based on estimates using the cost of existing periscope lenses as a reference, the total production value of various components for the rear cameras of the iPhone 15 series in the second half of this year, including CIS, VCM, lenses, and CCM, is expected to grow by 5-10%, 20-25%, 65-70%, and 20-25%, respectively.

Benefiting from more iPhone 16 Pro models adopting periscope lenses and other rear camera upgrades, the total production value of various components for the rear cameras of the new iPhone 16 series next year, including CIS, VCM, lenses, and CCM, is expected to grow by 15-20%, 15-20%, 40-45%, and 15-20%, respectively.

Kuo also explained that among all the components, the lens specifications and business models are changing the most, and the growth in production value is most significant. A complete periscope lens module includes high-priced 1G2P lenses, two high-priced prisms, and lens barrels. High-priced materials are the key drivers of production value. Apple’s lens suppliers will provide more complex assembly services for the first time, as Largan Precision and Yujingguang have expanded their production capacities in Taichung and Xiamen, respectively, to meet this order. (Image credit: Apple.com)

(Source: https://www.taisounds.com/news/content/76/80703)