According to the news from Taiwan media, CNA, Huawei has broken through the U.S. blockade and launched a 5G smartphone equipped with domestically produced Chinese chips, sparking discussions. Huawei stated that although Chinese-made chips lag behind foreign counterparts, if they are not used, staying behind will always be a setback. If widely adopted, it could drive technological progress and catch up gradually.

According to reports from Chinese media Yicai, representatives from Huawei made these remarks during a speech at the “2023 World Computing Conference” on the 15th.

Huawei mentioned that the computing industry includes PCs, servers, operating systems, databases, as well as processors, memory modules, SSDs, HDDs, network cards, RAID cards, SSD controllers, network chipsets, and RAID card chipsets that constitute PCs and servers, which are the most critical problems to solve.

“We couldn’t even make LOM and RAID cards before, and we couldn’t even create a PMIC for a server. So, we need to return to the basics of the computing industry.”

Huawei believes that China needs to develop its own processors, operating systems, and databases. If all of these are sourced from external suppliers, there is a risk of information breaches through backdoors and vulnerabilities in PCs and servers. It could also be exploited as a means of attacking other servers and PCs.

“If our opponent is at an expert level, even though we have domestically produced products, we are still at a basic level, making it relatively easy to attack and steal information”. Huawei emphasizes that domestic production does not necessarily equate to security; only by enhancing capabilities can genuine security be achieved.

“There are currently more than 600 Chinese enterprises listed on the U.S. government’s entity list,” said Huawei’s representative, covering chips, hardware, software, algorithms, and applications. Additionally, export controls have impacted everything from design tools and materials to manufacturing equipment and chip products.

“In this situation, a practical problem we face in the long term is that China’s semiconductor manufacturing process will remain behind for quite a while. Huawei believes that this situation will persist for a considerable period because advanced processes are needed to produce more advanced chips. On the other hand, due to U.S. sanctions, obtaining advanced chips or computing systems presents challenges, if not impossibilities. Based on our years of experience and future judgment, this is a long-term situation. Don’t harbor any illusions about the future.”

“Although the chips, servers, and PCs we produce lag behind those produced abroad, if we don’t use them, the gap will always be there, and falling behind will always be the case. But if we use them on a large scale, it could drive progress in our entire technology and product development, gradually catching up”. According to Huawei, only through widespread use of domestic chips can push the entire computing industry to progress and develop.

Huawei recently quietly launched a high-end 5G smartphone equipped with the 7nm chip “Kirin 9000S,” manufactured by SMIC. While Chinese public opinion refers to it as a “breakthrough of the U.S. blockade” and a “strong return to 5G,” experts point out that its performance still lags behind the latest smartphone chips by two generations and question its manufacturing yield rate and output.

(Source: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202309160229.aspx)

Report to the media, China Times the analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, from TF International pointed out that demand for the Huawei Mate 60 Pro exceeded expectations, leading to a 20% increase in shipments in the second half of 2023, reaching 6 million units. In 2024, Huawei is set to launch new high-end phones in the P series and Mate series, with procurement reaching a scale of 30 to 40 million units.

Kuo emphasized that Taiwanese manufacturer COMPEQ will experience revenue growth thanks to Huawei’s high-end phones and Amazon’s AI servers.

Due to the Huawei Mate 60 Pro’s adoption of a 12-layer anylayer HDI motherboard, COMPEQ’s production yield is better, accounting for approximately 50% to 60% of shipments, significantly higher than the second supplier, Founder Technology.

It is expected that COMPEQ will be the largest motherboard supplier for Huawei’s new high-end P and Mate series in 2024, with contributions from Huawei’s high-end phones projected to grow by at least 150% to 200% in 2024.

COMPEQ will also enter the AI server market in 2024, becoming a long-term growth driver for the company. If successful, Amazon/AWS will be one of COMPEQ’s key customers for AI servers in 2024. (Image credit: Huawei)

(Source: https://www.ctee.com.tw/news/20230914700952-430502)

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)

Source to ChinaTimes, according to rumors in the mobile industry, due to increasing uncertainties in the mainland Chinese market, Apple plans to make India one of the first launch markets for its iPhone 15 series and aims to produce the iPhone 15 series simultaneously in India and China. By manufacturing and selling locally in India, Apple hopes to reduce the uncertainties in the Chinese market.

Reports from ICsmart suggest that industry rumors indicate that as mainland China continues to increase regulatory measures, Apple is also accelerating its expansion into India to mitigate uncertainties in the Chinese market. Suppliers have revealed that in the past, the production of new iPhones in India lagged behind China by about a year, but last year, the production gap had narrowed to approximately one month. Apple is now even more determined to expedite the production of the iPhone 15 in India this year, with the goal of achieving near-simultaneous production in both China and India or reducing the production gap to within 10 days.

The report points out that before the iPhone 14, Apple only assembled a small portion of its phones in India, with a shipment schedule lagging behind China by 6 to 9 months. However, this gap was significantly reduced last year. By the end of March this year, 7% of Apple’s iPhones were produced in India. Foreign estimates suggest that by around 2025, the proportion of iPhones manufactured in India could reach 25%.

TrendForce believes India will become the second-largest production site for iPhone

According to TrendForce insights, Apple is indeed aiming to produce more iPhones in India. From the iPhone 14 series, The company manufactured iPhones almost simultaneously in India and China, reducing the initial production gap between the two countries.

If we take a look at iPhone assembly capacity, there is still around 5% in India. Although Apple plans to bring not only assembly but also key component vendors from China to India, supply chain partners are showing a passive attitude toward establishing production sites there, considering India’s policies, languages, cultural factors, and vulnerable infrastructures.

Foreign vendors will face the challenges above, however, as for Indian local vendors, challenges are mainly on technical capabilities, Therefore the most effective way to enter Apple’s supply chain is to acquire companies/factories that are already on the certified list. Just like the Tata Group did.

Also, TrendForce indicates, that with Apple’s intention, PLI, and the following incentive policies, we believe India will gradually become the second-largest production site of the iPhone in the future. However foreign vendors should be willing to suffer higher costs or successfully obtain any form of compensation from Apple, otherwise the transition process will continue to be slow.

The Indian “Economic Times” notes that with the release of the iPhone 15 series this week, the Indian market has the opportunity to be among the first countries for sales. Additionally, it is expected that after December, iPhones manufactured in India will be exported to Europe and the United States, signaling Apple’s progress in diversifying its supply chain. Apple is already the largest smartphone exporter in India.

The report indicates that Apple has raised its annual growth target for sales in over 200 premium retail stores in India for the second and third quarters to nearly 100%. Apple CEO Tim Cook also mentioned in the latest earnings conference call that the company broke its revenue record in India, the world’s third-largest smartphone market, and achieved double-digit sales growth.

(Source: https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20230912005365-260409?chdtv)

According to the news from ChinaTimes, Qualcomm announced on the 11th that it has reached a three-year agreement with Apple to supply 5G communication chips for Apple’s smartphones from 2024 to 2026. This also implies that Apple’s efforts to develop its own 5G modem chips may fall through, and the contract manufacturer TSMC stands to benefit the most.

Qualcomm did not disclose the value of this deal but mentioned that the terms of the agreement are similar to previous ones. Previous supply agreements have been highly profitable for Qualcomm but costly for Apple. According to UBS estimates from last month, Qualcomm’s sales of modem chips to Apple in the previous fiscal year amounted to $7.26 billion, accounting for approximately 16% of the company’s revenue.

This also highlights that Apple’s progress in developing modem chips may not be as expected, leading to a delay in their use in their flagship smartphones. Currently, Apple’s iPhones use 5G modem chips from Qualcomm.

Only a few companies worldwide have the capability to produce communication chips, including Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Samsung. In 2019, Apple acquired Intel’s smartphone modem business for $1 billion, along with 2,200 employees and a series of patents. Intel faced difficulties in developing 5G modem chips, resulting in annual losses of around $1 billion.

The market expects Apple to gradually reduce its reliance on third-party chip suppliers. Qualcomm originally estimated that by 2023, their 5G chips would make up only 20% of iPhones. However, Qualcomm’s CFO stated in November of the previous year that “most” of Apple’s phones in 2023 would contain their chips.

(Source: https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20230912000097-260202?chdtv)