Live Updates from MWC Shanghai 2023

Our analystsEthan Qi,Jene Park,Soumen Mandal,Ivan Lam,Shenghao Bai,Archie Zhang,Shaochen WangandAlicia Gong目前正在参加上海2023甚至最有可能的吗t (June 28-June 30). In the following posts, you will experience the full force of our presence at MWC Shanghai as we provide unique insights from our analysts, unveiling the industry-shaping impact of this remarkable gathering.

Day 1 Highlights:

Consumer Electronics:

Meizu showcases capabilities in ‘device-vehicle integration’

During MWC Shanghai 2023, Meizu showcased a series of products and technologies, including the Flyme Auto intelligent system-enabled EV models, Meizu 20 flagship smartphone series, Titan glass and the EcarX Antares 1000 Pro computing platform. The Meizu 20 series, released in March 2023, sports the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, 6.5-inch OLED display, 144Hz refresh rate and UFS4.0 and LPDDR5X memory combination. The Meizu 20 INFINITY Ultimate Edition features a dual-sided suspended Titan glass design, highlighting the emerging trend of flagship models in China competing to adopt more durable glass materials. Meizu also expects its Flyme Auto system to emerge as a guiding beacon for the deep integration of the smartphone and automotive ecosystems.

Huawei showcases Vision Glass

Huawei showcased its recently launched smart eyewear product Huawei Vision Glass alongside a range of smartphone models and consumer IoT products. Huawei Vision Glass, unveiled in December 2022, features a Micro OLED display that offers an immersive experience equivalent to a 120-inch virtual giant screen. It boasts 1080p full HD resolution and 480nit brightness and supports a wide color gamut of 90% DCI-P3. In addition, it comes equipped with ultra-thin smart speakers and offers adjustable diopters ranging from 0 to 500 degrees.

ZTE presents nubia Pad 3D, world’s first AI-based naked-eye 3D tablet computer

ZTE highlighted the nubia Pad 3D, which showcases the unique “3D light field” technology for superior naked-eye 3D display quality. It also incorporates AI eye-tracking to provide real-time matching of the most comfortable viewing field. Leveraging the AI neural network deep-learning algorithms, it enables instant conversion of 2D content into 3D. During MWC, ZTE announced collaborations with ecosystem partners such as China Mobile Migu, Jiangxi Kejun, China National Publications Import & Export (Group) Corporation and Datang Xishi to provide a wealth of naked-eye 3D scene applications in areas including film and television, live streaming, gaming, education, healthcare, cultural tourism, online conferences, exhibition display, advertising, and more.

Telecom Operators’ Moves

Establishment of China Mobile Metaverse Industry Alliance

China Mobile has collaborated with metaverse ecosystem partners to establish the China Mobile Metaverse Industry Alliance. It unveiled the first group of 24 alliance members at the MWC. The alliance comprises content provider Mango TV, providers of content and software development tools such as Unity, AI technologies leader Iflytek, as well as hardware companies like Huawei, NOLO, HTC VIVE and Xiaomi. They will prioritize cooperation in four key areas – metaverse content creation, XR terminals, key technologies and computational networks.

China Mobile’s 5G Use Case

China Mobile showcased a remarkable 5G use case for automated quality inspection, eliminating the need for wired connections.

China Unicom’s 5G solutions

China Unicom unveiled a groundbreaking 5G-connected solution for traffic lights and cameras.

China Telecom reveals development strategy for 6G

During his keynote speech at MWC, China Telecom chairman revealed that the company was actively pursuing innovative advancements in the architecture of the simplified 6G network. The research primarily focuses on key core technologies, including near-field cellular integration (P-RAN) and air-space integration. China Telecom will maintain a close collaboration with standardization organizations and industry partners to drive the establishment of globally unified 6G international standards.

Innovations from network, software and component providers

Huawei drives 5G ToB advancement with ‘5G Inside’ technology

Huawei not only perseveres in the development of 5G devices but also drives the advancement of 5G ToB. With 5G Inside, Huawei is collaborating with enterprise customers to deliver customized 5G devices that cater to diverse scenarios and applications.

Huawei’s ‘cloud phone’ solution

华为云手机提供了一个解决方案,用户can access separate or multiple virtual phones through a dedicated app. This innovative B2B solution is ideal for companies seeking to secure their digital assets and provide virtual phone solutions for their sales staff. Government entities also show interest in this virtual phone solution, while cloud mobile gaming presents another exciting use case.

Huawei’s 5GC Intelligent Traffic Express Solution

Huawei’s 5Gc Intelligent Traffic Express Solution enables the detection and monitoring of user live-streaming activities. In cases where user experience worsens, extra resources are allocated to VVIP users, providing operators with the opportunity to monetize on individuals requiring fast and prioritized connections, such as live-streaming bloggers.

H3C’s Wi-Fi7 Announcements

H3C showcased a compelling use case of Wi-Fi7 enabling remote schooling. The enterprise gateway has the capability to support hundreds of terminals, including tablets and PCs, simultaneously.

China Broadnet’s Naked-eye Display

China Broadnet presents a rejuvenated concept of naked-eye displays.

圣Microelectronics Announcements

圣Microelectronics’ integrated wearable sensing unit, with accelerometers and gyroscopes integrated, can efficiently process signals and directly translate movements into actionable data for smart wearable devices.

AMD’s RFFE Solutions

AMD has introduced an advanced RF front-end solution designed specifically for small cell systems.

AAC Expands its Optical R&D Strength

AAC is significantly enhancing its optical R&D capabilities, particularly in the field of waveguide technologies.

Tongxin Microelectronics Announcements

Tongxin Micro’s NFC chips find wide applications in wearables and smartphones, having already been integrated into various commercial models. Besides, the company serves as a provider of eSIM chips. A solution combining both technologies is currently in the works.

ams OSRAM Mira050 with Wafer Level Optics (WLO) Demo Kit

Smallest lens solution with leading-edge NIR-imaging performance – images are sharp from center to edge of image circle. ams OSRAM designed and produced WLO lens mounted on Mira050 EVK sensor board, actively aligned to optimize image quality. Configurable NIR-designs for wavelengths bands around 850nm or 940nm

Kigen and TMC collaborate to drive eSIM innovation

Kigen and Tongxin Microelectronics Co (TMC) have delivered the first-ever simple, global, secure, commercial and GSMA-certified consumer eSIM solution to empower OEM innovation to meet 5G FWA demand for affordable CPE devices. Lead customers are already developing commercial products based on this offering. The companies are now extending it to general availability.

“Global 5G FWA CPE cumulative revenues are expected to reach over $100 billion during 2020-2030. Bringing down the total cost of 5G FWA CPE is integral to 5G broadband adoption, scale and return on investment for all stakeholders in this price-sensitive segment.”Neil Shah, VP of Research, Counterpoint Research

Read the full release here:https://kigen.com/resources/press-releases/kigen-consumer-esim-os-for-cpe-oem/

Day 2 Highlights:

HONOR Magic V2 foldable smartphone launch event

During the launch event, HONOR CEO George Zhao shared thoughts on innovation in future smartphone products:

Inclusion of AI:George thinks that having AI on the device is vital because it would allow users to have multiple-modal interactions and offers better privacy protection in the future digitalized life.
Screen size matters but so does the smartphone weight:Future smartphones should be easier to carry around as they need to be.
Display technology with eye-care features would become popular:In China, more than 30% of smartphone users use their devices for more than five years. Eye-care display technology addresses the consumer’s concerns.
Longer battery life:Customers want devices with longer battery life since they are using them more and more every day.

At the end of his address, Zhao announced that HONOR’s third foldable phone Magic V2 would be launched on July 12 and the product may bring improvements in the abovementioned areas.

Meizu’s announcements

Meizu’s CEO Shen Ziyu made a keynote speech today, describing his vision of interconnection between the automotive and smartphone segments. Meizu is now owned by Chinese auto giant Geely. Ziyu said the synergy between the two segments would be brought by the sharing of computing power, data and hardware. Automobile operating systems should also become accessible to the huge application ecosystem of smartphones. The company is also working on an infotainment system called Flyme Auto, which will offer the same smooth user experience as seen in the Flyme OS for smartphones. Flyme Auto will be installed on the upcoming Lynkco 08 and Volvo Polestar for the global market.

Day 3 Highlights

Lenovo updates

Lenovo showcased its consumer electronics products such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, including its recently launched foldable Motorola Razr 40 Ultra.
Lenovo also had some ToB solutions at its booths, such as AI server, edge computing products, park patrol robot, smart transportation systems and logistics.
联想还支持许多ecos公司ystem which have stepped into XR optical solutions, live-streaming supporting platforms, network equipment and smart logistic management system.
For its smart city business, Lenovo showcased its solutions like smart transportation solutions and city emergency management platform.

China Broadnet showcases new 5G calling features

Making calls interesting:Users can make calls more fun by using all kinds of emojis with gestures or voice commands.
Cartoon video call:Users can create their own digital images that can be displayed when making calls without turning on the camera.
Real-time translation:Multilingual real-time translation into text.
Smart customer service:Available online 24 hours to answer questions.
AI/GPT intelligent call:Using AI/GPT to answer questions.

Keynote:Next frontier for AI

In healthcare, AI can help the doctor detect lesions at an early stage.
AI can help cars enable intelligent electrification, networking and information sharing.

Note:Please note that the posts above are still under development and are meant for providing general information only. They should not be considered professional advice. The authors and this website are not liable for any errors or damages resulting from the use of this information.

BoM Analysis: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Costs $469 to Make

Qualcomm takes the top spot in terms of cost contribution, accounting for over 34% of the model’s BoM cost.
Qualcomm and Samsung combined contribute more than 65% of the component cost in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Featuring Qualcomm’s custom Snapdragon chipset, Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra makes a considerable leap in computing performance with its shift to TSMC’s 4nm process node.

Producing an 8GB+256GB Galaxy S23 Ultra (Sub-6GHz) variant costs Samsung around $469, according to the latest bill of materials (BoM) analysis by Counterpoint’s component research service. The major components driving cost in thesmartphoneare the SoC, display and camera subsystem. Due to excess inventory and supply, components related to theRF sub-systemand memory were subjected to a cost decrease.

Qualcomm and Samsung’s design wins

TheS23 Ultrafurther builds upon Qualcomm’s design, showcasing a customized version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, manufactured onTSMC’s 4nm process node. Samsung has chosenQualcomm chipsetsdue to enhanced cellular support, increased performance gain from both the CPU and GPU, and better battery life. The GPU also has support for raytracing and has gained a slight uplift of 39MHz clock speed.

Qualcomm’s share in the S23 Ultra has increased to an all-time high after attaining design wins for the fingerprint sensor IC, key power management ICs, audio codec,RFpower amplifiers, Wi-Fi + Bluetooth, GPS and Sub-6GHz transceiver.

Samsung is the second largest beneficiary. It is an exclusive supplier of the 256GBNAND flashand the 6.8-inch AMOLED display for the S23 Ultra. Thedisplaycan sustain 1750 nits of peak brightness and has a resolution of 1440 x 3088 pixels that allows the users to view pictures and videos in sharp detail. The 120Hz LTPO panel also supports adaptive refresh rate.

In thecamera sub-system, the design wins are shared between Samsung (SEMCO) and Sony. Samsung provides the 200MP wide-angle camera (S5KHP2) and the 12MP selfie camera (S5K3LU), while Sony offers the 12MP Ultrawide (IMX564), 10MP Telephoto and Periscope Telephoto (IMX754) sensors.

Other component suppliers

Silicon Mitus and Maxim are the providers of power management ICs that support the regulation of power for display and other key components.

For sensing components,圣Mhas registered design wins related to the laser autofocus module, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and touch panel controller. The battery is packaged by Samsung and the cell is provided by ATL. The quick charging IC, which charges up to 45W, is sourced fromNXP而从Conveni 15 w无线充电ICent Power.

Samsung’ssourcing strategyand choice of components are enabling the brand to have a competitive edge in terms of cost efficiency.

For detailed component and pricing analyses, queries, or for acquiring this research, contactinfo@www.arena-ruc.com

圣Micro – Automotive and Industrial Segments Top Performers in Q4 2022

Silicon carbide (SiC) substrate manufacturing facility in Catania to fulfill the increasing demand for SiC in EVs.
Strong demand for factory automation, energy and robotics will be the key growth drivers for the Industrial segment in 2023.
圣Micro expects 2023 revenue of $16.8 billion-$17.8 billion, setting the company on course for its revenue target of more than $20 billion.

Franco-Italian chipmaker STMicroelectronics (STMicro) reported stronger-than-expected Q4 2022 net revenue growth in its Automotive and Industrial segments. Meanwhile, the company’s Personal Electronics segment faced weakness. STMicro aims to internally source a significant portion of its substrates by 2024 as it continues to ramp up the production of SiC front-end devices at its Singapore facility.

圣Micro’s Q4 2022 net revenue rose 24.4% YoY to $4.42 billion, primarily driven by the strong demand in its Automotive and Industrial segments.
Gross margin improved 230bps YoY in Q4 2022 to 47.5% due to favorable pricing and improved product mix, net of hedging. However, it weakened by 20bps on a QoQ basis due to higher manufacturing input costs.

Automotive:Unprecedented demand across theAutomotivesegment due to the increase inEVadoption and improvement in semiconductor content. The company is also ramping up its production capacity for transistors used in EVs and has announced a partnership with Volkswagen to jointly develop a system on chip MPU. STMicro ended 2022 with 115 projects, of which 60% were from automotive customers.
Industrial:圣Micro’s Industrial segment also secured some design wins in both silicon-based and wide band-gap-based devices. In 2022, the company introduced various industrial analog products for factory automation,metering, motion control and home appliances.
Personal Electronics:Ongoing trade tensions andsupply-chainissues have hurt STMicro’s Personal Electronics. The company is leveraging its broad portfolio to target wearables and gaming accessories. It also has numerous smartphone design wins relating to motion sensors,wireless charging, display controllers and secure microcontrollers.

Segment revenues

Automotive and Discrete Group (ADG):Q4 2022 revenue jumped 38.4% YoY to $1,696 million helped by growth in both automotive and power discrete segments.
Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group (AMS):Q4 2022 revenue increased 7% YoY to $1,339 million with growth in analog, MEMS and imaging segments.
Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group (MDG):Q4 2022 revenue rose 29.1% YoY to $1,383 million helped by growth in both microcontrollers and RF communications segments.

Forecast: Q1 2023 net revenue is expected to be around $4.1 billion, a decrease of 5.1% QoQ, plus or minus 350 basis points. For FY2023, revenue is forecast to rise 4%-10% YoY to $16.8 billion-$17.8 billion with the primary growth expected from theAutomotiveand Industrial sectors.
Demand and supply:Although the demand for automotive and industrial products was high in Q4 2022, supply-chain issues still posed a hiccup with continuing shortages and capacity constraints. At the end of Q4 2022, inventory was $2.58 billion compared with $1.97 billion in the year-ago quarter. Day’s sales of inventory at Q4-end were 101 days compared with 91 days in the year-ago quarter. The Automotive segment saw an unprecedented demand across all topographies driven byincreasing semiconductorand inventory replenishment. For Q1 2023, backlog is expected to be higher than that in Q1 2022.
Capital spending and investment:资本支出在2022年第四季度为9.2亿美元,排版ared with $548 million in the year-ago quarter. The company is planning to invest about $4.0 billion, of which 80% is mainly targeted towards increasing 300mm wafer production. The company is continuing to ramp up SiC front-end device production in Catania and Singapore with increased back-end manufacturing capacity in Morocco and China.

Conclusion

圣Micro is benefitting from strong customer demand and continues to grow despite the difficult economic conditions. The collaboration with Soitec to produce Soitec’s SmartSiC technology for future 200mm SiC substrates will further adhere to SiC growth in EVs. With the increase in the production capacity of wafers and the growing adoption of EVs, STMicro will soon be one of the top players in theautomotivespace. STMicro is expected to be exposed to additional growth opportunities as it gains more exposure in GaN, RF, Sensing and IoT. Material shortages, supply disruptions and weakmacroconditions may likely pose as consumer and personal market disturbances.

圣Micro Q3 2022 Earnings: Automotive and Analog Revenues Surpass Estimates

Q3 was uniquely good for STMicro as it ramped up production of multiple products for its top customers.
圣Micro is profiting from continued high levels of investment in silicon carbide (SiC).
The company is also benefitting from the increase in production capacity.
Material shortages and supply disruption were the likely reasons for consumer and personal market disturbances.

Franco-Italian chipmaker圣Microelectronics(STMicro) has reported stronger-than-expected net revenue growth in its automotive (ADG) and Analog (AMS) segments for Q3 2022. Overall, the company is in a solid position from the capital, liquidity and balance sheet perspective. It is likely to see continued top-line growth in ADG. STMicro is also enabling an assortment of solutions for electrification andadvanced digitalizationfor more affordableEVswith better range, power efficiency improvements in industrial application, AI and ML use, and secure connectivity.

圣Micro announced net revenue of $4.32 billion for Q3 2022, primarily driven by the strong demand from the automotive, discrete and microcontroller segments. Net revenues grew 35.2%YoY with growth across all product units.
Gross margin at 47.6% was above the mid-point, driven by favorable pricing and improved product mix, and partially offset by inflation of manufacturing input costs.

Automotive:Sustained demand across theautomotive supply chaindue to the ongoing electrification has also increased the adoption rate of silicon carbide (SiC). In EVs, SiC is used for inverter switches, which is a breakthrough development in the semiconductor industry. It offers higher operational speed, improved efficiency, longer lifespan and faster recovery times. 150mm SiC epitaxial substrates will be manufactured in Italy for now with commitments to develop 200mm wafersin the near future. STMicro also has around 110 projects on hand, of which 60% are fromautomotivecustomers.
Industrial:This sector saw strong demand in Q3 2022 largely driven by STMicro’s broad product portfolio. Theindustrial markethas seen major trends that include energy and power efficiency improvements, digitalization of devices and massive semiconductor content growth in power, analog, sensor, and embedded processing products. Medical-grade wearables withwirelesscapabilities supporting short-range wireless protocols and AI capabilities are being embedded into the MCU.
Personal electronics:Due to the ongoing trade tensions and global macroeconomic weakness along with inflation, STMicro has seen some price pressure and competitiveness in theconsumersegment. The company is targeting high-volume applications with a primary focus on smartphones and wearable devices leveraging proprietary technologies for optical and wireless infrastructure ICs with leading-edge mixed-signal processes.Gamingconsole makers are also implementing MCUs designed by STMicro. CPUs for space applications are now based on 28nm FD-SOI.

Segment revenues

ADG:Revenues for Q3 2022 were $1,563 million, increasing 55.5% on growth in both automotive and power discrete segments.
AMS:Revenues for Q3 2022 were $1,380 million, increasing 9.7% on growth in analog, MEMS and imaging segments.
MDG:Revenues for Q3 2022 were $1,374 million, increasing 47.7% on growth in both microcontrollers and RF communications segments.

Forecast: Q4 2022 net revenues are expected to be around $4.40billion, an increase of 1.8% QoQ, plus or minus 350 basis points. Also, for the full year of 2022, the guided revenues are in the range of $16.1billionto $16.4 billion, representing growth of about 26.2% YoY, with a gross margin of about 47.3%.Primary growth can be expected in Q4 from the automotive and high-volume application sectors.
Demand and supply:Strong demand was seen throughout Q3, especially in B2B industrial, with some slowdown in the consumer market. Increasedsemiconductor contentin automotive was seen, along with the ongoing replenishment of inventories across the automotive supply chain as bookings remained strong across customers. The backlog remained above 18 months, which was above the planned manufacturing capacity through 2023.
Capex and investment:Capex in Q3 2022 was $955 million, compared to $437 million in the year-ago quarter. STMicro is building an integrated SiC substrate manufacturing facility in Catania, Italy, to support the increasing demand from customers for SiC devices across automotive and industrial applications. An investment of €730 million in Catania over five years will partially support Italy in building the framework of its National Recovery andResilience Plan.

Key takeaways

圣Micro has been a top chip supplier for theautomotive industry, which is seeing an increase in EV adoption and semiconductor content in vehicles.If STMicro can attain good margins on the products sold, along with increasing its manufacturing capacity, it can become a more significant player in the automotive industry, further supporting the company’s $20-billion-plus revenue ambition.
圣Micro is harnessing wide bandgap semiconductors (boron, carbon and silicon dioxide materials) that are mostly used in radio frequency applications and radars. STMicro’s focus on wide bandgap semiconductors allows the device to operate at much higher voltages, frequencies and temperatures than conventional semiconductor materials.
To help counter the lack of adequate chip capacity in Europe and the effects of the ongoingRussia-Ukrainewar, STMicro-Global Foundriespartnership will set up a factory that will reach its full production capacity of 620,000wafersa year by 2026. Optimally utilizing the fab [mature process technology is likely being utilized for smart power, analog mixed signal andRFprocess (130nm – 65nm)] could be a key factor forcompetitive wafer pricingand high volume production.

圣Micro Q2 2022 Net Revenue up 28.3% YoY Driven by Increase in Semi Content, Automotive Demand

Net revenue grew 28.3% YoY as the company recorded decent growth in all product groups and subgroups. Gross margin of 47.4% came in above the norm due to favorable pricing and improved product mix.

圣Micro recorded net revenues of $3.84 billion for Q2 2022, primarily driven by the strong demand from factory automation, robotics and industrial infrastructure and automotive sectors.

圣Micro is teaming up with 20+ car makers in power train electrification using its silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET. Automotive market continued to see strong demand in Q2, with the ongoing electrification and digitalization transformation across the supply chain and automotive industry.

Automotive:Strong demand was seen in Q2 across theautomotive供应链由于持续的电气化d digitalization of the industry. Between the automotive and industrial markets, STMicro has around 102 projects spread over 77 customers. Multiple wins have been recorded in silicon carbide (SiC), power module and other electrical vehicle-related applications for Tier 1 automotive manufacturers. The Volkswagen Trinity project is a collaborative effort between Volkswagen Group and STMicro that aims to address multiple applications with new zonal architectures by adding an MCU and system-on-chip.
Industrial:This sector has seen a tremendous increase in semiconductor content due to the increase in digitalization, power management and efficiency in devices and systems. Design wins have been seen in intelligent power switches, MOSFETs and wireless charging solutions.
Consumer electronics and PC:这部分表明一些软化的迹象。圣Micro is focusing on selected high-volume smartphone applications and multiple design wins for wireless charging solutions in smartphones and smartwatches. Some of the consumer application design wins include a pressure sensor for hard disks, time-of-flight senses forlaptops, and MasterGaN family for high-power-density charging adapters.

Segment revenues

Automotive and Discrete Group (ADG)revenues increased 35.1% on growth in both automotive and power discrete. ADG has seen increased capability in manufacturing.
Analog, MEMS and Sensors group (AMS)revenues grew 11.3% on higher analog, MEMS and imaging product sales.
Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group(MDG)revenues increased 39.5% on growth in both microcontrollers and RF communications.

Company forecast

Revenues:Q3 2022 net revenues will be around $4.24 billion at mid-point, growing 32.6% YoY and 10.5% QoQ. Also, for the full year of 2022, revenues are expected to be in the range of $15.9 billion-$16.2 billion, driven by the strong demand in ADG. ADG and MDG will register growth, but AMS will be affected by tight capacity.
Demand and supply:Strong customer demand and planned investments will increase capacity in 2022. Manufacturing capacity for some products is fully saturated by the strong demand from factory automation,roboticsand industrial infrastructure andautomotivesectors. Backlog visibility is now above 18 months and well above the company’s current and planned manufacturing capacity through 2023.
Capex and investment:Capex in Q2 2022 was $809 million compared to $438 million in Q2 2021. For 2022, capex investment is expected to be in the range of $3.4 billion-$3.6 billion. Financial support from France for the 300-mm wafer fab in Crolles will result in a high-volume manufacturing plant ranging from 90nm to 28nm and covering embedded non-volatile memory, RF mixed signal and other technologies.

Key takeaways

In the long term, the 300-mm semiconductor manufacturing facility will be a major enabler for ST’s $20-billion-plus revenue ambition. The new fab in Italy will ramp up the production of SiC and GaN products in H1 2023.
High-volume applications such assmartphones, communication equipment, computers and5G infrastructureproducts have resulted in an increase in semiconductor content per device. In the long term, power-related semiconductor and analog content will further increase as more and more people are embracingEVsand 5G-related equipment.
圣Micro continues to drive design wins for car electrification, and with the increase in the use of silicon carbide, the revenue target is expected to reach $1 billion by 2023.
圣Micro’s major growth driver in 2023 will be the automotive segment through the company’s alliance with Volkswagen Group.

BoM Analysis: OnePlus Watch Costs up to $68 to Produce

OnePlus entered thesmartwatchbattlefield in March 2021 with the launch of the OnePlus Watch. The model features dual processing units that enable it to reduce battery consumption. According toCounterpoint Research’sbill of materials (BoM)analysis, producing the OnePlus Watch standard edition costs up to $68.

Sound selection of components from various manufacturers enables OnePlus to make a multifunctional smartwatch at an affordable price. The smartwatch has accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light, air pressure, capacitance, and heart rate and blood oxygen (SpO2) sensors, which are commendable offerings in this price range.

Processor and MCU

OnePlus has assigned the smartwatch with a 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4 low-cost platform processor, STM32L4R9ZI6P, supplied by圣Micro. The processor features a full set of DSP (digital signal processing) instructions along with 2MB of flash memory and 640KB of SRAM.

This is paired with the Apollo 3 Blue ultra-low-power microcontroller (MCU) fromAmbiq Micro, which is an optimal solution for battery-powered devices and acts as the sensor hub. The MCU is based on the Cortex-M4F Core and supports a base clock frequency of 48 MHz which can clock up to 96 MHz and grants the smartwatch a balanced combination of performance and power efficiency. With a secondary MCU, the OnePlus Watch can continuously monitor and process the data collected from various sensors, even when the primary processor is at sleep or in standby mode.

Note:Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding off.

Storage and Connectivity

OnePlus has equipped the smartwatch with 128MB of PSRAM supplied by AP Memory and 4GB ofNANDflash. TheeMMC NANDis manufactured by Kingston.

For wireless connectivity, the OnePlus Watch has two standalone chips correspondingly from Airoha andInfineon. The GNSS/GPS chip from Airoha integrates the RF and baseband circuits and can track multiple satellite constellations simultaneously, providing the user accurate location data and tracking with L1 and L5 dual-band support. Bluetooth 5.0 is enabled by the Infineon chip with an integrated 2.4 GHz transceiver, which is manufactured on a low power40nmCMOS fabrication process.

OnePlus doesn’t offer connectivity features such asWi-FiorLTE. 30% of the BoM cost is occupied by storage, sensors and connectivity.

Display and Audio

The smartwatch has a sizable 1.39-inchAMOLEDdisplay with 2.5D curved glass that has a resolution of 454*454 pixels with a pixel density of ~326 ppi.

CS47L15 from Cirrus Logic, which is a high-performance, low-poweraudiocodec that integrates an equalizer and programmable DSP with proprietary SmartHIFI technology, provides enhanced voice communication quality for both near-end and far-end users. The audio amplifier (AW8896CSR) is from Awinic. It supports bass and treble enhancement functions, enables High RF noise suppression and aids in audio quality enhancement.

Display and audio take up 24% of the BoM cost.

Body Structure and Battery

The OnePlus Watch has a well-built body that is constructed out of 316L (L – low amount of carbon) stainless steel, the preferred choice for smartwatch design as it is resistant to cracks and offers sound tensile strength.

Powering the smartwatch is a non-removable lithium-ion (Li-Ion)batterywith a capacity of 402 mAh rated at 1.59 Wh. Power and battery management for the OnePlus Watch is handled byTexas InstrumentsPMIC Controller.

Conclusion

OnePlus has done a decent job on its first smartwatch offering. The selection of low-power and dependable components is great. But there is still a lot of room for improvement. Connectivity and storage are the two key areas where the OnePlus Watch is lagging immensely.

圣Microelectronics Q4 2021: Earnings Beat Expectations Driven by Automotive and Industrial

圣Microelectronics one of the leading electronics and Semiconductor manufacturer has announced its Q4 and 2021 Financial Results. Overall the French-Italian multinational Chip maker Net Revenues and the performance exceeded our expectations.

Net revenues increased 24.9% to $12.76 billion in 2021, due to strong performance across the Automotive and Discrete Group (ADG)* and Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group (MDG)**.
Net revenues of $3.56B for 4Q 2021 increased 11.2% on a sequential basis with ADG and MDG up 22.0% and 15.4%. The Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group (AMS)*** was flat.

Exhibit 1: Quarterly Revenue by Segment

*Automotive and Discrete Group (ADG) comprising of Automotive ICs, discrete and power transistor products.
**Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group (MDG) comprising of secure microcontrollers, EEPROM memories, and digital ASICs.
***Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group (AMS) comprising of low-power devices for IoT, and battery-operated devices.

Gross margins increased to 45.4% from 38.8% in the year ago quarter because of the improved product mix, favorable pricing, and manufacturing efficiencies.
Automotivewas driven by the strong demand for vehicles, lean inventories across the supply chain and rebound from difficult supply chain dynamics in 2020. The transformation towards the electrification and digitalization of vehicles is further driving the increase in semiconductor content.
Industrialalso saw a continued demand in high-end and consumer, again driven by the electrification and digitalization which are driving the semi content.Factory automationalong with the power applications (including renewable energy, motion control, power tools and home appliances) were the main drivers.
Personal Electronicsare driven by smartphone market growth in 2022,5G adoption, and seasonality in 4Q 2021. Also, the demand for accessories was strongSmartwatches,TWS,gaming consolesetc.
Communication Equipment and Computer Peripherals:Adoption of 5G and demand forPC and notebook, also LEO satellites launch or ramp-up drove the revenues.
Product segments:
ADGrevenues grew 32.5% annually, both the subgroups Automotive and Power Discreet recorded double-digit growth.
AMSrevenues grew 18.8% annually, complemented by growth in imaging product sales.
MDGrevenues increased 24.3% annually, microcontrollers (the largest subgroup) also reported double-digit growth partially offsetting the decline in RF communication revenue.
Forecast: 1Q 2022 net revenues to be around $3.5B at mid-point, a 16.1% YoY growth and a sequential decline of 1.6%.
2022年全年收入预期的range of $14.8B to 15.3B, a growth of 16% to 20%. This is driven by focusing on the three segments, Smart Mobility, Power Energy Management, IoT and 5G.
Demand and Supply:Demand to remain strong but still be impacted by supply with pandemic impacts to continue in 2022. Inventories of the products across the distributors were lean. Bookings are strong and backlog visibility is now about 18 months, which is well above its planned manufacturing capacity for 2022.
CAPEX investment and Expansion:
Investing $2.1B towards additional capacity, a mix change in manufacturing footprint for wafer fabs, (digital 300mm in Crolles, analog 200mm in Singapore, SiC 150mm in Catania and Singapore) and semi assembly and test operation.
Investing $900M in the 300nm wafer fab (in Agrate Italy), and GaN technology and raw material for SiC.

Key Takeaways–

The focus onIoTand5Gwill be圣Micro’slong-term growth enabler.
投资300 mm晶圆帮助所有的生产eviate the global chip shortage as well as the production of chips for customers like –TeslaandApple(STMicro’s main customers), should lead to continuous growth.
Concentrating on research and development in silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN) technology for industrial, automotive and aerospace applications will be an added value proposition and can be profitable for STM.

Samsung Takes Semiconductor Crown From Intel in 2021

London, Hong Kong, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – January 28, 2022

Semiconductor industry went through significant structural changes in 2021 after entity lists were announced by both China and the US. The overall 2021 semiconductor revenue rankings also varied from the previous year.Samsungtook the first position from Intel thanks to its solid growth momentum in both logic IC and memory segments. Memory vendors continued to lead the industry with SK Hynix and Micron taking the third and fourth positions, followed by IC design vendors, including Qualcomm and NVIDIA.

During 2021, many top-tier semiconductor companies reiterated material changes happening in the industry, such as semi content growth, higher inventory level and longer chip lead time due to globalcomponent shortagesas well as logistical issues. The year saw 19% YoY revenue growth with the largest contribution coming from the memory and IC design sectors.

Semiconductor Industry Top Players Revenues & Rankings – 2021

Samsung took the lead in 2021 with a strong DRAM and NAND flash market performance at the expense of Intel’s relatively flattish results. Majorsmartphone SoCand GPU vendors also enjoyed strong growth in the year with over 50% YoY revenue increase. In addition, we saw 27% YoY revenue growth among the top 15 vendors, outperforming global semiconductor revenue growth and implying another year of centralized semiconductor industry.

In general, we believe supply constraints will likely persist before H2 2022, though our checks suggest some amount of component shortage easing. Looking ahead, foundries are adding new capacities in 2023 and most of them hold optimistic views on their partnerships and utilization rates even if supply and demand normalize in the foreseeable future. High performance computing, metaverse (AR/VR/XR), 5G and automotive remain key semi content growth drivers for the industry.

Disclaimer: This ranking consists of chip companies. Foundry revenue is not included to avoid double counting.

Background

Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.

Analyst Contact:

William Li

Follow Counterpoint Research
press(at)www.arena-ruc.com

Top

Day 1 Highlights:

Consumer Electronics:

Meizu showcases capabilities in ‘device-vehicle integration’

Huawei showcases Vision Glass

ZTE presents nubia Pad 3D, world’s first AI-based naked-eye 3D tablet computer

Telecom Operators’ Moves

Establishment of China Mobile Metaverse Industry Alliance

China Mobile’s 5G Use Case

China Unicom’s 5G solutions

China Telecom reveals development strategy for 6G

Innovations from network, software and component providers

Huawei drives 5G ToB advancement with ‘5G Inside’ technology

Huawei’s ‘cloud phone’ solution

<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-76026 aligncenter" src="//www.arena-ruc.com/www/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Huawei’s-cloud-phone-solution.jpg" alt="" width="570" height="428" data-eio="l">

Huawei’s 5GC Intelligent Traffic Express Solution

H3C’s Wi-Fi7 Announcements

China Broadnet’s Naked-eye Display

圣Microelectronics Announcements

AMD’s RFFE Solutions

AAC Expands its Optical R&D Strength

Tongxin Microelectronics Announcements

ams OSRAM Mira050 with Wafer Level Optics (WLO) Demo Kit

Kigen and TMC collaborate to drive eSIM innovation

Day 2 Highlights:

HONOR Magic V2 foldable smartphone launch event

Meizu’s announcements

Day 3 Highlights

Lenovo updates

China Broadnet showcases new 5G calling features

Related Posts

Qualcomm and Samsung’s design wins

Related Posts

Segment revenues

Conclusion

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Background

Related Posts

Coverage

Insights

Social media

Contact us

Term of Use and Privacy Policy