Samsung unveiled thw Galaxy Gear Smartwatch

After Pebble, Sony Smartwatch, this Samsung Smartwatch races ahead of Apple to launched on 25 Sept.

The best established company at present is the Californian firm Pebble, which has sold more than 85,000 of its eponymous $150 smartwatches. Those connect to Android phones and iPhones, and show messages, calendar details and run some apps. The Pebble is the result of a $10.2m crowd funding scheme from individual bankers in 2012.

Sony also showed off an updated version of its SmartWatch, which costs $235 and is described by the company as "a second screen for your smartphone". It can control the smartphone's camera, accept or reject calls, run presentations, and run similar apps to those on the Galaxy Gear.

Samsung unveiled its much-anticipated Gear, an Android-powered $299 device which works as an extension to a limited number of its phones – only two at present – able to show incoming calls and messages on its 1.63” screen. Users can also use it to make calls, just like Dick. It also has voice control, a basic camera and can run a Twitter app, plus another 70 compatible apps, the company President JK Shin said on 4 Sep.

Scheduled to ship on 25 September, Gear connects via the Bluetooth wireless system to the two other products unveiled by Samsung in Berlin: the Galaxy Note 3 "phablet" – which has a 5.7in screen – and the Galaxy Tab 10.1, a tablet with a screen comparable to Apple's iPad. It also needs charging each day if subject to "moderate" use.

Qualcomm, well known for making chips that power smartphones, introduced the Toq device – able to play music, handle phone calls, and run apps. Promised for October, it has a touch-enabled colour screen that will be readable in sunlight, but no price – though the tech blog CNet suggested it would cost about $300. Note thet Qualcomn share price will rise again.

How about Apple?

While Apple has given no direct indication that it is working on a product – beyond a comment by chief executive Tim Cook earlier this year that "the wrist is interesting" – tech companies have decided not to be left behind in case Apple defines a new sector, as happened with the iPad tablet in 2010 and multi-touch iPhone in 2007.

They are also confident that Apple is working on something, following its application for a trademark on "iWatch" in Japan, and the hiring of a former Nike executive last month.

Analysts have suggested that wearable technology, and smartwatches in particular, could be big news in 2014. Google is also believed to be looking at the smartwatch field.

"Finding the right price for smartwatches will be hard. The sweet spot will be similar to designer watches versus Rolex or Swatch," commented Carolina Milanesi, a smartphones analyst at research group Gartner.

Future

Samsung seems to be optimistic about its prospects. The Gear "bridges the gap between the mobile device and fashion worlds to create truly wearable technology," said JK Shin, the chief executive of Samsung Mobile.

But for now it only connects to two of the company's scores of smartphone models. And some early testers showed limited enthusiasm.

"The 1.9 megapixel camera is of poorer quality than a typical smartphone camera," noted You kyung Lee, of the Associated Press, who tested it before the formal launch. "In addition, moderate use of the device will require a daily battery top-up with yet another charger to keep track of."

She said that while some of the features, such as email notifications, were enjoyable, "after my brief hands-on experience, I decided the first generation of the Gear was cool but not compelling enough to convince me to ditch my iPhone."

Semiconductor Revenue

Research firm Gartner projects that wearable smart electronics will be a $10 billion industry by 2016

HK Snob

Office of the President, OMB and IP Protection in Philippines

Office of the President, Philippines OMB (Optical Media Board) Chairman and CEO Ronnie Ricketts takes all effort in protecting DVD, stop film camcording, raid fake software usage and to ensure Intelligence property is well being treated with respect in Philippines...Without proper protection of the IP, there will be an obstacle for foreign coming into Philippines for investment.
Now some of the companies are coming back to build their products in Philippines, such as Knowles has started their manufacturing in Cebu rather than expansion in China.
HK Snob

How is 2013 Semiconductor business?

There have been people saying that the Q1 13 is doom to be low in Semicon equipment demand and the norm will be going to Q2 and Q3 to be ramping up for much spot demand, and start to fall in Q4 2013.

China Economy Watch

China is now the most influential economic system that has overpasses USA in the recent 5 years, as US economy is now someone named as Paper Tiger as if they could not raise the limit of the debt to 14 Trillion, before March, the whole US market will going a dark period. That is what Obama main Do-list on his desk.

China was not doing not too good in his GPD in Q3 A4 20132.

Fore the past 3 decades, China has a amazing average GPD growth of average 10-30%, till the recent 8 year , it was slow down to 6-10% an average The tremendous grown no long be seen anymore.

However Steven green * has spotted that the commodity price, food price is increasing n Beijing and major city of China started in Sept 2012. More people have surplus money to dump into the real estate market again. And the new Xi China administration has been doing a lot of administration and propaganda to suppress corruption which is very important to build a Cleaner China.

And had been using economy executions to boost the state and private enterprises and investment,

China set to release new GDP!

That is a driver for the World Economy, need to watch out.

SIGMA; Samsung, Intel, Google, Microsoft and Apple.

Who has tied up with these Will gain business opportunity and making higher profit, away from this will deems to be in low economic growth.

The world has been conformed into a few less players before, more to become monopoly states as 10 years ago, as the Equipment market where there were 20 major equipment suppliers before now it has been either by means of M & A, or dissolved to less than 5 major players.

The state is not as healthy as before as more to be the winning side will get all 80% of pie and a bit less competitive side will get 20% or the order, so the WINNER takes it all

Apple

There is disappointment on Iphone5, which is just 1 cm longer and that is iPhone4., so the Fans of Steve Jobs, they do not feel great to use Apple anymore as there is no more gadget stuff anymore to talk with electronic freaks.

Apple OS ties up wit iTunes will block a lot of people coming to the world of iPhone, Android is now dominant for the SW and Samsung is being a winner in terms of popularity and market share.

Someone like me said Apple will falls after Steve Job, a bit too early to say so, but lest watch out for a couple more years.

The fall so a great company is there is no new technology… Apple has announced to have low cost version of iPhone, I can say cheap iPhone for the third world, with lower entry level. Plastic case and bigger display to conquer Samsung Galaxy SIII or Note II!?

Well, to the Semiconductor houses or Semiconductor equipment supplier that is a great news the this is a bigger volume for more IC Chip demand, OSAT, IDM and Fabless would be benefit by Apple for a couple of years more.

We believe the demand will rise shortly when Apple start the Low cost iPhone program.

Power QFN

More and more demand for QFN as there is a huge demand for this no matter that is for Smart phone, note Book, LED drivers…etc the demand will rise, package will turn to me more on FC for package shrinkage. Better technology for improving the heat dissipation, Clip will be the trend. 

Asian Investment Threat

Who will be the be the investment centre in coming 5-10 years

Japan
The Earthquake 11 March 2011  stops all future plan for most overseas firm to select Tokyo as the business HQ, one the other hand, cost is just too high.

Thailand
The King is 87 years old and uncertainty who will be the one taking care the Monarch, the Yingluk Government claimed to be lack of long term investment attraction to the foreign investor..
The 2011 Q4 Flood does have some black shadow to the new Investors.

Indonesia
The Beginning of the week had serious Flood, 140KM of Road and the Commercial Center of Jakarta was submerged in Water.
This is another question to the new investment

Vietnam
There is infrastructure and language barrier o new investment, some big foreign factory is a large factory with some of the oldest MC running, believe they can not make money too!

China Wages rise everyday! And there is difficulties to hire the right people now in China

Philippine may be one of the vest choices for foreign investment

Automotive is growing
There is demand for car replacement for better mileage, less emission, and time for changing new car. The Demand is high
There are hundred of sensors in a car and 3 hundred LED plus LED drivers, the demand for IC is high, but as Automotive is merely 5% of total semicon and will rise to 8% in the year 2013/4.

Forecast 2014
Windows 8 does not create much demand to PC makers, and Surface is not anything but just a firecracker in air!

We think that there is be spot demand for equipment in Q2 and then End Q3 depending on the Apple New Phone.

As a Summary, the IC demand of 2013 will be started in Q2 and ended by Mid Q3, there is no more Major Demand on Q4. Forecast that there will be 5-8 growth in terms of Revenue as comparing with 2012.

HK Snob