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1. Microsoft Google has privately expressed opposition to Broadcom acquisition of Qualcomm afraid of Apple stronger;
SAN FRANCISCO, December 9 morning news, CNBC television website quoted sources as saying that Microsoft and Google and other companies are privately expressed concern about the possibility of Broadcom acquisition of Qualcomm.
Sources said the companies are concerned that Apple may have an impact on the deal, and they are concerned that Broadcom is more focused on cutting costs than investing in new technologies.
Qualcomm rejected a $ 105 billion hostile takeover bid by Broadcom last month, and Broadstone later nominated a new member of Qualcomm's board of directors earlier this week when regulators often asked the industry to provide information on whether to approve a deal Qualcomm has said , Worried about antitrust issues that may arise in the deal.
According to sources, Qualcomm has said to Microsoft, Google and others that it should not publicly oppose the deal, and Qualcomm hopes to see whether Broadcom will significantly raise its current offer of $ 70 a share before it takes a tougher stance on possible deals.
For Qualcomm, Broadcom's acquisition may help to improve the relationship with Apple.Currently, Qualcomm to supply Apple iPhone and iPad chips.In January this year, Apple sued Qualcomm patent licensing fees too high, Qualcomm also sued Apple violations Its patents. Qualcomm has applied for or received more than 130,000 patents, a large part of which is related to smart phone technology.
The lawsuit may cause Apple to no longer use Qualcomm chips in future products.
However, according to sources, Broadcom CEO Chen Fuyang said in a non-public occasion, if Broadcom completed the acquisition of Qualcomm, then the dispute with the Apple to resolve optimism.
The objection between Microsoft and Google may be that the good news for Apple is the loss of its competitors.
For Google, many Android phone and tablet makers are using Qualcomm processors, which make up 85% of the smartphone market, according to IDC.
Microsoft recently introduced the first Windows 10 PCs equipped with Qualcomm chips and may continue to promote such tablets and variants.Compared to PCs with Intel processors, these devices consume less power and thus compete with Apple's iPad .
Although Microsoft and Google are also the most important technology companies in the world, Apple and Samsung have a bigger share of sales of Qualcomm and Broadcom chips, and both Microsoft and Google agree that Qualcomm is independent rather than acquired by Broadcom Apple, more in their own interests.
In addition, sources also said that Microsoft and Google have privately expressed their concern that Chen Fuyang would be too concerned about optimizing costs rather than investing in new technologies.
These third-party concerns are likely to affect the deal, Chen said in a statement: 'If we do not have the confidence that common global customers will welcome the merger of the two companies, then we will not make an offer.' gold)
2. Taiwan ITRI chairman: Broadcom and Qualcomm have a greater impact on Taiwan;
Set micro-grid news, the recent Vision magazine published an interview with Taiwan's ITRI chairman Li Shiguang, Li Shiguang concern about the industry's Qualcomm suspended and ITRI's 5G cooperation and Broadcom announced the acquisition of Qualcomm 103 billion US dollars expressed their own views, How two major events affect Taiwan?
On October 11, the Fair Trade Commission found Qualcomm to restrain fair competition by imposing unreasonable licensing mechanisms, supply of baseband chips, and exclusive transaction discounts to impose fines of up to 23.4 billion Taiwan dollars.
Two weeks later, ITRI confirmed that it received a verbal notification from Qualcomm and suspended 5G cooperation.
Last August, Qualcomm announced that it will work with ITRI and several domestic Netcom vendors to develop a small base station powered by the new 5G air interface technology.
ITRI will not only be able to get the key Qualcomm technology earlier, but also expedite the time-to-market of Taiwan's OEM and ODM manufacturers in small base stations and infrastructure equipment. More importantly, it will reverse Taiwan's past decline in communications standards and grab To be the first opportunity.
Liu Sitai, president of Qualcomm's Taiwan region, once said that through cooperation, Qualcomm not only plays a role as a chip and solution provider in Taiwan, but also international manufacturers can understand the technological strengths of Taiwan and further promote cooperation and cooperation through the platform.
However, this cooperation has stopped. Will Taiwan once again miss the 5G era in which all countries are active?
Talking about ITRI and Qualcomm> Merger Cases of "Double-Link" Should Pay More Attention
"It is a pause now, but we do not just cooperate with it (Qualcomm)," implies, Li Shiguang is not pessimistic.
Li Shiguang actually think, in addition to the suspension of ITRI and Qualcomm cooperation, but should pay close attention to communications chip maker Broadcom and Qualcomm mergers and acquisitions.
"The combined effect of these two issues on Taiwan is far greater than that of Qualcomm (suspension of cooperation)," he stressed.
Why? Because "dual links" really merged, "Single source (single source) problems will surely occur." Li Shiguang pointed out that it is impossible for international manufacturers to purchase from a single supplier and think from a Taiwan perspective. MediaTek Realtek and other domestic IC design houses are expected to benefit as the second supplier and seize the opportunity to enter the supply chain. However, we can not ignore the power of bargaining power. Therefore, "it is possible to have both good and bad effects." Li Shiguang said.
However, he stressed that in the past Taiwan mainly focused on the production of terminal equipment (mobile phones, tablet computers, etc.) and "never managed to cross the central office (that is, Telecommunications signal exchange, such as telecom operators' room. ") However, small base stations are expected to be the key to a breakthrough.
"It (small base station) is close to the central office, and the turnover is really small, but it is of great significance." To this end, Li Shiguang believes that Taiwan must work with manufacturers to obtain more and more key technologies from the antenna Since the terminal extends to the central office, in order to bring more growth momentum for the communications industry.
At present, Qualcomm's board of directors has formally denied Broadcom that Qualcomm's value is undervalued, however, Tuo Tuo Industrial Institute observed that with many successful mergers and acquisitions Broadcom, should continue to Qualcomm board of directors, important shareholders negotiations, but even though Qualcomm nodded, But also through the antitrust review of all countries, follow-up worthy of attention.
Speaking of future technological trends, Li Shiguang pointed out that AI (AI) and quantum computers are the key. "AI is almost impossible to ignore," and Taiwan still has advantages in terms of AI development. As for computing power surpassing Traditional computer limitations hit the Economist 's Quantum Computer in March this year. "I think it is too slow to do this software. I am afraid it is important to use the software first," said Li Shiguang.
3. The world's largest foundry GaAs, stable Mao picked up the leading position of Apple to consolidate;
In the future, as Apple prepares to expand the use of 3D sensing in other models, coupled with non-Apple camp, such as Qualcomm has already sharpened, ready to launch 3D next year Sensing feature phones, these bullish factors are pushing up the stable stock prices go Young.
Over the past two decades, the total number of VCSELs sold over the past two months has surpassed 20 years. "Representative Lumentum, a leader in global optical communications laser devices, recently attended the" 3D Depth Sensing and VCSEL Technology Seminar " When the language is surprisingly expressed.
Strong demand comes from Apple mobile phone face recognition to unlock the new application areas opened for 3D sensing.Lumentum is Apple's main supplier of the technology behind the sole foundry is the stability of the semiconductor ─ ─ the world's largest arsenic Gallium foundry, foundry market share of 66%, if added wafer output value, market share of about 25%.
In the future, as Apple prepares to expand the use of 3D sensing in other models, coupled with non-Apple camp, such as Qualcomm has already sharpened, ready to launch 3D next year Sensing feature phones, these bullish factors are pushing up the stable stock prices go Young.
"Strictly speaking, 3D sensing is not a new technology, but it is a new application that Apple brings to the handset." Chen Jin Choi, chairman of Wincom Semiconductor, explained that such a component of VCSEL probably existed some decades ago and that early Is used to make some components for optical fiber communication because signals are attenuated during fiber transmission and amplified by VCSELs for a few kilometers. "But even so, the demand for optical fibers in the world adds up, not so much Big. "
Steadily consolidate the advantages of technology integration Apple fertilizer alone
"3D sensing has been around for more than five years and a lot of people used to say it was wolves." Winco's general manager Wang Yuqi pointed out that four years ago Apple bought the Israeli 3D real-time motion capture company PrimeSense as the layout of the 3D depth camera technology Patents can be applied in the field of gestures or motion control applications or games, as well as face recognition. "The most important thing about 3D sensing is the algorithm. When Apple bought it, we worked with Lumentum to develop it. For a long time, the VCSEL used in 3D sensing, this is a unique application, so many patents are in the hands of Apple. "
Chen Jin analysis, the difficulty of 3D sensing of mobile applications, lies in the original face recognition system on the airport, reduced and concentrated to a small mobile phone bangs (meaning the upper edge of the phone) space, it is necessary to put so much Function, miniaturized focus on such a small place, and scan time less than 0.1 seconds, not only far below the customs time, precision and sophistication requirements are higher.
Chen Shunping, a senior vice president of ManMao, believes that the general gallium arsenide plant uses 2-inch, 3-inch wafers to produce optical communication products. After the introduction of new applications, Apple's production capacity is not enough to use and there is no mass production capacity. Mao has been doing gallium arsenide wafers for 18 years. It is the first 6-inch gallium arsenide fab in Asia, just to make up for the needs of optical components. Without such capability, others can provide it quickly.
In the past, steady Mao focused more on the microwave communications market. Chen Jincai emphasized that manufacturing knowledge of PA (Power Amplifier) and VCSEL can be shared. "The two most important development policies of the company are to have multiple technologies and the second is to make technology independent. Therefore, the stability of the optoelectronics business department was established 8 years ago, initially to supply their own use of wafer epitaxy, began to expand the study, 6,7 years ago aware of the future 5G market applications, thinking about how to use optical communications to enhance Transmission efficiency.
"International manufacturers know that we are beginning to develop optical communications, but also the benefits of vertical integration, to find our common development, and gradually accumulated optical communications experience and foundation, but also a better understanding of the market demand, only today's VCSEL." Chen Jin said with a smile.
Small 3D sensing module unlimited opportunities
In addition to mastering the market, Chen Jin Choi believes that the stability of the gallium arsenide in the process of manufacturing capacity, but also compete for a strong opportunity to grab the backing. Mainly because of gallium arsenide is a composite material, each element has its own characteristics, mixed together , The process will produce a variety of variables and can not grasp the variable, "Even though we have been so familiar, there are still a variety of problems every day, accumulated more technical management experience, the first-tier manufacturers will find us, the market will be more Concentration, the more customers, the more experience, the more resolving power, the competitive threshold has been established, into an intangible asset, it is not so easy for others to come in. "
Speaking of the future of development, "3D sensing has just started, the imagination of the future a lot of space, and now it's just the tip of the iceberg." Wang Yuqi represented by Qualcomm at the seminar, show their own research and development of 3D sensing combined with 3D printing technology For example, we first stored the image of Wei Zhejia, president of TSMC Group, using 3D sensing technology. The scene was printed in 3D with a 1: 2 ratio. The spot heated up the participants and immediately asked: "The printed model can be seen through 3D sensing to unlock the phone? "The answer is of course negative, but also revealed the future of 3D sensing more possibilities.
Wang Yuqi said that now only the front of the Apple mobile phone equipped with 3D sensing, but many phones in the back of the lens also has 3D sensing capabilities, with AR, VR technology to truly measure the size and length of the space, the future furniture companies can build Set App, so that consumers directly measure their own space with 3D sensing, try to put all sections of furniture, you can accurately buy furniture.
The same logic can also be placed on the fitting room, the first three-dimensional measurement with a three-dimensional body type, really do not have to go out to try on, you can buy pre-fit fit clothes, "With the popularity of 3D sensing applications, the future Function will be more powerful and complete, these are opportunities. "Wang Yuqi said.
The next blue ocean: 5G, car networking
The prospects of future growth of Man Mao, not only in the 3D sensing, but also including the development of 5G, the Internet and other car networking, and even new opportunities for optical communications IC. Chen revealed that the development of microwave communications in the field of 5G , Has been working with a number of customers to develop. "5G is a three-dimensional application, each application has a different chip design, we can develop a full range of processes to meet market demand, although the specifications are not yet set, but we The first guess what the direction, process development will do first. "
Wang Yuqi further pointed out that 2020 is the first year of 5G. "The focus of the 5G is speed, one is volume, and one second is 10 to 100 times that of 3G. This is a necessary condition for the future success of the network; 6 GHz (Gigahertz) The following speeds of 5G PRE5G should be the mainstream of the next five years, but even so, compared to the current mobile phone only 2 or 3GHz, the market growth is still great. "
However, with the development of mobile phones becoming more and more important, "the future status of gallium arsenide will be more stable, and it has its own Natural physical properties are not easily replaced by silicon wafers. "Stressed that the Group will focus on Class III-V compounds and broaden its use of technologies and opportunities, with at least 6% of its annual revenues invested in research and development, accounting for the operating expenses More than half, at least 1 billion yuan each year
4. MIT researchers are redesigning the power converter to make it more efficient
According to foreign media reports, MIT researchers have developed a new power converter that can handle higher voltages while maintaining efficiency. Power conversion is inherently inefficient. A device will never function Output as much power as possible, especially the traditional power converters.
In particular, power converters made of gallium nitride will now be able to provide higher efficiencies, however, the problem is that gallium nitride devices can not handle voltages above about 600 V. This has limited their utility in domestic appliances Use, but this situation will change soon.
At this week's International Electronics Congress in San Francisco, MIT researchers working with semiconductor companies IQE, IBM, Columbia University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research and Technology Alliance proposed a new design of power converter It can handle voltages up to 1200 volts.
The researchers pointed out that this progress is only the first prototype developed in academic laboratories.This means that the device still has a lot of room for improvement.In fact, the capacity may rise to the range of 3300-5000 volts This may make the efficiency of gallium nitride available in the grid