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Software-defined vehicles: Apple developing self-driving car chips with South Korean company

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Tech giant Apple is developing chips for self-driving cars in partnership with a South Korean company, according to various media reports.

A website called The Elec, which seems to be a South Korean electronics industry association website, is believed to have broken the story.

In the article, Apple is reported to be “developing the chip modules and packages to be used in its so-called Apple Car with a South Korean outsourced semiconductor assembly and test company”. [Read more…] about Software-defined vehicles: Apple developing self-driving car chips with South Korean company

Advanced Farm Technologies completes $25 million Series B funding round

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Advanced Farm Technologies, developers of robotic technology for farmers, has completed a series B investment round raising $25 million to support the company’s growth in strawberry harvesting and the adaptation of its technology to apple harvesting.

The Series B funding round was led by Catapult Ventures and included all the Series A investors Kubota Corporation, Yamaha Motor Corporation, and Impact Ventures.

Kyle Cobb, president, and co-founder of Advanced Farm Technologies, says: “It is gratifying to have the ongoing support and commitment from our early investors in this funding round. It reflects all of our team’s hard work to develop and bring our TX Strawberry Harvester to the market. [Read more…] about Advanced Farm Technologies completes $25 million Series B funding round

The Use of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Apple Devices

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From the iPhone to the Mac, iPad, iPod and the Apple Watch, Apple excels, and continues to do so, in hardware innovation and software development.

However, not much is known about Apple’s plan with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it’s used in Apple products, or apps in general.

In its recent WWDC performance, Apple seems to have taken a quieter, yet smarter approach by adding several features and updates with machine learning at their core. [Read more…] about The Use of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Apple Devices

Apple to invest over €1 billion in Germany and plans European Silicon Design Center in Munich

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Apple is adding a new facility in Munich to develop 5G and future wireless technologies

Apple says it will make Munich its European Silicon Design Center, adding hundreds of new employees and a new “state-of-the-art facility” to develop connectivity and wireless technologies.

Munich is already Apple’s largest engineering hub in Europe, with close to 1,500 engineers from 40 countries working in a variety of areas including power management design, application processors, and wireless technologies.

Their work is contributing to Apple’s custom silicon designs with industry-leading performance, powerful features, and incredible efficiency. [Read more…] about Apple to invest over €1 billion in Germany and plans European Silicon Design Center in Munich

Apple poised to become $2 trillion company

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US tech giant Apple is poised to become a $2 trillion company “very soon”, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The company was the first to achieve a trillion-dollar market capitalization a couple of years ago, and today is about 1 percent below the level needed to exceed $2 trillion.

Apple is somewhat different from other “tech” companies, by which is meant computer technology.Other such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook and others tend to be software-oriented. [Read more…] about Apple poised to become $2 trillion company

Luxshare buys iPhone assembly factory and becomes bigger than Foxconn

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Chinese hi-tech manufacturer Luxshare Precision Industry has bought an iPhone assembly factory from Wistron and has become bigger than Foxconn in terms of market capitalization.

Although Luxshare is well known in the industry, it’s not as famous as its Taiwanese rival Foxconn, which also goes by the name of Hon Hai Precision and has been Apple’s main contract manufacturer for many years.

Luxshare had previously been supplying individual components for iPhones but the Wistron factory purchase means that it can now provide assembled parts or complete devices. [Read more…] about Luxshare buys iPhone assembly factory and becomes bigger than Foxconn

US targets Chinese tech giants for bans and sales

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The United States is targeting a range of Chinese-owned tech giants for bans or sales in a bid to put pressure on its economic rival.

The administration of President Donald Trump appears to be conflating “national security” issues with economic measures which it believes are fair while others consider protectionist.

Trump has signed executive orders which may see the sale within 45 days of video-sharing app TikTok to Microsoft. Another app in the administration’s bad books is WeChat, according to the South China Morning Post. [Read more…] about US targets Chinese tech giants for bans and sales

Apple rejects billion-dollar lawsuit over virtual assistant Siri

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Trillion-dollar tech giant Apple has rejected a $1.4 billion lawsuit over its voice assistant Siri, the virtual robot integrated into all its devices.

The legal action was initiated by Xiao-i Robot, also known as Shanghai Zhizhen Intelligent Network Technology, in the Shanghai High People’s Court.

Xiao-i Robot, which is little known outside China and doesn’t appear to have a readily discoverable website, claims that Apple integrated features into Siri which is part of its patent. [Read more…] about Apple rejects billion-dollar lawsuit over virtual assistant Siri

Apple’s new iPad Pro sports LiDAR and new chip

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Apple’s latest version of its iPad Pro tablet computer integrates technology more commonly found in robots and autonomous cars – LiDAR. 

LiDAR, short for Light Detection and Ranging, refers to a type of sensor which gives the device information about objects around it and the distance to them.

Apple says it decided to put LiDAR in the new iPad Pro to give the camera in the device a greater sense of depth. [Read more…] about Apple’s new iPad Pro sports LiDAR and new chip

Sony showcases new concept car with tech for autonomous driving

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Sony has showcased a number of new technologies at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, and one of them was a concept car packed with the company’s sensors and other components that provide a package that supports autonomous driving.

Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony president and CEO, says: “It’s not an exaggeration to say that mobile (communication) has been the mega-trend of the last decade. I believe the next mega-trend will be mobility.”

Yoshida formally unveiled the prototype vehicle, which incorporates imaging and sensing technologies that Sony says “contribute to safer and more reliable autonomous driving”. [Read more…] about Sony showcases new concept car with tech for autonomous driving