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Huawei surpasses Apple in smartphone sales

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Huawei has surpassed Apple in smartphone sales in the second quarter of this year, according to figures collated by the International Data Corporation.

The preliminary data from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, smartphone vendors shipped a total of 342.0 million units during the second quarter of 2018 (2Q18), resulting in a 1.8 percent decline when compared to the 348.2 million units shipped in the second quarter of 2017.

The drop marks the third consecutive quarter of year-over-year declines for the global smartphone market and only the fourth quarter of decline in history.  [Read more…] about Huawei surpasses Apple in smartphone sales

Apple releases new ‘fastest, most powerful’ MacBook Pro

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Apple has updated MacBook Pro with faster performance and new pro features, making it the most advanced Mac notebook ever.

Apple is, by some accounts, the world’s largest manufacturing company, certainly by such measures as market capitalization and perhaps revenues.

The company is continually launching new products and updating its existing ones, which often means changing of suppliers.  [Read more…] about Apple releases new ‘fastest, most powerful’ MacBook Pro

Cars of the future will be ‘self-driving and electric’

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NetworkNewsWire commentary

Self-driving and electric cars are poised to combine production efforts as both technologies mature.

Investment in self-driving vehicles is growing, leading to the emergence of specialist companies.

Electric cars are also on the rise, supported by the infrastructure of apps and charging points.  [Read more…] about Cars of the future will be ‘self-driving and electric’

Apple partners on carbon-free aluminium smelting method

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Aluminium giants Alcoa Corporation and Rio Tinto Aluminium have announced a joint venture to commercialise patented technology that eliminates direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process, a key step in aluminium production.

This is a revolutionary advancement in the manufacturing of one of the world’s most widely used metals.

Apple helped accelerate the development of this technology has partnered with both aluminium companies, and the Governments of Canada and Quebec, to collectively invest a combined $144 million to future research and development.

[Read more…] about Apple partners on carbon-free aluminium smelting method

Apple unveils ‘Daisy’, the robot that can disassemble iPhones to reclaim precious metals

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Apple has revealed a new robot which can disassemble nine different iPhone models to recover valuable materials within the devices.

The company called the robot “Daisy” and says that traditional recyclers cannot perform the intricate functions that Daisy can.

The robot looks to be a follow-up to a similar machine the company revealed a couple of years ago – called “Liam”.  [Read more…] about Apple unveils ‘Daisy’, the robot that can disassemble iPhones to reclaim precious metals

Apple awards $390 million from its advanced manufacturing fund to Finisar for its optical components

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Apple has awarded $390 million from its $1 billion advanced manufacturing fund to a US company called Finisar. 

The computing devices giant says the award is part of its long-term aim to support innovation and job creation by American manufacturers.

The award will enable Finisar to exponentially increase its R&D spending and high-volume production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs).  [Read more…] about Apple awards $390 million from its advanced manufacturing fund to Finisar for its optical components

Apple manufacturing partners ‘struggle with low yield rate’

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Apple suppliers “continue to struggle with low yield rate” because the smartphone giant is integrating advanced technologies, requiring investment in new and expensive manufacturing processes, which affect the suppliers’ profit margins, according to Nikkei. 

Apple is planning to launch its $1,000-dollar iPhone X to consumers in the coming months, but the new device includes functions not found in other phones, which is requiring manufacturers to change their processes and invest in new equipment.

Among the features in Apple’s high-end iPhone X will be facial recognition and organic light-emitting diode screens, both of which are new technologies and not found in current Apple devices.  [Read more…] about Apple manufacturing partners ‘struggle with low yield rate’

Apple and General Electric to bring Predix industrial apps to iPhone and iPad

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General Electric has reached a partnership agreement with Apple to develop industrial apps for iOS devices – iPhone and iPad, according to a report on 9to5Mac.com. 

The website says Apple has been “looking to the enterprise sector as a key market for growing iPad sales which have slipped in recent years”.

Apple and GE said they will deliver “powerful industrial apps designed to bring predictive data and analytics from Predix, GE’s industrial internet of things platform, to iPhone and iPad”.  [Read more…] about Apple and General Electric to bring Predix industrial apps to iPhone and iPad

New Apple iPhone could face manufacturing delays

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The new iPhone which Apple is planning to launch tomorrow is likely to face manufacturing delays, according to a report in Wall Street Journal. 

Any new iPhone usually sells out quite quickly so there’s almost always shortages, but this time shortfalls could be due to a lack of new screens.

Apple has chosen organic light emitting diode – OLED – technology for its screens. Previous iPhones used LCD – liquid crystal display.  [Read more…] about New Apple iPhone could face manufacturing delays

Samsung acquires permission to test autonomous vehicles in the US

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Electronics giant Samsung has acquired a permit to test autonomous vehicles in California, according to a report by Reuters. 

The company is spending $8 billion acquiring Harman, which makes in-car entertainment technology and other car components.

Harman is what is called a Tier 1 supplier to the automotive trade, which means that they are one of a relatively small group of companies which supply parts or systems directly to car manufacturers.  [Read more…] about Samsung acquires permission to test autonomous vehicles in the US