Silicon Labs completed divesting its Infrastructure & Automotive business to Skyworks in an all-cash transaction for $2.75 billion, it said Monday: The sale lets Silicon Labs focus on “secure, intelligent wireless connectivity" for the global IoT market, it said.
A Hollywood Hills, California, electrical engineer was sentenced Thursday to 63 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to illegally export chips with military uses to China, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Export Administration Regulations, said DOJ. Yi-Chi Shih, 66, was convicted July 2 and ordered to pay the IRS $362,698 in restitution for lying to the agency about his foreign assets, and also was fined $300,000. Shih defrauded a U.S. manufacturer of high-power broadband chips to gain access to the company’s confidential and proprietary business information, then used an accomplice posing as a domestic customer to buy the chips for U.S. use, said DOJ. “Shih concealed his true intent to export.” Attempts to reach Shih’s lawyers for comment Friday were unsuccessful.
Accell bowed an electronic sanitizer for small devices that doubles as a wireless charger. The $69 Power UV sanitizer uses ultraviolet light to kill germs in five minutes and is designed for objects including masks and smartphones, said the company Thursday. It’s Environmental Protection Agency certified, it said. Users can add a drop of essential oil to have an aromatherapy effect, said the company.
CoComelon and iFood.tv are on Vizio SmartCast TVs, said streaming content publisher Future Today Wednesday. The channels-as-a-service technology stack provider launched 13 ad-supported VOD streaming apps and four free ad-supported linear TV channels on SmartCast.
About a week before the July 28 one-year anniversary of the cancellation of the in-person Consumer Electronics Show 2021 due to COVID-19, CTA says it’s committed to returning CES 2022 as a physical show to the Las Vegas Convention Center in early January but is releasing few details about pre-show preparations.
Dell’Oro's raised forecast sees radio access network revenue approaching $250 billion worldwide 2020-25 “to accommodate the surging demand for 5G.” 5G new radio revenue should be $150 billion-$200 billion and base station shipments should top 30 million, Friday's forecast said: Global macro and small-cell transceiver shipments should approach 800 million. “The global upswing that began in the second half of 2018 has become deeper and stronger,” said analyst Stefan Pongratz: “There is room for expansion over the near term as the early adopters continue to roll out 5G at an extraordinary pace.”
U.S. smartphone shipments will rise 10% this year to 154 million units, with $73 billion of sales, a 15% jump, said CTA on Thursday. More than 106 million 5G smartphones are expected to ship, up 530%. Audiobooks and podcasts are driving audio sales growth of 18% to $10 billion. Video streaming will rise 15% to $43 billion. Demand for technology is forecast to lift retail tech sales 7.5% to a record $487 billion. The pandemic “strengthened consumers’ relationship with technology,” said CTA CEO Gary Shapiro.
IPhone 12 models were 63% of Q2 U.S. iPhone sales, while customers traded in fewer older phones, reported Consumer Intelligence Research Partners Thursday. A survey of 500 Apple customers who bought an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch April-June showed the share of trade-in phones 3 years old or more decreased for the first time “in many quarters,” said the research firm. “Increased consumer spending correlated with consumers shifting to more expensive iPhone models as they retired older phones,” said analyst Mike Levin. Consumers shopped more at Apple’s retail locations for iPhones, with 27% of iPhones bought through Apple retail, a high, vs. 16% in Q2 2020, Levin said. Two-thirds of iPhone buyers bought their phones through a carrier, vs. 77% in Q1, with 2% at Best Buy and 5% elsewhere. In the 12 months ended June, 37% of buyers had their previous phone for two years or less; 30% for three-plus years.
Rakuten met with acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to tout the company’s 5G platform as lower cost and more secure than other systems, said a filing posted Wednesday in FCC docket 21-63. Participants included Rakuten CEO Mickey Mikitani, his North America counterpart Amit Patel and Salt Point Strategies' David Redl, an ex-NTIA head. Rakuten reported similar meetings with Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington (see here and here).
Ring began an end-to-end encryption feature for eligible devices worldwide, blogged Chief Technology Officer Josh Roth Tuesday: It's the first major home security provider to offer this.