Since the release of the Huawei Mate 60 series smartphones, the Huawei Kirin chipset has been making a comeback with various iterations, including the Kirin 9000s and Kirin 9000E featured in the Mate 60 series. The latest update has revealed the confirmation of a new Kirin chipset named Kirin 9000W, making its debut in the Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2-inch.

According to the WeChat account ic211ic, the Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2-inch device was already available in the Chinese market last year, equipped with the Kirin 9000S chipset. However, the newly discovered Kirin 9000W is featured in the international version of the MatePad Pro 13.2” which has been launched in markets such as Malaysia, Italy, and Saudi Arabia.

The official website displays that the MatePad Pro 13.2-inch is equipped with the Kirin 9000W processor.

In other words, , the Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2-inch employs different processors in different countries, indicating that Huawei’s Kirin chipset family has added new members.

Currently, there are six different versions of the Kirin 9000 chipset available in the market, namely Kirin 9000, Kirin 9000E, Kirin 9000L, Kirin 9000S, Kirin 9000SL, and Kirin 9000W.

However, Huawei’s official websites in the mentioned markets only mention the “Kirin 9000W” without providing further details. Apart from mentioning the model, they only introduce it as an octa-core CPU. Based solely on this information, it’s challenging to determine the performance difference between Kirin 9000W and Kirin 9000S.

As per TechNews citing from sources, it has been suggested that the Kirin 9000W is likely similar to the Kirin 9000S but may offer slightly improved performance. Additionally, due to the larger size of the MatePad Pro, better temperature control might be necessary.

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• [News] Kirin 9010 Shortage Rumors: Huawei P70 May Use Kirin 9000S in Some Models

(Photo credit: Huawei)

Apple’s upcoming iPad Pro, featuring an OLED screen for the first time, is scheduled to be released in March or April. However, recent market reports suggest a potential 30% reduction in the estimated order volume, indicating Apple’s cautious outlook on the new product. It’s anticipated that suppliers in the supply chain such as LG Display (LGD), TSMC, Foxconn, and Novatek will also be affected.

Aju Korea Daily, citing industry sources, reported that Apple has reduced the OLED screen orders for its new iPad Pro. The initial order of 10 million units has been adjusted to a range of 7 million to 8 million units. LGD is expected to be the most impacted, with the supply scale decreasing from 6 million units to a minimum of 3 million units, while Samsung maintains a supply of 4 million units.

Industry speculation suggests that the reduction in the initial order may be due to a cautious outlook on the demand in the early stages of the product launch. The pricing of the new iPad Pro has not been determined, but it is likely to be higher than the current iPad with an LCD screen.

Historically, all iPad models from Apple have utilized LCD panels. However, this year’s release of the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models marks the first time Apple is incorporating OLED panels.

On another note, in addition to applying OLED screens to the iPad Pro this year, Apple reportedly plans to use them in future laptop products such as the MacBook. Therefore, the performance of the OLED iPad in terms of sales will serve as a significant market indicator for Apple’s future ventures into OLED technology.

Additionally, the adoption of OLED screens will result in an increase in the price of the iPad Pro. The loyalty of iPad consumers has traditionally been lower than that of iPhone users, posing a challenge for Apple in achieving strong performance this year.

The estimated order volume reduction is expected to have an impact on the iPad Pro supply chain, affecting key manufacturers such as TSMC, Foxconn, and Novatek.

According to sources cited by the Economic Daily News, TSMC is the exclusive supplier of Apple’s chips, while Foxconn is the main assembly plant for the iPad Pro. Novatek is a supplier of OLED screen driver ICs for the Korean market. However, the mentioned companies have refrained from commenting on specific clients and products.

TSMC has been the primary manufacturer of main chips for various Apple devices. Last year, there were reports in the market that Apple secured TSMC’s 3-nanometer production capacity for at least a year.

Despite current market uncertainties, TSMC estimates that the semiconductor market will see a growth of over 10% this year, with the foundry industry expected to grow by 20%. TSMC’s financial performance is projected to outpace industry standards, demonstrating quarterly growth.

Novatek previously indicated that there might be competition in the OLED driver IC sector this year. Nevertheless, the company plans to continue its strategic focus on advanced products such as applications for foldable devices, OLED touch, and integrated touch and display driver ICs (TDDI).

As for Foxconn, the company is gradually entering the traditional off-season. Seasonal performance is expected to be similar to the past three years. In the first quarter of 2023, higher shipment volume resulting from the resumption of normal production in Chinese factories post-pandemic is anticipated to lead to a year-on-year decline in performance for the first quarter of this year.

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• [News] Leak Reveals LGD as the Largest Supplier of Apple’s OLED iPad Pro Screen
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(Photo credit: Apple)

Recent revelations from South Korean source yeux1122 indicate that LG Display (LGD) holds a higher share than Samsung Display in the supply of OLED screens for Apple’s new iPad Pro.

The leak suggests that LGD is planning to commence mass production of OLED screens for Apple’s iPad Pro in February 2024, with an estimated annual output ranging from 6.2 to 6.5 million screens.

Currently, Apple’s iPad Pro series products utilize LCD and mini-LED display screens. However, it is anticipated that in 2024, Apple will introduce an OLED version of the iPad Pro.

The leak also indicates that LGD has taken the lead by deploying a two-stack tandem structure and excelling in the supply of organic material devices compared to the Samsung camp.

On the other hand, Samsung faced several yield-related challenges during the supply process, but most of these issues have now been officially resolved. The initial estimate suggests that Samsung will supply around 4 million screens to Apple.

In fact, according to other industry sources, Apple already began discussions with two major suppliers, Samsung and LGD, regarding the OLED version supply for the iPad approximately 2-3 years ago, and set LGD’s supply volume to be larger than that of Samsung.

For the upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, the screen sizes are expected to slightly increase to 11 inches and 13 inches, with Wi-Fi and 5G models having the codenames J717, J718, J720, and J721.

Another rumor has previously revealed that the next iPad Pro, which is set to come out in 2024 as per the report, may support MagSafe wireless charging. The prototype has a glass Apple logo on the back, while the rest of the back remains aluminum. This design allows power to be transmitted through the glass logo without affecting the durability of the iPad.

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(Photo credit: Apple)

On August 3rd, India introduced a licensing regime for the import of laptops and tablets. However, it was swiftly postponed after facing criticism from the industry and the United States. The regime would have enabled the government to delay or reject import requests and required permits for each shipment.

In a recent development, the Indian government has decided to permit the unrestricted import of laptops and tablets and has initiated a new “authorization” system to monitor the shipment volumes of these devices without disrupting market supply.

Officials have announced that the new “Import Management System” will go into effect starting from November 1st, requiring companies to register their import quantities and values. This data will be used for monitoring purposes, although the government will not deny any import requests.

India’s Trade Secretary Sunil Barthwal announced during a press conference on Friday that there will be no restrictions placed on the import of laptops. He emphasized that the government’s intention is to closely monitor laptop importers rather than imposing restrictions.

This decision has come as a relief to global laptop manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Apple, Samsung, and Lenovo, who had been apprehensive since the announcement of the regime in August.

From April to August, India’s imports of electronic products and software, including laptops, tablets, and personal computers, amounted to $33.6 billion, marking an almost 8% growth compared to the previous year.

S. Krishnan, a senior official from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, stated that the objective is to “ensure that we have all the data and information we need to have a fully credible digital system.”

The India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) has expressed deep appreciation for the government’s recent decision to maintain unrestricted imports of laptops and tablets.

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• [News] Google Follows in Apple and Samsung’s Footsteps, Set to Manufacture Pixel 8 Series Phones in India

(Photo credit: Pixabay)

According to reports in the Indian media, India has decided to delay the implementation of import restrictions on electronic products such as laptops, tablets, and servers. This delay pushes the commencement date to November 2023. As a result, Taiwanese, American, and Chinese laptop manufacturers are now reevaluating their production strategies in India and expediting their applications for importing electronic goods.
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