The iQOO Neo9S Pro+ features upgraded chipset performance, unlocking features, battery life, appearance, and OS.
Powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and vivo’s Q1 gaming chipset, the newly launched Neo9S Pro+ enables flagship-level gaming performance.
It is the first smartphone in the mid-price tier with ultrasonic 3D fingerprint sensor.
vivo’s sub-brand iQOO launched its latest premium smartphone, the iQOO Neo9S Pro+, on July 12 at an event in Beijing, China. Priced from RMB 2,999 ($412) onwards, the device features five major upgrades that provide a great overall experience especially in gaming performance. In just the first two months of Q2 2024, iQOO accounted for 25% of vivo’s total smartphone sales in China, already higher than the 22% share registered in Q2 2023, according to Counterpoint’s Market Pulse Service. This growth reflects iQOO’s increasing presence in China’s gaming phone segment.
Source: iQOO
The iQOO Neo9S Pro+ is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC and vivo’s self-developed Q1 gaming chipset. The chipset duo enables both high performance and energy efficiency. The smartphone is also equipped with a large-area VC liquid cooling structure, a 5500mAh-equivlent battery, and a 1.5K 144Hz 8T LTPO display, ensuring consistently stable and smooth performance even during extended heavy gaming sessions.
vivo has consistently been at the forefront of in-display fingerprint unlocking technology. The new iQOO Neo9S Pro+ features the flagship-level ultrasonic 3D fingerprint sensor, enabling a faster, safer and more comfortable unlocking experience. This is vivo’s first smartphone model in the RMB 3,000 ($412) price tier which has brought the ultrasonic 3D fingerprint solution to the mid-price range, marking the popularization of premium unlocking technology.
The iQOO Neo9S Pro+ has a 5500mAh battery that supports 120W fast charging. vivo has optimized the battery structure to improve energy density and ion transition speed. Despite the increased battery capacity, the device is as light as 193g, hardly changed from the previous Neo9 series model. The thickness also remains unchanged at about 8mm at the thinnest point.
As for the operating system, the iQOO Neo9S Pro+ comes natively with OriginOS 4, supporting practical AI features such as Passerby Removal and AI editing based on vivo’s self-developed BlueLM.
The iQOO Neo9S Pro+ is available in three colors – Buff Blue, Star White and Combat Black. It offers five different storage combinations – 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, 16GB+256GB, 16GB+512GB, and 16GB+1TB. The price ranges from RMB 2,999 ($412) to RMB 4,099 CNY ($560).
The iQOO Neo9S Pro+ launch event at Beijing Universal Studios.
Source: Counterpoint
iQOO has positioned itself as a gaming phone brand, with a focus on prominent gaming enhancements and eye-catching appearance to mainly target the younger generation. The venue of the Neo9S Pro+ launch event, Beijing Universal Studios, also resonated with this value proposition. Counterpoint expects iQOO to continue to play a key role in vivo’s online expansion, both within and outside China.
HONOR has launched the Magic V3, the thinnest book-type foldable with a folded thickness of 9.2mm and a weight of 226g. It has also introduced the budget-friendly Magic Vs3, slightly thicker but still under 10mm.
The Magic V3 uses Pol-less technology for a thinner display and ultra-thin hinge design.
Equipped with a third-generation Qinghai Lake battery, the Magic V3 boasts a 5150mAh capacity and a slim 2.6mm thickness, alongside an IPX8 waterproof rating for enhanced durability.
Imagine a book-type foldable as thin and lightweight as a bar-type smartphone. Wouldn’t that be incredibly attractive? This is exactly what HONOR has been striving for and in summer 2023, the OEM launched the Magic V2, the thinnest book-type foldable, measuring a folded thickness of 9.9mm.
On July 12, 2024, HONOR launched the Magic V3, which is even slimmer than the predecessor, breaking its own record. The latest book-type foldable is 9.2mm thick when folded and weighs 226g. In comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is in the same price band as the Magic V3, is 8.1mm thick and weighs 221g. However, the Magic V3 features a 7.92-inch foldable display in addition to a 6.43-inch cover display.
At the same event, HONOR also launched the budget-friendly HONOR Magic Vs3, which is slightly thicker than the V3 but remains under 10mm. The Magic V3 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, while the Magic Vs3 uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
HONOR uses Pol-less technology for the display to reduce the overall thickness. Meanwhile, the peak brightness of the inner display has been increased to 1800 nits from the peak 1600 nits of the Magic V2.
To enhance battery life, the HONOR Magic V3 is equipped with the third-generation Qinghai Lake battery. According to HONOR, the battery’s silicon content has been increased to over 10%. As a result, the V3’s battery capacity reaches 5150mAh, with an average thickness of only 2.6mm.
Durability is one of the biggest concerns for potential foldable customers. The HONOR Magic V3 uses new materials for the back cover and display cover to increase display reliability. At the launch event, HONOR demonstrated its leading waterproof capabilities by placing the foldable phone in a laundry machine.
Shot on the HONOR Magic V3 at a launch event. Great telephoto performance in low light environments. Source: Counterpoint Research
The HONOR Magic V3 and Vs3 have quite different back designs, as well as distinct camera setups. The HONOR Magic V3 features a 50 MP wide camera, a 50 MP telephoto camera, and a 40 MP ultrawide camera. In contrast, the Magic Vs3 comes with a 50 MP wide camera, an 8 MP telephoto camera and a 40 MP ultrawide camera.
Following are some sample photos captured by the Magic V3:
Shot using ultrawide camera, 0.6x zoom. Source: Counterpoint ResearchShot using wide camera, 1x zoom. Source: Counterpoint ResearchShot using telephoto camera, 2x zoom.
To avoid showing the passerby’s face, this photo has been modified using the generative AI feature on the Magic V3. Can you tell where the passerby was?
Source: Counterpoint Research Shot using telephoto camera, 3.5x zoom.Source: Counterpoint Research Shot using telephoto camera, 3.5x zoom.Source: Counterpoint Research
Shot using telephoto camera, 10x zoom. Details have been well captured by the 50MP telephoto camera. The lines on the distant building and fog can be seen clearly.
Source: Counterpoint Research
Shot using wide camera, the flower’s color is vivid and vibrant. The camera and algorithm accurately captured and restored the picture as seen by the human eye.
Impressive performance under low-light environment. The contrast between light and shadow is obvious and vivid. The texture of tree leaves under strong light has been clearly captured by the camera. The neon text on the right side of the photo is very sharp and readable.
Source: Counterpoint Research
Currently, HONOR has the broadest foldable lineup, ranging from book type to clamshell, from inward folding to outward folding. The recent launch of the Magic V3 and Vs3, along with the previous Magic V Flip, reflects HONOR’s persistent investment in the foldable segment and its ambition to strengthen its presence in the premium sector with diversified offerings to global smartphone users.
In 2024, China’s foldable segment saw diverging strategies in foldable development by Chinese OEMs. Some reduced the related investments and shifted focus to the rising migration towards generative AI. Beyond question, HONOR still attaches great importance to its foldables. During the launch event, HONOR also showcased the improving interaction experience leveraging the on-device AI capabilities with the larger display, namely the well-received “Magic Portal.” Counterpoint believes the integration of generative AI and foldables’ multi-window display strength can enable greater productivity and become a key driving factor for the speedy growth of the foldable segment.
The all-new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC and have 12GB of RAM.
The foldables include Galaxy AI features such as Interpreter and FlexWindow, which capitalizes on the foldable form factor.
Both smartphones are priced $100 more than their predecessors.
Samsung unveiled its latest foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6, along with new hearables and a line of wearables, at the Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris. Both smartphones feature iterative but meaningful upgrades along with design refinements to the hinge, while the Flip6 boasts display and camera upgrades. But the major focus for this year’s foldables was on how Samsung has taken existing generative AI features of its Galaxy AI and improved them further, using the foldable form factor to good advantage.
We got our hands on the new Samsung foldables to experience the fresh and improved Galaxy AI features that promises to unlock new possibilities for Galaxy foldable users. Let us first dive into the Galaxy AI features.
From Notes and Translation to Photo Editing: All Features of the New Galaxy AI
New Note Assist to Enhance Overall Productivity
Samsung introduced some Note Assist features in its Samsung Notes app when it launched the Galaxy S24 series, including auto format, summarize, translate and spelling correction. In the new Fold6 and Flip6, the Notes app flaunts new features that allows users to add voice recordings within the app and transcribe them as well. Furthermore, users can even translate the text and get a summary of the conversations too.
There is also a new Composer option which uses generative AI, allowing users to compose emails based on the text prompt. This generated text can then be copy-pasted across different apps, from email to social media and more. One can even change the conversation tone of the composed text to make it sound either more professional or casual.
The Notes app also has a new feature called PDF overlay translation where text in PDF files can be translated and overlayed within seconds.
Interpreter and Translator Gets Even Better
One of the advantages of the foldable form factor is the many purposes of the cover screen. And what better way than using it in the interpreter app’s conversation mode, where both users can simultaneously view the text – one on the cover screen, other on the main screen – thus enabling more natural conversations.
The app also has a one-way translation mode which can be handy during lectures or while watching content that needs to be translated. What is more? The Live Translate feature, which offers real-time live phone call translation, now also supports some third-party apps.
Sketch to Image: Your Imagination, GenAI’s Creation
Samsung had some impressive demos of the Sketch to Image feature. It is similar to Microsoft’s Image Creator, where you draw an outline of the subject, say a tree, a car, flower or so, and GenAI will create the image for you. This feature can also be used to add elements to photos that are not present, such as a boat in a lake, and the Sketch to Image feature will create a near-realistic one.
In addition to the Photo Assist feature that we have already seen in the Galaxy S24 series, there is a new Portrait Studio feature that allows you to create different styles of the portrait photos you captured, from 3D cartoon to watercolor and more.
Google Gemini, Circle to Search and Learn
The latest Google Gemini app comes fully integrated with the new Galaxy Flip6 and Fold6 devices out-of-the-box. The overlay can be invoked by simply saying “Hey Google” or by swiping at the corner of the screen. You can use Gemini to plan a trip, learn something or even take help in writing emails and messages. As Gemini is also integrated in the Google apps, it has contextual understanding, which makes organizing things easier. It can fetch details such as your hotel booking information, real-time flight information and can even present the best routes on Google Maps. It now works in multi-window mode too.
Circle to Search now also gets the ability to solve math problems, allowing you to help your kids with their homework. Simply start the camera and aim at the math problem, then long-press the home button and circle to search. This will exhibit the step-by-step procedure to solve the problem. The Circle to Search feature can also be used on YouTube videos to learn more about the artist or other personalities.
Galaxy Flip6 Updates Make the Most of the Cover Screen
The cover screen on the Flip has limited real estate compared to that of the Fold. However, Samsung has added features that make the most of the compact screen, making the device more customizable and personalized while leveraging the flip form factor.
FlexWindow: Suggested Replies, Widgets and More
Samsung’s cover screen, which it calls “FlexWindow,” already has a bunch of widgets from weather and alarms to music playback and more. The new foldables can support more widgets from your favorite apps, for instance, the Samsung Health app now shows more details.
Replying to text messages from the cover screen has been made easier. The Gemini Nano AI under the hood can now read the text message context and suggest replies accordingly. Earlier, replies were limited and short, such as “Yes”, “No” and “Ok,” to name a few, but now the AI can suggest more natural and contextual replies, making one handed communication easier.
There is also a new AI-powered photo ambient wallpaper that changes animation based on the time of the day (from dark to bright), rain, sun or snow animation according to the current weather, and more.
By far, the most useful feature on Samsung’s new foldables was the FlexCam feature. When clicking photos using the cover screen as the viewfinder, the AI can detect the people in the frame and accordingly choose the frame from ultrawide (0.6x) to 2x lossless zoom.
There are many other Galaxy AI features that we will be testing during the course of our review.
Galaxy Fold6, Flip6 Design, Specifications: Lighter Frame, Faster Hardware and More
Both the Fold6 and Flip6 sport a refined design with matte finish and flatter edges, like in the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The Fold6 weighs 239g, which is 14g lighter that the Fold5, and offers a better in-hand feel that the predecessor. It is also slightly shorter, marginally wider and a bit thinner than the Fold5.
Meanwhile, the Flip6 does not have any changes compared to the Flip5, but there are internal upgrades that we will talk about below. One of these upgrades is the addition of vapor chamber cooling – a first on a Galaxy Z Flip – to ensure good thermal management. This should help the device offer better sustained performance without throttling when multi-tasking, gaming and using graphics-intense apps.
Processor and Memory
Talking about upgrades, both the Flip6 and Fold6 are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC with 42% faster NPU to drive all the AI features. As the sixth-gen Fold and Flip adds to the growing lineup of GenAI phones that support multiple LLM and SLMs running in the background, which demands advanced compute such as SD 8G3 along with advanced and upgraded memory. Both smartphones now come with 12GB of RAM (big upgrade for the Flip6, up from 8GB) which has become defacto for GenAI capable smartphones. Storage options include 256GB and 512GB, and the top-end Fold6 will also be available in 1TB storage model.
Display
The 6.3-inch, 120Hz HD Dynamic AMOLED 2X LTPO cover screen on the Fold6 now supports adaptive refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz, up from 60Hz to 120Hz on the Fold5. There are no major changes to the folding screen on the Flip6 and Fold6 screen compared to the predecessors. Even the cover screen on the Flip6 has not been tweaked.
Cameras
The camera setup on the Fold6 remains unchanged from that in the Fold5 – a 50MP main camera (likely a Samsung GN3 sensor), a 12MP ultrawide camera and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom. The cover screen has a 10MP selfie camera, and the display camera under the folding screen still has a 4MP resolution.
However, the Flip6’s primary camera received a big upgrade to a 50MP resolution, with support for 2X lossless zoom and 10X digital zoom. The secondary camera is a 12MP ultrawide one, while the selfie camera above the folding screen is a 10MP sensor.
Battery, OS and Connectivity
Another notable upgrade to the Flip6 is the increased battery capacity. Battery life was always a concern for Samsung’s Flip users. The latest Flip6 foldable comes with a bigger 4,000mAh battery (up from 3,700mAh on the Flip5). Otherwise, both smartphones run on Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1 skin on top. Samsung also promises seven years of software upgrades and security upgrades on the new foldables. Connectivity options include 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and eSIM.
The price of the Flip6 starts at $1,099, while the Fold6 starts at $1,899 – a $100 bump compared to the Flip5 and Fold5. The major bump can be attributed to the new GenAI capabilities warranting more expensive compute, memory and R&D around LLMs and new AI capabilities integration.
Initial Thoughts
Samsung has had a good head start with GenAI features and use cases compared to competitors that have just a handful of apps. With the new Galaxy AI features introduced on the Fold6 and Flip6, Samsung has showcased how GenAI can be integrated in different apps to improve productivity and boost creativity. It also shows Samsung’s strong partnership with Google and Qualcomm in bringing these AI experiences to a wider consumer base globally.
Beyond incremental hardware upgrades, Samsung’s key messaging is also how the Galaxy AI features benefit from the foldable form factor in bringing differentiated use cases that are not possible on other smartphones.
Now, while the demos looked great, the new foldables have a lot of features to be explored and tested in real world use cases, and how users can benefit from them. We will be thoroughly testing the features of the new Galaxy AI and will present our assessment soon. Stay tuned!
I was invited to try out Circular’s Ring Slim. I have been wearing it for a few weeks and, well, let’s just say that I am yet to be convinced about the merits of it. But I have not tried a smart ring before so it could be that I have a more general issue with rings.
Circular is a French company and a relative newcomer to the health-oriented smart ring market – although its Pro model has been available for a couple of years.
The market sector that has been led by Finnish company Oura for many years. The market has not been particularly dynamic, although several players have emerged in addition to Circular including Ultrahuman, Amazfit and a few others. However, there are a number of big name players imminently entering the market including Samsung with its Galaxy Ring and, potentially, HONOR.
The Circular Ring Slim is Circular’s entry level product – with prices starting at €204 rising to €294 for Ring with a vibration engine. There’s no subscription, unlike with Oura.
By comparison, the just-launched Samsung Galaxy Ring is a significantly more costly £399/$399/€449.
Source: Counterpoint ResearchSource: Counterpoint Research
Rings are a good way to track body metrics discretely. Many people don’t like wearing watches while sleeping, so a ring should be able to unobtrusively track a variety of biomarkers during both sleep and while awake. The downsides are that they are small, need partner devices to show the metrics, and battery life is modest.
The purchase process is also not straightforward as sizing is critical and difficult to manage in a predominantly on-line world. Most companies will initially send a fitting kit from which you can select the optimal size before ordering the actual ring. This adds friction and time to the purchase process. Companies with strong retail franchises, such as Samsung, maybe able to enhance the retail proposition to their advantage.
So let’s get into my experience with the Circular Ring Slim.
Fit and finish
The ring is light, weighing less than two grams and is just 2.2mm thick. The outer is made of a composite of titanium and carbon fibre. It feels quite solid but it looks like it’s made of plastic. Interestingly, the rings in the fitting kit I was sent are made of black plastic and these plastic dummies look remarkably similar to the actual ring. The inside of the ring is made from a hypoallergenic epoxy material. It’s clear in places, so it’s possible to see some of the components. The ring has a slightly thicker section which has two raised charging rails or bumps. These are unobtrusive when the ring is being worn, but help to stop the ring from rotating on your finger; the ideal position is with the thicker sensor part on the palmer side. The ring does tend to make my finger quite sweaty. I don’t think there’s any intrinsic heat coming from the device; it’s more a factor the materials used. My titanium wedding ring does not make my finger sweat.
Source: Circular
Source: Circular
The ring has held up well physically in its initial wearing. It’s IP67 rated, so swimming with it is no issue. While participating in a mountain race recently, I could hear the ring scraping on rocks while I was scrambling up rock faces. I was expecting the ring to have been damaged, but aside from some very minor scratches, it came through unscathed.
I selected a size 8 after using the sizing kit. The size 8 sits snuggly on my left pinkie finger. The fitting kit stated the ring can be worn on any finger other than the thumb. However, when the ring arrived, it contained information that the index finger, middle finger and ring finger are superior to the pinkie. Circular should add this information to the fitting kit.
Despite its diminutive weight, the ring contains a vibration engine – the only ring to have this feature so far. It’s not a strong vibe, but it can be used as an alarm, or as a reminder. It can also act as a prompt in guided breathing exercises that are included in the app. The ring has an unobtrusive logo on the top that can be tapped to, for example, stop the ring from vibrating during a wake-up alarm.
Vague charging time, unclear battery life
Considering that the battery is tiny, it seems to take several hours to fully charge. Circular claim it should fully charge in 45 minutes, which is about the same time as my Garmin Epix Gen 2 watch. It could be that the LED on the USB Type-C charging cradle flashes in a vague manner that doesn’t instil a lot of confidence in the charging process. After about three hours, the flashing stops, which should indicate a full charge. But even after fully charging, the charge indicator light sometimes starts to flash again – suggesting charging has resumed. The app does indicate the level of charge, but some firmer indications from the charging cradle itself would be welcome. Samsung’s Galaxy Ring charging case looks much more sophisticated, but then the Samsung Ring is over €100 more costly.
Ring in use, also vague
After taking the ring into use, it starts to build a set of data about the wearer. It does this in ‘performance’ mode, which is most energy intensive. Circular claims a battery life of 1.5 to 2 days in performance mode, while eco mode supports for up to 6 days of battery life. But in my experience it seems to last a little longer – up to 3 days in performance mode. Eco mode is of questionable value as it records metrics like heart rate infrequently and does not record sleep stages at all.
App tries hard
Rings, by their nature, don’t give much away about what they’re doing. There’s no display and the LED lights that provide for monitoring of biometrics, don’t illuminate unless the ring is on your finger – and then not full time. So you’re reliant for most interactions on the smartphone app. Fortunately, the Circular app itself is fairly good. However, while it integrates with Apple’s Healthkit, it doesn’t appear to integrate with other health frameworks – for example Google Fit or Garmin Connect. This means that it can miss incorporating information from other sources that could enhance its knowledge of a user’s general health and activity levels.
My main issue though is that it seems to miss data if the ring is not synchronised with the app at least daily. Circular claims the ring can store up to 10 days of usage data for later synchronisation, but this is not my experience.
Sports activity
You can record sports sessions on the ring – the app has more than 50 activities to choose from (although the names of some are spelt incorrectly). The ring does not have any GPS capability and is therefore reliant on a partner device such as a smartphone for actually tracking distance. The ring itself uses its motion sensing and heart-rate monitoring. It ups the frequency of heart-rate monitoring during sports sessions to full time, unlike at other times when it monitors part of the time.
I was interested to see what it made of an ultra-marathon I did. I charged the ring before the race, however I didn’t inform it via the app that I was undertaking a sports activity. To do this, the app needs to have a data connection. If the connection is poor, it can take a long time to initiate a sports activity session or doesn’t manage it at all. For the race, I was in an area with no cellular and no WiFi coverage – so there was no way of starting the sporting activity on the ring. Nevertheless, given Circular’s claims that the ring can store up to 10 days of usage data I was expecting it would at least track the number of steps I took. But after syncing the ring, it shows no data at all for the period from the Wednesday through to Tuesday – the race was on the Saturday. There is no explanation of why the data is missing despite me wearing the ring all the time it wasn’t charging.
The ring only seems to sync with the app when you ask it to, it doesn’t sync in the background. However it does try to sync whenever the app is opened. This is also perplexing as the syncing process is slow. If I am interpreting the little sync icons correctly, the sync process involves moving data from the ring to the phone, and then up to the cloud, back to the phone and then, presumably, some processing occurs within the app on the phone to generate the usage data that is displayed. The sync portion typically takes just over a minute, and then the on-device processing takes another minute or so. Two minutes doesn’t sound long, but if you sit and look at the little icons whirring away, it can seem an age and, in most cases, I can’t be bothered to wait and have moved on to other things.
Wellness Score
Once syncing is complete however, the app provides some useful feedback on the metrics and suggestions for how to improve any that are below par. Circular uses an AI algorithm called Kira+ to make the recommendations. The main metric is a ‘Wellness Score’ that takes into account things like sleep and energy analysis. However, while the app has nice little animated circles for the component parts, there is no circle for the overall Wellness Score, which seems odd.
Source: Counterpoint Research
And in the individual component scores, the scoring system seems a little strange. My sleep score on the day this was written (not when the above screenshot was taken) was 84, which seems like it might be quite good. But it’s actually rated ‘Inadequate’ by the app, although inadequate actually equates to how I feel; I slept quite badly and then got up very early to go cycling with some buddies. As a consequence, I have felt a little jaded all day. But my energy score is given as 94 and graded as ‘Optimal’, which is not how I feel.
The recommendations provided by Kira+ mostly seem reasonable, but one has to trust that the metrics have been faithfully captured and that the science underlying the recommendations is correct. I find myself doubting this because when I compare metrics gathered across two smartwatches and the ring, the ring is often significantly different.
Heart Rate
Sitting at my desk right now, the ring says my heart rate is 120 beats per minute, while my Garmin and Apple Watch are both agreeing on around 57bpm. Using a finger to measure my heart rate manually confirms the watches are accurate. This means the ring is massively inaccurate. Measuring pulse at rest is the easiest task. How about while moving?
Last Saturday, I ran 15km. To measure the workout I used three devices. Firstly, my Garmin Epix Gen 2 watch together with a Garmin heart rate strap. This is the most accurate heart rate monitoring method available to me. I also used the Apple Watch Ultra with wrist-based heart rate monitoring. And the Circular Ring Slim.
The Apple Watch Ultra is not a great athletic monitoring device as the touch screen remains active during workouts (apart from swimming). On this occasion the Apple Watch managed to accidentally end the run, start several other different types of workout and generally misbehave. However, it is good at wrist-based heart-rate monitoring and for the period it was recording my run, it was identical to, or just a few beats different, than my Garmin Epix and heart rate strap.
It is harder to interpret the data from the ring because it doesn’t segment the run in the same way. While the average recorded heart-rate – a suspiciously precise 126.6 bpm – is not very dissimilar from the Garmin’s 131 bpm, the ring recorded a high of 166 bpm, while the Garmin recorded a maximum of just 153 bpm. And looking at the graphs provided by the two devices, it’s easy to see that the ring produced more wild spikes than the Garmin. The run was steady with a few hills, but I wasn’t doing sprints or anything of that nature that would cause wild fluctuations in heart rate. I can only conclude therefore that the ring didn’t do a great job, and the superficially similar averages is more a coincidence than through any specific accuracy on the part of the device.
Source: Counterpoint ResearchSource: Counterpoint Research
The same activity shown on the Garmin Connect app versus the Circular app
Sleep
Recording sleep is one of the principal benefits promised by smart rings. Some people don’t like to wear watches while they sleep finding them uncomfortable, whereas a ring can be worn with little impact on comfort.
The problem with any comparison is that recording sleep is notoriously difficult to do for a consumer wearable device. The only reliable way to monitor sleep is to apply multiple sets of electrodes on the scalp that can measure brain activity. Any other device is reliant on interpreting some combination of motion, heart rate, and, in the case of the Circular Ring, skin temperature.
I almost always wear my Garmin watch when I sleep and I have come to have reasonable confidence in what it reports. For example, last night, the Garmin correctly detected that I woke relatively early, went to the bathroom but then got back in to bed for a short snooze. I was interested to see if the Circular ring correctly detected the same, but because I had switched the ring to Eco mode, I discovered that it doesn’t record sleep stages and is only able to determine approximately when I went to bed and when I got up – nothing more nuanced than that.
Looking at prior nights, when the ring was in performance mode, and comparing with my Garmin, I find little consistency between what they report. I have not provided comparative, side-by-side data in this article, but from studying the sleep analysis provided by my Garmin and by the Circular ring, there is little more than superficial agreement between them. And at the detailed level, there is almost no agreement. I don’t know which, or if either, is correct, but I don’t have a huge amount faith in the sleep analysis provided by the ring.
Circular does say that its Sleep Staging Algorithm will improve over time to achieve 80% accuracy compared to polysomnography.
Steps – in the wrong direction?
Counting steps is among the most basic metrics for any activity tracker and they should be able to do this with decent accuracy. However, the Circular Ring Slim is often wildly optimistic. For example, checking the status for today, the ring reports that I have covered an impressive 10415 steps, while my Garmin watch reports a more conservative, and likely more accurate, 5120 steps. I have noticed this sort of inconsistency on other days that I have checked. I was really interested to see what the ring recorded during the ultramarathon – my Garmin recorded 85,000 steps. However, as previously mentioned, the ring recorded nothing at all.
Final Thoughts
I was interested to use a ring – it is one of the few wearables I had not experienced before. And with Samsung and potentially other players entering the market – rings are likely to get a lot more attention.
But after wearing the Circular Ring Slim for the last few weeks, I am left wondering if I would recommend it to anyone. A ring should be a good option for those who just want a device they can ‘fit and forget’, but, at least with Circular, it’s a device that needs to be carefully managed to get the best from it, and even then, I am left questioning the quality of the data captured, which means the interpretation is of less value than it might otherwise be. My colleague says that trust arrives on foot, but departs on horseback. I am still waiting for my trust in the Circular ring to arrive.
Consumer wearables are always going to be a compromise in some areas, but with the Circular Ring Slim, I feel that there is too much that is compromised to offer a strong value proposition.
Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 models, unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked Event 2024 in Paris on July 10, combine two key industry trends – foldables and GenAI. While featuring incremental hardware improvements, these models stand out when it comes to Samsung’s integration of Galaxy AI across its foldables and wearables. The models strengthen the Galaxy ecosystem and enhance user experience across smartphones, wearables, PCs and tablets.
Powering both the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 foldables is the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC. Beyond flagship performance and better power efficiency, the NPU unlocks powerful AI capabilities such as on-device interpreter, translation, and transcription. It also powers mobile AI experiences like Photo Assist, Drawing Assist, and more. Our analysts were present at the Paris event. Below are their initial impressions of the announcements:
Galaxy AI: Hybrid approach broadens product scope
Samsung’s hybrid approach to AI use cases is expanding the Galaxy AI experience to broader categories. Users will be more reliant on end experiences rather than the backend functionality. Samsung’s differentiation in terms of use cases based on the hybrid approach is evident. It highlights multiple features like Live Translate, which is done on the device, and image generation, which is done on the cloud. Optimizing these experiences on foldables makes them more relevant.
Research Director Tarun Pathak said, “Samsung’s hybrid AI approach brings innovation to everyday experiences, showcasing seamless functionality from device to use case. It is a leap forward where user interaction is the key, whether it is live translation or foldable optimization. It is all about making tech work smarter for you.”
Source: Counterpoint Research
Galaxy Z Fold6: Sleek business end of foldables; Galaxy Z Flip6: More premium, more fun
Samsung is expected to keep gaining mindshare in the foldables market with the launch of Z Fold6 and Z Flip6. The new devices feature meaningful updates along with a refreshed design that is more symmetrical and sleek. The hinge is further optimized with a dual-rail structure for more durability and enhanced Armor Aluminium. For the first time, Samsung has introduced a vapor chamber in the Z Flip series while also increasing the vapor chamber on Fold6 to enhance gaming experiences.
From the productivity point of view, the integration of Galaxy AI along with the S Pen experience could make these devices the first to unlock content creation use cases already seen in the AI PC segment. However, the outer display enhancement is still less than ideal for comfortable operation. Samsung highlighted significant productivity and communication use cases with Note Assist, PDF overlay, Sketch to Image, and Composer, making these features more relevant for productivity-centric devices like foldables.
Senior Analyst Gerrit Schneemann said, “Samsung’s mission is to dismantle the foldable barriers. By boosting camera performance to 50 MP, extending battery life, and fortifying the display and hinge, Samsung tackles the hurdles head-on, making foldables more irresistible.”
Source: Counterpoint Research
Galaxy Watch Ultra: ‘Athletic-grade’ with advanced features, algorithms
The Galaxy Watch series has a new addition to the Watch Ultra features – advanced health monitoring. This segment is niche but competitive. Samsung’s entry will test the features and endurance that an athletic-grade watch promises. Durable capabilities along with the latest chipset integration and WearOS 5 make it compelling. Sleep tracking gets better with AI algorithms for sleep analysis and sleep apnea features. The bioactive sensor offers better accuracy than similar products in the market. Besides, the 3nm processor promises three times faster CPU performance and 30% improved power efficiency.
Associate Director Jan Stryjak said, “For Galaxy Watch, sleep tracking gets better with AI algorithms for sleep analysis, along with the Sleep Apnea feature. The bioactive sensor offers more accuracy, which could act as a good differentiator to some of the similar products in the market.”
Source: Counterpoint Research
Galaxy Ring: A true complement to Galaxy wearables universe
Samsung’s debut with Galaxy Ring is expected to complement Galaxy Watch rather than compete with it. Galaxy Ring could act as a first point of entry to the Galaxy wearable segment for many users, potentially upgrading them to a watch later. Galaxy Ring works even longer when paired with a Galaxy Watch, further extending the already long battery life by up to 30%.
However, the category faces challenges in managing multiple SKUs (nine size options) and privacy permissions in different regions, possibly contributing to the delayed launch. In terms of design, durability and looks, the ring is promising. It weighs only 2.5-3 gm with seven days of battery life. The specially designed charging case is a highlight. The new energy score leverages four significant factors – sleep, activity, heart rate and heart rate variability – to provide a more powerful wellness metric to users. Preventive and prioritized alert notifications will be key going forward.
Senior Analyst Maurice Klaehne said, “No subscription hassle introduces Samsung users to effortless health tracking. It is a stepping stone into the Galaxy ecosystem, complementing, and not competing with, Galaxy Watch.”
Source: Counterpoint Research
Galaxy Buds: AI-powered innovation in wireless audio
The Interpreter feature is an exciting addition, with AI coming to TWS faster than anticipated. Samsung’s early move in this area will help create meaningful use cases for the category. The refreshed design looks clean and comfortable for the ears.
Research Director Tarun Pathak said, “The Interpreter feature is a game-changer, showcasing AI integration in TWS devices ahead of expectations. Samsung’s proactive approach is set to redefine how we use earbuds by combining advanced functionality with a sleek, comfortable design that is perfect for long-term wear.”
Source: Counterpoint Research
Conclusion
Overall, Samsung’s offerings at this Galaxy Unpacked demonstrate its resolve to lead the industry with innovative foldables, advanced AI integration, and cutting-edge health technology. Each new device and feature further strengthens the Galaxy ecosystem, promising a more seamless and enhanced user experience across devices.
Silo AI acquisition will help meet the scarcity of AI talent being experienced in building custom AI models, MLOps and solutions on the AMD platform.
Silo AI is the third AI company to be acquired by AMD in the last one year as AMD moves to plug the gaps in its end-to-end AI solutions.
Through these acquisitions, AMD is strengthening its AI position to match market leader NVIDIA.
AMD has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Silo AI in an all-cash transaction valued at $665 million. Headquartered in Finland, Silo AI began operations in 2017, providing AI expertise and solutions. It has delivered over 200 AI projects to date. The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of the year.
Generative AI has been the key technological advancement in recent times, and as enterprises and vendors prepare to embrace this innovation, the M&A activity has accelerated. Companies are keen to gain a competitive edge in AI by filling capability gaps through acquisitions in hardware, software and, most importantly, talent. AMD’s latest move seems to be motivated by the scarcity of AI talent.
NVIDIA has had a headstart over AMD in the AI space. But AMD, also NVIDIA’s closest rival, is actively expanding its presence in the AI sector to close the gap.
Source: Silo AI
AMD’s acquisition spree to build end-to-end silicon-to-services platform
AMD’s acquisition strategy has been pivotal in its efforts to compete with rivals like Intel and NVIDIA. The purchase of Silo AI marks AMD’s third AI-focused acquisition within a year, following Nod.ai and Mipsology. Nod.ai strengthened AMD’s AI software ecosystem, providing developers with essential tools, libraries and models. Mipsology brought sophisticated AI inference and optimization solutions tailored for AMD hardware, supporting the company’s Unified AI stack for both training and inference across edge and cloud environments.
Silo AI brings significant LLM, Sovereign AI, MLOps talent and experience
AMD’s acquisition of Silo AI, Europe’s largest private AI lab, significantly bolsters its AI capabilities and market position. With over 300 AI experts, including 125 PhDs, Silo AI brings extensive experience in developing custom AI models and solutions, such as tailored large language models (LLMs). This strategic move grants AMD access to top-tier AI talent, enabling the company to rapidly implement and scale AI solutions for its global customer base. The integration of Silo AI’s expertise with AMD’s hardware prowess creates a comprehensive end-to-end offering, spanning from cutting-edge AI chips to sophisticated developer tools and AI integration solutions. By bringing this formidable AI lab in-house, AMD is poised to gain a substantial advantage in optimizing hardware, accelerating AI model deployment, and attracting a broader range of enterprise customers seeking robust, tailored AI solutions.
Source: Silo AI
A critical challenge in scaling AI is establishing a robust and scalable system for operating AI in production while continuously refining models. This is where MLOps proves invaluable. MLOps facilitates the deployment and operation of machine-learning pipelines in production environments in a repeatable and trusted manner. Silo AI’s core expertise lies in MLOps, effectively bridging the gap between experimentation and production. By acquiring Silo AI, AMD gains the capability to offer its customers a streamlined path from AI experiments to scalable production models. This strategic move allows AMD to develop a service layer atop its compute infrastructure, not only creating new revenue streams but also enhancing customer retention. Given that NVIDIA’s offerings already include MLOps solutions, this acquisition positions AMD to compete more effectively with NVIDIA in the long term, gradually closing the gap in comprehensive AI solutions.
Silo AI has been at the forefront of championing ‘Sovereign AI’ in Europe, with ambitious plans to develop LLMs for every official EU language. This initiative goes beyond mere technological advancement; it aims to preserve, promote and potentially revitalize low-resource languages. Sovereign LLMs trained on local languages have demonstrated superior performance compared to models primarily trained on English. Further, they offer more nuanced and culturally relevant outputs. While NVIDIA has been supportive of the Sovereign AI movement across various nations, AMD’s acquisition of Silo AI positions it to potentially leapfrog NVIDIA in the European market. Silo AI has already made significant strides in this direction, having developed multilingual LLMs like Poro and Viking on AMD’s platform. This strategic move not only enhances AMD’s AI capabilities but also aligns with Europe’s digital sovereignty goals.
By joining hands with AMD, Silo AI also benefits from access to AMD’s scale and resources. Founded in Europe, Silo AI counts some of the largest European companies, such as Phillips, Unilever, Allianz and Rolls–Royce, among its customers. With AMD’s support, Silo AI will gain the necessary scale and resources to expand its capabilities and reach. Silo AI’s commitment to open-source AI aligns with AMD’s strategy, potentially leading to more optimized open-source AI solutions for AMD hardware.
Wrapping up: Silo AI strategic milestone for AMD
AMD’s acquisition of Silo AI represents a strategic milestone in the company’s AI journey, positioning it as a formidable competitor in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. This move not only bolsters AMD’s AI capabilities with top-tier talent and expertise but also aligns with the growing demand for comprehensive, end-to-end AI solutions. By integrating Silo AI’s MLOps prowess and commitment to Sovereign AI, AMD is poised to offer more robust, culturally nuanced AI solutions, particularly in the European market. This acquisition not only narrows the gap with industry leaders like NVIDIA but also sets the stage for AMD to potentially lead in areas such as localized AI models and MLOps. As the AI industry continues to evolve, AMD’s strengthened position through this acquisition will ultimately benefit enterprises seeking advanced, tailored AI solutions. The coming years will likely reveal the full impact of this move on AMD’s market position and the broader AI ecosystem, but for the moment it makes perfect strategic sense.
Volkswagen has underperformed in the EV segment, losing share to imported brands such as Hyundai.
Volkswagen was recently forced to issue large scale EV recalls and updates in relation to software issues impacting core functionalities and safety features.
Rivian has yet to reach profitability and has been making strides to reach lower price tiers with its future vehicle lineup to widen its total addressable market.
Rivian’s new R1T and R1S feature a next-generation SDV platform with advanced zonal architecture and networking capabilities.
German carmaker Volkswagen has announced an investment of up to $5 billion in US-based EV startup Rivian, to be injected over a three-year period, in a deal that also includes the formation of a 50/50 joint venture (JV) between the two parties.
How does the JV help Volkswagen?
The JV, which is expected to be finalized in Q4 2024, will permit Volkswagen to license Rivian’s vehicle and software architectural intellectual property, helping the German carmaker improve networking and architecture on its future vehicles. The JV will also provide insights into the SUV and truck segments where Volkswagen has been underperforming as compared to its peers.
Volkswagen has been struggling to gain momentum with its ID electric vehicle (EV) lineup and has underperformed in the EV segment as compared to industry peer Hyundai Kia Group. The battery electric vehicle (BEV) market is becoming increasingly crowded with some players executing well on software and cost savings efforts. Volkswagen has not been one of those OEMs. Its US market share fell to 6% in Q1 2024 from 7% a year ago while Hyundai’s share in the region rose to 13% from 6%.
Source: Counterpoint PV Global PV Sales Data
Rivian’s Gen 2 R1T and R1S advancements in adopting a zonal architecture have allowed the company to reduce its unique electronic control unit (ECU) count to just 7 from 17 and remove 1.7 miles worth of wiring in the harness. This resulted in a 35% reduction in production cost by removing 500 parts from the design and assembly of Rivian’s R1 vehicles, according to Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe.
Rivian Architectural Improvements
Source: Rivian Investor Relations
What will this cash influx mean for Rivian?
Rivian has been in a fight to reach profitability. The Gen 2 vehicle architecture, materials sourcing changes, headcount reductions, and manufacturing improvements have helped propel Rivian in the right direction thus far. However, with the R2 and R3 vehicles in development, an influx of $1 billion by the end of 2024 will certainly help speed up time to market and development of its Georgia manufacturing plant in the near term.
Source: Data from Rivian Investor Relations
The initial investments will help Rivian ramp development and production of its R2 platform and development of the R3 vehicles. On the other hand, the long-term investments will provide the company with the flexibility to implement its long-term roadmap which was laid out in an investor call update after the joint venture was announced. In its future roadmap, Rivian teased an affordable mass market lineup. This investment from Volkswagen will provide a more attainable path forward for Rivian.
Rivian Vehicle Roadmap
Source: Rivian Investor Relations
Rivian is targeting the $45,000 price point for the R2 vehicles. The faster that Rivian can bring the R2 to market the better as this vehicle helps widen Rivian’s addressable market reaching lower income consumers and moving out of just the ‘luxury segment’. Rivian has also stated that the R2 vehicles will receive the full benefit of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. This comes at a time where the US consumer is still feeling the pressure of elevated inflation and high interest rates. The sooner that Rivian meets the US consumer where they are, the better.
Agreement details
Initial investment of $1 billion
Allocated to provide capital to fund operations for R2 ramp at both Normal and Georgia midsize platform manufacturing facilities
Initial $1 billion to be provided as unsecured convertible note that will convert into Rivian equity in Q4 2024
$1 billion equity investment in 2025 and an additional $1 billion in 2026
Additional $2 billion investment will be related to joint venture
Will be split between a payment at the inception of the joint venture and a loan available in 2026 as per Rivian investor relations
Source: Rivian Investor Relations
Key Takeaways
Volkswagen is tapping into both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres to design its next-generation SUVs. Prior to this announcement, Volkswagen had formed a similar partnership with Xpeng to develop a new line of SUVs for the China market. However, in the face of new US and EU tariffs on Chinese EVs, Volkswagen’s partnership with Rivian will serve Western nations as well with its future BEV development and production. Volkswagen aspires to rival Tesla in the future. To do so, it must embrace an efficient zonal architecture with central compute solutions to address its recent software challenges and cut costs.
Rivian has been on a path to profitability, and this investment infusion will help accelerate that roadmap. It has fortified investor confidence with an immediate positive reaction from the market with shares up 23% the day after the announcement. The investment will provide Rivian with the flexibility to scale both its Normal and Georgia manufacturing facilities in the near term. In the long term, it will help Rivian execute its goal of introducing a mass market vehicle lineup. There are other potential synergies from this joint venture, from sharing of service facilities to the expansion of the Rivian Adventure charging network. Although those are yet to be announced, this partnership and investment leaves a lot of room for strategic growth where leadership sees fit.
For the overall market, this is a signal that OEMs are recognizing the benefits delivered by embracing advanced software defined vehicle architectures and networking. We expect to see similar moves by legacy OEMs going forward to capitalize on cost savings and enable new functionalities.
AI Innovations: Huawei, HONOR, and ZTE showcased AI advancements, from deepfake detection and AI-driven eyewear to ecosystem-driven AI solutions, shaping the future of intelligent services.
Product Innovations: From Xiaomi’s seamless device integration in SU7 to Lenovo’s Moto Razr 50 Ultra with AI-driven features and robust design, brands demonstrated cutting-edge advancements in consumer technology.
China Mobile’s ‘Jiutian’ LLM: AI applications in healthcare, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, underscoring China’s leadership in practical AI integration.
Under the ‘Future First’ theme, MWC Shanghai showcases the transformative impact of mobile technology in the world’s largest 5G market. Spread across five exhibition halls, the general buzz centered around AI, 5G-A and large language models (LLMs), highlighting advancements set to reshape industries.
In his opening keynote at the event, GSMA Director General Mats Granryd highlighted China’s impressive 5G growth, forecast over 1 billion connections by year-end 2024, and applauded the country’s leadership in the Open Gateway initiative. He emphasized China’s pivotal role in AI advancements, noting that around 40% of global LLMs are now developed here, with major telecom companies like China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom working on enterprise AI models and services. Granryd’s address underscored China’s significant contributions to both 5G and AI industries.
From AI-embedded consumer electronics to AR glasses and the latest AI solutions, attendees were given a glimpse into the future of connectivity and innovation. Below are the highlights:
Fibocom Unveils Compact LTE Cat 1 bis Module
Fibocom introduced the MC610-GL, a new LTE Cat 1 bis module noted for its high reliability, ultra-compact size and cost-effectiveness. This addition aims to boost IoT scalability in sectors such as asset tracking, e-mobility and advanced metering infrastructure. Counterpoint’s recent note on the Global IoT Cellular Market highlighted a 7% YoY growth in global cellular IoT module shipments in Q1 2024, driven mainly by demand in China and India. Fibocom saw significant growth in shipments, achieving a new quarterly record and securing a top-three position in the international market excluding China, thanks to the brand’s strong presence in the router/CPE and telematics segments.
Source: Fibocom
HONOR Debuts AI Deepfake Detection and Eye Protection at MWC
HONOR introduced two AI-powered features for smartphones – AI Deepfake Detection and AI Defocus Eye Protection. The AI Deepfake Detection tool promises to enhance security by identifying manipulated media, while the AI Defocus Eye Protection technology simulates defocus glasses on the display to reduce eye strain. These advancements represent a welcome step from HONOR towards enhancing user safety and comfort through AI.
Source: Counterpoint Research
Huawei’s Focus on 5G-A and Mobile AI
Huawei is strategically positioning itself at the forefront of 5G-A and Mobile AI technologies under the theme ‘Advancing the Intelligent World.’ Highlighting ‘Commercial 5G-A Experience Tours’ and partnerships with global operators, Huawei’s strategy aims to redefine telecommunications. David Wang, Huawei’s Executive Director and ICT Infrastructure Managing Board Chairperson, outlined the brand’s commitment to harnessing 5G-A and AI advancements for transformative impact, envisioning a future of intelligent services and pioneering business opportunities.
Source: Huawei
ZTE’s Insights on AI, 5G and Digitalization
ZTE showcased its advancements in AI, 5G and digitalization. The company participated in forums and introduced AI-powered eyewear-free 3D products and the Nebula Telecom Large Model. Emphasizing an ecosystem-driven approach, ZTE focused on partnerships and continuous innovation in intelligent computing and 10Gbps+ 5G experiences. ZTE’s initiatives, including Digital Nebula 3.0, has positioned it at the forefront of the intelligent era with a comprehensive AI Full-Scenario Intelligent Ecosystem 3.0.
ZTE has also addressed four key challenges in AI development – bottlenecks in computing power supply, errors in critical scenarios, an emphasis on training over inference, and difficulties in achieving a commercial closed-loop. ZTE’s hardware and software full-stack solution aims to tackle these issues effectively.
Source: Counterpoint Research
Xiaomi SU7: A Seamless Experience Revealed
The Xiaomi SU7 attracted considerable attention at its launch, thanks to the battery electric vehicle’s sleek design and sophisticated interior. A large tablet inside features a user interface and user experience similar to Xiaomi’s smartphones, indicating the company’s focus on providing a seamless experience across devices. This was further emphasized by Xiaomi’s booth demonstration of seamless connectivity between smartphones, tablets and laptops. Once again, Xiaomi appears to have successfully distilled the essence of industry-leading technology into a more affordable package, much like what it previously achieved in the smartphone market.
Source: Counterpoint Research
Lenovo Introduces the Moto Razr 50 Ultra: Advancing Clamshell Innovation
Lenovo showcased its latest innovation, the Moto Razr 50 Ultra, at MWC Shanghai. This clamshell-type foldable smartphone features a 4-inch LTPO outer display and runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen3 platform. It boasts a 4000mAh battery, an improved hinge design for durability and IPX8 waterproof certification. With dual 50MP rear cameras including OIS and AI-driven features like content identification and multi-device connectivity, Lenovo continues to push the envelope of clamshell smartphone technology.
Source: Counterpoint Research
China Mobile Introduces ‘Jiutian’ LLM
China Mobile showcased its versatile ‘Jiutian’ LLM at MWC Shanghai, demonstrating applications across government, healthcare, hospitality and entertainment. Highlights include AI-driven smart hotel management, advanced medical assistance and innovative exam monitoring systems. Migu, its content subsidiary, debuted China’s first AIGC-enabled short play and AI commentators for sports, highlighting Jiutian’s transformative potential across industries.
Infographic: Top 7 Semiconductor Companies by Revenues, Q1 2024
In Q1 2024, Samsung took the #1 spot in the global semiconductor market, with strong demand from the memory market, especially for DDR5 and storage for generative AI. NVIDIA ranked #2, recording another quarter of revenue growth (19% QoQ), thanks to its dominance in AI, which triggered a sales boom in the data center segment. Intel reported a 14% QoQ revenue decline in Q1 2024 due to soft demand at Intel foundry, Altera and Mobileye. SK hynix and Micron also benefited from the solid memory market to report sequential revenue growth and rank #4 and #7 respectively during the quarter. Qualcomm and Broadcom ranked #5 and #6 respectively in the quarter, both reporting single-digit QoQ revenue declines due to weak performance in their key businesses.
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Infographic: Foundry Companies’ Revenue Share in Q1 2024
Foundry Companies’ Share by Revenue
In Q1 2024, the foundry industry demonstrated mixed results with some notable shifts in market dynamics. TSMC exceeded market expectations, driven by strong AI accelerator demand. The company has raised its forecast for data center AI revenue, projecting it to double YoY in 2024, while expecting a 50% CAGR in AI revenue through 2028. Despite an expanding CoWoS capacity, it remains insufficient to meet the surging AI demand. Samsung Foundry maintained its second position, though its revenue declined due to smartphone seasonality. SMIC secured the third spot for the first time, benefiting from China’s demand recovery. Both UMC and GlobalFoundries saw consumer and smartphone demand bottoming out, with a muted outlook for auto demand in the near term. The industry started seeing signs of demand recovery, with normalized and leaner channel inventory indicating that strong AI demand and a mild recovery in the end demand could drive growth in 2024.
Foundry Industry Share by Technology Node
In Q1 2024, the foundry industry’s revenue share by technology node revealed significant shifts influenced by varying demand across sectors. The 5/4nm nodes dominated with a 26% market share, driven by strong AI demand. In contrast, the 3nm node experienced the most notable drop, falling from third to fifth place with a 6% market share, primarily due to the off-season effects of iPhone production. The 7/6nm, 28/22nm and 16/14/12nm nodes also saw reductions in their proportions at 12%, 8% and 7% respectively, mainly attributed to seasonal downturns in the smartphone and PC markets. These trends underscore the current dynamics in the foundry industry, where advanced nodes benefit from AI-driven growth, while traditional nodes face challenges from cyclical consumer electronics demand.
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Infographic: Global Smartphone AP Market Share in Q1 2024
Global Smartphone AP Market Share by Shipments
MediaTek dominated the smartphone SoC market in Q1 2024 with a share of 40%. Increasing demand for 5G SoCs, along with the successful launch of the company’s third-generation flagship SoC, the Dimensity 9300, drove the growth. In MediaTek’s portfolio, 5G penetration is growing in the low-tier segment, which should lead to market share gains for MediaTek, driven by its relative strength in entry-level 5G chipsets. Qualcomm captured a 23% share in the smartphone AP/SoC market during the quarter, driven by the launch of flagship chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and design wins for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from Chinese smartphone OEMs. Qualcomm also lost some market share to Samsung, as the new Galaxy S24 series was launched with both Qualcomm and Samsung chipsets.
Global Smartphone AP Market Share by Revenue
Qualcomm dominated the AP market with a 36% share in Q1 2024 in terms of revenue. The premium segment drove Qualcomm’s revenue with the launch of the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, while design wins for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from Chinese smartphone OEMs added to the revenue. Apple was the second largest contributor in the AP market in Q1 2024 in terms of revenue with a 33% share. Apple’s revenue declined QoQ due to seasonality. MediaTek captured the third position with a 17% share in the total global smartphone AP/SoC revenues. MediaTek’s revenue declined QoQ in Q1 2024 due to seasonality and LTE SoC shipments declining significantly in the quarter. However, growing demand for 5G and the successful ramp-up of the company’s third-generation flagship SoC, the Dimensity 9300, contributed to the overall annual growth in shipments.
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