Acer Inc (宏碁) has no plans to launch any fourth-generation (4G) smartphones using Intel Corp chips this year, despite its current partnership with the US chipmaker in 3G phones.
Instead, the personal computer maker will roll out a lineup of 4G phones using chips from Qualcomm Inc and MediaTek Inc (聯發科), its two major suppliers for 3G phones, the company said earlier this week.
The new Acer 4G phones are due to be available for the Taiwanese market from early next quarter, when the country is expected to begin operations of its Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network, Vincent Chen (陳建志), a product manager at Acer’s telecom business department, said on Tuesday at a product launch for the Liquid E3, a mid-tier 3G smartphone.
Chen declined to give specifics as to why Acer will not use Intel chips in the near term, after the two joined hands early last year to launch the 4.3-inch Liquid C1 Android smartphone for emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Thailand.
Intel has been a leading player in the PC industry, but is a relative latecomer to the mobile chip market, which is currently dominated by ARM-based power-efficient chips from Qualcomm and Apple Inc that work better in smartphones and tablets without quickly draining their batteries.
In February, Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) unveiled three new smartphones in its budget ZenFone range based on Intel’s Atom chipsets.
However, none of them support 4G LTE.
The domestic unit of the Chinese-owned, Dutch-headquartered chipmaker Nexperia BV will soon be able to produce semiconductors locally within China, according to two company sources. Nexperia is at the center of a global tug-of-war over critical semiconductor technology, with a Dutch court in February ordering a probe into alleged mismanagement at the company. The geopolitical tussle has disrupted supply chains, with some carmakers reportedly forced to cut production due to chip shortages. Local production would allow Nexperia’s domestic arm, Nexperia Semiconductors (China) Ltd (安世半導體中國), to bypass restrictions in place since October on the supply of silicon wafers — etched with tiny components to
Taiwan is open to joining a global liquefied natural gas (LNG) program if one is created, but on the condition that countries provide delivery even in a scenario where there is a conflict with China, an energy department official said yesterday. While Taiwan’s priority is to have enough LNG at home, the nation is open to exploring potential strategic reserves in other countries such as Japan or South Korea, Energy Administration Deputy Director-General Chen Chung-hsien (陳崇憲) said. While the LNG market does not have a global reserve for emergencies like that of oil, the concept has been raised a few times —
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday received government approval to deploy its advanced 3-nanometer (3nm) process at its second fab currently under construction in Japan, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a news release. The ministry green-lit the plan for the facility in Kumamoto, which is scheduled to start installing equipment and come online in 2028 with a monthly production capacity of 15,000 12-inch wafers, the ministry said. The Department of Investment Review in June 2024 authorized a US$5.26 billion investment for the facility, slated to manufacture 6- to 12nm chips, significantly less advanced than 3nm process. At a meeting with
Standard Chartered Taiwan on March 26 announced that it has partnered with international fintech firm FinIQ to build an “Automated Structured Products Pricing Platform.” The bank is also introducing products from global issuers including Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Barclays PLC and BNP Paribas SA. The new platform enables an end-to-end process whereby it finds the most competitive pricing across multiple issuers in a matter of minutes, followed by automated documentation and transaction execution, which significantly shortens time-to-market and delivers a superior wealth management experience. Standard Chartered Bank Taiwan CEO Anthony Yu (游天立) said: “Standard Chartered is increasingly leveraging its wealth management
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