Xiaomi Corp (小米), a Beijing-based maker of cheap smartphones, is working on its first tablet computer with chipmakers Intel Corp and Nvidia Corp for China’s tablet market, the Topology Research Institute (拓墣產業研究所) said yesterday.
Xiaomi might choose only one of the firms to provide the chipsets for its new tablet, which is expected to feature a 7.85-inch screen with an ultra-sharp resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels, Topology researcher Michael Zuo (左鵬飛) said at a technology industry conference in Taipei organized by his firm.
Citing Chinese sources, Zuo said the rumored tablet could be assembled by Taiwan-based Hon Hai Group (鴻海集團) and Inventec Corp (英業達), and might be available for as little as 1,000 Chinese yuan (US$160) in the third or fourth quarter of this year.
Hon Hai and Inventec have been Xiaomi’s manufacturing partners for its popular smartphones, including the high-end Mi3 and the low-cost Hongmi models.
The Chinese brand’s Internet-ready televisions are assembled by another Taiwanese-run firm, Wistron Corp (緯創).
Founded in 2010, Xiaomi has been successful in evoking Apple-like loyalty for its moderately priced high-end smartphones by mimicking the US firm’s marketing strategy of creating an aura of exclusivity for its devices.
The firm sold 18.7 million smartphones last year and has set a target of selling up to 60 million units next year.
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
Singapore-based ride-hailing and delivery giant Grab Holdings Ltd has applied for regulatory approval to acquire the Taiwan operations of Germany-based Delivery Hero SE's Foodpanda in a deal valued at about US$600 million. Grab submitted the filing to the Fair Trade Commission on Friday last week, with the transaction subject to regulatory review and approval, the company said in a statement yesterday. Its independent governance structure would help foster a healthy and competitive market in Taiwan if the deal is approved, Grab said. Grab, which is listed on the NASDAQ, said in the filing that US-based Uber Technologies Inc holds about 13 percent of
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
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 —
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