China’s MP3 Player Demand Drops
Samsung Electronics Debuts Commercial TD-SCDMA Handset in China
Rohm Develops IC That Requires No Standby Power
DuPont and Dainippon Screen Mfg. Team Up to Manufacture Large OLED Panels
Japanese Social Networking Service to Launch Music Service
iPhone Comes to Central and South America
MediaFLO Launches AT&T Mobile TV Service
Qualcomm to Set Up mirasol Display Plant in Taiwan

IT research firm CCID Consulting issued the latest statistical data on China’s MP3/PMP (Portable Media Player) sales for the first quarter of 2008, reported China Press (a Malaysian Chinese-language newspaper). Overall sales volume reached 1,656,400 units, which was 30% less year-on-year, while sales revenue was 1.095 billion yuan ($157 million @yuan 6.99/$US 1), down 31% year-on-year.

MP3 player sales were down over 34% from first quarter 2007 to 1,373,700 units. Similarly, sales revenue was about 34% to 677 million yuan ($96.85 million).

Demand for MP3 players has apparently peaked in China, where the technology has lost its appeal to consumers. The decline in sales of MP3 players is directly related to increased sales of PMP players and cell phones equipped with MP3 player functionality. Sales of PMPs increased 0.91% year-on-year to 282,600 units. Even so, the collapse of PMP player prices and bad market timing adversely affected PMP player sales in first quarter 2008. Sales revenue was down 26.58% from first quarter 2007, to 417 million yuan ($59.66 million). [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

Samsung Electronics has begun supplying a TD-SCDMA handset, the SGH-L288, in China, reported China Press (a Malaysian Chinese-language newspaper) in April 2008. Samsung Electronics is the first foreign vendor to market a TD-SCDMA handset in that country, TD-SCDMA being the 3G mobile telecommunications standard being deployed throughout China to make it less reliant on Western technology.

The GSM/TD-SCDMA dual-mode SGH-L288 features video calling, video messaging, and video conferencing functionality. It also has a 2.4-inch TFT-LCD display, 2-megapixel CMOS camera with auto-focus and 4x digital zoom, microSD card, Bluetooth, and a USB interface. The SGH-L288 measures 190mm (l) x 50mm (w) x 13mm (d) and weighs 92.8gm.

Samsung Electronics’ pioneering effort to market a TD-SCDMA handset indicates the South Korean conglomerate’s commitment to China’s 3G wireless market. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

Rohm of Japan has developed an integrated circuit that requires no standby power, Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Japan’s largest financial daily) reported in May 2008. The chip is targeted at home electronics, personal computers, and copiers used in corporations and can retain data even after power to the device is turned off.

Standby power represents 5% of home electricity consumption. Elimination of the need for standby power could lead to significant energy conservation. The new chip can also reduce overall power consumption substantially. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

American chemical and services giant DuPont and Dai Nippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd., of Japan announced their intention to form a strategic alliance to develop equipment for manufacturing large-size OLED (organic light-emitting diode) displays at lower cost, reported Tech-On! (a Japanese technology news portal) in early May 2008.

According to nanotechwire.com, "OLEDs are displays in which pixels are created using thin films made of emissive organic materials. Compared with liquid crystal displays (LCDs), OLEDs can have much higher contrast ratios, lower power consumption (because pixels draw power only when they are in use), faster response time, and eliminate the need for the backlight and color filter."

The pair has been working together the past three years to develop a coating process for polymer organic semiconductor material as well as a nozzle printer that will allow OLEDs to be printed from solution. A production scale nozzle printer that combines Dainippon Screen’s nozzle printing method and DuPont’s small molecule-based OLED solution materials is currently under construction. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

Japan’s largest social networking site, mixi (http://mixi.jp/), announced plans to add a music service tentatively called “mixi Music Plus” to its popular social-networking service, reported ITmedia (a Japanese technology news portal) in May 2008.

Using the slogan "Let’s enjoy music together," mixi plans to solicit participation in multiple music-content holders and partner with other content providers. Details of the service will be announced at a later date, with the new service slated to begin in the summer of 2008.

Mixi will collaborate with Hakuhodo DY Media Partners to develop and market advertising that will accompany the music menu. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

América Móvil of Mexico signed an agreement with Apple to provide iPhone service in Central and South America before the end of 2008, reported ITmedia (a Japanese technology news portal). The announcement comes shortly after a similar one by Vodafone that it had launched iPhone service in 10 countries including Australia, Czech Republic, and Egypt.

América Móvil is Latin America's largest mobile network operator as well as its largest corporation and offers wireless communication service throughout Central and South America. As of March 2008, it had 159.2 million wireless subscribers.

In recent months, Apple has signed agreements for iPhone sales and service with multiple carriers worldwide, including Canadian Rogers Communications, Vodafone, and Telecom Italia. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

MediaFLO USA, a joint venture between AT&T and Qualcomm, launched AT&T Mobile TV service based on FLO-service in early May 2008, according to online news portal Yahoo! Japan. The Mobile TV service will provide color TV broadcasts to cell-phone subscribers 24/7.

According to Wikipedia, MediaFLO is a new technology from Qualcomm that allows data to be broadcast to portable devices such as cell phones and PDAs. "The 'F-L-O' in MediaFLO stands for Forward Link Only, meaning that the data transmission path is one-way, from the tower to the device. The MediaFLO system transmits data on a frequency separate from the frequencies used by current cellular networks."

AT&T is relying on two handsets, LG Electronics’ Vu and Samsung Electronics’ Access, to supply users with a convenient mobile TV experience. LG’s Vu features a large interactive touchscreen that's capable of displaying TV, web sites, still images, and video. Other features include an MP3 player, a 2-megapixel camera, and Bluetooth. The Vu costs $299.99 with a two-year contract. Samsung’s Access features a large horizontal display, embedded antenna, and excellent reception. Other features include a camera, external stereo speaker, Bluetooth, AT&T Music, AT&T Mobile TV. It retails for $199.99 with a two-year contract.

AT&T Mobile TV channels include CBS Mobile, ESPN Mobile TV, Fox Mobile, NBC 2Go, NBC News 2Go, MTV Network's Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, PIX, and CNN Mobile Live. The service is currently available in 56 markets in the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York, San Diego, and Washington DC. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

Qualcomm’s subsidiary Qualcomm MEMS Technologies and Foxlink signed an agreement to construct a plant for Qualcomm’s next-generation mirasol displays in Lungtan’s Science Park in Taoyuan, Taiwan. The plant will begin operating in 2009.

The agreement with Foxlink allows Qualcomm MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) to supply a variety of display products and reduce commercialization time. By having a dedicated factory, Qualcomm aims to increase production efficiency while reducing response time and production costs.
 
Qualcomm’s mirasol display is based on reflective technology called Interferometric Modulation (IMOD), which uses ambient light, does not require backlight, and makes possible significant reductions in power consumption.

Foxlink has set up a new division to support Qualcomm MEMS’ mirasol display manufacturing plant. Foxlink currently has over 43,000 employees and 15 design/manufacturing sites around the world. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]