The iPhone 16 series officially launches globally today, and according to MacMagazine, Apple has expanded production beyond China and India, with Foxconn now assembling iPhone 16 units in Brazil. This marks the first time a new Apple model is being produced in South America during its initial launch phase, which helps the company overcome Brazil’s steep import tariffs, boost sales, and mitigate potential supply chain disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions.

Brazilian regulatory filings confirm that Foxconn’s factory in Jundiaí, São Paulo, is mass-producing the iPhone 16.

MacMagazine reports that while Foxconn’s Brazilian plant has previously assembled iPhones, it mainly focused on older models. This time, for the first time, the factory is part of the assembly lineup for the new iPhone 16, though it’s only producing the basic model and not the higher-end Pro variants.

Supply chain sources cited by Economy Daily News indicate that previous models like the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 were also assembled in Brazil to avoid the country’s high import duties. However, these units were initially produced in China before being assembled in Brazil later in the product cycle. The iPhone 16, on the other hand, is being produced in Brazil much earlier, reflecting Apple’s ongoing efforts to diversify its supply chain and reduce its dependency on China.

Foxconn’s Brazilian facility is currently assembling only the base iPhone 16, not the iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max models. This is largely due to the high cost of iPhones in South America, where entry-level models tend to be more popular.

In contrast, this year marks the first time Apple has launched India-made iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models, a major milestone for both Apple and India’s manufacturing industry.

(Photo credit: Apple)

Huawei’s Mate XT, being the world’s first tri-fold smartphone, has created a buzz as it got over 4 million preorders even before the formal launch. However, the tech giant might not enjoy the monopoly for long. Citing a recent patent filing published by China’s State Intellectual Property Office, a report by Gizmochina notes that Xiaomi is also working on the technology.

Earlier In August, Weibo tipster “Smart Pikachu” also brought up Xiaomi’s progress on this new design, while rumors suggest that Xiaomi could release the tri-fold phone as early as 2025.

Gizmochina suggests that though the patent itself does not disclose the model name, it does reveal a design featuring a Z-shaped fold, which is similar to that of Huawei Mate XT.

To elaborate, the report notes that the model is equipped with a horizontally positioned rear camera island, which is narrower than that of the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4. The image shown in the patent application also suggests that the tri-fold phone will feature three rear cameras, compared to the four found on the Mix Fold 4 model.

According to Gizmochina, Xiaomi’s tri-fold device may be slightly thicker than the Huawei Mate XT, which has a 12.8mm thickness when folded. However, there’s still time for Xiaomi to refine the design, the report notes.

It is interesting to note that this isn’t the first time the market heard about Xiaomi’s ambition on a tri-fold phone, as related patents could be dated back to 2019, the report indicates. However, the latest patent features a completely new design with a dual inward folding mechanism, suggesting that Xiaomi has been exploring various possibilities and folding techniques for some time.

Read more

• [News] Huawei’s Tri-Fold Phone Revealed Hours after Apple, with Pre-Orders Reportedly Exceeding 4 Million
• [News] A Comparison between Apple iPhone 16 and Huawei Mate XT

(Photo credit: Huawei)

Less than 12 hours after Apple’s fall product launch, Huawei held its own event on the other side of the Pacific. As expected, they unveiled the world’s first tri-fold phone, the Mate XT. Its release date is also set to coincide with Apple’s, launching on September 20. As per a report from CNBC, after the launch event, the number of Mate XT pre-orders has already exceeded 4 million.

According to a report from Economic Daily News citing Richard Yu, Chairman of Huawei Consumer Business Group, the biggest breakthrough in Huawei’s tri-fold phone is its solution to screen and hinge technology, which enables both inward and outward folding simultaneously. This design enhances the screen’s resistance impact.

The phone’s thickness is only 0.36 cm, and the battery, at 0.19 cm, is considered the thinnest in the world. Meanwhile, the new model is said to support multiple AI applications, and offers satellite communication.

Huawei revealed that the price of the Mate XT ranges from CNY 19,999 to CNY 23,999, aligning with market expectations. Sources cited by Economic Daily News are optimistic about the potential of Huawei’s tri-fold phone, and Taiwanese company Fositek will benefit as the exclusive supplier of hinges, one of the most critical bearing components, for the Mate XT.

Yu emphasized that the production cost of this tri-fold device is extremely high, though it may decrease as manufacturing yield rates improve. He highlighted three key breakthroughs with this new phone: the tri-fold design, cutting-edge technology, and its alignment with future trends.

The timing of Huawei’s product launch coincided with Apple’s fall event, and the announcement of the tri-fold device drew attention once again as its release date, like Apple’s iPhone 16 series, is set for September 20. Huawei also chose the specific time of 10:08 AM to start sales.

Richard Yu introduced the Mate XT as the world’s first mass-produced tri-fold smartphone, featuring a 10.2-inch screen. The product took the R&D team five years to develop and is described as bringing sci-fi into reality.

Reportedly, it supports multiple uses, allowing users to switch between single, double, and triple fold for large-screen viewing. Along with the phone, Huawei also launched a foldable touch keyboard, embodying the concept of putting both a computer and a keyboard in your pocket.

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• [News] Apple Officially Debuts iPhone 16 with AI Features, but Yet to Announce an AI partner in China
• [News] Huawei Expected to Unveil Mate70 and Foldable Device Following Apple’s iPhone 16 Release

(Photo credit: Huawei)

Apple’s 2024 fall event officially took place earlier, highlighting the launch of the new iPhone 16 series, along with other products like the Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4. According to CEO Tim Cook, the next generation of iPhone has been designed for Apple Intelligence, marking the beginning of an exciting new era.

Apple and global tech companies are in a race to integrate AI into their products, with smartphones anticipated to be one of the key competitive arenas.

Apple’s AI software, Apple Intelligence, is set to enhance Siri and improve functionalities like object recognition and identification through the phone’s camera, per sources cited in a report from Reuters.

A test version of Apple Intelligence will launch next month for U.S. English users, with other localized English versions set to follow in December. Additional language versions, including Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish, are anticipated for next year. It is worth noting that Apple has not yet announced an AI partner in China for the iPhone 16 series.

Apple stated that improvements, including enhancements to Siri, will be phased in over time but did not provide a timeline for moving beyond the test phase.

Notably, Apple’s event occurred just hours before Huawei’s launch of a tri-fold phone, highlighting the competitive challenge Apple faces.

In contrast, Huawei’s website revealed on Monday that it had already received over 3 million pre-orders for its Z-shaped tri-fold phone before its official release.

This underscores Huawei’s ability to withstand U.S. sanctions and bolsters its competitive position against Apple in China, where consumers are enthusiastic about AI features and willing to pay a premium for them, according to a Reuters report.

• iPhone16

The iPhone 16 features a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch screen. Both models are equipped with the A18 chip built on TSMC’s advanced 3nm process, which reportedly offers a 30% boost in CPU performance compared to the A16 chip used in iPhone 15. Additionally, they come with increased battery capacity and enhanced cooling capabilities.

Moreover, the latest iPhone chips are based on the newest Arm architecture, which includes specialized features aimed at accelerating AI applications.

Notably, Apple has introduced an “Action Button” on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, which supports various functions like camera, flashlight, Focus mode, translation, magnifier, and voice memos.

The higher-end iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are crafted from titanium and come with enhanced AI features, including suggestions for optimizing photo shoots and advanced audio-editing tools designed for professional video production.

Still, a previous report from Bloomberg has also addressed concerns over the slow rollout with its AI platform, which may put iPhone 16 “Supercycle” in doubt.

• New Apple Watches and Airpods

Apple also unveiled new Watches and AirPods with health-focused capabilities, as well as hardware-design improvements.

Apple highlighted the Watch’s ability to discover longer-term health conditions such as sleep apnea as well as detecting and responding to emergencies such as a fall.

For the new AirPods, there are two versions: a standard model and a version with active noise cancellation. As part of the AirPods update, Apple’s introduced hearing-aid features are under review by U.S. regulators.

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• [News] iPhone 16 “Supercycle” in Doubt? Concerns Rise Over Slow Rollout with its AI Platform
• [News] Fuelled by AI Features, Apple’s iPhone 16 Shipments Reportedly to Increase by 10%

(Photo credit: Apple)

Apple is set to unveil the highly anticipated iPhone 16 on September 9, with many expecting that the AI platform “Apple Intelligence” will spark a supercycle in iPhone 16 sales. However, Bloomberg suggests that the slow rollout of Apple Intelligence may make such a supercycle unlikely.

The report notes that while Apple Intelligence will be a major highlight of the iPhone 16 launch, a more refined version might not be available for some time. The initial release is expected to lack several features, including ChatGPT. Additionally, Apple Intelligence will not be launched in the EU (including Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany) or China.

Even if Apple successfully convinces consumers to adopt its AI platform, reportedly, Apple Intelligence will not be available with the iPhone 16 at launch. It is expected to roll out with the iOS 18.1 update in October.

Furthermore, ChatGPT integration is scheduled for later this year, and significant new features for Siri will not be available until next year, as Apple has also decided to delay the release of its latest image generation features to the iOS 18.2 update in December, rather than in iOS 18.1.

With many features expected to be introduced gradually, the AI platform may not be sufficient to drive a large-scale upgrade cycle this year. For these reasons, the report believes that the iPhone 17, slated for next fall, is more likely to generate a supercycle.

According to Apple’s official website, Apple Intelligence will only support devices with the built-in M1 or newer processors (such as iPad Air, iPad Pro, and Mac), as well as the 2023 iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro, but not the entry-level iPhone 15.

For the first quarter this year, TrendForce reported that Apple faced a decline in sales in the Chinese market, resulting in a drop in annual production to 47.9 million units.

This decline prompted several adjustments within the component supply chain, although production plans for processor chips remained unchanged. TrendForce posits that the second quarter falls within a product iteration gap for Apple, and production is expected to decrease by approximately 10%.

Read more

• [News] Reducing Reliance on China, Apple to Produce High-End iPhones in India for the First Time
• [News] Fuelled by AI Features, Apple’s iPhone 16 Shipments Reportedly to Increase by 10%

(Photo credit: Apple)