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Our Latest Analysis

Quick Survey Teardown of the Oppo A9 PCAM10 Smartphone

OPPO

Multi-band Handset

Quick Survey Teardown of the Samsung Galaxy A40 SM-A405FN/DS Smartphone

Samsung

Multi-band Handset

Survey Plus Teardown of the Oppo Reno PCM00 Smartphone

OPPO

Multi-band Handset

Quick Survey Teardown of the Oppo Reno PCM00 Smartphone

OPPO

Multi-band Handset

SK Hynix H9HQ53AECMMDAR-KEM 76L 3D-V4 NAND Memory Floorplan Analysis

Hynix

Vertical NAND Flash

Bill of Materials of the Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones (Air) TWSEJO1JY Earbuds

Xiaomi Tech

Wireless Earbuds / Headphones

Recent News and Blogs

How Graphical Solutions Improve 3D NAND Effective Device Density

Driven by Moore's Law, memory and logic chip semiconductor manufacturers reduce product cost and improve performance by increasing transistor density.

16Sep

Webinar: Power Semiconductor – A Market Overview & In-depth SiC and GaN Device Analysis

Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 Time: 2:00 p.m. ET Hosted By: Jianchun Xu and Sinjin Dixon-Warren The power semiconductor market is estimated to reach $32B USD by the end of 2025. Fueled by increasing global demand for more connected devices that

10Sep

Lithium, the white gold of technology

The price of the mineral collapses, but the batteries continue to consume this white king.

10Sep

Mobile manufacturing: How much do companies earn with the high end?

High-end smartphones have been increasing in price over the years to become unattainable devices for ordinary people.

08Sep

Peloton IPO Preview: All Hype, No Muscle

Peloton, which manufactures and sells premium, large-screen, stationary fitness bikes and treadmills, as well streaming subscriptions for classes aimed at those using the equipment, is expected to go public sometime in the next few months.

03Sep

Un móvil de gama alta se vende casi al triple de lo que cuesta fabricarlo

Un teléfono móvil se vende casi tres veces más caro de lo que cuesta fabricarlo, atendiendo al coste de todos los componentes que integran estos dispositivos, desde la batería o la cámara hasta el sistema operativo que permite que funcionen las

02Sep

A high-end mobile phone sells almost three times what it costs to manufacture it

A mobile phone is sold almost three times more expensive than it costs to manufacture it, taking into account the cost of all the components that make up these devices, from the battery or camera to the operating system that allows applications to

02Sep

Tariffs on Chinese imports start on Sunday. News 8 looks at what they will cost you

Sunday will be the first round of tariffs. Almost monthly through the end of the year, the government plans to impose additional tariffs on different items.

31Aug

Why I keep writing ’bout holes in the sensor

DPReview's review of the Fujifilm GFX 100 medium format camera shows the consequences of having dead pixels whose space is used for phase detection autofocus (PDAF) modules

31Aug

Deca Technologies Fan-In WLP in Qualcomm PM8150

Posted: August 29, 2019 The fan-In WLP market expected to grow at a steady rate; from $2.9B in 2018 to $4.4B by 2024, at 6.5% CAGR. One of the recent contributors to this market is Deca Technologies, whose M-Series fan-out wafer-level packaging

29Aug

GaN, SiC, and Si technologies in AC Adapters

Posted: August 14, 2019 Contributing Authors: Sinjin Dixon-Warren, PhD Introduction AC Adapters are a constant reminder that the mobile devices that we have come to love are not quite as mobile as we would like to think. Every single mobile device

14Aug

Unexpected Design Wins in Huawei Mate 20 X (5G) Teardown

2019 is the year that we have seen the 5G smartphones start to take off. TechInsights posted a blog of the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G teardown in April, which was the world’s first 5G mobile handset in Korea. The Galaxy S10 5G SM-G977N is based on Samsung

02Aug

Part 4: Non-Bayer CFA, Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)

4-Part Blog Series: The state of the art of smartphone imagers Part 4: Non-Bayer CFA, Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) Posted: July 30, 2019 Contributing Author: Ray Fontaine Content adapted from TechInsights’ paper for the International Image

30Jul

Micron Analysis Overview: LPDDR4 DDR4 3D NAND Flash and XPoint Reverse Engineered

Posted: September 17, 2019 With 2018 revenue of $30.4B USD, 16.5% market share in NAND Flash Memory, and 23% market share in DRAM, Micron is one of the biggest players in storage and memory technology. For those looking to support their product

23Jul

Part 3: Back-Illuminated Active Si Thickness, Deep Trench Isolation (DTI)

4-Part Blog Series: The state of the art of smartphone imagers Part 3: Back-Illuminated Active Si Thickness, Deep Trench Isolation (DTI) Posted: July 23, 2019 Contributing Author: Ray Fontaine Content adapted from TechInsights’ paper for the

23Jul

Velodyne LiDAR Puck Teardown

Posted: July 22, 2019 According to BIS Research, the automotive LiDAR market was estimated at $353M USD in 2017, and is anticipated to reach $8.32B by 2028. The LiDAR market is set to become one of the most competitive segments of the automotive

22Jul

Part 2: Pixel Scaling and Scaling Enablers

4-Part Blog Series: The state of the art of smartphone imagers Part 2: Pixel Scaling and Scaling Enablers Posted: July 16, 2019 Contributing Author: Ray Fontaine Content adapted from TechInsights’ paper for the International Image Sensors Workshop

16Jul

AC Adapters: GaN, SiC or Si?

Effective high-power, compact AC adapters can be built using SiC, GaN, and Si super junction devices, according to an analysis by TechInsights of three key products.

16Jul

Part 1: Chip-stacking and chip-to-chip interconnect

4-Part Blog Series: The State-of-the-Art of Smartphone Imagers Part 1: Chip-stacking and chip-to-chip interconnect Posted: July 09, 2019 Contributing Author: Ray Fontaine Content adapted from TechInsights’ presentation for the International Image

09Jul

Ambiq Micro Apollo 3 Blue Ultra-Low Power MCU

Posted: June 11, 2019 Ambiq Micro Apollo 3 Blue Ultra-Low Power MCU The MCU marketplace is crowded and competitive, with semiconductor companies globally increasing R&D spend in this technology area; this market is forecast to reach ~$20B USD in 2019

10Jun

1y DDR4 DRAM from Samsung, SK hynix and Micron

Posted: June 7, 2019 Samsung LPDDR4X 17 nm 1Y Samsung DDR4 17 nm 1Y Micron MT40A2G4SA-062E 8Gb DDR4 The top 3 DRAM manufacturers (Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron) reached sub-20 nm in 2017 and 2018 with the introduction of 1x. A new milestone was

05Jun

How long can Sony keep the top spot in the image sensor market?

Not long ago, Yuanta Research released market data on global CIS (CMOS image sensor), pointing out that its overall market size is still growing rapidly.

05Jun

Qualcomm QTM052 mmWave Antenna Module

Posted: May 31, 2019 Qualcomm QTM052 mmWave Antenna Module Qualcomm claims to have “Made the impossible, possible” by incorporating mmWave technology into the mobile RF front end in a small, highly integrated module. There are many challenges

31May

NAND technology: Open the gates

In the $60bn NAND tech market, patent landscape analysis can give companies the edge, as Martin Bijman and Trevor Izsak of TechInsights explain.

13May

Webinar: Identifying and Pursuing Patent Infringers - Using Technical Evidence to Build Your Assertion campaign

At its heart, an assertion campaign relies on Evidence of Use (EoU), to demonstrate the existence of ongoing infringement. If no one is using the technology covered by your patent portfolio then your patents are not as valuable. Conversely, when there is EoU the value of a patent portfolio is greater.

02May

Electric Cars Gain Traction, But Challenges Remain

(Semiconductor Engineering) Battery-powered electric vehicles are expected to reach a milestone in terms of shipments in 2019, but the technology faces several significant hurdles to gain wider adoption in the market.

22Apr

TechInsights memory technology update from IEDM18

Posted: April 11, 2019 Contributing Author: Dick James, Jeongdong Choe On the Sunday evening at IEDM last year, TechInsights held a reception in which Arabinda Das and Jeongdong Choe gave presentations that attracted a roomful of conference attendees

11Apr

9X Layer 3D NAND Analysis

Posted: April 10, 2019 TechInsights’ Analysis of Solutions from Samsung, Toshiba, and Intel/Micron TechInsights’ analysis has begun on the much-anticipated 9XL 3D NAND solutions, including: Samsung 92L 3D V-NAND Toshiba 96L 3D BiCS Intel/Micron 96L

10Apr

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G Teardown

Posted: April 9, 2019 Contributing Author: Daniel Yang & Stacy Wegner It’s here. It’s in our labs... Two major 5G events happened last week: Verizon launched their 5G network in Chicago, and on the other side of the globe, Samsung launched the world

09Apr

Analyzing innovations in mobile radio frequency front-end integration

Posted: April 09, 2019 The mobile RF front-end architectures of 3G and early 4G smartphones were relatively simple and could be built from discrete components. The mobile radio frequency (RF) front-end today has become much more complex to support

09Apr

Webinar: High-Density Fan-Out Package Technologies – Examination and Comparison

Originally Presented: April 9, 2019 / 2:00pm to 3:00pm ET Hosted By: Michel Roy Low-density fan-out package technology has been around for more than a decade. Due to limitations in RDL counts and capabilities in line space / line width, this

09Apr

3D NAND Metrology Challenges Growing

(Semiconductor Engineering) The big challenge is to characterize the inner portions of a 3D NAND device, which consists of complex materials, multiple layers and tiny channel holes. Then, as you add more layers, the metrology challenges increase “due

09Apr

Autonomous Vehicles are Driving Innovation

Advances in AVs are having a ripple effect in multiple technology fields, from radar and LiDAR to signal processing. However, the rapid innovation pace is also creating challenges for automakers.

29Mar

Siemens patent filings climb, but quality over quantity is the name of the game

In 2018 Siemens leapfrogged Huawei to become the number one filer at the EPO, a spot that it has not occupied since 2011. It has invested ...

25Mar

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Teardown

Posted: March 1, 2019 Contributing Authors: Michelle Alarcon, Daniel Yang, Stacy Wegner, Albert Cowsky We got the new Samsung Galaxy S10+ a little early! TechInsights received the Exynos Samsung Galaxy S10+ SM-G975F/DS from Korea and it has been in

01Mar

Webinar: The Mobile Radio Frequency Landscape

Originally Presented: February 27, 2019 / 3:00pm to 4:00pm ET Hosted By: John Sullivan A Patent and Technology Perspective We estimate the mobile Radio Frequency (RF) market to be worth approximately $19B. Mobile RF innovation aims to improve

27Feb

Lenovo Brings the New Snapdragon to Market

Posted: February 20, 2019 Contributing Authors: Stacy Wegner and Daniel Yang Lenovo Z5 Pro GT How long would it take you to count from 1 to 220,000? Probably longer than 32 seconds, and yet 32 seconds is reportedly how long it look for Lenovo to sell

20Feb

Navitas Found Inside the RAVPower RP-PC104-W Gallium Nitride 45 W USB C Power Delivery Charger

Posted: February 7, 2019 Contributing Authors: Sinjin Dixon-Warren, PhD Figure 1 – RAVPower RP-PC104 USB-C Charger One of the primary emerging applications for 650 V gallium nitride (GaN) power High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT) is likely to

07Feb

Tesla Poised to Apply Maxwell’s Dry Electrode Innovation to Battery Cell Fabrication

Posted: February 7, 2019 Contributing Authors: Marty Bijman and Jim Hines Figure 1 – Tesla's portfolio including Maxwell and SolarCity acquisitions Figure 2 – Tesla Portfolio landscapes showing which inventions originated from Tesla, SolarCity, and

07Feb

TIPS - Finding Evidence of Use in Technology: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Webinar: Finding Evidence of Use in Technology - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Originally Presented: December 12, 2018 / 2:00pm to 3:00pm ET Hosted By: Martin Bijman TechInsights has identified Evidence of Use (EoU) for over 6,000 unique patents. In doing so, we have significantly evolved our understanding of what patents can

12Dec

TIPS - Using Technical Evidence to Strengthen Patents

Webinar: Using Technical Evidence to Strengthen Patents

Originally Presented: October 23, 2018 / 12:00pm to 1:00pm ET Hosted By: Mary Lupul Patent Strengthening is a term we use to describe the different methods that can be applied during the prosecution to both maximize the usefulness of a patent once it

23Oct

Webinar: Optimizing Patent Prosecution to Achieve Stronger, More Valuable Patents

Originally Presented: October 4, 2018 / 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT Hosted By: Martin Bijman & George Pappas Patent strengthening is the term that refers to the process of achieving the greatest potential for value from a patent during the prosecution –

04Oct

Webinar: Comparing leading STBs, Streaming Devices, and Smart TVs - A design and BoM perspective

Originally Presented: September 18, 2018 / 2:00pm to 3:00pm ET Hosted By: Stacy Wegner With a significant cord-cutting trend, much has been said about how operators are reacting and modifying their offerings to retain subscribers tempted by streaming

18Sep

Automotive Patents: Owners, Technologies, and Investigating for EOU

Originally Presented: July 11, 2018 / 2:00pm to 3:00pm ET Hosted By: Jim Hines The automotive industry is facing disruption from new market entrants, emerging mobility business models and changing consumer attitudes about car ownership. The future of

11Jul

Creating Better Applications Through Patent Strengthening

Patent strengthening is the term we use to refer to the process of achieving the greatest potential for value from a patent during the prosecution – before a patent is even granted.

20Jun

Intel 10 nm Logic Process Analysis (Cannon Lake)

Posted: June 12, 2018 Intel 10nm Logic Process Analysis TechInsights has found the long-awaited Cannon Lake - the Intel 10 nm logic process inside the i3-8121U CPU, used in the Lenovo IdeaPad330. This innovation boasts the following: Logic transistor

12Jun

SK hynix 72L 3D NAND Analysis

Posted: May 31, 2018 SK hynix 72L 3D NAND Analysis SK hynix claims to have created the industry’s first-ever 72-layer 256Gb 3D NAND flash. This innovation has a block size 50% larger compared to 48-layer 3D TLC chips, it has a lower programming time

31May

TIPS - Investigating Patented Technology in Challenging Product Areas

Webinar: Black Box Reveal - Investigating Patented Technology in Challenging Product Areas

Originally Presented: May 3, 2018 / 3:15pm to 4:00pm ET Hosted By: Martin Bijman "Black box reveal" is the term we use to refer to “the hard stuff” – technology that, for one reason or another, is difficult to analyze for evidence of use. These can

03May

What does Uber’s patent landscape look like?

Posted: February 27, 2018 Contributing Authors: Marty Bijman Recently, IAM’s Timothy Au posted a blog providing a look at Uber’s portfolio. The blog references Uber’s portfolio makeup, and provides a chronicle of their IP events over the last 5 years

27Feb

Webinar: Patent Portfolio Monetization Key Considerations for Companies in 2018 and Beyond

Originally Presented: February 20, 2018 / 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET Hosted By: Martin Bijman & George Pappas Patent strengthening is the term that refers to the process of achieving the greatest potential for value from a patent during the prosecution –

20Feb

Webinar: Unlocking the Value in Software Patents - a Technical Perspective

Originally Presented: February 1, 2018 / 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET Hosted By: Mike McLean, Gene Quinn & Walter Hanchuk Alice has had an impact on software patents, but they can and still do hold significant value. If your portfolio includes software

01Feb

Job Vacancy: VP Finance

Reporting to the CFO, as the VP Finance, you will provide leadership to the Finance team members responsible for the day-to-day accounting, payroll, tax and treasury, reporting, planning, budgeting and statutory filings. You will regulate corporate

16Jul

Job Vacancy: Semiconductor Analyst

The Semiconductor Analyst will participate in major campaigns and projects initiated client-facing team, and related to analysis of devices manufactured with advanced semiconductor process technology.

03May

Job Vacancy: Sales Executive - EMEA

As a Sales Executive, your mission will be to establish and develop accounts within Europe and be accountable for driving the sales process from initial engagement to close.

23Apr

Job Vacancy: Senior Technology Analyst - Logic Processors

In this role, you will drive the technical analysis product roadmap for TechInsights, based on a deep understanding of customer interests and industry direction.

17Apr

IP Corporate Strategy Summit

September 12, 2019 - IP Corporate Strategy Summit – London, UK - TechInsights CEO, Gavin Carter will be a panelist on the “Fresh interest in strategic patent intelligence” session.

12Sep

ESSDERC/ESSCIRC 2019

September 23-26, 2019 - ESSDERC/ESSCIRC 2019 - Krakow, Poland - TechInsights is proud to be a gold sponsor of the 49th Annual European Solid-State Device Research Conference

23Sep

IPBC Asia

October 28 – 30, 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - TechInsights is proud to be a gold sponsor of the annual IPBC Asia conference in Tokyo, Japan. TechInsights’ Mike McLean will moderate the 5G – the future has begun panel.

28Oct