Some items of interest have been forwarded to me over the last few days.......

Some interesting discussions over the office phones have ensued.....

So as not to further excoriate the anti-dot crowd......I will leave the forum detectives to their work.........

Theres so much in front of us.....its just so exciting......

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PLATEAUING ?

Apple is allegedly planning to slash production of the iPhone amid fears this much-loved mobile is finally going out of fashion. The giant tech firm is reportedly looking to reduce the number of iPhone it produces by up to one third, parts suppliers allegedly told Nikkei Asian Review. This decision could be prompted by dwindling demand for the iPhone 6S, which really isn't all that different from its predecessor. Daniel Ives, a business analyst, claimed Apple investors have endured “a miserable, dark period over the past few months".

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/end-apples-iphone-rumours-send-7126980

DOMINO EFFECT ?

David Madden, of IG, said: “Chip makers are heavily dependent on the smartphone sector and should production be cut at major producers like Apple the knock on effect will dent their business.

“The long-term outlook is also concerning because if a titan of technology like Apple is considering reducing output then android phone manufacturers are likely to do the same, which would compound the chip makers problems.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/ftse100/12084583/Shares-in-European-microchip-makers-slump-on-Apple-production-cut-rumours.html

http://business.financialpost.com/investing/apple-inc-supplier-foxconn-plans-rare-holiday-amid-report-that-iphone-output-cut-by-30

THE SHAKEUP REQUIRED ?

A fresh job posting from Apple potentially shows signs of Android life inside 1 Infinite Loop that doesn’t involve Apple Music. The job listing is for an “Applications SW Engineer” whose job is to help Apple “bring exciting new mobile products to the Android platform.” Ooooooh.

http://www.droid-life.com/2015/08/05/apple-needs-developers-to-build-exciting-new-mobile-products-for-android/

4 January 2016

GaAs IC market grows 25% in 2015

Strong wireless demand resulted in growth of more than 25% in the gallium arsenide (GaAs) IC market in 2015, according to The Information Network in its report 'The GaAs IC Market'.

Every cell phone contains power amplifiers (PA), enabling the handset to transmit voice and data back to the base-station tower. As the most critical radio frequency component in the phone, PAs are currently dominated by circuits made with GaAs.

2G handsets contain one PA while 3G handsets often contain up to five PAs, and GaAs comprises nearly 100% of the market. Typically, the power amplifier is based on GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology to amplify RF signals in the phone. Today's RF front-ends are moving towards multi-mode, multi-band power amplifiers (MMPAs). Regarding 4G, according to the report, Apple's 6S smartphone contains six PAs: Avago's ACPM-7600 and ACPM-8010, Qualcomm's QFE2320 and QFE2340, and Skyworks' SKY85303 and SKY85707

http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2016/jan/information-network_040116.shtml

THE PLAN ?

iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 — and iPhone 7 Plus — is easily the BIGGEST thing Apple will announce and release in 2016. No other mobile phone on the planet commands anyway near as much attention as Apple’s iPhone. The company shifted record numbers in 2014 with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and once again a year later with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

The iPhone 7 is of course the BIG update many have been waiting for since 2014’s iPhone 6. The solid number updates are where Apple makes its biggest changes to the overall look and feel of its iPhone and this year’s model will be no exception to this rule with an ultra thin chassis, wireless charging and, potentially, water and dust-proofing as well as improved specs and imaging technology.

http://www.knowyourmobile.com/apple/23409/apple-iphone-7-apple-watch-2-iphone-6s-imac-5k-ios-10