iPhone8 to use STM Time of Flight Sensor?

A lot of these rumors come to nothing -- this one has more weight than most in that it's being reported in a number of places, and that it's very specific.

Something to watch.

It's also interesting that Ming-Chi-Kuo blew it on his last estimate. Maybe Apple is taking a little more control of what leaks and what doesn't. This guy has had Apple dead to rights for a long time, but didn't get it this time.

WCCfTech

 Today, we’ve got some news about the sensors that Apple will use on the device. European manufacturer STM released its earnings lately and the manufacturer saw a massive increase in Capex. Interested? Take a look below to find out more.

The iPhone 8 Will Use Latest Time-of-Flight Sensors Manufactured By STM Suggest Analysts

With each passing day, our smartphones get more and more complicated. The huge array of components and sensors which tick under the hood ensure that users get a seamless and fruitful experience out of their devices. Now, Apple’s got similar plans for the iPhone 8. The teardown of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus by Chipworks unveiled a host of components ticking under the hood.

Out of these, one was STMicro’s ToF sensor, which helps the iPhone carry out a variety of tasks. It helps the device to gauge the distance between the camera sensor and the photographic object. Dubbed as Time-of-Flight, the sensor achieves this completely independently of the reflected light’s level.Now, after the iPhone 7, Apple will also include the sensor in this year’s iPhone 8.

Interesting Report on STM

There is some familiar language in here, some interesting timing. 

The position of the quote marks is important. It is a mixture of reporting facts and reporting conjecture...

This is what STM did with Microvision at CES

Barron's Blog

Reuters

Yahoo News

Franco-Italian chipmaker STMicroelectronics posted in-line 2016 results on Thursday, driven by solid phone and car part sales and improved factory utilization, while setting out a plan to boost plant capacity that could fuel revenue later in 2017.

Europe's third largest semiconductor company said it had won a deal with an unnamed customer that can generate "substantial revenues" in the second half of the year, which analysts believe are tied to parts for upcoming Apple iPhones.

The next generation iPhone 8 line is expected to be released by Apple in the back half of 2017.

Liberum analyst Janardan Menon said ST's latest results reflect demand from automakers and phones such as the Apple iPhone 7, including "time of flight" proximity sensors that also measure ranges between a phone camera and objects in its view.

"This is likely to be a new product in the iPhone 8, in addition to on-going shipments of the time-of-flight sensor," Menon advised clients. "We expect STM's strong revenue growth to convert into rising margins and further multiple expansion," he said, referring to factors justifying a higher stock price.

ST Chief Executive Carlo Bozotti declined to comment on who was behind the new customer contract. "We cannot say more," he told analysts on a conference call. "We cannot give more color." Apple demands suppliers never reveal its contracts.

STM at CES -- Updated

Got something forwarded to me that looks awesome, and we have a huge player in our corner.

ST Microelectronics published a guide to their display at CES. 

Microvision is mentioned in it twice: 

• "Internet of things" display, in the section "experience smart things." Where they showed the "Microvision interactive Pico Projector" Which mentioned portable use and "in home IoT devices."
• "Smarter Driving" area, where they showed the "Microvision Virtual Image Heads up display." (which also mentioned "wearable" devices")

This was of course mixed with various other STM Products. That they mention multiple uses in difference spaces in both cases, is great news for us. Yes it will be mobile and portable, but certainly not restricted to cell phones. Bigger displays everywhere. 

Lenovo Smart Glasses

This space is going to get more and more crowded. 

Given the Lenovo SmartCast and now the STM connection, Lenovo is certainly one of those companies to watch.

That the demand for this in industrial settings is high, and the application of this concept for gaming has been 

Lenovo C200 At ZDNet

Toymakers give AR a boost

AR for Fishing

...many other smartphone OEMS....

I scraped this article to be sure I didn't lose it.

Take everything with a grain of salt.... There's some interesting stuff in here!



EE Times -- Check the source.
LAKE WALES, Fla. — The skyrocketing popularity of augmented reality (Potkemon Go) and virtual reality (Google VR) may be the boost microelecromechanical systems (MEMS) projectors into the mass market, according to Microvision (Redmond, Wash.) at the MEMS Executive Congress (Scottsdale, Ariz). Microvision aims to break into the mass original equipment manufacturing (OEM) market in cooperation with STMicroelectronics (Geneva). Microvision's always-in-focus laser projector is so tiny and cheap that any smartphone can afford to add it (to project Pokemen for everyone to see) and for inexpensive VR glasses that anyone can afford.

Sony, ahead of the curve for once, has already been licensing Microvision's laser-based projector for two years as have many other smartphone OEMs who are too competitive to allow their names to be mentioned. Microvision has also been making a name for itself in the micro-lidar (3-D imaging system using invisible infrared beams) market. The advantage of its 5-millimeter sized projector allows not just smartphones and head-mounted displays (HMDs), but also even the tiniest un-manned vehicle to navigate using it.

"We have been public since 1996 on NASDAC as MVIS, but we expect our $1.35 stock price to rise once our deal with STMicroelectronics lands us major OEMs worldwide," Director of Technical Marketing and Applications Development Jari Honkanen told EE Times.

Jari claimed that their agreement with STMicroelectronics was also landing them major deals in other areas besides consumer electronics. For instance, heads-up displays can be projected onto windshields using their laser projector, images can be directly written onto the retina for AR projected from the hinge of your normal glasses, warehouse robots can more accurately navigate, industrial robotics can more accurately see in 3-D at variable resolutions traded off for frame rate.

The biggest advantage of Microvision's 0.65 cubic centimeter projector is that it requires no lenses, but is in focus and appears normal on any surface, even those that are rough or radically curved.

For range-finding 3-D lidar, the smallness and cheapness of the unit allows eight to be deploy economically around a vehicle to more accurate navigation and collision avoidance systems that are superior to radar-based Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in use today, according to Honkanen.

— R. Colin Johnson, Advanced Technology Editor, EE Times

The Fool Takes Notice

I've been waiting for a long time for the Motley Fool to notice Microvision. 

The Motley Fool is a place where some serious traders and investors go to learn about what is up and coming. Their investing record is very good.

So, a mention by them in any way is good. When they do a feature on Microvision, hang on tight.

Motley Fool

STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics manufactures a wide variety of chips for connected cars, wearables, and Internet of Things gadgets. It also makes motion sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) for smartphones and tablets. 

STMicro lost ground in motion sensors to its smaller rival InvenSense over the past few years, but it recently launched an ultra-low power 6-axis gyroscope and accelerometer combo device designed specifically for VR and AR devices. The device has already been certified for use with both the Project Tango and Daydream platforms.

As the AR and VR markets grow, rising demand for more motion sensors should enable STMicro to leverage its scale and offer its sensors at lower prices than InvenSense. STMicro is also heavily invested in the computer vision market -- it manufactures ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) leader Mobileye's EyeQ computer vision chips, and produces LIDAR technologies for autonomous driving, AR, and VR uses with Microvision.

A Single, tiny, innovative Mems Scanning Mirror

The STMicroelectronics relationship with Microvision is getting some attention. 

Thanks Dave!

EDN Network -- Much more at the source

A single, tiny, innovative MEMS scanning mirror technology: Moving to improve automotive safety with HUD and ADAS

Industry moves to acquire LIDAR technology for ADAS


This is a hot topic in the industry and big players are positioning themselves to get a big piece of the pie.

Infineon has acquired LIDAR expertise in October with the recent Innoluce takeover.

Analog Devices has also just announced, on November 17, the acquisition of LBS Technology from Vescent Photonics for the purpose of enabling mainstream adoption of automotive LIDAR systems.

I expect more companies to make similar announcements soon as this market heats up.

The unique MicroVision MEMS scanning mirror construction and operation

Photonics Media

Basically straight from the press release, but featured in a good source.


From PhotonicsMedia

MicroVision, STMicroelectronics to CollaboratePhotonics.com
Nov 2016

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 17, 2016 — Laser projection microdisplay developer MicroVision Inc. has signed a deal with STMicroelectronics, a Geneva, Switzerland-based electronics and semiconductor manufacturer, to collaborate on MEMS-based laser scanners.

The co-marketing agreement covers technology development and seeks to build on an existing arrangement pertaining to pico projectors and head-up display applications.

"ST and MicroVision anticipate targeting emerging markets and applications including virtual and augmented reality, 3D sensing and advanced driver assistance systems,” said MicroVision in a statement.

The companies plan on targeting a variety of applications including lidar sensors for autonomous vehicles.

STMicroelectronics Customers and Market Position

AppliedMaterials.com

ST already has the leading customers: Apple, Bosch, Cisco, Continental, HP, Samsung, Sony and Western Digital, among others. But the company also sells more and more to diversified markets and smaller customers, especially through its distribution channel.

The company has six front-end manufacturing sites serving two main product blocks: Sense & Power and Automotive (SP&A), located primarily in Italy (around Milan and Catania) and Singapore, and Embedded Processing Solutions (EPS), located mainly in and around Grenoble and Rousset. ST also manages its own back end and packaging, primarily at sites in China, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, the Philippines and Singapore.

The main technologies ST will focus on are: MEMS and sensors; smart power; set-top box/home gateway and ASICs; microcontrollers; and automotive.

STMicroelectronics Supply Chain

From STMicroelectronics

What our customers expect

• The right product, at the right place, and at the right time 
• Continuous improvement in our processes to reduce our delivery cycle time 
• Flexibility in adapting to their customer supply-chain models 
• Efficient capacity planning to meet their demand 
• Early warning in case of supply-chain bottlenecks and full transparency while working to solve them

Our answer

• ST has implemented a series of supply-chain business models adapted to the large variety of customer expectations in terms of industry domains, geography (globalized and regional accounts) and channels (OEM, sub-contractors, distributors).

• ST business models rely on advanced planning systems and tools to manage customer demand, backlog scheduling and manufacturing capacity over a broad range of technologies and products.

• ST has the capability to handle the whole product realization in-house from conception to production keeping the full control of operations, offering strategic independence to its customers. ST has developed outsourcing partnerships to offer flexibility, to mitigate market variations or to respond to specific demands.

• The ST Supply Chain organization and the company Central Planning drive the planning performance of the company to fulfill customer supply-chain requirements while optimizing asset utilization.

• ST supply chain and customer service teams are located in our sales offices in order to closely manage customer demand and to interact directly with the customer.

Remember this article?

This was posted earlier this year.

It looks a bit more interesting now, doesn't it?

Patently Apple

Apple's Secret Camera Team in France is Stepping Up their Research in Partnership with STMicroelectronics

According to European sources (one and two) Apple has been working on a secret camera related project in Minatec, a research center in Grenoble, France with a small team of about 20 engineers. They'll be moving to a new clean room to continue their work for Apple. Apple signed a new lease with Grenoble Alpes-Metropole. The research will be done in partnership with STMicroelectronics. The work will reportedly center on image sensors for future iOS devices. With Apple taking a leap forward with their new dual lens camera for the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple wants to reportedly advance that technology. 

As an interesting side note, STMicroelectronics also produces a pico projector, something that Apple patents have pointed to on several occasions.

STM Partnership announced

Let the epic short squeeze begin.  There are as of this morning about 4.8 Million shares short -- and this is the signal they must be covered -- they have no choice. With the price up $0.13 on volume of 200,000 this is going to be interesting.

 

REDMOND, Wash. & GENEVA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS), a leader in innovative ultra-miniature projection display and sensing technology, and STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronic applications, today announced that they plan to work together to develop, sell, and market Laser Beam Scanning (LBS) technology.

“Combining ST’s expertise in the development and manufacture of key components for LBS scanning engines with MicroVision’s proprietary system, engine, and applications knowledge, and intellectual property can be highly advantageous for marketing LBS solutions to a wide array of companies for numerous applications.”

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The companies anticipate cooperating closely on market development efforts that will include joint sales and marketing activities for LBS solutions. In addition to the pico projection and heads-up display (HUD) markets that both companies are currently addressing with their LBS solutions, ST and MicroVision anticipate targeting emerging markets and applications including virtual and augmented reality (VR, AR), 3D sensing and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

In addition, MicroVision and ST anticipate exploring options to collaborate on future technology development including a joint LBS product roadmap. This cooperation would combine the process design and manufacturing expertise of ST with the LBS systems and solutions expertise of MicroVision.

“Working with MicroVision, our goal is to build on our matched skills, shared vision, and commitment to grow LBS-enabled markets to open up many opportunities for both companies,” said Benedetto Vigna, Executive Vice President of the Analog and MEMS Group of ST. “This relationship will position ST to pursue all of the growth opportunities for LBS and the complementary power, sensing, and control components.”

“Teaming up with ST, a world leader in its field, is important for MicroVision both for ST’s expertise in semiconductor technology and its global customer reach,” said Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision. “Combining ST’s expertise in the development and manufacture of key components for LBS scanning engines with MicroVision’s proprietary system, engine, and applications knowledge, and intellectual property can be highly advantageous for marketing LBS solutions to a wide array of companies for numerous applications.”

The companies have an existing working relationship on production of MicroVision components. ST manufactures MicroVision’s current-generation MEMS die based on MicroVision’s design. ST also manufactures one of the ASICs sold by MicroVision.

At EEFocus
Electronics 360