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Top 10 IoT Announcements at CES 2023

At the first full-fledged CES event after the pandemic, the excitement was palpable. The event did not disappoint in terms of the variety of announcements across the internet of things (IoT) spectrum. Our teams, both on-ground and online, tracked over 260 announcements made by over 240 companies covering a range of segments across consumer, enterprise and industrial.

Devices formed the most popular category, with three out of every five announcements relating to this segment. As expected, the consumer and smart home sectors took center stage, but it was intriguing to see new launches in industry segments such as agriculture. Additionally, smart home, metaverse, augmented reality, healthcare and robotics were among the most talked about segments, attracting large crowds.

Here are the top 10 IoT announcements from this year’s CES, according to Counterpoint analysts:

1. Wi-Fi: MediaTek launches Genio 700, Wi-Fi 7 products

MediaTek introduced the Genio 700 IoT chipset targeting industrial, smart home and smart retail applications. This chipset will be available by Q2 2023. MediaTek also showcased Wi-Fi 7-supported products like gateways, mesh routers, televisions, streaming devices, smartphones, tablets and laptops partnering with TP-Link, Lenovo, Hisense, ASUS, BUFFALO INC, Skyworks, AMD, Qorvo, LitePoint and MAC MLO among others.

MediaTek is slowly diversifying its offerings beyond smartphones. The availability of products with superior capabilities and increased partnerships will help MediaTek increase its footprint in the IoT market.

2. Smart Home: TP-Link expands Tapo smart home products

TP-Link unveiled new products under its Tapo line of smart home devices. These new additions include cameras, a doorbell camera, a smart video door lock, robot vacuums and a smart hub home connection center. Besides, the company also launched its first Matter-certified smart plugs, smart switches, smart outlet extenders and smart bulbs. The launch of these products at CES 2023 highlights TP-Link’s focus on expanding and diversifying its offerings in the smart home market.

The company’s adoption of the Matter protocol for its Tapo and Kasa lines of smart home products shows its commitment to making smart home technology more accessible and user-friendly.

In addition to the smart home products, TP-Link also showcased Wi-Fi 7-supported router and gateway solutions for use in homes, enterprises and ISPs. The integration of Wi-Fi 7 will improve the gaming experience, as well as increase productivity in enterprise applications.

3. Asset Tracking: Pod introduces paper-thin tracker with SODAQ, Lufthansa

Pod Group, in partnership with SODAQ and Lufthansa Industry, has developed a paper-thin smart label tracking device that utilizes low-power cellular connectivity (LTE-M) for a battery life of up to six months. This sustainable, eco-friendly device uses alkaline batteries instead of lithium and has the potential to revolutionize the tracking and logistics industry by improving supply chain efficiency and reducing operational costs.

Similar efforts by SODAQ with Vodafone and Bayer utilizing NB-IoT technology have been observed, but the use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) may be more beneficial as it targets a wider range of telecommunications operators.

4. Sensor: Bosch showcases sensor technology

Bosch Group subsidiary Bosch Sensortec presented a variety of new sensors at CES 2023. These offerings include an AI-enabled smart sensor system, magnetometer, barometric pressure sensor, and an air quality sensor. These sensors demonstrate advancements in power efficiency, accuracy and compact size, and aim to enhance the user experience by tracking personal health and fitness, providing accurate data and prolonging battery life.

Bosch has been a leading manufacturer of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensors since 1995 and has produced over 18 billion units to date. It is also investing in quantum sensors, which can provide measurements that are significantly more precise than current MEMS sensors and enable more accurate diagnosis of neurological diseases. Additionally, the company is developing angular rate sensors that use the nuclear magnetic resonance of noble gas atoms and are optically pumped. These could prove to be highly precise and stable for navigation applications. Bosch believes that sensors will play a key role in IoT and continues to make investments in this area.

5. Modules: Quectel enables satellite connectivity, strengthens automotive module portfolio

Quectel is partnering with Skylo to integrate satellite connectivity into its 5G-ready BG95x/BG77x series of LPWA modules. This hybrid connectivity solution improves network coverage and makes it ideal for a variety of applications, such as trackers, wearables, smart cities and smart meters. Low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites are going to be a key for the non-terrestrial networks (NTN) coming up in 3GPP Rel17/18 in addition to the high-altitude platform system (HAPS).

Quectel also launched the AG59X series of automotive-grade 5G modules based on Qualcomm’s SA525M platform to support autonomous driving. The company has strong partnerships with Chinese automakers such as Li Auto, Nio and BYD, and this module will further strengthen its efforts to increase share in the automotive connectivity market.

6. AR/VR: Thundercomm unveils XR2 VR HMD, 5100 AR glasses and smart vending machine

Thundercomm, a joint venture between Thundersoft and Qualcomm, unveiled a VR HMD solution based on the Snapdragon XR2 platform and AR glasses based on the Snapdragon W5 platform. These products will not only provide flagship experience but also offer low power consumption, higher resolution and more wear comfort. The AR/VR space is heating up with the increased participation from leading technology and smartphone players such as Meta, Apple, HTC and Google. However, an early entry can be beneficial for Thundercomm.

The newly launched smart vending machine will help increase operational efficiencies for retailers. Moreover, this solution will improve the shopping experience and further extend retailers’ reach. Thundercomm is expanding its product lines to capture maximum value from both the consumer and enterprise IoT markets.

7. Robotics & Drones: Autel Robotics showcases EVO Max 4T drone

Autel Robotics has unveiled a new drone, the EVO Max 4T, which is capable of a variety of applications such as autonomous navigation, semi-autonomous flight missions, firefighting, and inspections. It is equipped with three high-quality cameras, capable of capturing footage from a distance of 1.2 km. Autel has also released the Dragonfish NEST infrastructure, which supports automated eVTOL systems, and the EVO NEST infrastructure, which can operate in all weather conditions.

Drones and eVTOLs will see higher adoption in the future with better efficiency in power consumption, security improvements and better regulatory compliances. These innovations will help Autel increase its presence in the enterprise market and remain competitive with companies like DJI.

8. Industrial IoT: ZVISION partners NVIDIA to improve industrial sensing

ZVISION, a provider of solid-state MEMS LiDAR solutions, is working with NVIDIA to use its robotics simulation platform Isaac Sim to develop advanced robot sensing capabilities and provide high-performance LiDAR solutions.

In Industry 4.0, robotics and simulation will play a key role. Its partnership with NVIDIA will allow ZVISION to expand its applications beyond vehicles, while also reducing costs and speeding up time-to-market for companies undergoing digital transformation. ZVISION offers both short- and long-range LiDAR options that can be tailored to various applications.

9. Platform: Tuya pushes PaaS 2.0, Cube for digital transformation

Tuya officially launched PaaS 2.0 to develop personalized solutions to fulfill global customers’ demands for “product differentiation and independent control”. For private cloud customers, it also unveiled Cube, an enterprise-level IoT platform deployment solution.

PaaS 2.0 is a unique innovation that can assist customers in reducing R&D costs and increasing product competitiveness. Tuya is focusing on public and enterprise cloud applications which are dominated by big cloud players like Alibaba cloud and Tencent cloud.

10. Healthcare: OMRON launches blood pressure monitor with ECG

OMRON introduced a new upper-arm blood pressure monitor with built-in ECG capabilities. This device aims to facilitate the early detection of heart disease by combining blood pressure monitoring and ECG technology. Utilizing home-monitored data, healthcare professionals will be able to provide early treatment and detect Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) at an early stage.

The company also announced the expansion of its digital healthcare apps with new features, such as the Personal Heart Health Coach and the Care Team within the OMRON Connect app. These new features will utilize AI technology to analyze vital data and provide patients with personalized guidance and exercise advice. OMRON’s innovative solution, leveraging technologies like AI, ML and IoT, will help healthcare professionals to better understand patient data through analysis.

Conclusion

CES 2023 has provided ample food for thought for industry executives. Each of the announcements made at the event has significant implications for the direction of the industry. For example, the satellite-related announcements made by chipset and module players could help IoT companies focus on new use cases. Additionally, with Wi-Fi 7 becoming mainstream and Matter-certified home products being rolled out, we can expect to see a significant uptick in demand for smart home products. These developments and more continue to shape the future of IoT and solidify the role technology plays in our daily lives. With more innovation, the possibilities are endless and we are excited to see how the industry will continue to evolve.

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Top 10 CES 2023 Automotive Announcements

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas from January 5 to 8 this year, focused primarily on the automotive, IoT, smart home, healthcare, metaverse and XR, AI and computing segments. Counterpoint’s automotive team analyzed over 150 automotive-related announcements during CES to identify key trends. The main focus of the automotive industry at this year’s CES was on electric vehicles (EV), followed by autonomous vehicles, infotainment, connectivity, components and maps. There was a lot of excitement surrounding autonomous vehicles at the event, but EVs accounted for the biggest share of news flow.

Here are the top 10 automotive announcements from this year’s CES, according to Counterpoint analysts:

1. Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC to bring software-defined vehicles to reality

Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC, a disruptive solution for expanding its low-power, advanced computing capabilities into the automotive space as part of its Snapdragon Digital Chassis initiative. This solution is built on a heterogenous compute architecture that addresses multiple workloads and is pre-integrated with the Snapdragon Ride Vision Stack. This gives automakers the flexibility to use the Ride Vision Stack across all vehicle tiers without sacrificing performance. In addition, its cloud-native architecture enables a smooth workflow for software development and deployment. The Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC is expected to go into production by 2024. Qualcomm is striving to maintain its leadership position in the software-defined vehicle era and make the transition easier for automakers and tier-1 suppliers.

For a more detailed report on CES 2023’s automotive announcements, click here:

2. Sony Honda Mobility introduces Afeela EV brand

Sony Honda Mobility finally announced its JV brand Afeela, which will bring its first EV model to North America in 2026 followed by Japan and Europe. Afeela’s first production model was teased at CES 2023. Sony and Honda announced their JV back in March 2022. Afeela will introduce a series of EV models that will carry Sony’s expertise in IVI systems, ADAS components and in-cabin electronics, while Honda will contribute to the brand’s performance with its e-powertrain system as well as battery sourcing and charging capabilities. According to the announcement, Afeela aims to offer better vehicles at a relatively lower cost. These EVs are expected to be positioned above Honda’s own EVs, but whether Afeela will share the same slot with Honda’s premium Acura brand is yet to be determined.

3. BMW previews next-gen color-changing concept with ‘digital emotional experience’

BWM previewed its next-gen 3 series concept model based on the Neue Klasse platform. The new i Vision Dee concept (Dee stands for ‘digital emotional experience’) showcased a monolithic exterior styling that can be divided into 240 different segments. The whole exterior can support different design styles like stripes, patterns and animation, and can curate up to 32 different colors. Though detailed specifications have not been shared, i Vision Dee features a new OS and a new fully controllable HUD with windscreen projection. Traditional infotainment has been removed. The dashboard conceals various touch sensors which can be used to display content on the HUD. The model will be powered by BMW’s sixth-generation EV powertrain and is expected to enter production in 2025 as a BMW i3 successor.

4. Volkswagen showcases new ID.7 wrapped in electroluminescent camouflage

Volkswagen showcased its sixth all-electric ID model, the VW ID.7, wrapped in special QR code-inspired camouflage to hide the final styling. The camouflage was inspired by electroluminescent technology which lights up 22 different sectors of the car. Volkswagen disclosed some technical details before the model’s final reveal during the second quarter of 2023. Initially, the ID.7 will have a 77kWh battery pack and a claimed 700-km range. The interior will feature a 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an AR-based HUD and a smart HVAC system that can automatically modify the cabin temperature when the key fob is close. Volkswagen expects its new model will compete with Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 and Tesla’s Model 3.

5. LG, Magna form second JV for ‘executable’ autonomous driving, infotainment solutions

Two of the biggest tech companies LG and Magna have again joined hands to develop solutions for automated driving by leveraging their areas of expertise. LG and Magna already have a JV that manufactures e-powertrain and other hardware like inverters, motors and onboard chargers for EVs. The new JV will explore the ADAS and AV market to develop “executable” automated driving and infotainment solutions to enhance customer experience by addressing the toughest challenges. LG’s vehicle component arm has been eyeing new openings in the automotive market and believes the increased connectivity of cars of the future presents new opportunities.

6. Harman aims to make driving assistance more intuitive, safer

Harman is all set to deliver enhanced in-cabin safety and awareness through its AR-based HUD hardware and AR-based software products. Harman has been a trusted name for vehicle audio for decades but now as the automotive industry makes a transition towards software-based experiences, the company has developed its own technology that enhances the drivers’ experience by bridging the gap between physical and digital worlds in a non-intrusive manner through its AR-based HUDs. Harman’s Ready Vision uses ML-based 3D object detection and computer vision to deliver collision warnings, lane departure, low-speed zone notification, blind spot warnings and lane change assist with high precision without breaking the driver’s concentration. Harman claims Ready Vision works with precision even in the most unfamiliar driving scenarios, making driving safer.

7. BlackBerry has a busy CES with launches, partnerships

BlackBerry’s IVY software platform, developed in collaboration with Amazon, won its first design contract with PATEO for the all-electric VOYAH H97 model’s digital cockpit. BlackBerry also launched QNX Accelerate, which supports the QNX RTOS and QNX OS for safety in the AWS marketplace. Leading tier-1 suppliers like Continental and Marelli are already testing it to create automotive metaverse environments for software-defined vehicles. BlackBerry is partnering with Elektrobit to develop automotive safety solutions using the Rust programming language. It has also formed partnerships with Texas Instruments for embedded software development and with Garmin for improving the in-car experience. These partnerships show that BlackBerry is attempting to regain market presence through its infotainment, security and OS products.

8. Innoviz launches new LiDAR, forms multiple partnerships

Innoviz, a leading player in solid-state LiDAR sensors and perception software, unveiled the Innoviz360, a cost-effective and high-performance LiDAR that will support a range of non-automotive applications such as smart cities, logistics, maritime, heavy machinery, and construction, in addition to Level 4-5 (L4 and L5) autonomy applications. Loxo, a zero-emission autonomous vehicle provider for last-mile delivery, has partnered with Innoviz to use the InnovisOne LiDAR. Deep-tech company EXways, which works in 3D LiDAR processing, has also partnered with Innoviz to leverage the technology for multiple applications.

Innoviz has previously formed partnerships with major automakers such as BMW and Volkswagen, as well as tier-1 supplier Magna. At CES, Innoviz also showcased the InnovizTwo LiDAR, which it claims offers a 30x performance improvement over the InnovizOne and a 70% cost reduction. With the growing adoption of autonomous vehicles, LiDAR technology is expected to be high in demand as major auto OEMs including Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, BMW, Stellantis, Volkswagen and Volvo plan to use it.

9. NVIDIA introduces in-car cloud gaming experience

NVIDIA is partnering with Hyundai Motor, BYD and Polestar to offer a cloud gaming experience through its NVIDIA GeForce NOW service for cars. GeForce users will be able to access over 1,000 paid and free games through this service. While video games are not new in cars, the addition of GeForce will provide a more PC-like gaming experience. This will also drive the trend of cellular connectivity in the passenger vehicle market, as cloud gaming will require embedded 4G or 5G connectivity.

10. Google launches HD maps, partners with Volvo, Polestar

Google announced that it would make HD maps available for Level 2+ autonomous vehicles. The Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3 will use Google’s HD maps service in addition to Google’s Android Auto solution. While Google is gaining some traction in the automotive sector through its Android Auto offerings, it will face strong competition from existing players like HERE and TomTom whose offerings in HD maps and other related services are helping them maintain leadership in the location platform market. To compete with these leading players and local players like Amap, Navinfo, Naver, MapmyIndia and Zenrin, Google is seeking to enhance the user experience in this segment.

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LiDAR Now High on Automotive Industry Radar

LiDAR shipments are expected to cross 100 million units by 2030 driven by the automotive industry. The increase in demand for LiDAR will match the increase in demand for ADAS and automated driving in passenger cars and robotaxis. As the number of LiDAR sensors per car increases, reaching a likely maximum of eight units to enable fully autonomous driving, the LiDAR market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 65.9% to reach $15 billion by 2030.

Level 3 and above automated driving will require a fusion of LiDAR, radar and camera sensors. While a few companies, like Tesla and Wayve, will look to make autonomous driving successful without LiDAR, most car manufacturers, like Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, BMW, Stellantis, Volkswagen and Volvo, have already announced their intention to include LiDAR in their sensor suites for ADAS/AD in upcoming car models.

The biggest threat to LiDAR comes from alternative technologies such as cameras and machine vision. A small number of companies believe that vision-based systems are sufficient to support autonomous driving. This can hamper the growth of LiDAR as the cost of switching to cheaper vision-based solutions is relatively low.

Automotive LiDAR market

The current LiDAR market is crowded as more than 70-80 companies are operating globally, targeting different industries and regions. From 2020 onwards, a total of nine companies – Velodyne, Luminar, Aeva, Ouster, Innoviz, Aeye, Indie Semiconductor, Quanergy and Cepton – have announced listing of stocks through SPAC mergers.

Valeo’s Scala is the world’s first mass-produced LiDAR for cars. In 2021, Mercedes-Benz and Honda introduced Level 3 models S-Class and Legend respectively. Both are equipped with Scala LiDAR. Since 2017, Valeo has shipped more than 170,000 LiDAR units.

According to a Counterpoint study, the value of the automotive LiDAR market reached around $100 million in 2021 as car companies including Toyota, Honda and Chinese companies like Xpeng launched models equipped with LiDAR. Many car OEMs have signed deals with LiDAR suppliers for their upcoming models. Chinese automakers are at the forefront in entering such partnerships.

Future of automotive LiDAR market

According to Counterpoint’s Global Autonomous Passenger Vehicle Forecast, by 2025, 10% of the new cars sold globally will have Level 3 driving capabilities. Developed markets like the US and Europe will have a higher percentage of Level 3 cars and will first see the entry of Level 4 cars (subject to regulatory approval). This suggests LiDAR has a considerable growth opportunity as Level 3 and above cars will reach the mass market in unison by 2030. According to Counterpoint’s Automotive LiDAR Market Trends and Implications, 2022 study, the LiDAR market is expected to grow from $0.1 billion in 2021 to over $15 billion and over 100 million units shipped in 2030.

Conclusion

After the first use of LiDAR in the automotive segment, it took more than five years for LiDAR to make it to a production vehicle and it still has not been successful at achieving broad market penetration. But it is early days and the scope for LiDAR is considerable. We believe that despite the slow initial diffusion, LiDAR adoption will gather pace.

For more insights and analyses on the Automotive LiDAR Market, please refer to Automotive LiDAR Market Trend and Implications, 2022, which captures the current and future LiDAR trends, LiDAR cost, and threats to LiDAR in the automotive industry.

Three Improvements Apple Made for Cameras of its iPhone 12 Pros

On October 13, Apple released its iPhone 12 series, including the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Much of the news talked about the overall specifications, but we would like to focus on three improvements that Apple made for its iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max cameras.

LiDAR Added to Camera Layout

Similar to last year’s iPhone 11 Pros, the iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max have a triple camera set-up on the rear which forms a triangle just as we had expected. This layout minimizes the distance of optical axes of the three lenses and thus can deliver a smooth transition when the focal point shifts from one camera to another camera, while vertical or horizontal arrangements can’t make this happen. Plus, all three cameras are 12MP, which can help maintain consistent image quality and fix chromatic aberration issues.

Exhibit 1: iPhone 12 Pros’ Camera Layout

In addition, a new LiDAR (also known as ToF) sensor is included in the iPhone 12 Pros to provide enhanced AR. The LiDAR sensor senses the environment by shooting out laser beams and then calculating the time they take to return. Therefore, it allows 3D depth information to be extracted from a scene in real time. LiDAR-enabled 3D vision allows new AR applications to be explored, and existing ones to work better. Moreover, it can also be used to enhance autofocus in low-light scenes.

Deep Fusion on All Four Cameras

Deep Fusion is an advanced image processing system that can capture images with dramatically better texture, detail, and reduced noise in lower light. So far, this technology was only available on the wide and telephoto lenses of the iPhone 11 Pros. But now with the support of the powerful A14 Bionic chip, Deep Fusion has been extended to the ultra-wide and selfie cameras of the iPhone 12 Pros. Users now can expect more true-to-life images, especially in low-light scenes.

Exhibit 2: Deep Fusion Comes to Ultra-wide Camera

Upgrade to 7P Lens From 6P Lens

The iPhone 12 Pros feature a new 7P lens for the wide camera, a significant improvement compared to the iPhone 11 Pros’ 6P lens. The 7P design allows for a larger aperture, making it possible for iPhone 12 Pros’ wide camera to offer a f/1.6 aperture, an improvement from the f/1.8 aperture of the iPhone 11 Pros. It increases the lens’ light-gathering ability by 27%, enabling faster shutter speeds or less grainy ISO settings in low light. Often, compromises are made in terms of sharpness and performance when designing lenses with larger apertures, but the new 7P structure maintains sharp detail in a photo from edge to edge.

Conclusion

These three improvements Apple made for its iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max cameras would not have happened without the support of its powerful A14 chip and AI capabilities. Now, the iPhone 12 Pro models can bring us an even better and smoother shooting experience.

Authors:

Alicia Gong

Brady Wang

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Insights Tag: LiDAR

Top 10 IoT Announcements at CES 2023

Top 10 CES 2023 Automotive Announcements

For a more detailed report on CES 2023’s automotive announcements, click here:

2. Sony Honda Mobility introduces Afeela EV brand

3. BMW previews next-gen color-changing concept with ‘digital emotional experience’

4. Volkswagen showcases new ID.7 wrapped in electroluminescent camouflage

5. LG, Magna form second JV for ‘executable’ autonomous driving, infotainment solutions

6. Harman aims to make driving assistance more intuitive, safer

7. BlackBerry has a busy CES with launches, partnerships

8. Innoviz launches new LiDAR, forms multiple partnerships

9. NVIDIA introduces in-car cloud gaming experience

10. Google launches HD maps, partners with Volvo, Polestar

LiDAR Now High on Automotive Industry Radar

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Three Improvements Apple Made for Cameras of its iPhone 12 Pros

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For a more detailed report on CES 2023’s automotive announcements, click here:

2. Sony Honda Mobility introduces Afeela EV brand

3. BMW previews next-gen color-changing concept with ‘digital emotional experience’

4. Volkswagen showcases new ID.7 wrapped in electroluminescent camouflage

5. LG, Magna form second JV for ‘executable’ autonomous driving, infotainment solutions

6. Harman aims to make driving assistance more intuitive, safer

7. BlackBerry has a busy CES with launches, partnerships

8. Innoviz launches new LiDAR, forms multiple partnerships

9. NVIDIA introduces in-car cloud gaming experience

10. Google launches HD maps, partners with Volvo, Polestar

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