| Asia IT Trends for the Second Week of April 2019


Moxa Participates in OPC Initiative "Expanding OPC UA to Field Level"

Moxa announced on the 11th that it is participating in the OPC Foundation's FLC (Field Level Communication) initiative to develop Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) technology.

It also joined the FLC steering committee. Major industrial automation companies including ABB, Bosch Rexroth, B&R, Cisco, Hilscher, Huawei, Intel, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, and Siemens are participating in the committee.

The purpose of the OPC UA FLC initiative is to provide an open, unified standard-based communication solution for IIoT by extending OPC UA from field sensors to IT systems and the cloud. This enables interoperability between field-level devices such as sensors, actuators, and controllers and cloud resources regardless of vendor.

Andy Chang, President of Moxa's Strategic Business Division, said, "We are pleased to participate in the OPC Foundation's new initiative," and added, "We will collaborate with leading industry companies and customers for technology innovation, industry standards, concept validation, testbeds, and advanced technology adoption."


Faraday Mass-Produces RISC-V-Based AI SoC

Faraday Technology Corporation, a Taiwan-based ASIC design services and IP supplier, announced on the 9th that its RISC-V-based ASIC platform solution has begun mass production of next-generation edge AI and IoT SoCs.

Faraday's solution encompasses system-level design services including RISC-V core IP integration and SoC design verification, as well as a full-featured reference design kit consisting of RTOS and peripheral drivers.

Faraday has begun mass production of RISC-V-based AI SoCs through UMC's 55ULP process, which enhances battery-driven performance for IoT edge device SoCs.

Flash Lin, Chief Operating Officer of Faraday, stated, "Faraday looks forward to delivering greater benefits to customers and the market through next-generation innovation."


CES Asia 2019 Becomes Major Automotive Battleground

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced on the 8th that it is expanding the automotive exhibition space at CES Asia 2019 by twofold.

CES Asia 2019 will be held from June 11 to 13, 2019, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) in Shanghai, China.

At this record-scale event with participation from approximately 60 global automotive brands, participants will be able to experience concept cars and connected vehicles ranging from the latest autonomous vehicles to pure electric vehicles that make transportation safer and cleaner.

John Kelley, CES Asia Exhibition Director, explained the move by saying, "CES Asia has thrown down a special challenge to existing automotive events by targeting China, the world's largest automotive market."


Haier Showcases 5G-Enabled COSMOPlat Upgrade Version

Haier of China announced on the 8th that it unveiled an upgraded version of 'COSMOPlat' at the 'Hannover Messe 2019' held from the 1st to the 5th local time.

Developed independently by Haier in 2016, COSMOPlat digitally integrates entire processes and supply chains including interaction, R&D, and procurement, and provides better services to individual customers through this. The improvements this year include the combination of various advanced intelligent manufacturing technologies and 5G to support mass customization.

So far, COSMOPlat has established 12 pilot bases in 6 regions including eastern and northern China, and developed 15 sub-platforms for various industries. This model, which is also being implemented in 20 other countries, is transforming industries such as clothing, food, housing, travel, health, education, and others, enabling global users to enjoy enhanced lifestyle experiences through mass customization.


Huawei-Honor Announces Three Strategic Objectives

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, announced his company's new strategic objectives on his official Weibo account on the 6th.

First, Huawei will become the world's largest smartphone manufacturer. Second, Honor will become the second-largest smartphone manufacturer in China by scale and the fourth-largest globally. Third, while maintaining the dual-brand strategy of Huawei and Honor, the company will continue investments in technology innovation, channel distribution, and retail strategies. Both brands will maintain progressive thinking and contribute to creating an intelligent and fully connected world.

Huawei's consumer division recorded revenue growth of 48.4%, driving overall Huawei profitability. It is even generating higher revenues than Huawei's telecommunications business. Last year, Huawei's consumer division achieved revenues of 348.9 billion yuan. This represents a 45.1% increase year-over-year.

Despite global smartphone industry contraction, Honor has demonstrated growth and solidified its position. According to IDC, global smartphone market shipments in the first three quarters of 2018 decreased 3.1% year-over-year, while Honor recorded growth of 27.1%.