ArabWeeks

Huawei was ranked as the world’s eighth-largest company in terms of research and development spending in 2016, according to EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard, an annual ranking of the world’s top 2,500 R&D investors. The global technology manufacturer’s significant investment in research and development has led to major breakthroughs in the industry including the first long-lifespan graphene-assisted Li-ion battery able to withstand high temperatures.

According to the rankings compiled by European Commission’s Economics of Industrial Research and Innovation, R&D spending by Chinese companies increased 24.7% from previous year, boosting its share of the global total from 5.9% to 7.2%. Furthermore, the scoreboard shows that the largest groups of companies in the world top 2,500 companies are drawn from the ICT, health care and automotive industries.

Huawei’s investment into the Huawei Central Research Institute has led to developments in a number of technological advancements including their latest breakthrough – Li-ion batteries. The Watt Laboratory, an organization under Huawei’s Central Research Institute Huawei announced at the 57th Battery Symposium held in Japan that Huawei plans to unveil Li-ion batteries featuring new graphene-assisted heat-resistant technologies. These technologies allow Li-ion batteries to remain functional in a 60°C environment, a temperature 10°C higher than the existing upper limit. The lifespan of the graphene-assisted Li-ion batteries will also be twice as long as ordinary Li-ion batteries, allowing for an unprecedented long battery life.

Dr. Yangxing Li, Chief Scientist at Watt Laboratory said, “We have performed charging and discharging tests in a high-temperature environment. The tests show that when working parameters are the same, the graphene-assisted high-temperature Li-ion battery is 5°C cooler than ordinary Li-ion batteries. Over 70% of the graphene-assisted battery’s capacity is left after it is recharged 2,000 times at a temperature of 60°C. Less than 13% of its capacity is lost after being kept in a 60°C environment for 200 days.”

Huawei’s research results will reshape the storage systems of communications base stations. In high-temperature regions and countries like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, outdoor base stations powered by the graphene-assisted high-temperature Li-ion batteries can have working lifespans longer than four years. These batteries ensure a high mileage for electric vehicles per charge in high temperatures. They can also guarantee the safe operation of drones, which often generate a significant amount of heat.

Huawei’s Watt Laboratory also revealed its quick charging technology, which recharges 48% of a 3000mAh battery in just 5 minutes. This technology turned many heads. According to Dr. Li, Huawei has commercialized the developed quick charging batteries and will announce a super-quick charging mobile phone in late December.

The URL of Huawei’s graphene-assisted high-temperature Li-ion battery demo video: https://youtu.be/OceA8Wye71M

Smartphone cameras could be poised to transform a number of industries, as ‘selfies’ transition from frivolous fad to technological phenomenon, according to a new report from Sony Mobile. The report and accompanying research, released in conjunction with Futurizon and based on a survey of 6,500 European consumers in the UK, France, Germany and Spain, found that consumers are open to the ‘vast number of potential applications’ for camera photography.

Working with futurologist Dr Ian Pearson, Sony Mobile explored a number of sectors likely to incorporate smartphone photography and selfies as a technological function in the future. The potential applications were wide-ranging, from theme parks building ‘selfie-coasters’ that let adrenaline-junkies capture their experience on the latest rides, to shoppers using it as a ‘virtual personal assistant’ to try on multiple outfits at the touch of a button. Once these applications were identified, more than 6,500 consumers provided their thoughts on the evolution of selfies as a social trend, and the appetite for these more functional uses of smartphone photography.

“The project has given us a real sense of how selfies and video calls have evolved, and why they could be set to transform so many different sectors”, said Jason Smith, Vice President, Middle East & Africa at Sony Mobile Communications.

“At Sony Mobile we face the dual task of designing smartphones that make consumers’ lives easier today, while keeping an eye on what the future holds and being part of driving innovation and change. We have always seen photography as being a key function at the heart of the smartphone and have already advanced front camera technology in our Xperia™ XZ for superior quality photos, so it’s incredibly exciting to find that consumers are ready to embrace selfies for such a wide range of future uses that enhance our everyday lives.”

The report identified the top 10 ways consumers believe selfies could evolve in the next five years:

Socialising: Taking a selfie with your companions to find out what they really think

1. Medical: Over a quarter of people would prefer to see their GP via a selfie or video call, in the first instance
2. Banking for the selfie generation: Nearly half of 25-34 year olds would feel more secure if accessing their bank through a ‘selfie password’
3. In leisure: Around half of thrill-seekers would like to try a ‘selfiecoaster’ – a rollercoaster that puts you in control of capturing your experience on the ride
4. In a gym / fitness: selfies that work with AI (Artificial Intelligence) to capture body monitoring e.g. testing heart rates and even suggesting how to improve on technique and how accurately a move is being performed
5. Made to measure clothes: taking a 3D body image for made-to-measure clothes
6. In retail: using your smartphone camera to try on different outfits suited to your body shape, at the touch of a button
7. Social currency: paying for entry to the cinema or a tourist attraction through a selfie
8. Robots: Using your smartphone to control drones or robots to take selfies from other or extreme locations
9. Home: Using selfies to secure and access our homes and cars

Dr Ian Pearson, Futurologist and creator of the Future of Selfies report, added: “Through this report, it has been fascinating to chart the evolution of selfies and smartphone photography with the team at Sony Mobile. But even more encouraging has been the response from consumers, who have shown they are open to the range of future uses for selfies and video calls.”

“The results clearly show that selfies are well on their way to transitioning from frivolous fad to technological phenomenon, and provide food for thought to a number of industries. The potential is huge, and it will be exciting to watch this unfold over the coming years.”

Introducing HTC U Ultra. Made for the brilliant you

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There’s more for U è

HTC U Play: For the playful you

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It reflects U

Beautiful with its sophisticated new liquid surface

It learns from U

            Evolving as your companion, getting to know you better over time

It listens to U

Unique in adapting sound to your personal hearing

It captures the best U

Vivid light, color and detail with UltraPixel cameras front and back

Reflects U

Shine on with the 5.2” smartphone designed to reflect the best you

A new, beautifully 3D contoured, liquid surface

Lustrous, symmetrical, curved glass construction¹ reflects light beautifully

Color from vapored minerals layered to add depth and brilliance from every angle

As the polished surface bends and blends seamlessly into the side of the phone

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It knows you – and it’s made to evolve and get to know you better over time.³

Listens to U

Every person’s inner ear is as unique as their fingerprint

HTC USonic⁴ analyzes your inner ears with a sonar-like pulse, and then adapts to you

Like having a sound engineer in your phone

Tiny microphones listen for the sonic reflection in your ears

One in the left ear, one in the right

Analyzing the reflected tone to optimize the headset just for you

Now you can hear the details you were missing.

Whether you’re in a library or at a party, you can adapt your headset to suit noise levels around you.

Captures U

Take brilliant selfies anyway you like

Easily switch between 16MP and UltraPixel^TM in the front camera⁵

So you can choose between unparalleled light sensitivity* of UltraPixel

Or the high resolution of 16MP for whatever meets your need

The 16MP main camera delivers less blur, faster focus, better photos at night

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HTC U Play

Perfectly symmetric

Exquisitely thin

Featuring HTC Sense Companion, HTC USonic adaptive audio, and 3D curved glass

Built to reflect the best U – the #BrilliantU

Available early February 2017