Good morning, a new day has begun. What interesting developments have occurred in the tech industry over the past 24 hours? Let’s take a look with 21tech.
【Barometer of Industry Giants】
1. Musk: X Platform Sets New Record for Longest Usage Time in the United States.Musk stated that the usage of social platform X in the United States hit a record high. The total time users spent on this social media platform reached 76 billion seconds, a 5% increase from the previous record.
2. Huawei's Advanced Intelligent Driving Package Price Reduced by 6,000 Yuan.Huawei announced on June 30 that the HUAWEI ADS (Qiankun Intelligent Driving) premium feature package is available at a limited-time discounted price. The one-time purchase price for the ADS premium feature package has been adjusted from the standard price of RMB 36,000 to RMB 30,000, representing a reduction of RMB 6,000. This offer is valid from July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. The subscription prices for the premium intelligent driving package (monthly and annual plans) remain unchanged, with the monthly subscription still priced at RMB 720 per month and the annual subscription at RMB 7,200 per year.
3. Microsoft and OpenAI’s $13 billion deal faces additional EU scrutiny.Microsoft’s $13 billion investment in OpenAI to face further scrutiny from EU antitrust regulators, who are preparing to investigate complaints from rivals regarding OpenAI’s exclusive use of Microsoft’s cloud technology. The regulators will intensify inquiries with Microsoft’s competitors and customers to examine the exclusivity clauses in the agreement between Microsoft and OpenAI, and assess whether these provisions may adversely affect competition.
4. Meta: Facebook May Block News Content in AustraliaMeta stated that it would consider blocking all news content on Facebook if the Australian government forced Facebook to pay licensing fees to media outlets for displaying links, a move consistent with its decision to implement similar measures in Canada.
5. Alibaba Cloud Announces Shutdown of Data Center Services in Australia and India Regions.Alibaba Cloud announced on its official website that, following a careful evaluation and review of its global infrastructure investment strategy, it has decided to shut down data center services in Australia and India, while increasing investments in data centers in Southeast Asia, Mexico, and other regions.
6. Amazon Kindle China services officially discontinued.According to the official Amazon China website, starting June 30, 2024, the Kindle China eBook Store will discontinue its cloud download service; thereafter, any eBooks not previously downloaded will no longer be available for download or reading. Meanwhile, Kindle customer service will also cease support. The Kindle China eBook Store had already ceased operations on June 30, 2023.
7. Huawei Ark No. 1 Spatial Intelligence Open Laboratory Officially Unveiled.At the 21st China International Housing Expo, the “Key Laboratory for Whole-Home Solutions under the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development,” spearheaded by Huawei in its application, was approved, and the Huawei Ark No. 1 Spatial Intelligence Open Lab was officially unveiled. According to reports, the Huawei Ark No. 1 Spatial Intelligence Open Lab is the first large-scale open laboratory dedicated to spatial intelligence in China. Co-established by the government, Huawei, and enterprise partners, the lab aggregates ecosystem partners across the industrial chain to drive the development and upgrading of the whole-home smart industry, covering areas from standards research, industrial policy, scenario innovation, solution incubation, and business models to commercial implementation. (Cailianshe)
8. Elon Musk’s Brain-Computer Interface Company Neuralink Postpones Surgery for Second Patient.Michael Lawton, CEO of the Barrow Neurological Institute in the United States, stated that Neuralink, the brain-computer interface company founded by Elon Musk, had scheduled the implantation of its device into a second subject for last week, but the surgery was halted due to the patient’s health condition. Lawton indicated that the subject had health issues, making them unsuitable for participation in the current study of Neuralink’s experimental device. A substitute candidate may undergo the surgery at Barrow Hospital next month. (Jiemian)
9. Waymo Opens Driverless Taxi Service to All San Francisco Users.Waymo, the self-driving car company under Google, announced that its driverless taxi service is now open to all users in San Francisco. Previously, the service was available only to a limited group of specific passengers. The company stated that approximately 300,000 people have signed up for Waymo’s service since it first opened the waitlist in the city, indicating strong demand. With the service now fully accessible, anyone can request a ride through its app. Waymo previously opened its service to all users in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2020. (Sci-Tech Innovation Board Daily)
10. Oriental Selection Denies “Requesting and Collecting Slotting Fees and Promotion Fees”Oriental Selection Issued a Statement on June 29, Stating That Over the Past Year or So, It Has Conducted Local Special Live Streaming Events in More Than 20 Provinces, Autonomous Regions, and Municipalities Directly Under the Central Government to Promote Local Culture and Cuisine. "We Have Never Asked the Government for Publicity Fees, Nor Have We Charged Any Enterprises or Merchants So-Called Slot Fees. However, Recently, There Have Been Many Organized Rumors and Slanders Online Claiming That 'Oriental Selection Demands and Collects Slot Fees and Publicity Fees.' This Behavior Has Crossed Our Bottom Line. In Response, We Solemnly Declare: We Will Immediately Report to the Police Against Any Lawbreakers Who Attempt to Defame Us Through Malicious Attacks, Smears, and Fabricated Rumors, and We Will Use Legal Means to Firmly Safeguard the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Oriental Selection."
11. Space Pioneer Reports Crash of Tianlong-3 Rocket.SpaceBee’s WeChat Official Account Released a Statement: On June 30, 2024, at 3:43 PM, the Tianlong-3 liquid launch vehicle independently developed by SpaceBee conducted a hot-fire test of its first-stage nine-engine parallel propulsion system at the Gongyi Comprehensive Test Center in Henan Province. During the test, the first stage ignited normally, and the engine thrust reached 820 tons. Due to structural failure at the connection between the rocket body and the test stand, the first stage detached from the launch platform. After liftoff, the onboard computer actively shut down the engines, and the rocket crashed into deep mountains 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test site. The rocket disintegrated upon impact with the mountainous terrain. The test location was far from downtown Gongyi. Prior to the test, joint safety measures were improved in coordination with the local government, and nearby residents were evacuated in advance. Investigations confirmed no casualties. The Tianlong-3 is a large-scale liquid launch vehicle custom-built by SpaceBee for China's satellite internet constellation construction. Its performance benchmarks against SpaceX's Falcon 9, with a diameter of 3.8 meters, a liftoff mass of 590 tons, a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) payload capacity of 17 tons, and a Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) payload capacity of 14 tons.
12. Air taxi services are available at Shenzhen North Railway Station, with charter flights starting from 9,800 yuan.China’s First “Low-Altitude + Rail” Air-Rail Intermodal Project, Co-developed by Shenzhen Metro Group and Eastern General Aviation, Officially Launches at the East Plaza of Shenzhen North Railway Station Hub. It is reported that the “Shenzhen North On-Demand Flight” charter service starts at RMB 9,800, accommodates up to six passengers, and offers flights to all districts of Shenzhen as well as Zhongshan City. Passengers can board aircraft at the helipad located in the East Plaza of the Shenzhen North Railway Station Hub.
13. China’s first low-altitude airspace coordination and operation service platform was officially launched.China’s First Low-Altitude Airspace Coordination and Operation Service Platform Officially Launched in Zhuhai, Guangdong ProvinceAccording to reports, the platform will initially use Zhuhai’s High-Tech Industrial Development Zone as a pilot demonstration area, with subsequent gradual expansion to cover the entire city of Zhuhai. By integrating urban base map data, airspace planning data, and meteorological data, the platform will achieve the convergence of four networks in the low-altitude economy sector: the infrastructure network, the air-internet network, the air-route network, and the service network. It will also establish interconnectivity with the national management platform, providing market operational safety assurances for unmanned devices operating across sea, land, and air domains. The platform enables unified planning, approval, monitoring, and services for low-altitude flight activities, thereby constructing the digital management foundation for Zhuhai’s “City of the Sky.”
14. China's first large language model for the judicial adjudication domain was officially launched in Shenzhen.According to Shenzhen Release, on June 28, the AI-assisted adjudication system independently developed by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court went online. This marks a landmark demonstration of Shenzhen’s integrated applications in the fields of “AI+” and “Data Elements ×,” signifying the official launch of China’s first large language model specifically tailored for the judicial adjudication sector. Centered on “fairness and efficiency,” the assisted adjudication system comprehensively covers 85 processes across adjudication operations—including case filing, case file review, court hearings, and legal document preparation—thereby enabling end-to-end empowerment of the entire workflow.
15. MIIT: Smartphone output rose 12% year on year in January-May.Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) shows that from January to May, the value-added of the electronic information manufacturing industry above designated size increased by 13.8% year-on-year, a growth rate 7.6 and 5.1 percentage points higher than that of the industrial sector and high-tech manufacturing industry during the same period, respectively. In May, the value-added of the electronic information manufacturing industry above designated size increased by 14.5% year-on-year. From January to May, among major products, mobile phone production reached 620 million units, a year-on-year increase of 10.6%, including 460 million smartphones, up 12% year-on-year; microcomputer equipment production totaled 128 million units, up 1.9% year-on-year; integrated circuit production amounted to 170.3 billion units, a year-on-year increase of 32.7%.
[Core Insights]
1. TSMC’s two capital increase and factory construction projects in Japan and the United States have been approved by the Taiwanese authorities.Taiwanese Authorities’ Ministry of Economic Affairs Investment Commission Approves Two TSMC Capital Increase Cases: $5.26 Billion for Kumamoto Fab 2 in Japan and $5 Billion for Phase 2 Plant in ArizonaThe Investment Commission of the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Taiwanese authorities has approved two capital increase proposals by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), involving $5.26 billion for its second fabrication plant in Kumamoto, Japan, and $5 billion for the second phase of its facility in Arizona, USA. Reportedly, to address growing local customer demand and strengthen strategic relationships with clients, TSMC plans to inject $5.26 billion into its Japanese wafer manufacturing subsidiary to construct the Kumamoto Fab 2, which is expected to produce chips using 6/7nm, 12/16nm, and 40nm process technologies. Additionally, the company intends to invest $5 billion in its subsidiary, TSMC Arizona, to build the second phase of its Arizona facility, anticipated to manufacture products using 2nm and 3nm process technologies.
2. SK Hynix Plans to Invest 103 Trillion Korean Won by 2028 in AI and Chip SectorsSK Group, the parent company of South Korea’s SK Hynix, announced that SK Hynix will invest 103 trillion won ($74.6 billion) by 2028 to strengthen its chip business with a focus on artificial intelligence. SK Group also stated that it plans to secure 80 trillion won by 2026 for investments in the AI and semiconductor sectors, as well as for shareholder returns, while streamlining its portfolio of more than 175 subsidiaries.
3. Zengxin Technology’s 12-inch Wafer Fabrication Production Line Commences Operations.On June 28, the inauguration ceremony for the commencement of production at Zengxin Technology’s 12-inch wafer fabrication line was held in Zengcheng District, Guangzhou. Zhang Liang, General Manager of Zengxin Technology, stated that this inauguration marks the establishment of the manufacturing system, enabling seamless operation of the entire production process. Moving forward, the company will accelerate product delivery by improving yield rates and ramping up production capacity. The first phase of the project involves an investment of RMB 7 billion, with a planned monthly capacity of 20,000 wafers. The mass-produced chips are primarily intended for applications in new energy vehicles, high-end equipment, artificial intelligence, and the industrial internet. Product deliveries to customers are expected to begin by the end of this year.
[Capital Flows of Listed Companies]
1. Nokia Acquires Optical Chip Company InfineraRecently, Finnish telecom giant Nokia has agreed to acquire optical networking equipment supplier Infinera in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $2.3 billion. Nokia believes that the merger with Infinera is expected to accelerate its optical networks business toward achieving double-digit operating margins. The company aims to realize €200 million in comparable net operating profit synergies by 2027. Meanwhile, this transaction, along with the recently announced sale of its submarine networks business, will reshape Nokia’s Network Infrastructure group, building upon three core pillars: fixed networks, IP networks, and optical networks.
2. Chuan Kai Xia is set to file its IPO application, with a potential listing as early as late October.Reports indicate that, with backing from Bain Capital, Japanese memory chip manufacturer Kioxia plans to submit an initial application for listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange within the coming days, followed by a formal application in August. The company is expected to go public by late October, although the listing could be delayed until December. Insiders revealed that MUFG Morgan Stanley Securities (MUMSS) and Nomura Securities are serving as advisors for the IPO. In response to these rumors, Kioxia stated that it has no updates regarding its initial public offering (IPO) plans and declined to comment.
3. Rainbow Display’s wholly-owned subsidiary plans to increase capital and expand its shareholding to introduce RMB 650 million in investment.On June 28, Rainbow Display Holdings announced that, to accelerate the construction of its G8.5+ substrate glass production line at the Xianyang base and expand the scale of its high-generation substrate glass industry, its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hongyang Display, intends to introduce Xianyang Jincai as an investor through a non-public agreement for capital increase and share expansion. Xianyang Jincai will inject RMB 650 million into Hongyang Display, of which RMB 599 million will be recorded as registered capital of Hongyang Display, and the remaining amount will be credited to Hongyang Display’s capital reserve.