Here is collection of some predictions for year 2023. This is a collection of links to prediction articles followed by a short quote or quotes of what I see the main points in them.
Ennuste vuodelle 2023: Ongelmat helpottavat
“After a couple of exceptional years, the electronics market, challenged by the pandemic and pent-up demand, has signs of a calmer ride on the horizon. Mouser’s Mark Burr-Lonnon predicts slower, but more predictable growth”
“According to World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, the global semiconductor market will grow by 13.9 percent in 2022 and continue to grow by 4.6 percent in 2023. While these statistics show that global demand for semiconductors is slowing, they still show steady growth in all key regions of the world as the electronics industry begins to settle into a more manageable state of equilibrium.”
AMD, Intel, and Nvidia Reportedly Slash Orders with TSMC
“Large customers revise orders to TSMC due to the economy slowdown.”
“According to the report, virtually all TSMC clients will experience a downturn and have to cut orders, so TSMC’s utilization will decline significantly in Q1 2023. For example, the utilization rate of TSMC’s N7-capable lines (7nm, 6nm-class technologies) will decline to around 50% in early 2023. Furthermore, even TSMC’s N5/N4-capable lines will be underutilized”
Tech That Will Change Your Life in 2023
“Big layoffs at Meta, Amazon, Snap and others? A global crypto fraud set in the Bahamas? Elon Musk buying and running Twitter? Look, not even Nostradamus could have seen all that coming.”
“The Metaverse, Now More Than Just Meta. For the last two years, we’ve said this is the year for virtual and augmented reality. But in 2023 we’re confident: headsets that give you a choice of VR (where you’re in a virtual world) and AR (where the virtual is overlaid in your real world) are coming. And they won’t just be from Meta, current holder of 90% of the VR market, according to research firm IDC.”
“Tech companies and their investors are grappling with the industry’s biggest downturn since at least 2008. The result is layoffs and hiring freezes at companies large and small. The PC and chip industries in particular have been clobbered by the biggest drop in sales in more than two decades. And while many survivors of past tech downturns preach that cuts should be deep, fast and early, it appears that the pain for tech workers will continue into 2023.”
“Account moochers, beware: The Netflix password crackdown is coming in early 2023. Netflix is the first streamer with an enforcement policy.”
“China and the U.S. are so interdependent—for manufacturing of smartphones and other electronics, for EV batteries and solar panels, for raw materials and intellectual property—it seems impossible they could go their separate ways with their own parallel supply chains and production bases. Yet it’s happening.”
“Artificial Intelligence Finds Real Use”
“Smart Home Gets Easier-ish”
“European Union legislation is changing Apple’s smartphones.”
Digipelaaminen ja e-pelimediat entistä suositumpia – kännykkäpelaaminen ei kasva enää
“Digital gaming and the consumption of game-related media content is increasingly popular, according to the Gamer Barometer 2022 study conducted at the University of Tampere. An increasing proportion of Finns play digital games at least occasionally, but the number of active mobile players is no longer growing at the previous pace.
Active mobile gaming has for the first time in the history of Gamer Barometers turned into a slight decrease, but still 59 percent of Finns still occasionally play mobile games.”
Xiaomin uusin sisältää tekniikkaa, jota ei ole vielä edes standardoitu
“Wi-Fi 7 support is of course interesting, when the IEEE standard is apparently not being completed until around 2024. Next year, however, a number of Wi-Fi 7-compatible smartphones will be introduced to the market. Xiaomi’s 13 Pro will probably be the first of them. Its arrival in Finland and prices will be revealed later.”
The tech IPO market collapsed in 2022, and next year doesn’t look much better
3 views: Predicting 2023’s key startup themes
“Anna Heim: The rise of API-first startups will continue in 2023
I am convinced that API-first will be a major trend in 2023, with this approach being both more widespread than it was previously, as well as more successful than less API-heavy options.
That APIs are on the rise isn’t exactly new — but API-first startups are a subgroup in this world, and one that is enjoying tailwinds.”
“The software company Tiobe measures the popularity of programming languages with its famous index, which measures search engine searches. Changes on the list happen slowly, but in December something happened right at the top of the list. C++ became the third most popular language over Java.”
“It’s not a trivial change, as C++ overtook Java for the first time in history. The top of the list is unchanged. Python and C are clearly in a class of their own.”
Sanna Marin: EU:n pitää katkaista teknologinen riippuvuus Kiinasta
“In an interview with Slush CEO Eerika Savolainen, Marin demanded that Europe break its technological dependence on China.
- We cannot depend on China. Economic relations should not be severed, but we cannot be in a position where an authoritarian country operating with a different logic is able to blackmail us, Marin said.
- I am afraid that we will make the same mistake with technology and digitality as with energy. We thought that a close economic relationship would prevent war, but we were wrong.”
Kyberturvan ammattilaisista on huutava pula
“There is an acute shortage of cyber security professionals. There is an estimated global shortage of three million professionals.”
Innovators 2023
These are some of the innovators and leaders in the electronics technology space.
Ennuste vuodelle 2023: Ongelmat helpottavat
“the demand for smarter and more networked products and systems has also spread to business-to-business sectors, where digitization and the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution have begun to take over the sector. For example, in manufacturing, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), characterized by interconnected sensors, communication/data transfer, and advanced data analytics, has transformed the efficiency of production processes in the factory. The IIoT depends on highly advanced integrated circuits that provide intelligence for sensing, measurement and monitoring, power management, control and communication.”
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Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD to Make Hybrid CPUs, Also Using AI for Chip Design: CTO Papermaster at ITF World
By Paul Alcorn published 11 days ago
More cores, with a new twist.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-to-make-hybrid-cpus-using-ai-for-chip-design-cto-papermaster-at-itf-world
Tomi Engdahl says:
The era of 100GB games is upon us, and the average PC gamer is underprepared
By Morgan Park published 16 days ago
Game file sizes are on the rise with no sign of stopping.
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-era-of-100gb-games-is-upon-us-and-the-average-pc-gamer-is-underprepared/
Tomi Engdahlnb says:
Microsoft antaa reippaan alennuksen: Office eliniäksi alle 30 eurolla
Jani Ahosola16.5.202318:02TOIMISTO-OHJELMATWINDOWS
Normaalisti 300 euron arvoinen lisenssi on saatavilla 86 prosentin alennuksella. Lisenssi on rajattu yhdelle tietokoneelle, eikä lisenssiä voi siirtää
https://www.tekniikkatalous.fi/uutiset/microsoft-antaa-reippaan-alennuksen-office-eliniaksi-alle-30-eurolla/a505e84a-3b35-4fb8-882f-afd29880ac67
https://stacksocial.com/sales/microsoft-office-professional-plus-2021-for-window?aid=a-jlklv1a4&utm_source=cnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=microsoft-office-professional-plus-2021-for-window_051123&utm_term=scsf-571301&utm_content=a0x1P000004Ib6VQAS&scsonar=1
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/11/lost-sega-vr-game-unearthed-made-playable-on-modern-vr-headsets/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chinese Chipmaker Launches Powerstar x86 CPUs, Performance Several Times Higher Than Other Domestic Chips
https://wccftech.com/chinese-chipmaker-launches-powerstar-x86-cpus-performance-several-times-higher-than-other-domestic-chips/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s One Line Of Linux Code For Speeding-Up Sapphire Rapids On Ubuntu
https://www.phoronix.com/review/intel-spr-one-line
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD CEO Says Moore’s Law is Not Dead: Working On 3nm Now, Looking Beyond 2nm & Will Continue Using Chiplets
https://wccftech.com/amd-ceo-says-moores-law-is-not-dead-working-on-3nm-now-looking-beyond-2nm-will-continue-using-chiplets/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/05/21/intel-suggests-dropping-everything-but-64-bit-from-x86-with-its-x86-s-proposal/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/05/20/how-far-can-an-eula-go/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bloomberg:
Nvidia announces AI products and updates, including the DGX GH200 supercomputer platform, gaming features, data center networking tools, and a robotics platform — In a two-hour presentation in Taiwan, Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang unveiled a new batch of products …
World’s Most Valuable Chipmaker Nvidia Unveils More AI Products After $184 Billion Rally
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-29/nvidia-nvda-unveils-more-ai-products-to-further-capitalize-on-frenzy#xj4y7vzkg
Company debuts new supercomputer and a networking system
Nvidia also aims to make video game characters more realistic
Tomi Engdahl says:
Joseph White / Reuters:
MediaTek partners with Nvidia to integrate Nvidia’s GPU chiplets and software into MediaTek SoCs supplied to automakers for infotainment systems — Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) and MediaTek Inc (2454.TW) on Monday said they will
Nvidia, MediaTek partner on connected car technology
https://www.reuters.com/technology/nvidia-mediatek-partner-connected-car-technology-2023-05-29/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gavin Bonshor / AnandTech:
Arm transitions to a comprehensive 64-bit platform with new mobile CPU core designs Cortex-X4, Cortex-A720, and Cortex-A520, built on its Armv9.2 architecture — Throughout the world, if there’s one universal constant in the smartphone and mobile device market, it’s Arm.
Arm Unveils 2023 Mobile CPU Core Designs: Cortex-X4, A720, and A520 – the Armv9.2 Family
by Gavin Bonshor on May 28, 2023 8:30 PM EST
https://www.anandtech.com/show/18871/arm-unveils-armv92-mobile-architecture-cortex-x4-a720-and-a520-64bit-exclusive
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nikkei Asia:
How Taiwan became a key part of the electronics supply chain, creating interdependence between Taiwan, China, and the US that has deepened even as tensions rise
How Taiwan became the indispensable economy
https://asia.nikkei.com/static/vdata/infographics/taiwan-economy/
Fearing a potential conflict in Asia, Western companies are looking to move production out of Taiwan. But severing ties with the self-ruled island will come at a high price for manufacturers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Abner Li / 9to5Google:
Sources: Google plans to launch the Pixel Watch 2 in fall 2023 with a Snapdragon W5 series chip and Fitbit Sense 2-like sensors, alongside the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro — We revealed at the start of May that Google is planning to announce the Pixel Watch 2 alongside the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro …
Sources: Pixel Watch 2 gets major battery life boost with switch to Snapdragon chip
https://9to5google.com/2023/05/30/pixel-watch-2-specs/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Rohan Goswami / CNBC:
Nvidia opens at a $1T market cap, joining Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon, after raising its Q2 revenue forecast due to AI demand; NVDA is up 180%+ YTD — – Nvidia hit a $1 trillion market cap at the start of trading Tuesday, before slipping to $990 billion by close of trading.
Nvidia crosses into $1 trillion market cap before giving back gains
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/30/nvidia-on-track-to-hit-1-trillion-market-cap-when-market-opens.html
Nvidia hit a $1 trillion market cap at the start of trading Tuesday, before slipping to $990 billion by close of trading.
The company needed to hold above $404.86 to open at the trillion-dollar valuation.
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Price bubble’ in A.I. stocks will wreck rally, economist David Rosenberg predicts
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/25/price-bubble-in-ai-stocks-will-wreck-rally-economist-david-rosenberg.html?recirc=taboolainternal
Investors piling into stocks with artificial intelligence exposure may pay a hefty price.
Economist David Rosenberg, a bear known for his contrarian views, believes enthusiasm surrounding AI has become a major distraction from recession risks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Amazon discontinues Alexa’s celebrity voices feature, offering Samuel L. Jackson’s, Shaquille O’Neal’s, and Melissa McCarthy’s voices, even for those who paid
Amazon is discontinuing Alexa’s celebrity voices, even if you paid for them
https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/30/23742109/amazon-alexa-celebrity-voices-discontinued
/ The voice of Samuel L. Jackson will stop working on Alexa devices next month, and Amazon will refund purchasers — if they contact customer service with a request.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple’s M3 obtains significantly higher single-core performance against Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4.
Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 Achieves 32 Percent Higher Multi-Core Performance Against Apple’s M3 In Latest Comparison Rumor
https://wccftech.com/snapdragon-8cx-gen-4-32-percent-higher-multi-core-score-than-m3/
Qualcomm is rumored to introduce its custom Oryon cores with the announcement of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4, and prior to its official unveiling, there have been a string of rumors discussing its rumored performance and how it fares against Apple’s M-series of SoCs. Looking at the latest numbers, the San Diego chipmaker’s upcoming flagship chipset convincingly beats the Apple M3 in multi-core performance, so let us talk about the latest figures in more detail.
Apple’s M3 obtains significantly higher single-core performance against Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4, assuming this new rumor checks out
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/06/01/watch-out-sic-diamond-power-semiconductors-are-coming-for-you/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arm esitteli tulevien puhelimien prosessorit – 32-bittiset sovellukset jäävät historiaan
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15022-arm-esitteli-tulevien-puhelimien-prosessorit-32-bittiset-sovellukset-jaeaevaet-historiaan
Arm valitsi Taiwanin Computex-näyttelyn paikaksi, jossa sen seuraavan polven älypuhelinprosessorit esiteltiin. Luvassa on lisää tehoa kaikkiin laiteluokkiin, kun suorittimissa siirrytään TCS23-alustalle. Samalla tuki 32-bittisille sovelluksille loppuu.
Total Compute Solutions on Arm:n nimitys alustalle, jolla eri suorittimia toteutetaan. Ensimmäiset suorittimet ovat tehoydin X4, keskihintaluokkaan suunnattu Cortex-A720 ja peruspuhelimien Cortex-A520.
Seuraavan polven Andrdoi-lippulaivapuhelimiin on tyrkyllä esimerkiksi kombinaatio X4 + 5 x A720 + 2 x A520. Tämä yhdistelmä lupaa Arm:n mukaan 27 prosenttia lisää suorituskykyä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Turvallista Linuxin verkon reunalle
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15024-turvallista-linuxin-verkon-reunalle
NXP Semiconductors on julkistanut uuden i.MX 91 -sovellusprosessorien perheen. Sarja tarjoaa optimoidun yhdistelmän suojausta, ominaisuuksia ja energiatehokasta suorituskykyä, joita tarvitaan seuraavan sukupolven Linux-pohjaisessa IoT:ssä ja teollisuuden sovelluksissa.
Kehittyvät protokollat kuten Matter tai sähköajoneuvojen laturien ISO 15118-20 -standardi, luovat tarvetta uusille tuoteluokille IoT:ssä ja teollisuudessa. Nämä uudet tuotteet perustuvat usein Linuxiin, joka tarjoaa laajennettavuuden ja ohjelmoinnin helppouden, jota kehittäjät tarvitsevat sovellusten kehittymiseen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The new Barbie movie used so much pink paint on set that it caused an international shortage, according to its production designer
https://www.businessinsider.com/barbie-set-used-so-much-pink-paint-caused-international-shortage-2023-6?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=insider-sf&utm_medium=social&r=US&IR=T
The new Barbie movie used so much pink paint on set that it caused an international shortage.
Production designer Sarah Greenwood told Architectural Digest the “world ran out of pink.”
“Barbiecore,” the pink-heavy aesthetic of the movie, has gone viral on social media in recent months.
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD to Make Hybrid CPUs, Also Using AI for Chip Design: CTO Papermaster at ITF World
By Paul Alcorn published 17 days ago
More cores, with a new twist.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-to-make-hybrid-cpus-using-ai-for-chip-design-cto-papermaster-at-itf-world
Tomi Engdahl says:
Neuralink wins approval for human study of brain implants
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/neuralink-wins-approval-for-human-study-of-brain-implants-596294?eid=1&edate=20230529
While it still faces other US probes.
Elon Musk’s Neuralink received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its first-in-human clinical trial, a critical milestone for the brain-implant startup as it faces US probes over its handling of animal experiments.
The FDA approval “represents an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people,” Neuralink said in a tweet, without disclosing details of the planned study.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Elon Musk’s Neuralink Brain Chip Gets FDA Approval For Human Trials
https://www.bolde.com/elon-musks-neuralink-brain-chip-gets-fda-approval-for-human-trials/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/06/03/adata-ssd-gets-liquid-cooling-but-not-everyones-convinced/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15039-missae-se-taivuteltava-viipyy-apple
Motorola esitteli eilen kaksi taivuteltavaa älypuhelinta razr 40 -malliston muodossa. Samalla se liittyi useimpien muiden valmistajien joukkoon, jotka houkuttelevat ostajia kasaan taittuvilla puhelimilla. Kun Googlekin on jo julkistanut omansa, vain yksi on joukosta poissa: Apple.
Yahoo on ennustanut, että taivuteltavia puhelimia myydään tänä vuonna 10,3 miljardilla dollarilla. Vuoteen 2033 mennessä markkina kasvaa sataan miljardiin eli 10-kertaiseksi. Viime vuonna joka viides taivuteltava puhelin myytiin Yhdysvalloissa.
Mitä Apple sitten odottaa?
Taivuteltavien ongelma on ollut hinta. Kun laitteet ovat maksaneet pitkälle toistatuhatta euroa, se karsii potentiaalista ostajakuntaa. Googlen Pixel Foldin lähtöhinta on 1799 dollaria. Tämä on useimmille aivan liian kova hinta. Toisaalta muidenkin valmistajien ensimmäisen polven laitteet ovat olleet erittäin kalliita.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2023/06/06/apple-luottaa-m2-suorittimiin-vision-pro-ja-mac-pro/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Elfa Distrelec täyttää 50 vuotta
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15057-elfa-distrelec-taeyttaeae-50-vuotta
Top 10 Best-Selling Products from Distrelec
https://knowhow.distrelec.com/automation/top-10-best-selling-products-from-distrelec/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=50thbirthday&utm_term=june23&utm_content=top10sellers
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/robotics/video/21266433/electronic-design-tethered-drone-aids-emergency-response?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230601118&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Filipe Espósito / 9to5Mac:
Apple releases a Game Porting Toolkit based on open-source platform Wine to translate DirectX 12 into Metal 3, a potentially massive step for Mac gaming
macOS Sonoma lets developers port Windows games to the Mac; here’s how it works
https://9to5mac.com/2023/06/06/macos-sonoma-port-windows-games-mac/
One of the new features in macOS Sonoma is Game Mode, which Apple claims improves gaming performance on Apple Silicon Macs. But there’s something else Apple has been doing to turn the Mac into a gaming platform, and that includes allowing developers to easily port Windows games to the Mac with a new Game Porting Tool. Read on as we detail how Game Mode and Game Porting Tool work.
Game Porting Tool
Running Windows games on macOS is not exactly a new thing. There are platforms like Wine and Crossover that translate APIs from Microsoft’s operating system so that Mac computers can run Windows software. With macOS Sonoma, Apple is implementing similar solutions directly into the system, so it will be even easier for developers to bring their PC games to the Mac.
The company has released a new Game Porting Tool, which will help developers run their games on the Mac with little or no effort. Interestingly, Apple’s Game Porting Tool is based on Wine, a popular open-source platform that translates Windows software to Unix environments (such as macOS and Linux).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Michael Potuck / 9to5Mac:
Apple makes iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma developer betas free for anyone with an Apple ID, not just users with $99/year developer accounts — For years, access to the iOS developer beta and other developer builds has only been available through a $99/year developer account.
Apple makes iOS 17 developer beta free for registered developers
https://9to5mac.com/2023/06/06/apple-makes-ios-17-developer-beta-free/
XDA Developers:
iOS 17 beta enables editable text and threaded replies in iMessage group chats with Android users, but Android users can’t see the edited messages — Say goodbye to crippled group texts because of that one friend — We’ve all been there. Whether you’re an iPhone user with iMessage …
iOS 17 will stop your Android friends from ruining your group texts with their green bubbles
Say goodbye to crippled group texts because of that one friend
https://www.xda-developers.com/ios-17-green-bubbles-wont-hurt-anymore/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Raspberry Pi production rate rising to a million a month
CEO stands by decision to keep prices steady instead of scoring sweet, sweet, windfall profits
https://www.theregister.com/AMP/2023/06/05/raspberry_pi_shipments_rise/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/06/ceo-raspberry-pi-inventory-to-hit-1m-units-monthly-starting-in-july/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Maxed-out Apple Silicon Mac Pro costs 1/4 what a maxed Intel one did
https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/06/05/maxed-out-apple-silicon-mac-pro-costs-14-what-a-maxed-intel-one-did
Tomi Engdahl says:
Asus will offer local ChatGPT-style AI servers for office use
“AFS Appliance” will avoid the cloud and place an AI language model on premises.
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/06/asus-plans-on-site-chatgpt-like-ai-server-rentals-for-privacy-and-data-control/
Taiwan’s Asustek Computer (known popularly as “Asus”) plans to introduce a rental business AI server that will operate on-site to address security concerns and data control issues from cloud-based AI systems, Bloomberg reports. The service, called AFS Appliance, will feature Nvidia chips and run an AI language model called “Formosa” that Asus claims is equivalent to OpenAI’s GPT-3.5.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Realtek WiFi 7 and WiFi 6 roadmap for routers and clients
https://www.cnx-software.com/2023/06/02/realtek-wifi-7-and-wifi-6-roadmap-for-routers-and-clients/
We’ve just written about Realtek 5 Gbps Ethernet chips, but the company also has some roadmaps for WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 router chips, and a WiFi 7 client module demonstrated at COMPUTEX 2023.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15062-huawein-uusin-ennakkomyyntiin-aelykellomarkkina-on-jaeaessae
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15061-apple-hyvaesti-x86
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel kills off its 11th-gen Core processors
Intel has issued end-of-life notifications for its remaining Tiger Lake chips.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/1944443/intel-kills-off-its-11th-gen-core-processors.html?fbclid=IwAR3n0KLnUx-ayxItWH7dbWCHrFyM905yxn51dwmdnL_fEJ8KsVPuQXYrDWQ
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple’s newest headset is a technological leap far beyond its competitors—but it’s still not clear what it’s for.
This Is What It’s Like To Use Apple’s New Vision Pro Mixed-Reality Headset
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnpaczkowski/2023/06/07/this-is-what-its-like-to-use-apples-new-vision-pro-mixed-reality-headset/?sh=45a30da939e4&utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_campaign=socialflowForbesMainFB&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR1u5UpJNiOJOPwbnW4yX6UZb03Vd4KaMxh0txkXhHm_aMu9_Wg2ww5vxH8
Apple’s newest headset is a technological leap far beyond its competitors—but it’s still not clear what it’s for.
Apple definitely has something with its new Vision Pro mixed reality headset. I’m just not quite sure what it is — and I’m not certain Apple is either.
That was my big takeaway from Monday’s Apple event and a hands-on demo with the company’s first major new product in nearly a decade, and a pioneering foray into the new world of spatial computing that CEO Tim Cook is staking his legacy on.
After about 30 minutes with the device, I can say that this is the most surprise and delight I’ve felt in playing with a new Apple product since AirPods. The Vision Pro is hands down the best XR/VR/AR experience I’ve ever had. Nothing comes close; everything that came before feels like a parade of developer betas. Yes, it is far more expensive than the Meta Quest and other hardware like it, but the experience Vision Pro provides obliterates the ones they offer. The Meta Quest might as well be a Happy Meal toy now.
But even though I was wildly impressed by my experience using the Vision Pro, it’s not clear where this latest Apple innovation and the “spatial computing” that it pioneers is taking us.
Here’s the thing: all of the advantages of Apple’s previous innovations were obvious. Before Apple put 1000 songs in my pocket, it was a pain to manage my gigantic CD collection. I loved every step of the path that saw my work-issued cinderblock of a laptop become a slim piece of hardware you could slip into a Manila envelope. All those things made my life and the lives of many transformatively better. They made my kid’s lives better, though they will never truly understand this because they were born into a world where many things truly “just work.” And to be clear, things absolutely did not just work for a long time. With this device, Apple has gotten the closest yet to making mixed reality work. The difference between its past breakthroughs is this, though: I don’t know why I need it to.
The hardware is … sick.
My demo (which was tightly orchestrated and accompanied by a human guide) was scheduled for an hour and 15 minutes, far longer than any Apple demo I’ve ever attended. I was certain that was because setup would take at least 30 minutes. It took under five, total. Two Face ID-esque scans, and something akin to a peripheral vision tracking exercise to essentially tether the interface to my eyes, and I was good to go. (I wear contacts and did not require additional calibration for glasses.)
The user interface — particularly the eye tracking — was, quite frankly, stunning. You can easily, intuitively look at an app icon with your eyes, pinch your fingers together with a hand resting on your thigh and launch an app. You can drag an app across your field of vision in much the same way Tom Cruise did in Minority Report. Yes, there is a learning curve, but not much of one. It is easy to be accurate; I was prepared for a bit of struggle and frustration; I had none. But I was also left wondering why I would want to do any of it with goggles strapped to my face when I can already accomplish all these things on my iPhone and Macbook.
Visuals and the displays that render them are stunning. Apple’s monomaniacal attention to detail has made everything (at least the stuff in the demo) beautiful and, crucially, legible. Text is easy to read. Images are beautiful and beautifully detailed. Visuals and the displays that render them are stunning. Window transparencies are elegant.
Apple was right. You cannot appreciate the 3D photo/video capabilities of this thing without wearing it.
With the Vision Pro, $3500 is the price of early adoption, which early adopters and Apple well know. (I don’t get the name either.)
Yes, it does look like an expensive pair of ski goggles. There are only so many form factors you can use when cramming enough camera, display and onboard processing power to put a realistic dinosaur in your living room. And there’s a good reason why Tim Cook did not wear it on stage! Did you really think Apple comms was going to risk Cook creating a new tech CEO dystopia meme? I am sure they were quite happy to leave that to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
But most of all, it’s unclear what people will regularly use it for. I see how this could be a workplace collaboration tool — it’s intuitive, easy and generally slick, but I’m not sure why I would. There’s a hurdle here and it’s not technological, it’s social. Are we really going to wear this at work? Would we wear it while working from home? Do I really want to be the first guy on the plane to put this thing on my face?
Honestly, I have absolutely no idea.
There are many questions like these to be answered and a 30 minute demo hardly provides enough experience to begin considering them. I think the BIG question here, and the one I’m most interested in hearing answered, is: what problems does the Vision Pro solve? What needs does it fill?
It’s a platform, Apple insists. I agree. But a platform for what? Games seems to be the obvious application, but my demo noticeably didn’t feature one (perhaps it wasn’t ready to). Work applications? I’m not sure why I need goggles when I have my MacBook. Movies? I could turn a room in my house into a private theater for the same amount of money.
And so the big question remains: How are we really going to use this thing? And more importantly, how are they?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Seagate to Begin Shipping HAMR Drives at 32TB, 50TB Expected By 2024
The company will stop producing PMR drives at 24TB.
https://www.extremetech.com/computing/seagate-to-begin-shipping-hamr-drives-at-32tb-50tb-expected-by-2024
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD’s EPYC Rome Chips Crash After 1,044 Days of Uptime
By Paul Alcorn published 7 days ago
A clock timer bug brings second-gen EPYCs to a halt.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amds-epyc-rome-chips-could-hang-after-1044-days-of-uptime
AMD’s latest processor revision guide for the EPYC 7002 ‘Rome’ server chips reveals an interesting new bug (errata) that can cause a core on the chip to hang after 1,044 days of uptime (~2.93 years), after which you’ll have to reset the server for the chip to run correctly. AMD says it will not fix the issue.
AMD’s description of the issue, which impacts its second-gen EPYC processors (AMD’s fourth-gen Genoa chips are the newest), is succinct, but there’s a lot to unpack.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New DirectX 12-to-Metal translation could bring a world of Windows games to macOS
CrossOver announces early, case-by-case support for Windows’ current gaming API.
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/06/new-directx-12-to-metal-translation-could-bring-a-world-of-windows-games-to-macos/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15072-uusien-pcie-vaeylien-testaus-nopeutuu
Tomi Engdahl says:
Excitement in the artificial intelligence space has also helped a rally in tech shares.
TSMC Hits $500 Billion Value as Investors Clamor for AI, Chips
Chipmaker to Nvidia and Apple remains Asia’s biggest company
Investors are piling into stocks from Nvidia to Oracle
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-13/tsmc-nears-500-billion-value-as-investors-pile-into-chips?utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=business&utm_medium=social&cmpid=socialflow-facebook-business&fbclid=IwAR3bVNuWGPQr1gyzNI1VefrBB6qUTNB9BoUN5Hl11pgFVe-5sMk7J5jeKM8&leadSource=uverify%20wall
Tomi Engdahl says:
PCIe 5.0 devices may have just started hitting the market, but PCIe 6.0 is already around the corner
https://xda-developers.com/pcie-6-to-launch-in-2024-pcie-7-in-2027/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Accenture antaa 19 000 työntekijälle potkut – panostaa 3 miljardia tekoälyyn
Jori Virtanen14.6.202318:35TEKOÄLYTYÖELÄMÄ
Kovia lupauksia. Accenture ei pahemmin jarruttele pyrkimyksissään päästä tekoälyboomin aallonharjalle.
https://www.tivi.fi/uutiset/accenture-antaa-19-000-tyontekijalle-potkut-panostaa-3-miljardia-tekoalyyn/ab68e36c-d5e5-4bb8-9e28-56efad138598
It-yhtiö Accenture ilmoitti maaliskuussa, että se on laskenut kuluvan tilivuoden ennusteitaan. Samaan syssyyn Accenture kertoi aikovansa leikata noin 2,5 prosenttia työvoimastaan, eli yhtiö on irtisanomassa noin 19 000 henkilöä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gavin Bonshor / AnandTech:
Intel changes its chip naming scheme: drops the “i”, opts for a more straightforward Core 3, 5, and 7 structure, and puts its premium chips under an Ultra brand — As first hinted at by Intel back in late April, Intel is embarking on a journey to redefine its client processor branding …
Intel To Launch New Core Processor Branding for Meteor Lake: Drop the i, Add Ultra Tier
by Gavin Bonshor on June 15, 2023 9:00 AM EST
https://www.anandtech.com/show/18911/intel-new-core-branding-for-meteor-lake-no-i-new-ultra-tier
As first hinted at by Intel back in late April, Intel is embarking on a journey to redefine its client processor branding, the biggest such shift in the previous 15 years of the company. Having already made waves by altering its retail packaging on premium desktop chips such as the Core i9-11900K and Core i9-12900K, the tech giant aims to introduce a new naming scheme across its client processors, signaling a transformative phase in its client roadmap.
This shift is due to begin in the second half of the year, when Intel will launch their highly anticipated Meteor Lake CPUs. Meteor Lake represents a significant leap forward for the company in regards to manufacturing, architecture, and design – and, it would seem, is prompting the need for a fresh product naming convention.
The most important changes include dropping the ‘i’ from the naming scheme and opting for a more straightforward Core 3, 5, and 7 branding structure for Intel’s mainstream processors. The other notable inclusion, which is now officially confirmed, is that Intel will bifurcate the Core brand a bit and place its premium client products in their own category, using the new Ultra moniker. Ultra chips will signify a higher performance tier and target market for the parts, and will be the only place Intel uses their top-end Core 9 (previously i9) branding.
Going Forward: Deemphasizing Generational Branding
The latest branding change, as previously mentioned, is the biggest in the last 15 years of Intel. While some naming schemes can be confusing and cluttered (ahem, Xeons), Intel is aiming for something that’s still reasonably clear for the client processors. Which is great timing, because the hardware underpinning them is about to get fairly complex with the transition chiplet-based Meteor Lake and its mix-and-match of dies built on the Intel 4 process and built over at rival-supplier TSMC.
First and foremost, under their new branding system Intel is doing away with leading generational branding. For the last decade plus, we’ve seen Intel slowly increment through their Core generations, such as 4th Gen Core, 9th Gen Core, 13th Gen Core, etc. Often, this was placed in front of the processor description (especially on OEM devices), giving us descriptions such as “Intel 11th Generation Core i3″.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reuters:
Micron plans to invest $603M in a chip packaging facility in Xian, China; the country banned Micron’s products from its critical infrastructure in May 2023 — U.S. memory chipmaker Micron (MU.O) said on Friday it was committed to China and would invest 4.3 billion yuan ($603 million) …
Micron says it is committed to China, invests $602 million in plant
https://www.reuters.com/technology/micron-invest-603-mln-factory-chinas-xian-over-next-few-years-2023-06-16/