Companies are responding to Apple’s use of Force Touch technology in the Apple Watch and 3D Touch in the iPhone 6 with force-sensing for high-end and mid-range smartphones, IHS reported. In 2016, worldwide force-sensing module shipments are expected to grow 317 percent to reach 461 million units, and 24 percent of new smartphones shipped will include the technology, IHS said Thursday. Some manufacturers are “aggressively expanding production of in-cell and on-cell touch displays to further improve touch interfaces for smartphone users,” said analyst Calvin Hsieh.
USF support should be directed toward the services most demanded by consumers, CTIA said in a filing at the FCC in docket 11-42. CTIA representatives met with various FCC officials, the filing said. CTIA said wireless is the largest industry contributor to the federal fund. “In most cases, consumers are migrating towards mobile wireless services to meet communication, educational and occupational needs,” the group said.
The FCC should hold off on a proposal to expand communications infrastructure in commercial aviation until after careful review of the proposal with the intelligence community and others, said the Association of Flight Attendants and Global Business Travel Association in a joint FCC filing. “Especially in light of the recent horrific events in France, Beirut, and Egypt, we think the intelligence community needs to lead such a high-level committee with the appropriate Federal agencies, including the military, and industry stakeholders, in order to conduct a thorough assessment of existing and potential threats and vulnerabilities, and develop and evaluate appropriate risk reduction measures as necessary,” said the comment filed in docket 13-114.
The FCC Wireless Bureau approved in part a waiver request permitting the equipment authorization and licensing of Recco’s avalanche rescue system using spectrum at 902.85 MHz (see 1410140175) despite concerns raised by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). The system relies on technology consisting of a handheld detector and a passive reflector that's integrated into apparel, helmets, protection gear or boots. “We conclude that the relatively low power, limited number and the limited use of RECCO detectors in remote ski areas greatly reduce the potential for interference,” the bureau said. “Helicopters from which the RECCO detector may be used must fly close to the ground in order to receive the re-radiated signal, due to its low power and short range, thereby limiting the interference potential.” Recco is permitted to use the band on a secondary basis to other authorized services, the bureau said.
If the FCC doesn't change out-of-band emissions limits in wireless mic rules approved in August (see 1508060050), the agency could stifle an entire industry, said Shure in a petition. Shure said it's seeking changes on only a “handful of discrete and noncontroversial issues,” and warned that out-of-band emission (OOBE) limits should instead be those specified by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. “If this requirement is not amended to reflect the entire ETSI OOBE limit as stated in the standard, it will not be feasible for industry to manufacture wireless microphones in the future,” Shure said in an underlined and bolded sentence. The FCC also should allow full use of the 1435-1525 MHz band “where coordination with incumbent spectrum users permits,” not at most 30 MHz, the company said. “The Commission did not seek comment on a 30 megahertz limitation for wireless microphone use of the band, comment was not provided on such a limitation, and no technical or policy justification otherwise exists for such a limitation,” Shure said. Shure also said that for wireless mics operating in the VHF TV band, transmitter power output should be measurable on either a conducted or radiated basis. “This flexibility is needed to allow manufacturers to develop products that will satisfy user expectations and requirements for operation in this band,” Shure said. Sennheiser also sought reconsideration of the mic rules, opposing the 30 MHz limitation and other provisions. The FCC never indicated “access to the 1.4 GHz band would be limited to a set amount of spectrum, let alone that it would be limited to a mere one-third of that band,” the company said. “Because the Commission failed to provide any notice, much less adequate notice, of the possibility that a 30 MHz cap on wireless microphone access to the 1.4 GHz band might be considered, that aspect of the rules must be reconsidered and deleted from the rules.” Sennheiser said the FCC should have adopted the ETSI limits. “It is the industry standard and is sensible from a design perspective, as it allows for maximum use of channels,” Sennheiser said. Comments were in docket 14-166.
The worldwide wearables market will reach 111.1 million shipments in 2016, from 80 million forecast for this year, as second- and third-generation devices address some "shortcomings," said IDC Thursday. By 2019, wearables shipments will reach 214.6 million units, it said. The next generation will have “vastly improved experiences and perhaps even augment human abilities,” said analyst Jitesh Ubrani. Smartwatches will continue as one of the most popular wearable categories, said IDC. They've evolved from being smartphone extensions to wearable computers capable of communications, notifications and apps, said analyst Ramon Llamas. "The smartwatch we have today will look nothing like the smartwatch we will see in the future.” Cellular connectivity, health sensors, and third-party apps will raise the appeal and value of smartphones, he said. Smartwatch platforms, “the brains of the smartwatch,” will evolve as cellular connectivity in watches replaces the reliance on smartphones for connectivity, said Llamas.
Smartphones with 5.3-inch displays were the sweet spot for U.S. consumers in 2015's first half, Strategy Analytics reported. Smartphone owners also are more likely to prefer thicker handsets with a third more battery life over phones that sacrifice battery life for their thinner profiles, said the researcher Wednesday. Though most smartphone owners surveyed preferred a prototype with a display larger than their current device, “more than half of respondents expressed interest in a device that was only slightly larger than their current display size,” it said. Suppliers should “take into account that the largest battery capacity does not always mean the best battery life and finding a way to optimize battery performance is key,” it said.
NTCA and the Rural Wireless Association jointly supported a request by the Blooston Rural Carriers that the FCC change a mandate (see 1512070010) that bidders in the TV incentive auction remain active on 95 percent of their eligibility from the start of the auction, without activity waivers even for small carriers. “The Associations agree with Blooston that requiring bidders to use at least 95 percent of their bidding eligibility could unnecessarily limit the ability of rural service providers to pursue alternative bidding strategies as bidding in markets of interest develops,” the associations said in a Wednesday filing in docket 15-146.
The launch of the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum band came another step closer to reality as the FCC sought proposals for spectrum access system (SAS) administrators and environmental sensing capability (ESC) operators to act as traffic cops and early warning systems, respectively, for the band. Proposals will be accepted Jan. 15-April 15, said a notice from the FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology. “SASs and ESCs are essential components necessary for future operations in the 3.5 GHz Band,” the FCC said. “SASs will serve as advanced, highly automated frequency coordinators across the band, protecting higher tier users from harmful interference from lower tier users and optimizing frequency use to facilitate coexistence among all users in the band.” The ESCs will provide networks of sensors to detect the presence of signals from federal systems in the band and protect federal operations, the notice said.
“Significant” enhancements to Bluetooth will help drive the market for enabled devices to 4.6 billion shipments annually by 2020, from 2.8 billion this year, said ABI Research analyst Andrew Zignani in a Wednesday report. A throughput increase from 1 Mbps to 2 Mbps will reduce latency and increase responsiveness, while providing a “very compelling power consumption ratio” compared with competing technologies including 802.15.4, which tops out at 250 kbps, or the more power-hungry Wi-Fi, Zignani said. Smartphones will remain the bulk of the Bluetooth product market, with 45 percent of shipments in 2020, said ABI, but beacons, smart lighting, home automation and consumer robots will grow to 20 percent of shipments by 2020. Chipset suppliers are working toward integrating IPv6 over Bluetooth Smart, which will help provide the foundation for IP-based application layer-level interoperability between different types of devices operating on different transport layers, said Zignani. As more device types enter the IoT, adopting a common language will become increasingly important to ensure interoperability, he said. The development of Bluetooth and near-field communication combination integrated chips can secure provisioning of IoT devices, Zignani said.