Layoffs at Sony – 200 to leave

Sony is not selling as many mobile phone as the company wants, and is therefore forced to layoff employees working at the company’s smartphone business in Lund, Sweden.

“Today we have announced a notice of 200 positions. I see it as they are at risk of being laid off, but hope there will be fewer. The goal is for all things to be negotiated and that the individuals are informed by March 2019”, said Stefan Andersson, location manager at Sony’s facility in Lund, to the Swedish local newspaper HD-Sydsvenskan on November 20th. Last fiscal year, Sony sold 13.5 million phones. The forecast for this year's telephone sales is approximately 7 million. “That is why there is a global 50 percent cost reduction for two financial years, linked to smartphones. It’s a combination of superfluity, efficiency and integration with Sony's other business”, said Stefan Andersson. In addition to the 200 employees, a number of consultants will also be affected by the cut.

Imagination Technologies says that NXP has extended its license for Imagination’s Ethernet Packet Processor (EPP) IP for use in S32 vehicle network processors.

Synaptics Incorporated has signed definitive agreements under which Synaptics will acquire certain assets and manufacturing rights associated with the wireless IoT business of Broadcom for approximately USD 250 million in an all-cash transaction.

According to the latest investigations by TrendForce, Apple officially unveiled its self-designed Mac SoC processors based on the ARM architecture in June, with the market release of the first Mac device with Apple Silicon (which broadly refers to chips designed by Apple) scheduled to take place by the end of this year.

As Apple’s upcoming release of products featuring Mini LED backlight generates a growth in Mini LED demand, the company has also stimulated actors in the Mini LED supply chain to increase their production capacities.

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LeddarTech has acquired sensor fusion and perception software company VayaVision.

ON Semiconductor will supply Danfoss Silicon Power with high power IGBTs and diodes for inverter traction modules in the fast growing electric vehicle market.

On the fifth of July, the mixed signal foundry expert, was the target of a cyber security attack.

Back in 2018, Huawei acquired 500 acres of land in Cambridge. Now the first phase of the Huawei Campus was approved by the local council and the company is gearing up to start the expansion. Adding to that, in late February, the Chinese telecom giant said it intends to build an automated factory will focus on 4G and 5G equipment in France.

Jenoptik is acquiring 100% of the shares in TRIOPTICS GmbH, a supplier of test equipment and manufacturing systems for optical components and sensors.