Both Q2 2020 industry reports and helpful technical forecasts continue to roll in. This week, we update you about on a range of important topics, including the potential for the LiDAR market, chip revenue results, global spending on artificial intelligence (AI).
 

Auto Apps to Drive LiDAR Market Growth
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) market is on track to reach $3.8 billion by 2025, Yole Développement reports. The firm predicts that the implementation of LiDAR technology in automotive applications will drive growth. The top three companies in terms of LiDAR market share in 2019 were: Trimble (21%), Hexagon AB (19%), and Sick AG (13%).  "With several partnerships between LiDAR manufacturers and car manufacturers, the market research and strategy consulting company Yole expects 3.2% of personal cars to adopt LiDAR by 2025." Interestingly, Tesla does not use LiDAR technology in its designs.
 
Broadcom Claims Top IC Spot
In Q2 2020, Broadcom claimed the top spot on the global IC design company list. Qualcomm held the number one position in Q1 2020. The rankings: Broadcom (first place, with $3.9 billion in revenue), Qualcomm (second place, $3.8 billion in revenue), and Nvidia (third place, with $3.4 billion in revenue). According to TrendForce, “Delayed iPhone releases this year, however, led to a slowdown in Qualcomm’s chip revenue growth. Qualcomm registered a modest 6.7% revenue growth YoY in 2Q20.”
 
Researchers Looks to Shield Qubits form Radiation
Researchers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory now believe that cosmic rays could negatively affect qubit performance. “The low-level, otherwise harmless background radiation that is emitted by trace elements in concrete walls and incoming cosmic rays are enough to cause decoherence in qubits," MIT reports. As a result, researchers are looking for ways to make the core elements of quantum computers "rad hard. This means they will need ways to shield them from surrounding radiation.
 
AI Spending Set to Double by 2024
Artificial Intelligence (AI) spending could double, reaching $110 billion, by 2024, IDC reports in its Worldwide Artificial Intelligence Spending Guide. The firm says the banking and retail industries currently spend the most on AI solutions. The former uses the technology for fraud analysis while the latter uses it for customer service.
 
Updates on the LiDAR Market, IC Industry, AI, and More
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