Morning Brief
- SK Hynix says it has no plans to exit the consumer storage market
- China’s State Administration for Market Regulation opens investigation into Trip.com Group in accordance with the law
- Insta360 releases Link 2 Pro series webcams
- Google Chrome to restore support for the JPEG-XL image format
- Apple confirms Pixelmator for iOS will stop receiving updates
- Hannsnote launches Lumo reading tablet
- Garmin releases quatix 8 Pro marine smartwatch
- IKEA launches Kallsup Bluetooth speaker
- Zhipu teams up with Huawei to open-source GLM-Image, the first SOTA multimodal model trained on domestic chips
- Rumors You Can Just Glance At
SK Hynix says it has no plans to exit the consumer storage market
In response to recent market rumors claiming that “SK Hynix plans to discontinue consumer storage products,” SK Hynix told Jiemian News that the company has not discussed or planned to exit the consumer products business, and that such claims are inaccurate.
At an internal meeting disclosed last year, SK Hynix noted that growth in commodity DRAM capacity is expected to be limited and may struggle to keep up with steadily rising demand, potentially pushing memory prices even higher. According to presentation slides from that meeting shared by BullsLab, SK Hynix forecasts that, aside from high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and SOCAMM modules, capacity growth for commodity DRAM will remain constrained through 2028. The main reason is that major memory manufacturers are gradually shifting more production capacity toward AI-related demand, leaving only modest increases in capacity allocation for the consumer market. Source
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation opens investigation into Trip.com Group in accordance with the law
Recently, based on preliminary verification, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), in accordance with the Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China, has opened a formal investigation into Trip.com Group Co., Ltd. on suspicion of abusing its market dominance to engage in monopolistic practices. Source
Trip.com stated:
“Recently, Trip.com received a notice from the State Administration for Market Regulation informing us that a formal investigation has been initiated, in accordance with the law, into alleged monopolistic behavior involving our company. We will actively cooperate with the regulatory authorities throughout the investigation, fully implement all regulatory requirements, and work together with all parties in the industry to build a sustainable market environment. At present, all of the company’s business operations are running normally, and we will continue, as always, to provide high-quality services to our users and partners.”
Insta360 releases Link 2 Pro series webcams
Insta360 officially released its flagship Link 2 Pro series webcams on January 14.
The Link 2 Pro series includes two models: the Insta360 Link 2 Pro and the Link 2C Pro. Both feature a large 1/1.3-inch sensor and support 4K ultra-high-definition resolution, making the series well suited for nighttime or low-light indoor meetings and live-streaming scenarios. The Link 2 Pro series also introduces dual native ISO technology and optimizations for HDR mode. In addition, it is equipped with a directional microphone to ensure clear audio capture even in open offices or noisy outdoor environments. As for design differences, the Insta360 Link 2 Pro comes with a built-in tracking gimbal, while the Link 2C Pro uses a fixed mount.
In terms of features, the Link 2 Pro series supports Link Controller, which uses AI algorithms to separate the subject from the background and deliver a natural depth-of-field effect close to that of DSLR cameras. The products are also equipped with AI tracking and a dual-axis gimbal, support automatic framing, can connect seamlessly with the Wave stabilizer, and offer features such as automatic speaker recognition.
In terms of pricing, the Insta360 Link 2 Pro starts at RMB 1,758, while the Insta360 Link 2C Pro starts at RMB 1,398. Source
Google Chrome to restore support for the JPEG-XL image format
On January 13, Google re-integrated the JPEG-XL image format into the Chromium browser engine. The feature is implemented using jxl-rs, a secure decoder written in Rust, to meet Chromium’s security requirements. At present, JPEG-XL support is disabled by default; users need to enable the #enable-jxl-image-format option on the chrome://flags page to use it.
Chromium had supported JPEG-XL in earlier versions. However, Google removed support for the format with the release of Chrome 110 in 2022, citing the limited number of websites adopting it. Since then, Google has shifted its focus to promoting the adoption of the AVIF image format.
It is worth noting that at the end of last year, the PDF Association designated JPEG-XL as the preferred format for embedding HDR images in PDF files. Source
Apple confirms Pixelmator for iOS will stop receiving updates
On January 13, Apple released Pixelmator Pro for iPad and launched the Apple Creator Studio subscription service. At the same time, Apple disclosed the future plans for the existing iOS versions of Pixelmator and Photomator in the Q&A section at the bottom of its official website.
Apple clearly stated that Pixelmator will no longer receive updates. The app will retain its basic image editing features, such as cropping, color adjustment, and effects, and users can continue to use it normally. Another app, Photomator, will continue to be available as a standalone product on the App Store and is expected to receive ongoing feature updates and support in the future. Source
Hannsnote launches Lumo reading tablet
On January 14, Hannspree released the Lumo reading tablet. Designed for low-power reading scenarios, the device features a 7.8-inch reflective LCD display without a backlight, relying on ambient light reflection to deliver a viewing experience close to that of an e-ink screen.
In terms of hardware, Lumo is equipped with a 1024 × 768 display panel with a 60 Hz refresh rate, powered by a MediaTek Helio G99 processor, and includes a 3000 mAh battery. It also comes with a 5 MP front camera and an 8 MP rear camera.
To improve usability in low-light environments, Hannspree offers an optional front light accessory. According to official figures, with the front light turned on at maximum brightness, the device can still deliver about 6.5 hours of battery life. Pricing for the Hannspree Lumo is set at €369. Source
Garmin releases quatix 8 Pro marine smartwatch
On January 13, Garmin unveiled its flagship marine smartwatch, the quatix 8 Pro. Designed for offshore and professional maritime scenarios, the device integrates inReach satellite communication technology and an LTE cellular module to address the common challenges of communication and signal coverage at sea.
According to Garmin, even when users are about 50 miles (approximately 80.5 km) offshore, the quatix 8 Pro can send and receive text messages, make voice calls, and check real-time weather information without relying on a smartphone. The watch also features a built-in SOS emergency function, allowing users to send distress signals directly to the 24/7 Garmin Response emergency coordination center in case of unexpected situations.
On the software side, Garmin has introduced a Boat Mode for the quatix 8 Pro. When the system detects that the user is in a maritime environment, it prioritizes features such as autopilot control, trolling motor status, and vessel data. Once ashore, the interface switches back to a layout focused on everyday apps and health data to better suit office work or fitness use.
In terms of hardware, the quatix 8 Pro features a 47 mm titanium bezel and a sapphire crystal lens, along with a 1.4-inch high-brightness AMOLED display. In smartwatch mode, battery life can reach up to 15 days. In addition to marine-specific functions, the device supports 24/7 health monitoring, Garmin Pay contactless payments, and more than 100 sports modes, including water sports such as wake surfing and water skiing. Garmin stated that the quatix 8 Pro is scheduled to go on sale on January 16, 2026, with a starting price of USD 1,299.99. Source
IKEA launches Kallsup Bluetooth speaker
During CES 2026, IKEA unveiled the Kallsup portable Bluetooth speaker. The product features a cube-shaped design and focuses on affordability and portability. It measures approximately 70 × 70 × 70 mm, uses a plastic корпус, and is equipped with anti-slip feet on the bottom, making it suitable for carrying around or for desktop use.
In terms of colors, Kallsup is available in bright pink, bright green, and white. For connectivity, the speaker supports Bluetooth 5.3 and introduces a “broadcast mode.” According to IKEA, this mode allows up to 100 Kallsup speakers to be wirelessly connected at the same time to expand audio coverage.
The body is equipped with only two physical buttons—for power and Bluetooth pairing—and provides operation feedback through audio prompts. For battery life, Kallsup has a built-in rechargeable battery and charges via USB-C. Official figures show that it can play continuously for about 9 hours at 50% volume. IKEA stated that Kallsup is scheduled to go on sale in April 2026, priced at USD 10. Source
Zhipu teams up with Huawei to open-source GLM-Image, the first SOTA multimodal model trained on domestic chips
On January 14, Zhipu announced that it has jointly open-sourced a new-generation image generation model, GLM-Image, together with Huawei. The model was developed end-to-end—from data processing to model training—based on Ascend Atlas 800T A2 computing hardware and the MindSpore AI framework. Zhipu stated that GLM-Image is the first state-of-the-art (SOTA) multimodal model to be fully trained on a domestic AI chip platform.
In terms of model architecture, GLM-Image adopts a self-developed hybrid design combining “autoregressive + diffusion decoder,” enabling joint modeling of image generation and language models. By optimizing the tokenizer design, the model can adaptively handle inputs of different resolutions and natively supports image generation tasks ranging from 1024 × 1024 to 2048 × 2048 at arbitrary aspect ratios, without requiring separate training for each resolution.
Regarding application performance, Zhipu noted that GLM-Image performs stably on image generation tasks involving complex logical relationships and textual explanations, making it suitable for scenarios such as scientific illustrations and schematic diagrams. In content creation for e-commerce images and multi-panel comics, the model can maintain consistency of subjects and visual style across multiple images while improving the accuracy of text generation. In addition, it is suitable for producing visually complex layouts such as social media covers, posters, and commercial promotional graphics.
Beyond text- and layout-related tasks, GLM-Image also supports image generation across a variety of subjects and shot types, including portraits, pets, landscapes, and still life. The model has now been open-sourced on GitHub, Hugging Face, and the ModelScope community.
Rumors You Can Just Glance At
- Recently, a quirky app called “死了么” topped the paid apps chart on the Chinese App Store. As the app has also seen explosive growth overseas, the development team has decided to officially update its global brand name to “Demumu.” At the same time, the official team posted on social media last night inviting netizens to suggest more creative Chinese names for the app. Source
- According to CCTV News, on January 13 local time, the U.S. government approved NVIDIA to export its H200 AI chips to China. This decision is expected to resume shipments of H200 chips to Chinese customers. Earlier, U.S. President Trump had stated on social media that the U.S. would allow NVIDIA to sell H200 chips to China. The related sales are subject to approval and security review by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Meanwhile, the U.S. side will also collect about 25% in fees from the related transactions. In other related information, an NVIDIA spokesperson previously told the Global Times that compliant sales of H200 chips to authorized Chinese customers would not affect the company’s supply to other global markets. In addition, according to Tencent Technology citing informed sources, the channel price of an 8-card H200 module is about RMB 1.4 million, higher than that of the H20. In terms of performance density (TPP), the H200 reaches a computing power value of 15,832, about 6.7 times that of the H20. Source
- According to Reuters, multiple informed sources revealed that Chinese customs authorities notified relevant officials this week not to allow the import of NVIDIA H200 AI chips. At the same time, Chinese government officials convened domestic technology companies and explicitly required that, in principle, companies should not purchase H200 chips unless there is an irreplaceable necessity. The instructions did not specify the reasons, nor did they clarify whether this constitutes a formal ban or a temporary measure. It is also currently unclear whether H200 chips that have already been ordered will be affected. Source
