10 Oct 2025
This episode of Silicon reviews recent hardware news, featuring a comprehensive recap of the Elcom electronics and computer exhibition. Discussions span new product releases, evolving market trends, user experiences with operating system updates, and surprising market anomalies in the tech industry.
The 20th Elcom electronics and computer exhibition, Iran's largest of its kind, was held for four days in Mehr (October) at the International Exhibition Center, a delay from its original June/July schedule. Organizers hope to maintain the October timing for future events, considering it more logical and bearable than the summer heat.
Many viewers of the Silicon program visited Elcom and were encouraged to share their experiences. A complex question regarding the connection between quantum technology, cryptography, post-quantum, and blockchain networks was posed and answered during the event.
This episode includes a 'Memories of Elcom' segment and a 'Device of the Week' featuring the iPhone A. A previously released 'Don't Buy Guide' for mobile phones was also referenced.
A new trend of ultra-thin phones is emerging, with Huawei introducing its Mate Air, following Samsung's S25 Edge and Apple's iPhone. Huawei previously had a slim P6 model, and the Mate Air aims to be even thinner, despite challenges in integrating modern cameras, hardware, and batteries.
The Huawei Mate Air, from the Mate series, features an extremely thin design paired with powerful hardware, including a Kirin 9030 chipset and up to 2TB of internal memory. This device is anticipated to be released in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Intel is scheduled to introduce its Pentalake processors on October 17. Speculation suggests these might be a refresh of previous generations rather than a completely new one, given the absence of prior leaked benchmark data.
Intel's 18A technology is considered crucial for its competitiveness in the chip market, even though the company admits it's not yet mature. Concerns exist regarding potential thermal issues, and widespread market availability might not occur until 2026.
The tech industry often uses deceptive terminology, such as '18A,' '3nm,' and '5nm' for chip manufacturing, which do not reflect actual physical dimensions. This practice is comparable to exaggerated marketing in camera sensors, lenses, and optical zoom.
Garmin launched the A-Trex Kach, a satellite navigation device highly suitable for adventurers and record-breakers. It features track saving and downloading, a battery life of up to one month (or 65-50 hours in expedition mode), a high-quality display, shockproof capabilities, and a 6768 resistance standard.
Priced at $450, the Garmin A-Trex Kach offers advanced features for its cost, making it an expensive but valuable tool for professional adventurers rather than a general-purpose smartwatch alternative.
LG introduced the first 6K Thunderbolt P monitor, part of its UltraFine (Fine OS) series, specifically designed for professional Mac users involved in video editing, cinema photoshoots, and other heavy creative projects. This monitor offers a more economical alternative to the Apple Pro XDR display.
The 22.6-inch monitor boasts very high resolution and advanced features in contrast, brightness, and color accuracy, including an HTR 600 display with 600 nits brightness and comprehensive coverage of RGB and DCI color spectrums. Its approximate price is $2,140, with initial release in South Korea and Japan.
iPhone 17 models are reportedly experiencing significant scratching and marking, potentially linked to MacSafe accessories, a problem also observed on the iPhone 16. Apple suggests using a saline solution on the phone's back to mitigate or repair these issues.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB model is available in the local market for 295-300 million Tomans, while the 512GB version costs 311 million Tomans. These prices are considered exceedingly high, translating to the cost of cars or even a house in the local economic context.
The Snapdragon X Elite Extreme laptop processor has demonstrated strong benchmark performance, showing a 30-31% improvement over previous generations and 43% lower power consumption. It even outperforms some desktop processors like the Ryzen AI 3000 in benchmarks.
Despite impressive performance, the Snapdragon X Elite Extreme's full-wattage capabilities are still benchmarked against older Apple M-series chips. Windows laptops with Snapdragon chips continue to face challenges, including poor GPU performance and limitations within the Windows software ecosystem, unlike Apple's integrated approach.
Google plans to launch the Pixel 10A by late 2025, reportedly using a previous-generation Tensor chip, which deviates from its usual strategy of integrating the current generation's chip into its A-series. The phone's design, especially its camera module and flash placement, is criticized as 'ugly' and 'pirate-like.'
Reports of Amazon customers receiving bricks instead of expensive graphics cards like the RTX 5080 highlight rampant reseller fraud. Consumers are advised to thoroughly check reseller reputations and the volume of reviews when purchasing from online platforms, especially those like Instagram where blind transactions are common and risky.
The Elcom exhibition is criticized for a lack of genuine innovation, with many companies re-presenting existing services as 'first-time unveilings.' Organizational shortcomings, such as a visibly stained tablecloth at a high-level meeting, underscore poor management and a focus on superficial booth aesthetics over technological advancement.
The Elcompitch competition awarded prize money to various projects: first place to a medical AI image recognition team (200 million Tomans), second to a smart air conditioner (120 million Tomans), and third to an AI sign language training project (80 million Tomans). The fifth-place award for a 'national wheat self-sufficiency plan' (20 million Tomans) raised questions about its lower ranking given its potentially significant national impact.
A survey on recent OS updates (iOS 26 and One UI 8) revealed mixed user feedback. Many iPhone users reported significant battery drain and bugs, including issues with contacts search and message filtering, while Samsung users also noted battery consumption problems, though some reported no issues.
Users reported various specific issues post-update, such as complete antenna failure on an iPhone 13 Pro (iOS 26), phones overheating, and even fast charging ceasing to function on Asus phones. These glitches highlight significant negative impacts on daily device functionality.
An Apple I computer with a wooden case, one of only nine functional units remaining from 1976, was sold at auction for $475,000, including commission. Its high value stems from extreme rarity, historical significance, and unique provenance, such as belonging to the first female Stanford Law School graduate.
The vintage tech market, exemplified by the Apple I auction, operates in a distinct economic sphere where items' value is driven more by historical narratives, scarcity, and specific provenance than by their original utility. Other auctioned items, including a check signed by Steve Jobs, also fetch high prices due to their historical context.
A peculiar anomaly exists in the internal SSD memory market: SATA SSDs, particularly Samsung 870 Evo models, are almost twice as expensive as high-performance NVMe SSDs like the Samsung 990 Pro for the same capacity. This unprecedented pricing inversion lacks a clear explanation.
The value of vintage items is significantly influenced by the story behind the product, including its creators, buyers, sellers, and notable past users.
| Topic | Key_Insight | Observation |
|---|---|---|
| Elcom Exhibition Quality | Visually improved but lacked new technological innovations; many 'first-time unveils' were existing services. | Poor organization observed, exemplified by stained tablecloths at official meetings, highlighting a focus on appearance over substance. |
| Huawei Mate Air | Ultra-thin design with Kirin 9030 chipset and up to 2TB storage. | Aims to be thinner than the iPhone, part of a 'thin phone fever,' expected Q4 2025 release. |
| Intel 18A Technology | Intel's crucial technology for market competitiveness, though not yet mature. | Concerns about thermal issues and potential market delay until 2026. Criticized for misleading 'nm' marketing. |
| Garmin A-Trex Kach | Satellite navigation device with 1-month battery life and 6768 resistance standard. Price: $450. | Designed for professional adventurers, offering advanced track features. Considered expensive but highly functional. |
| LG 6K Thunderbolt P Monitor | First 6K Thunderbolt P monitor, 22.6-inch, HTR 600 display, professional color coverage. Price: $2,140. | Targeted at professional Mac users as a more economical alternative to Apple Pro XDR for video editing and cinema work. |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max Local Price | 256GB model priced at 295-300 million Tomans, 512GB at 311 million Tomans. | Deemed disproportionately expensive in the local market, equating to significant assets like cars or homes, despite reported scratching issues. |
| Snapdragon X Elite Extreme | Laptop processor showing 30-31% performance increase and 43% lower power consumption than predecessors. | Outperforms some desktop chips in benchmarks but faces GPU and software ecosystem limitations in Windows laptops compared to Apple's M-series. |
| OS Updates (iOS 26 & One UI 8) | Widespread user reports of battery drain, bugs (antenna, fast charging, lag, search issues) on both Apple and Samsung devices. | Significant stability and performance issues negatively impacting daily device functionality for many users. |
| Apple I Computer Auction | A functional 1976 Apple I computer with a wooden case, one of nine remaining, sold for $475,000. | Value driven by extreme rarity, historical significance, and unique provenance, demonstrating how narrative inflates vintage tech value. |
| SSD Market Anomaly | SATA SSDs (Samsung 870 Evo) are nearly twice as expensive as high-performance NVMe SSDs (Samsung 990 Pro) for the same capacity. | An unprecedented and unexplained pricing inversion in the internal SSD memory market. |
