DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Apple's new iPhone 15 may swap out the Lightning cable for the USB-C charging standard
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 15 in just a few days, and it’s widely expected to come with a significant change. The iPhone 15 is heavily rumored to ditch Apple’s proprietary Lightning charger in favor of USB-C charging, marking a milestone for the company by adopting universal charging. That’s because Apple (AAPL) has previously switched its iPads and MacBooks to USB-C charging. It’s currently unclear if the shift to USB-C will happen for all new iPhone 15 models or only for Pro devices. The iPhone 15 devices are expected to ship with a new cable in the box, but considering many mobile devices already use USB-C, including Apple’s own iPads and MacBooks, access to charging wires shouldn’t be too hard or costly.

Persons: pare, ”, Ben Wood, Apple’s, Greg Joswiak, ” Joswiak, David McQueen, ” McQueen, Thomas Husson, ” Wood, McQueen, “ Organizations: CNN, Apple, European Union, CCS, ABI Research, Forrester Research Locations: EU

☆ Factbox: How the EU's Digital Markets Act challenges Big Tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Martin Coulter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

On Wednesday, the EU Commission designated 22 services of the major tech companies as "gatekeepers" of online services. That means they will be required to make their messaging apps inter-operate with rivals and let users decide which apps to pre-install on their devices. APP STORES:Apple and Google will be forced to provide space for third-party app stores on their respective iOS and Android devices. For example, they may offer users a “choice screen” with a range of options upon setting up their device. MESSAGING:Under the DMA’s new interoperability rules, gatekeepers’ messaging apps will no longer be siloed off from others.

Persons: ByteDance, Ben Wood, Apple’s, Martin Coulter, William Maclean Organizations: New, Union, Big Tech, Markets, EU Commission, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Meta, Insight, Reuters, EU, Facebook, Thomson

☆ Samsung launches two new folding smartphones to fend off competition from rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5. Galaxy Z Flip 5The star of the show in Samsung's new folding phone portfolio is its new Galaxy Z Flip 5. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5's standout feature is a much larger cover display. Galaxy Fold 5The Samsung Galaxy Fold 5. Galaxy Tab S9(From left) The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Fold 5, Galaxy Watch 6, and Galaxy Tab S9.

Persons: Ryan Browne, phonemakers, Oppo, who've, Ben Wood, It's, Paolo Pescatore, Le Xuan Chiew, There's Organizations: Samsung, CNBC Samsung, Wednesday, CNBC, CNBC Foldables, Huawei, Motorola, Lenovo, IDC, CCS Insight, Google, Android, PP Foresight, Apple, Global, Galaxy, Windows Locations: Korean, foldables

☆ Before Apple's Vision Pro hits the shelves, lower-priced rival Xreal claims it's near 200k shipments
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Worldwide shipments of VR headsets and augmented reality devices dropped by more than 12% to 9.6 million in 2022, according to CCS Insight. For Vision Pro to be successful, it needs to replace personal computers, said Nicole Peng, senior vice president, mobility, at Canalys. She said that's the value proposition Vision Pro has set up, which is different from what Xreal or Meta offer. "Nreal, Xreal glasses still need to connect with a PC or a phone," Peng said. Apple has not released such figures for Vision Pro.

Persons: Peng Jin, Xreal, Jin, Canalys, Nicole Peng, Peng, Steve Kovach Organizations: Mobile World Congress, MWC, Shanghai, Visual China, Getty, CNBC, Shanghai MWC, Apple, Vision, VR, CCS Insight, Meta, Xreal, Xreal Air, Amazon.com, U.S ., Pro Locations: BEIJING, Canalys, Nreal, U.S, Japan, South Korea, China, Europe

Vodafone and CK Hutchison, which owns the Three UK mobile network, agreed to merge their U.K. businesses, following talks that have been ongoing since last year, the companies said Wednesday. Vodafone will own 51% of the combined business, leaving CK Hutchison the minority stake. "This long-awaited mega merger represents the biggest shake-up in the UK mobile market for over a decade," Kester Mann, director for consumer and connectivity at CCS Insight said in emailed comments. Current Vodafone UK CEO Ahmed Essam will lead the new enterprise, while the present Three UK Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Darren Purkis will assume the CFO position at the merged business. BT acquired EE in 2016, while Telefonica and Liberty Global launched Virgin Media O2 in 2021.

Persons: CK Hutchison, Kester Mann, Ahmed Essam, Darren Purkis, Nick Read, Margherita Della Valle Organizations: Vodafone, CK, CK Hutchison, Insight, BT, Virgin Media O2, EE, O2, Telefonica, Liberty Global, Markets Authority, CMA, Activision Blizzard

[1/2] Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle poses in this undated handout picture obtained by Reuters on May 16, 2023. "For Vodafone this transaction is a game changer in our home market," Della Valle, a 29-year company veteran, told reporters. That is likely to take time, but Kester Mann, a director at CCS Insight, said the British announcement would give Della Valle a boost. "She has shown clear intent to make changes at Vodafone as she bids to turn the embattled company's performance around," he said. "Securing approval for a tie-up with (Hutchison's) Three would be a major boost to her early tenure."

Persons: Margherita Della Valle, Della Valle, CK Hutchison, Nick Read, Kester Mann, Kate Holton, Sinead Cruise, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Vodafone, Reuters, Handout, REUTERS, HK, CCS Insight, Thomson Locations: Britain, Hong Kong, Germany, Spain, Italy, British

☆ Today's the day: Apple is expected to reveal a 'jaw dropping' new product that faces an uphill battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Michael Liedtke | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

It'll be the company's first major new product since the first Apple Watch in 2014. Apple's goggles are expected be sleekly designed and capable of toggling between totally virtual or augmented options, a blend sometimes known as "mixed reality." Magic LeapDaniel Diez, Magic Leap's chief transformation officer, said there are four major questions Apple's goggles will have to answer: "What can people do with it? The anticipation that Apple's goggles are going to sell for several thousand dollars already has dampened expectations for the product. But those forecasts were obviously made before it's known whether Apple might be releasing a product that alters the landscape.

Persons: It'll, Apple, Steve Jobs, hasn't, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Cook, it's, Sergey Brin, Daniel Diez, Magic, Dan Ives, Zuckerberg, Leap's Diez Organizations: Apple, Apple Watch, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Wedbush Securities, CCS Insight Locations: Cupertino , California, Italy, San Francisco

☆ Meta's heated rivalry with Apple enters new phase as the tech giants go after headsets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

But Apple hasn't said exactly when Vision Pro will be available, only that it will be early next year. Meta's Quest family of VR headsets include the $300 Quest 2 and the $500 Quest 3, which will be available in the fall. Apple CEO Tim Cook stands next to the new Apple Vision Pro headset is displayed during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference on June 05, 2023 in Cupertino, California. And Apple has its own new operating system for the Vision Pro that it's calling visionOS. "And we believe Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary platform that can make our vision a reality."

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Nagle, Leo Gebbie, hasn't, Zuckerberg, Cook, Tim Cook, Justin Sullivan, visionOS, Bob Iger, Iger, We're, Meta didn't Organizations: Meta, Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, CCS, Vision, VR, Labs, Apple, Google, Facebook, Apple Vision, Apple Worldwide, Disney Locations: New York, Covid, Cupertino , California, Brussels

☆ CHART: We analyzed Apple's revenue per employee to show how it's avoided tech bloat and delayed layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Data shows its revenue per employee trumps the rest of Silicon Valley, a sign of its efficiency. Apple's comparative efficiency is visible through one particular metric that is back in vogue: Revenue per employee. Insider analyzed revenue per employee at major tech firms between 2018 and 2022. Revenue per employee is a get-back-to-basics measure of efficiency and productivity, assigning a hard dollar value to individual workers. Rabois also criticized tech firms, specifically Google and Meta, for "over-hiring" — a practice Apple avoided during tech's boom years.

☆ A foldable iPhone may be able to shut itself to protect the screen if it's dropped, Apple patent application shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A patent application showed a foldable iPhone could close itself to protect the screen if dropped. Apple has not confirmed any plans to start producing a foldable iPhone. Speculation about a foldable iPhone has circulated online for several years without any confirmation from Apple. Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, told CNBC last October that a foldable iPhone would probably sell for about $2,500. Patent applications do not mean that Apple has any plans to start making a foldable iPhone but indicate the company is still mulling the idea.

☆ Google Glass was just discontinued — again — raising questions about whether anyone still cares about AR devices
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The original Google Glass was axed in 2015, and reintroduced as a business-focused product in 2017. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops — delivered daily to your inbox. An older version of Google Glass, the latest business-focused version of which was discontinued Wednesday. Ultimately, the lofty price point of Google Glass, as well as privacy concerns tied to the camera, led to its lack in mainstream acceptance and subsequent discontinuation in 2015. The latest version is "built for creators looking to push the limits of immersive AR experiences," according to the product's website.

☆ 'Sea of sameness': Are smartphone makers out of ideas?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

From bulky phones with antennas and handsets that flip open, to modern devices connected to the internet, the mobile phone market has evolved dramatically since its creation in 1973. In a lot of ways, they're core to how we live our lives, and we've developed a dependence on them. Beyond flashy cameras and more efficient chips, phone makers are struggling to find ways to entice consumers the same way they did years ago. "We now live in this kind of sea of smartphone sameness," said Ben Wood, chief analyst at tech research firm CCS Insight. "I think we have moved to a point now with mobile phones where people aren't kind of rushing out saying, 'I really want to get that new phone,'" Wood said.

☆ Next-gen mobile internet — 6G — will launch in 2030, telecom bosses say, even as 5G adoption remains low
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"We have not completed the deployment of 5G yet," Ha Min Yong, chief development officer of SK Telecom , told CNBC last week. However, after hundreds of billions of dollars of investment into 5G networks, carriers have struggled to see the return. I don't see any use cases today that we can't do with 5G or its immediate evolutions," Watson told CNBC last week. Many of the current 5G networks are built on top of equipment and technology from 4G. There will also be more software that powers 5G networks helping with efficiency such as the management of data traffic.

☆ Chinese smartphone giants are making a high-end play against Apple and Samsung
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Huawei spin off Honor had one of the most prominent booths at Mobile World Congress in February 2023. It was right next to Samsung's stand in a sign that Honor is targeting the South Korean firm in the premium end of the smartphone market. Chinese smartphone makers are looking to push into the high-end device market to challenge the dominance of Apple and Samsung after one of the worst years for the market on record. Last month, Oppo, the world's fourth-largest smartphone maker, launched its foldable smartphone called the Find N2 Flip which was priced at more than $1,000. Honor, a company spun off from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, then launched its $1,690 foldable smartphone called the Magic Vs.

☆ Apple may launch mixed reality device this year — but we're not scared, HTC CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Cher Wang, chairperson, co-founder and CEO of HTC, speaks at a keynote on the second day of the Mobile World Congress 2023. BARCELONA — The boss of consumer electronics firm HTC thinks Apple is going to launch its own mixed reality headset, but she's not worried about the competition. Speaking with CNBC at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, HTC CEO and co-founder Cher Wang said the Cupertino tech giant was likely to launch a mixed reality, or XR, product "very soon" — potentially as soon as this year. In January, Bloomberg reported that it is gearing up to release a mixed reality headset in the spring. "Apple and the entire industry realizes the potential and hence want to enter and eventually lead this segment," he added.

☆ As Apple rumors swirl, Chinese rivals launch foldable smartphones to challenge Samsung
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The near $1,700 device is Honor's attempt to challenge Samsung in the foldable smartphone market. Foldables hit global marketSamsung launched its first foldable phone in 2019 and really created this category of smarpthones. The Galaxy Fold series opens outwards like a book, while the Galaxy Z Flip opens up like a traditional flip phone. The market expects foldable phone shipments to jump 111% year-on-year to 30 million in 2023. It comes as speculation rises that Apple could be gearing up to launch a foldable device, though it may be an iPad rather than a smartphone.

☆ Chinese startup Realme launches $649 smartphone it says can be fully charged in just over 9 minutes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese smartphone upstart Realme has looked to push into international markets with its flagship phones. BARCELONA, Spain — Chinese smartphone maker Realme wants stand out in a crowded space of mid-tier devices. So on Tuesday, it launched a smartphone it claims can be fully charged in 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The company took the wraps off of its GT3 smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the largest mobile trade show in the world. But the timing has been tough, with the global smartphone market in 2022 suffering its worst year since 2013 in terms of shipments.

☆ Chinese tech giant Xiaomi debuts prototype augmented reality glasses joining Microsoft and Google
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Xiaomi took the wraps off its Xiaomi AR Glass Discovery Edition at Mobile World Congress 2023. The concept glasses work on augmented reality technology. BARCELONA, Spain — Xiaomi on Monday took the wraps off a pair of prototype augmented reality glasses as the Chinese technology giant looks to sell more products beyond smartphones. Augmented reality refers to digital media that can be superimposed over the real world that a person sees in front of them. Apple hasn't officially acknowledged or launched any kind of virtual or augmented reality headset.

☆ Huawei spin-off Honor launches $1,690 foldable smartphone in challenge to Samsung, Apple
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Honor launched the Magic Vs foldable smartphone globally in a bid to take on Samsung in the premium end of the handset market. BARCELONA, Spain — Chinese smartphone maker Honor launched its foldable phone globally on Sunday, as it looks to compete with Apple and Samsung in the premium tier of the market. Huawei sold Honor to a consortium of buyers that includes the government of its headquarters city, Shenzhen. Honor launched its first smartphone overseas toward the end of 2021 and has since moved aggressively to bring more models to countries outside of China. "Although Honor is operating as a completely independent entity, it still has to regularly explain that is it not part of Huawei.

☆ Nokia launches smartphone you can fix yourself, jumping on 'right to repair' trend
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Nokia G22 smartphone from Finnish firm HMD Global comes with a removable back to let you swap out broken parts. The next smartphone to come from mobile icon Nokia is a handset that users can repair themselves. The Nokia G22, developed by Finnish manufacturer HMD Global, is a standard smartphone with a 6.5-inch screen and a 50-megapixel main camera. Right to repair refers to a movement among consumer rights campaigners to make it easier for consumers to repair their gadgets. There is one drawback with the Nokia G22 — it only meets the IP52 benchmark on resistance against damaging substances, meaning it is not immune to water damage.

☆ Another smartphone supports satellite connectivity, as mobile space race heats up
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

British smartphone firm Bullitt on Friday launched a new phone capable of sending text messages via space, joining a crowded race to commercialize satellite-enabled devices. They will have to have Bullitt Messenger — the firm's proprietary satellite messaging app — installed in order to reply. Satellite phones have been in the works for decades, but have not yet entered mainstream usage. Bullitt is also launching a Bluetooth accessory, the Motorola Defy Satellite Link, that lets any Android or iOS device connect to its Bullitt Satellite Messenger app, effectively enabling any phone to become a satellite phone. "The company is a trailblazer for satellite messaging but competition is snapping at its heels," Wood told CNBC.

☆ Chinese smartphone giant Oppo launches foldable flip phone as it bets on high-end market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Oppo Find N2 Flip is a foldable smartphone that has a screen on the outside too. Oppo is looking to boost its position in the premium smartphone market with the £849 ($1024) device. Oppo launched a foldable flip phone for international markets, as the Chinese smartphone maker looks to boost its business outside of China. The Find N2 Flip marks Oppo's push to make a dent in the premium segment of the smartphone market and in the nascent foldable phone category. The Find N2 Flip, which was launched on Wednesday, folds in the middle like a traditional flip phone and boasts two screens.

☆ Apple's patent for a new kind of iPhone could boost sales, UBS says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As speculation grows over the possibility Apple is working on a foldable iPhone or tablet, UBS took a look at the boost the company could get from such a device. The technology giant received a patent Tuesday for electronic devices with display and touch sensor structures, with the patent abstract specifically noting a "foldable electronic device" that might have a "flexible transparent wall portion that joins planar transparent walls." Drawings submitted with the application show "an electronic device with multiple foldable sections," Vogt said. Vogt said that a foldable smartphone could help Apple's rate of customers purchasing and upgrading. The company missed analyst expectations for iPhone revenue in its fourth quarter , while major retailers in China cut prices.

☆ Samsung unveils new Galaxy smartphone lineup with powerhouse camera
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The new lineup, which includes the 6.8-inch Galaxy S23 Ultra, 6.6-inch Galaxy S23+, and 6.1-inch Galaxy S23, look similar to last year’s models, but with new photo features, a longer lasting battery life (with faster charging speeds) and an exclusive chip. The cameras on the Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 even have a subtle new look: the contour housing has been removed, which Samsung said marks a new era of design. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s display comes with a reduced curvature to create a larger and flatter surface intended to improve the visual experience. Galaxy S23 Ultra, which comes with Samsung’s signature S pen, will start at $1,199.99, while the Galaxy S23+ starts at $999.99 and Galaxy S23 starts at $799.99. “The Galaxy S23 family demonstrates just how hard it is to tell a new story in today’s smartphone market,” said Leo Gebbie, principal analyst at CCS Insight.

"AMD remained resilient and even made gains in their datacenter chips...against Intel," said Wayne Lam analyst at CCS Insight. Chief Executive Lisa Su said she was confident AMD will keep gaining market share this year and that the second half would be stronger than the first. "First quarter should be the bottom for us in PCs and then grow from there into the second quarter and then into the second half," Su said on the earnings call. Analysts on average were expecting revenue of $5.50 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Analysts on average expected revenue of $5.48 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

Search resuls for: "CCS Insight"

25 mentions found