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☆ Samsung’s AI-powered foldable phones get slimmer, thinner, pricier
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Samsung’s latest generation of foldable phones aim to draw in traditional phone users with the help of artificial intelligence. The new Galaxy Z Fold starts at $1,899.99, up $100 from last year, and is available in silver, pink and navy. Meanwhile, the Z Flip starts at $1,099.99 (also $100 more than last year) and comes in silver, yellow, blue and mint. Samsung’s foldable line occupies between 80% and 85% of the market share. But those same people might prefer to sleep with a smart ring on their finger rather than a smartwatch on their wrist.

Persons: CNN —, Price, David McQueen, ”, Roh —, —, “, ” Roh, Gemini, Samsung’s, Siri, McQueen, Roh, Oura, Francisco Jeronimo, ” Jeronimo Organizations: CNN, ABI Research, Galaxy, Google, Huawei, Motorola, Apple, Samsung, IDC Research, IDC Locations: Paris, wearables

☆ Amid headwinds in China and a sluggish stock price, investors look to Apple’s earnings for signs of hope
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Even though Apple has silenced critics and beaten existential crises before, some fans of its minimalist products and investors in its maximalist stock are nervous. Analysts are expecting low sales figures for the quarter ending March 31 – despite the company beating expectations in the last four quarters. This will be its first earnings report since the launch of its biggest new product in years, its $3,499 mixed reality Vision Pro headset. Market research firm IDC said Apple’s smartphone shipments tumbled a stunning 10% globally in the first quarter of this year. All eyes on AIAccording to David McQueen, research director at tech intelligence firm ABI Research, the company could spark sales growth soon.

Persons: Apple, Ming, Chi Kuo, “, ”, Nabila Popal, David McQueen, OpenAI Organizations: CNN, Apple, IDC, Huawei, Xiaomi, Samsung, ABI Research, Developers Conference, ChatGPT Locations: China, Hollywood

☆ 3 ways Apple’s monopoly lawsuit could change the iPhone experience for fans
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Apple added that the lawsuit could empower the government “to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.”But if successful, the lawsuit could ripple across Apple’s products and services. Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesChanges to the App StoreIf found liable, the company could be forced to change a number of things. One such change is how iPhone users could get greater access to “super apps” that have been largely restricted before. More open servicesAnother likely change is how hardware from other companies, such as smartwatches, will interact with the Apple range of devices and software, including the iPhone and Apple’s services like Fitness+. But Apple’s success stems in part to its tight grip on its products and services, keeping things intuitive and seamless.

Persons: Biden, Apple, here’s, General Merrick Garland, Anna Moneymaker, Dipanjan Chatterjee, Forrester, ”, Chatterjee, it’s, David McQueen, ” McQueen, ” Chatterjee Organizations: CNN, Apple, Department of Justice, ”, Apple Watch, ABI Research Locations: Washington ,, innovating

☆ Premarket stocks: Regional banks could be on the rocks again
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Stocks of small US lenders are still in the doldrums nearly a year after the regional banking crisis. The KBW Nasdaq Regional Banking index, which tracks the performance of regional lenders and thrifts, has fallen more than 2.4% this year compared to the benchmark S&P 500’s 2.6% gain. “This development is likely to … challenge the health of regional banks,” wrote José Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers, in a note on Thursday. Regional bank stocks struggled for much of 2023 after the collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank sparked a flight on deposits and sent shockwaves through the stock and bond markets. High interest rates threatened to put pressure on regional banks’ bond portfolios and squeeze their bottom lines, creating a good old-fashioned bank run.

Persons: Huntington, PNC Financial Service’s, ”, José Torres, Alex McGrath, “, McGrath, Samantha Murphy Kelly, David McQueen, ” Read, Bryan Mena Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nasdaq, PNC Financial Services, PNC, Comerica Inc, US Bancorp, Citizens, PNC Financial, Federal Reserve, Interactive Brokers, Valley Bank, Signature Bank, First, Bank, Microsoft, Apple, ABI Research, Gross, Commerce Department Locations: New York, China

☆ 5 huge challenges facing Apple this year
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Behind in generative AI. A recent Reuters report noted iPhone sales in China dropped 30% in the first week of the year amid pressure from rival Huawei. Still, Barclays downgraded Apple stock earlier this month citing disappointing iPhone 15 sales in China and softening demand for the latest iPhone. Apple also faces challenges around the upcoming rollout of the Vision Pro headset, which will be its riskiest product launch in years. Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., speaks during a launch event for the new Apple iPhone 15 at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on September 12, 2023.

Persons: ”, David McQueen, ALY, Dan Ives, Apple, Justin Sullivan, Jitesh, IDC –, that’s, It’s, Siri, McQueen, “, Ming Yeung, Tim Cook, Nic Coury, hasn’t, Brian Fung, Clare Duffy Organizations: CNN, Microsoft, Apple, ABI Research, Huawei, Reuters, Apple Watch, International Trade Commission, IDC, Meta, Google, Samsung, Mac, Barclays, Apple Inc, Getty, EU, Markets, Epic Locations: China, Shanghai, Cupertino , California, Milan, Italy, AFP

☆ Apple hints at an AI-focused future and ‘scary fast’ upgrades
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Samantha Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The focus of the event, which featured the tagline “scary fast,” was Apple’s new custom-made M3 chips, the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Pro Max. The chips will ship with Apple’s latest MacBook Pro and iMac lineup. “This deep integration is something only Apple can deliver, and we never stop innovating.”At a time companies such as Microsoft, Google and Meta have openly discussed their plans for an AI future, Apple has been less forthcoming. Apple said it shipped about 26 million Macs in 2022, making up 9.1% of the overall market (up from 7.8% the year prior). At the same time, the overall PC market shipped about 292 million computers the same year, down 15% from the year before.

Persons: Tim Cook –, –, they’re, ” Cook, Apple, ”, Dipanjan Chatterjee, Forrester, “, Tim Cook, Chatterjee, David McQueen, ” McQueen, Kieren Jessop Organizations: CNN, Apple, Max, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Lenovo, Dell, HP, IDC Research, Apple Music, ABI Research, Intel, Qualcomm, AMD, NVIDIA, MacBook Locations: Cupertino , California, China

☆ What to expect from Apple’s ‘scary fast’ event
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Samantha Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Apple is set to host its second product event of the season, a month after introducing its new iPhone 15 lineup. Some analysts said the decision to hold an evening event may underline the fact that this likely won’t be one of Apple’s bigger announcements of the year. The event’s tagline — “scary fast” — is an apparent nod to the likely unveiling of its next-generation silicon chip, M3, as well as Halloween. Over the past several years, the progression of Apple Silicon — the company’s custom-made silicon chip — has emerged as a significant storyline for Apple, culminating in the transition away from Intel chips. This year, the company is expected to bring its M3 chip to a 24-inch iMac and perhaps some MacBook Pro models in various sizes.

Persons: ”, Ben Wood, ” Wood, Apple, David McQueen, ” It’s Organizations: CNN, Apple, Mac, Intel, CCS Insight, Silicon, IDC Research, ABI Research

☆ Apple continues its sweep to roll out USB-C to more devices
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Apple (AAPL) quietly announced its next-generation Pencil that works with iPads and now includes USB-C charging. The change comes nearly a month after Apple retired its Lightning charger, a milestone moment toward universal charging amid pressure from EU regulators. Like previous models, the third-generation Apple Pencil is intended for taking notes, sketching and marking up documents. The price is $79, down $20 from the second-generation Apple Pencil and $50 less than the original. At its iPhone 15 event in September, the company announced all of its next-generation smartphones and new AirPods Pro will launch with USB-C charging.

Persons: CNN —, iPhones, pare, David McQueen, “ Organizations: CNN, CNN — Apple, iPads, Apple, European Union, ABI Research

☆ Here’s why Apple’s charger switch is such a big deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Apple retired its Lightning charger on Tuesday exactly 11 years to the day it was first announced. The EU’s decision is part of a greater effort to tackle e-waste overall, but could it generate more in the short term as people phase out their Lightning cables. But knockoffs abound, and some USB-C chargers are much safer than others. Among CNN Underscored’s top recommendations for USB-C chargers are from big brands, including Anker, Belkin, Apple, Amazon and Google. Retiring the Lightning cable could even generate, in the short term, a surge of e-waste as iPhone users toss their useless Lightning cables in a drawer.

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

An iPhone 14 Pro is seen with a Lightning cable (left) and a USB-C cable (right) on September 10 in Berlin, Germany. Christoph Dernbach/picture-alliance/dpa/APThe 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. The change could ultimately streamline the charging process across various devices — and brands. It’s currently unclear if the shift to USB-C will happen for all new iPhone 15 models or only for Pro devices. Apple could also bypass wired charging altogether to make way for wireless charging but not anytime soon because “wireless charging is currently so much slower than wired,” according to David McQueen, a director at ABI Research.

Persons: Christoph Dernbach, Thomas Husson, ” Wood, David McQueen, “, ” Organizations: It’s, Forrester Research, Apple, ABI Research Locations: Berlin, Germany

☆ 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

☆ Investigation launches into China's 5G chip in new Huwaei Mate 60 Pro phone
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The United States government is seeking more information about the Huawei Mate 60 Pro, a Chinese smartphone powered by an advanced chip. The government cited perceived national security concerns, such as the potential for cyberattacks or spying from the Chinese governement. The inclusion of a custom-built 5G chip would be a major benchmark for Huawei as it grapples with the impact of the US restrictions on its device business. But he said the launch also raises questions around how Huawei managed to launch the phone when it has spent the past four years under US restrictions banning access to 5G technology. “While access to 5G for the chipset is one thing, I’m not sure how the company managed to source all the other components that need to go into a 5G smartphone, such as power amps, switches and filters,” he said.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, “, ” David McQueen, TechInsights, Sullivan Organizations: CNN, United, Huawei, Kirin, US National, House, ABI Research, China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation Locations: United States, Chinese, China

☆ Why foldable phones are so incredibly expensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“I’ve owned practically every Pixel device,” said Pantons, 33, who has posted hundreds of YouTube videos about Pixel phones and other tech products. Premium partsThe flexible screen found on foldable phones is one of the biggest reasons why they cost so much. And the Google Pixel Fold has two: a 5.8-inch cover display and a 7.6-inch inner display. The new Google Pixel Fold phone Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesOther components unique to foldables also drive up the cost. Foldable phones are also notoriously fragile.

☆ Google I/O event: first foldable phone, new tablets and more AI features
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Samantha Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The Pixel FoldThe Google Pixel Fold is the company's first foray into foldable phones GoogleGoogle became the latest tech company to unveil a foldable smartphone. Like other foldables, the $1799 Pixel Fold features a vertical hinge that can be opened to reveal a tablet-like display. The Pixel Fold is very much a phone first: when it’s unfolded, it opens up into a 7.6-inch screen, and moves on Google’s custom-built 180-degree hinge. Under the hood, the 11-inch tablet is powered by Google’s Tensor G2 chips, which bring long-lasting battery life and AI features to the device. AI features coming to searchGoogle is also moving forward with plans to bring AI chat features to its core search engine amid a renewed arms race over the technology in Silicon Valley.

☆ 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.

☆ Why Apple may finally be embracing touchscreen laptops
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported Apple engineers are developing a touchscreen for the MacBook Pro with an expected launch date of 2025, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. While it’s unclear if the touchscreen laptop will see the light of day, introducing the product could accomplish two important things for Apple: adapting to shifting consumer expectations and supercharging sales for its Mac product line. Apple has previously kept the touchscreen away from its Mac lineup to prevent it from cannibalizing iPad sales. Now, however, Apple could use a Mac touchscreen to incentivize consumers to upgrade their computers and keep Mac sales momentum growing. When asked at a conference last fall if Apple will add a touchscreen to Macs, Federighi responded: “Who’s to say?”

☆ Kindle’s 15-year anniversary is a reminder simplicity is king
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

It’s like holding nothing but the words.”Amazon (AMZN) launched the original Kindle on November 19 2007, pushing the publishing industry to further embrace digital books and also kickstarting the e-commerce giant’s hardware efforts. Amazon can keep Kindle prices relatively low because the business model is all about selling books, not selling hardware, McQueen said. Likewise, the original Kindle had access to 90,000 books in the Kindle Store compared to 13 million books now in the Kindle Store. Amazon’s current lineup of hardware devices includes the Fire tablet, the Firestick media streaming gadget and the Echo smart speaker. “The more interesting question is will Kindle be broadly considered retro tech like vinyl record players or arcade cabinets of today?”

☆ Microsoft unveils $4,299 Surface desktop computer
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

At a press event on Wednesday, Microsoft is set to unveil several Surface Pro tablets, Surface Laptop models and a Surface Studio 2+ desktop computer, the last of which has not been updated in several years. The device also includes an updated display, cameras, microphones and supports a digital pen for on-screen drawing. The Surface Studio 2+ starts at $4,299, and $4,499 with the digital pen. The previous Surface Studio 2, released in 2018, received some criticism for its $3,499 starting price. The Surface Laptop starts at $999 for the 13.5-inch version and $1299 for the 15 inch.

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