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☆ Samsung's newest Galaxy S smartphones a test of brand power in weak market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Joyce Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Samsung Electronics' flagship smartphone Galaxy S23 is seen on display at an unveiling ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, January 30, 2023. The Galaxy S23 smartphone series has better cameras and faster chips than its predecessor, but analysts said early sales would face weak demand as consumers spent less on discretionary goods amid surging inflation. In the United States, the base Galaxy S23 will be priced from $799 and two higher-specification versions, the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra, from $999 and $1,199, respectively. In that tough environment, analysts said Samsung's mobile strategy would centre on profitability through premium offerings, including the S series and foldables. Samsung said on Tuesday that a decline in low- and mid-range smartphone sales in the fourth quarter had been greater than expected.

"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.

☆ Apple's expected to post its first revenue decline since 2019 on Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks at an Apple special event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California on September 7, 2022. (Photo by Brittany Hosea-Small / AFP) (Photo by BRITTANY HOSEA-SMALL/AFP via Getty Images)Analysts expect Apple to post its first year-over-year revenue decline since 2019's March quarter when it reports earnings on Thursday. Apple gave a rare warning to investors that month explaining that production issues would result in lower shipments than "previously expected." The smartphone market saw an 18% decline in shipments in the fourth quarter, according to IDC, the worst decline ever recorded by the market research firm. The PC market fell 28% in the fourth quarter, according to the company.

☆ China's 2022 smartphone shipments the lowest in 10 years, research firm says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SHANGHAI, Jan 29 (Reuters) - China's smartphone sales fell 13% year-on-year in 2022, the largest plunge for the sector in a decade as consumers spent cautiously, market research firm IDC said on Sunday. That meant total 2022 sales volume was the lowest since 2013 and the first time since then that annual sales have dropped below 300 million, IDC said in a report. Its total shipments fell 25.1% year-on-year, however. The plunge in smartphone sales in China reflected the sector's performance globally. In 2022, global smartphone shipments hit 1.2 billion, the lowest since 2013 and a year-on-year fall of more than 11%, according to IDC.

☆ China's 2022 smartphone shipments the lowest in 10 years - research firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Andrew KellyOAKLAND, Calif/BANGALORE, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Microprocessor giant Intel Corp (INTC.O) says it will regain its footing against AMD and other chip rivals which are gobbling up market share, but Wall Street is skeptical. That's a headwind for Intel and AMD, both of which are rolling out new chips, but Intel is facing a larger inventory correction. Intel still dominates the markets for PC and server processing chips, with a market share greater than 70%, tech research firm IDC calculated. Chipmaker shares were hammered across the board on Friday, but Intel led the decline, slumping by 10% while AMD lost 1.8%. AMD set to overtake Intel in market cap, again AMD set to overtake Intel in market cap, againReporting By Jane Lanhee Lee and Chavi Mehta; Editing by David Gaffen, Peter Henderson, Kirsten Donovan and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

OAKLAND, Calif/BANGALORE, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Microprocessor giant Intel Corp (INTC.O) has stumbled badly at a time when smaller rival AMD and others are picking up speed. Intel still dominates the markets for PC and server processing chips, with a market share greater than 70%, tech research firm IDC calculated. "I don't think Intel is in a position yet to start recovering share" in the market, he said. Customers of processors cannot launch products if new chip designs are late, and Intel has stumbled on delivering its latest data-center chip, code named Sapphire Rapids. Worse for Intel, the benchmarks published by the two companies show that AMD's latest server chip outperforms Sapphire Rapids on "general purpose workloads", according to Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon.

"Everything hinges on the PC market recovery. Meanwhile, the data center market has also slowed from double-digit growth as businesses cut costs to ride out an economic slowdown. The company forecast first-quarter revenue in the range of about $10.5 billion to $11.5 billion. The company expects an adjusted loss of 15 cents per share versus expectations of a 24 cents per share profit. Revenue in the fourth quarter fell 32% to $14 billion.

"Everything hinges on the PC market recovery. AMD isn’t immune to this either," said Wayne Lam, an analyst at CCS Insight about Intel rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD.O). Shares of other microchip companies fell as well, with AMD down 2.4% and Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) down 2%. PC shipments fell 16.5% to 292.3 million units in 2022, per data from research firm IDC, forcing chipmakers to cut back production and slash revenue forecasts. Meanwhile, the data center market has also slowed from double-digit growth as businesses look to cut costs to ride out an economic slowdown.

☆ Smartphone shipments plunge to a low not seen since 2013 — their largest ever decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Apple maintained its position as the world's largest smartphone maker by shipments in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to IDC. Global smartphone shipments plunged in the fourth quarter of 2022 — usually a big holiday shopping period — thanks to macroeconomic weakness and soft consumer demand, according to market research firm IDC. The U.S. tech giant shipped 72.3 million iPhones in the fourth quarter, down 14.9% year on year, IDC said. Samsung, the second-largest smartphone player, saw shipments decline 15.6% year on year to 58.2 million units. That was the biggest decline among the top five smartphone players, which also include Chinese smartphone makers Oppo and Vivo.

☆ Microsoft’s Cloud Doesn’t Quite Cover All
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Demand for Windows operating-system software has fallen with sales of the personal computers that use it. Microsoft ’s latest results are like a blast from the past—and not in a good way. The software titan has come a long way from the days when it depended on its ubiquitous Windows operating system. But it is still a lucrative business—enough so that a slump in personal computer sales can weigh on Microsoft’s financial results. And a slump this is; IDC reported earlier this month that PC unit sales slid 28% year over year during the December quarter—the biggest drop tracked by the market research firm’s numbers going at least back to 2015.

☆ Deutsche Bank downgrades Logitech, says computer and video businesses won't fare well in tough economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Logitech 's stock should fall tougher economic conditions hit personal computer and video spending, Deutsche Bank said Friday. Brown also lowered his price target by CHF14 to CHF54, which presents a downside of 4.7% over Thursday's close. The stock is down nearly 9% so far in 2023, even as the broader market has turned up to start the year. Industry research data IDC's PC tracker showed personal computer shipments were down 28% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the same period a year prior. To be sure, Logitech sales have a historically low correlation to personal computer shipments, but Brown warned the correlation is growing stronger as the broader economic worsens.

☆ Assassin's Creed maker Ubisoft sinks to more than seven-year low after slashing guidance, cancelling games
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The stock has since pared losses slightly and was last trading at around 20 euros, down 16% from the Wednesday close. In a trading update on Wednesday, Ubisoft lowered net bookings guidance for the third quarter of 2022 to 725 million euros, down from an earlier target of 830 million euros. The company forecast full-year net bookings would likely fall 10% after an earlier projection called for an increase of 10%. Ubisoft said Wednesday that it would depreciate around 500 million euros of capitalized research and development and narrow its focus to fewer titles. The company hopes to cut costs by about 200 million euros through a mix of targeted restructuring, divestment of "non-core" assets, and employee attrition.

☆ Barclays cuts Apple price target on concerns over demand weakness, slowing services growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Barclays recently cut its Apple price target from $144 per share to $133 per share, noting it's concerned that Apple Services estimates are "at risk." The firm lowered its revenue estimate by 7% for the quarter to account for slowing services growth, production problems and weakening demand. "What started out as production driven cuts has moved to demand weakness across product categories," they wrote in a Tuesday note. Apple struggled with iPhone 14 Pro shipments during the holiday season because of Covid restrictions on its primary factory in China. Foxconn has attempted to entice workers back with bonuses, and Reuters reported that Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory is almost back to full production.

☆ CIOs Contend With Pushback on AI Rollouts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Isabelle Bousquette | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Overall enterprise adoption of AI has grown threefold since 2019 as algorithms grow in scale and sophistication, according to International Data Corp. That left executives underwhelmed by the results and disillusioned, according to Todd Lohr, KPMG LLP’s U.S. technology consulting leader. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CIO Journal The Morning Download delivers daily insights and news on business technology from the CIO Journal team. In 2022, organizations spent on average 4% to 6% more on AI than the previous year, according to IDC. Other emerging technologies are more likely to be cut than AI, given its cost-savings potential, she noted.

☆ China risks loom over U.S. tech giants Tesla and Apple as share prices plunge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

But in October, the world's biggest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, China, was hit with a Covid outbreak. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory is almost back to full production. In early November, after Foxconn imposed Covid restrictions at the factory, Apple said the plant was operating at a "significantly reduced capacity." The world's biggest iPhone factory, located in China and run by Foxconn, faced disruptions in 2022. Apple could report a 1% annual decline in revenue in the December quarter, according to Refinitiv consensus estimates.

☆ Tech’s biggest show is set to kick off in Las Vegas. Here’s what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Consumer Electronics Show, now in its 56th year, kicks off this week in Las Vegas with a familiar mix of cutting edge technology and oddball gadgets. And this year’s event, in particular, could show how companies are thinking about products as pandemic concerns recede for some consumers but recession concerns remain. This year, featured speakers will include executives from traditional tech companies such as Samsung, Sony and Amazon, as well as other brands like John Deere, Delta and BMW. Still, the topic of virtual reality products will remain a focus for some companies. HTC is expected to launch the Vive Focus 3 this week at the show, with an emphasis on the metaverse.

☆ ESG will be a heavy focus for tech leaders in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Bob Violino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Reducing the carbon footprint of IT operationsThere are a number of drivers moving ESG forward. One area of focus will be the need for reporting on ESG progress, as required by regulations. Nearly half of the respondents said their organization could not accurately report its carbon footprint. Efforts appear to be underway to enhance ESG reporting strategies. By 2024, IDC said, 75% of large enterprises will implement ESG data management and reporting software as a response to emerging legislation and increased stakeholder expectations.

☆ Meta is building virtual world open to app makers, CEO tells antitrust court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Katie Paul | Industry Insight | Saw Law Firms Move Past The Pandemic Into A More Client-Focused Service Environment | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] Meta Platforms Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg leaves federal court after attending the Facebook parent company's defense of its acquisition of virtual reality app developer Within Inc., in San Jose, California, U.S. December 20, 2022. REUTERS/Laure AndrillonSAN JOSE, Calif., Dec 20 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) boss Mark Zuckerberg defended his acquisition of a virtual reality fitness app to an antitrust judge on Tuesday, arguing that his company was helping to build a nascent virtual reality industry, not dominate it. On fitness apps, he said, "it's less important that we own the experiences than that they exist." Platform companies have built "the key apps, what they call the killer apps," Zuckerberg said, "but they're not the only apps available." Within developed Supernatural, a VR app it advertises as a "complete fitness service" with choreographed workouts.

☆ Listen up: Headphones are getting really weird
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Bone conduction headphones, which rely on sound being transmitted through vibrations on the user’s skull, are gaining popularity. Bone conduction headphones ‘having a moment’Bone conduction headphones, in particular, are “having a moment,” Konig said. Rather than sitting inside or on top of the ear canal, bone conduction headphones rest in front of the ear, leaving it uncovered. Beyond consumer appeal, Cozza believes bone conduction headphones could be used by frontline workers who could listen to communications and instruction and at the same time be aware of sounds around them. But some audiophiles say the sound quality on bone conduction headphones and open earbuds is less than stellar.

☆ Apple is going to keep cozying up to the Chinese government, no matter how much it says it's investing in America, India, and other countries
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Emilia David | Asia Martin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Apple, which enjoys about 50% market share in the US and many other countries, still has room to run in China. Apple willing to play ball with China's governmentWhile pursuing the Chinese consumer, Apple has made concessions to the Chinese government. But in China, it offloaded iCloud servers to a Chinese state-owned company to comply with Chinese regulations. Popal said Huawei was the first Chinese brand to shake off the perception that Chinese phones were cheap. But with hundreds of millions of potential customers left to convert to iPhone users in China, Apple will absorb the hits.

WASHINGTON/SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec 8 (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust law, is about to engage in a real-life courtroom fight over virtual reality. On Thursday, a high-profile trial kicks off in which the FTC will try to prevent Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) from buying virtual reality app developer Within Inc. The FTC sued in July to stop the deal, saying Meta's acquisition of Within would "tend to create a monopoly" in the market for virtual reality (VR) fitness apps. The majority of the more than 400 apps available in the Quest app store are produced by external developers. Meta owns the most popular virtual reality app in the Quest app store, Beat Saber, which it acquired in 2019.

☆ Apple made a big move into women’s health just as startups go through a funding winter. 4 health investors and founders predict who’ll survive.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The tech giant's moves into women's health coincides with a funding winter for startups in the sector. Insider spoke to VCs about the challenges and opportunities this creates for women's health startups. When Apple rolled out the Apple Watch Series 8 in September this year, it cemented its growing footprint in the global women's health market. The aim is to give consumers a more consolidated view of their health data, an Apple representative said — but it's a step that could spell trouble for women's health startups. Funding into women's health has taken a dipThe tech giant's gradual monopoly over health data comes at a time when its apparent competitors — consumer women's health startups — are feeling the tech downturn.

☆ Forget smartwatches, consumers are buying up these quirky, alternative wearable devices
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

People turned to activity trackers, smartwatches and other devices to keep tabs on their steps, vital statistics and more. Rather than sitting inside or on top of the ear canal, bone conduction headphones rest in front of the ear, leaving it uncovered. Bone conduction headphones by Shokz. Shokz ($125) pioneered bone conduction headphones, but the market has since expanded with other brands offering similar designs. But some audiophiles say the sound quality on bone conduction headphones and open earbuds is less than stellar.

☆ This startup comes up with cash offers for homeowners in 24 hours. Check out the pitch deck Rive used to raise a $24 million Series A to make buying and selling real estate easier.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Finnish proptech Rive has just closed a 23 million euros (around $24 million) Series A funding round. We got an exclusive look at the 14-slide pitch deck Rive used to raise the cash. While listing some properties on the market, Rive also has a portfolio of its own. Rive gives sellers cash offers with time frames that suit their moving plans. Check out the 14-slide pitch deck the company used to raise the cash below.

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