Peruse the whole thing here (it’s easy). Some highlights, with my comments.
1. Microsoft will bundle its apps on Cyanogen’s Android OS (The Verge)
- Raises Cyanogen’s credibility, visibility, and viability. Seems like low risk for Microsoft… no?
2. Apple Acquires Array Camera Developer LinX (Image Sensors World)
- Neat improvement in quality (see link). Looks like Samsung and LG couldn’t afford the price. Apple doing more and more with Israeli co’s. Amazing high tech density.
3. Apple Invents a Simple Voice Command to unlock your iPhone (Patently Apple)
- Yes, it’s just a patent. But more and more dots point toward “always on voice” coming to Apple products. At least that’s what Amazon Echo tells me.
4. Apple to equip next iPhone with Force Touch technology (DigiTimes)
- You’d heard that, I know. But the article mentions other vendors using the technology, in 2016.
5. Samsung “will focus its efforts on flexible smartphone units” in 2015 (DigiTimes)
- Just good to watch this topic.
6. Xiaomi Finds Themselves On The Receiving End Of Counterfeit Products (Ubergizmo)
- Oh, the irony.
7. The Future of Wearable Power Is Energy Harvesting (TechPinions)
- Email me if you see a lot R&D here. Or should I assume that, if you don’t email me, it’s huge? :-)
8. Apple Watch won’t be available in Apple’s retail stores until June at the earliest (Apple Insider)
- The engineering appears superb, but the combination of (some) product complexity, portfolio distractions (Edition), and now manufacturability, is making the launch less than ideal.
9. Apple is reportedly planning to build ‘well over 20 million’ watches this year (VentureBeat)
- Just to give you a ballpark sense for 2015, if you haven’t heard the numbers.
10. Display: Quantum dot TVs are unveiled at China tech expo (Phys.org)
- Time between now and smartphones?
11. Imaging: Light Comes Out of Stealth Mode (Image Sensors World)
- Array imaging. Closer, closer …
12. Imaging: Movidius Raises $40M (Image Sensors World)
- Machine vision. Intriguing.
13. Echo, the smart-home assistant, could launch a whole new device category (Business Insider)
- Echo is fun. Not much to this article, but the headline is worth thinking about.
14. AT&T: Rumor: AT&T will end two-year contracts at the end of May (Android Authority)
- Good move.
15. Sprint Will Come to Your Home or Office to Set Up Your Next Phone (Re/code)
- Worth the experiment. Can reduce returns and increase loyalty (probably). Let’s check back. I don’t have a good US postpaid smartphone CLV (customer lifetime value) metric, but … it’s meaningful. My rough estimate indicates ~$800 – $1,200, and this analysis indicates an average of ~$1,050 (p 44).
