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Monday Assorted Links

August 10, 2015

1. On recent rumors of an Apple MVNO: two thoughts, from John Gruber and Jean-Louis Gassée, sum up the reality perfectly, in my view:

Apple is a partner with all the carriers around the world that support iPhone. They can’t compete against them while partnering with them. (link to Gruber’s post)

“[Apple’s] one and only goal is selling devices. Everything else is in support of that goal. Would [an Apple wireless carrier] sell twice as many iPhones? Probably not.” (link to Gassée’s post)

2. Samsung Invents another Round of Concepts for future Smartphones with Multiple Displays. Exciting. Glad to see someone tackling this problem. This is one of many patents Samsung has filed. The specifics of this one don’t matter as much as the notion that Samsung (and others) are working to make this a reality. Someday.

3. Xiaomi ties up with Taiwan’s Foxconn to assemble smartphones in India. This aligns with Xiaomi’s focus on cost reduction (because it sells at razor thin gross margins) and helps it pursue the hearts and minds of consumers.

4. HTC stored user fingerprints as image file in unencrypted folder. Lovely. Reminds me of one of the six reasons I’ve used an iPhone since the 3GS: industrial design, ease of use, camera, apps, software updates, and … security.

6. Back to the future: Nokia prepares for mobile comeback. Increase in hiring / activity, in preparation for 2016/17 brand-licensing comeback.

6. Graava is a new action camera that does the editing for you. Watch the two minute video. I like the idea of it. I don’t need the actual product, though. Will we ever see something comparable in a smartphone? It reminds me of HTC’s “Zoes”.

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Filed Under: Apple, Assorted Links, Design, Display, Foxconn, HTC, Imaging, India, Manufacturing, Nokia, Samsung, Security & Privacy, Smartphones, Wireless Service, Xiaomi

Market Scan: 2015-05-03

May 3, 2015

The week’s most important headlines. (Except for earnings coverage; plenty of that elsewhere.) Sign up here.

Industry

  • Nest CEO Tony Fadell on the Future of the Internet (WSJ)
  • Google Now becomes a more robust platform with 70 new partner apps (ZDNet)
  • iPhone trade-ins eroding Chinese Android sales: Report (ZDNet)
  • Cyanogen looking to work with Chinese vendors to load its software on more smartphones (Android Central)

Smartphones

  • Apple: Future iPhones may sport both telephoto and wide angle cameras, patent application suggests (AppleInsider)
  • Apple: iPhone’s New Growth Engine Illustrated: China’s Middle Class (Mobile Forward)
  • More than Half of Apple’s China Levers are Unique to Apple (Mobile Forward)
  • Samsung Pay scheduled to launch in the second half of 2015 (GSMArena)
  • Xiaomi tries to end waiting period for phone buyers, amid complaints (PC World)

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Acquisitions, Android, Apple, Assorted Links, China, Cyanogen, Google, HTC, Imaging, India, Intelligent Assistance, Interface, IOT, Market Scan, Micromax, Microsoft, Nokia, Payment, Processors, Samsung, Sensors, Smartphones, Smartwatches, Sony, T-Mobile, Tablets, Wearables - Other, Windows, Xiaomi

Market Scan Highlights

April 26, 2015

Peruse the whole thing here (it’s easy). Some highlights, with my comments.

1. The real way to tell whether Google’s wireless service is a success (BGR)

2. Why Apple has purchased camera technology company LinX and what will happen now? (i-Micronews)

  • Good read RE computational imaging, dual cameras

3. Xiaomi Boosts Its Business In India With Strategic Investment From Tata Sons Head (TechCrunch)

  • Dollar value not clear. PR value very clear

4. Xiaomi’s $205 Mi 4i mirrors the iPhone 5C design, claims 1.5-day battery (Ars Technica)

  • High performance to price ratio. Profitable? TBD

5. Full video of Vogue interview with Apple designers Jony Ive and Marc Newson posted to Web (AppleInsider)

  • Always worth it to hear the thoughts of subject matter expert or influential leader

6. Apple: First Look: Apple Watch Apps & Stats (App Annie)

  • Top category (so far) is Utility; 12% of all apps

7. Google: Android Wear’s Low-Power Ambient Mode (Daring Fireball)

8. Samsung filed for “Glastyle” and other Key Trademarks this Week (Patently Mobile)

9. Imaging: Yole on Image Sensor Future (Image Sensors World)

10. Microsoft CEO thinks there’s one BIG reason you’ll love Windows 10: Cortana (Business Insider)

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Filed Under: Acquisitions, Android Wear, Apple, Assorted Links, Design, Google, Imaging, India, Intelligent Assistance, Market Scan, Microsoft, Samsung, Sensors, Smartphones, Smartwatches, Wearables - Other, Windows, Wireless Service, Xiaomi

Tuesday Assorted Links

April 7, 2015

1. The Telegraph reports a rumor that Google may bid for Twitter. Obvious backdrop: Google struggles with social networking, while Twitter struggles with being profitable.

2. Mobile carrier stores continue to dominate sales channels (in the US). 

3. Intel changes its accounting practices, will no longer report mobile group losses. Does this help Intel win any additional mobile chip customers?

4. In India, Xiaomi ropes in Amazon, Snapdeal; ends exclusive tie-up with Flipkart.

5. Elon Musk is not impressed with Stanford’s amazing new battery that fully charges in 1 minute. After a dozen of claims each year about battery breakthroughs, the excitement wears off.

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Filed Under: Assorted Links, Distribution, Google, India, Intel, Power, Twitter, Xiaomi

The Demand for R&D is Rising

April 6, 2015

Economist Tyler Cowen, writing at Marginal Revolution:

Larger markets, both in size and wealth, increase the incentive to invest in R&D. […] As India and China become richer, they are investing more in R&D and investing more in educating the scientists and engineers who produce new ideas, new ideas that benefit everyone.

His post is primarily about pharmaceuticals, but he’s also generalizing a bit (above). It’s a valid question regarding mobile devices: how soon might we see Chinese mobile device firms doing more intense R&D, and bringing better technology to smartphones? The current generation of players focuses on scale and reach. But as market shares stabilize (eventually), how long before a player plots out a different vector? If Xiaomi emerges the winner of the current generation, it’s well positioned to invest in technology development. It’s not as simple as that, though. It’s not clear if taking on R&D risk would ever be part Xiaomi’s identity. At this point, there’s just this fuzzy certainty: as they grow, more Chinese and Indian firms will do deeper R&D.

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Filed Under: China, India, R&D, Smartphones, Technology - Gen'l

Xiaomi Starts Selling Smartphones at Physical Stores in India

April 1, 2015

At 300+ stores in India. Here is the GSMArena article. I’m using their headline.

Xiaomi set up an innovative smartphone distribution model (relative to competitors), initially selling ~70% of its smartphones online. That helped it avoid channel markup, which kept retail prices low. But if many of your products are intended for first-time smartphone buyers, and they don’t have an Internet device, it hard to reach them online. And if you’re competing against local brands (e.g., Micromax), it’s hard for consumers to assess your product. Stores will help.

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Filed Under: Distribution, India, Smartphones, Xiaomi

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