Netherlands to ban mobile phones from classrooms

THE HAGUE - The Netherlands said Tuesday it will ban mobile phones from classrooms in a bid to stop tech disrupting lessons.

Mobiles, tablets and smartwatches are getting in the way of students' learning and will not be allowed in class from next year, the Dutch government said.

"There is increasing evidence that mobile phones have a harmful effect during lessons", it said. "Pupils are less able to concentrate and their performance suffers."

"For this reason, mobile phones, as well as tablets and smartwatches, will no longer be allowed in classrooms from January 1, 2024."

The government is asking school authorities to agree on internal rules with teachers, parents and pupils by October.

The country's center-right coalition has not yet imposed a formal ban but says it reserves the right to do so after measuring progress next year.

Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf told parliament he hopes the move will usher in a "cultural transformation" and improve learning.

Agence France-Presse

LG's smartphone exit: who stands to gain?

LG Electronics' move to exit its loss-making mobile business is expected to create more opportunities for Samsung than its other rivals in the lucrative North American smartphone market, analysts said.

LG's US market share currently stands at about 10 percent, research firms Gartner and Counterpoint estimated, adding it was stronger in markets where it partnered with telecom companies to include its devices as part of a mobile plan.

"Apple tends to cater to the higher end of the (US) market; so it might grab a small portion of LG's sales," Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen said. "It's more likely that Samsung inherits a lot of it because both vendors compete across similar markets."

Globally, LG's market share shrank to 2 percent in 2020, a massive drop from its status as the world's third-largest smartphone maker behind Samsung Electronics and Apple Inc during its peak in 2013.

The company shipped 23 million phones last year, compared with Samsung's 256 million, according to Counterpoint.

Counterpoint analyst Tarun Pathak said LG was mostly competing in the mid-tier, as its flagship phones received tepid market response.

"So it will be mostly the Chinese and mid-tier brands benefiting through the LG exit. In its key market like USA – Samsung, Motorola, HMD mostly (ZTE, Alcatel to a lesser extent) will benefit, while Xiaomi, Motorola will benefit in LATAM and Samsung in Korea," Pathak added.

Tech enthusiasts on Twitter lamented the exit of the once ubiquitous name in the smartphone industry, with many crediting LG for pioneering the now-familiar features such as ultra-wide angle camera and capacitive touchscreen in mobile devices.

"They didn't always ace every phone, but losing them means losing a competitor that was willing to try new things, even when they didn't work," popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) said in a tweet.

-reuters-

Oppo, Xiaomi rise in smartphone rankings, filling the Huawei void left by US sanctions

Chinese smartphone makers Oppo and Vivo have risen in the rankings at home, with Xiaomi seeing big gains overseas, benefiting from the struggles of Huawei Technologies Co amid harsh US sanctions.

Oppo became China’s No 1 smartphone brand in January for the first time, making up 21 per cent of the market, according to the latest data released by Counterpoint Research on Friday. The company’s sales grew 33 per cent over the previous month, aided by the launch of the Reno 5 series of smartphones in the affordable premium segment, along with Huawei’s decline. Vivo came in second place with 20 per cent market share. Vivo and Oppo, along with OnePlus and Realme, are owned by BBK Electronics.

Huawei, which once held a dominant lead in China’s smartphone market, fell to third place, tied with Apple and Xiaomi at 16 per cent market share each.

“Oppo’s growth was in part also driven by Huawei’s decline, a trend that also benefited Xiaomi and Vivo,” Counterpoint analyst Varun Mishra said in the firm’s report. “Xiaomi is benefiting the most from the decline in Huawei’s online share, while Oppo and Vivo have been capturing the offline segment.”

Even after the initial US sanctions against Huawei in 2019, it was able to fend off rivals. The Shenzhen-based company’s hardware was widely praised and it benefited from nationalist pride at home. Being cut off from Google apps and services bruised international sales, but that was not a problem in China, where Google is blocked and Google Play Services are not preloaded on Android phones. However, tightening US sanctions last year banned foreign chip makers that use US technology from selling to Huawei without approval, cutting the company off from foundries needed to make its high-end Kirin processors, leading the company to sell its budget smartphone brand Honor to a consortium of partners in November.

“The good thing for Huawei in China is that the lack of Google services is not an issue there, but the company still faces a diminishing stockpile of smartphone components,” said IDC vice-president of client devices Bryan Ma. “Even if it can secure new agreements with suppliers this year, those will likely be for older technologies like 4G rather than leading-edge parts that it could’ve used to show that it is ahead of the curve.”

Counterpoint’s Mishra said Huawei’s decline will continue in 2021, with other smartphone makers continuing to fill the gap.

Competitors are already capitalising on Huawei’s misfortunes. Oppo sped up its mobile chip making capabilities with a hiring spree last May. The smartphone maker boosted production by over 50 per cent, business news publication Caxin reported in September.

Huawei also faces continuing decline overseas. Oppo and Vivo surpassed Huawei in January to capture the fourth and fifth spots in the global market, respectively, according to Counterpoint.

Counterpoint analyst Yang Wang said Xiaomi and Oppo are also set to benefit the most from Huawei’s fall globally, with their sales projected to increase by around 30 per cent each in 2021, followed by Vivo.

“These three brands have been aggressive with market entry initiatives around the world throughout 2020, most notably in Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East,” Wang said. “It is also worth noting that these three brands are traditionally strong in the mid-tier segments, which also happened to be where Huawei was most active in overseas markets.”

Fourth quarter numbers from IDC show Huawei’s global market share tumbled 42.4 per cent compared with the same period in the previous year, which Ma said included shipments of Honor phones. Honor accounted for up to a third of Huawei’s volumes at some points last year, he added.

“Western Europe is a good example of Huawei’s woes,” Ma said.

Huawei was the second-largest smartphone brand in Western Europe in the first quarter of 2019 with 28.3 per cent of the market, according to Ma. By the last quarter of 2020, it had fallen to No 4 with 3.9 per cent.

The biggest winner in the region was Xiaomi, which saw sales in Europe grow 90 per cent last year, according to Counterpoint.

In Latin America, Xiaomi became the third-largest brand for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2020, behind Samsung and Motorola, according to a separate report by Counterpoint last week. It came in fourth in the region for the whole year.

Huawei was still the third-biggest smartphone brand in Latin America for all of 2020, but it fell out of the top five in the fourth quarter.

“Samsung, Motorola and Xiaomi all took advantage of Huawei’s weakening position,” said Counterpoint analyst Tina Lu.

Huawei’s fall last year was precipitous. Just last summer, the company briefly became the world’s top smartphone seller, wresting the crown from South Korean giant Samsung Electronics. But new sanctions from the US in August quickly took a toll, effectively cutting off Huawei from most global chip suppliers.

Huawei is forecast to be able to produce only 70 to 80 million handsets this year, according to a report by Nikkei, a significant decline from the 189 million units that IDC shows the company shipped last year. Research company TrendForce predicts that the smartphone maker will fall to seventh place globally in 2021.

Plunging supplies of Huawei phones are also forcing franchise retailers to close stores in China or switch to selling other domestic brands.

Despite offloading Honor, the company has been unwavering in its support for its own branded smartphones.

Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said in February that the company will not give up on its “terminal devices” business, which analysts say is an integral part of the company’s overall business strategy.

-South China Morning Post

'Perfect storm': phones, consoles could get pricier as chip crisis bites

KUALA LUMPUR - Prices of popular gadgets such as PlayStations and iPhones could rise because of microchip shortages caused by a "perfect storm" of coronavirus-driven demand, supply chain disruptions and trade war stockpiling, experts warn.

In the months after the pandemic hit, people stuck at home went on a spending spree to buy items including extra monitors, new computers and tablets -- each of which runs on all-important chips.

Compounding the crisis are US-China tensions -- Huawei stockpiled semiconductors last year before American sanctions aimed at cutting the tech giant off from global chipmakers kicked in, adding further pressure to supplies.

The squeeze in the market was highlighted when automakers, enjoying a pick-up in car-buying, tried to source specialized semiconductors, only to find manufacturers had prioritized consumer electronics and could not fill orders.

The auto sector is the highest-profile victim so far, with giants including Ford and Volkswagen forced to cut production, but shortages appear to be spreading to a wide range of electronic items. 

"A perfect storm of coronavirus chaos, trade-war stockpiling, and a paradigm shift in work-from-home devices is causing the chip squeeze," Neil Mawston, executive director at consultancy Strategy Analytics, told AFP.

"Anything with a chip is affected -- cars, smartphones, games consoles, tablets and laptops. Electronic gadgets and cars will be in shorter supply or more expensive throughout 2021."

COMPLEX SUPPLY CHAINS

Sales of certain iPhone models have reportedly been limited because particular components were not available, while some have pointed to chip shortages for problems in getting hold of Sony's new PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's latest Xbox. 

A growing number of major chipmakers have voiced concern at the brewing crisis, including US firm Qualcomm, the world's biggest mobile chipmaker, and rival AMD, both of which supply to major consumer electronics companies.

The microchip supply chain is complex and the US giants design the semiconductors but do not for the most part make them. The production is mostly outsourced to Asian companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and South Korea's Samsung. However, Samsung supplies are now threatened after it was forced to halt production at its Texas factory owing to power outages caused by a severe winter storm. 

Manufacturers have faced challenges in meeting strong consumer electronics demand and then having to pivot their operations to car chips -- shifting production processes can take months.

Taiwan, home to some of the world's biggest and most advanced foundries, and its manufacturers have come under growing pressure from carmakers and governments because of the shortages.

The island vowed last month to ramp up production of car chips while TSMC said the auto industry was a "top priority" -- but warned its factories were already at full capacity.

The rollout of 5G technology has added to pressure because of the need for myriad chips to build a new generation of phones, wireless infrastructure and other equipment, said GlobalFoundries, a US-headquartered chipmaker with factories in Singapore.

'HEART OF GLOBAL ECONOMY'

Washington has been increasing pressure on Huawei, which it accuses of stealing American trade secrets, last year unveiling sanctions that ban the smartphone maker from using semiconductor designs developed with US technology.

When the tech giant began stockpiling semiconductors before the sanctions, other companies followed their lead, adding to the global shortage.

"Hoarding has been causing more hoarding," said Mawston of Strategy Analytics.

"As Huawei has stockpiled phone chips, other rival brands have sought (to a lesser degree) to hoard their own stocks to help guard future supply."

Chip shortages could delay production of nearly one million vehicles in the first quarter of this year, according to market research firm IHS Markit, although analysts say it is too early to assess the impact on other industries.

Shortages are expected to ease later this year as vaccines are rolled out -- allowing factories to work at full capacity without workers social distancing -- and new plants begin operating. 

But there could be supply problems in future as chip demand grows, and analysts say the latest crisis is a wake-up call for governments to strengthen domestic industries and reduce reliance on a few players. 

"Semiconductors are at the heart of the global economy," GlobalFoundries said in a statement.

The company said it is urging "governments to invest in semiconductor manufacturing, and to do their part in helping address the clear mismatch in semiconductor supply and demand".

Agence France-Presse

Huawei selling Honor brand to consortium of agents and dealers to keep the unit alive

SHENZHEN, China - Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is selling its budget brand smartphone unit Honor to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers in a bid to keep it alive, the company and the consortium said on Tuesday.

The deal comes after U.S. restrictions on supplying Huawei Technologies on grounds the firm is a national security threat - which it denies.

The consortium issued a statement on Tuesday announcing the purchase, which will be made via a new company, Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology.

Huawei will not hold any shares in the new Honor company after the sale, the statement said.

In Huawei's statement, the company said its consumer business has been under "tremendous pressure" due to the "persistent unavailability of technical elements" for its phone business.

"This move has been made by Honor's industry chain to ensure its own survival," Huawei said.

The change of ownership will not impact Honor's development direction, both statements said.

No figure for the deal was given.

Sources with knowledge of the matter say the U.S. government restrictions have forced the world's second-biggest smartphone maker - after South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd - to focus on high-end handsets and corporate-oriented business.

One source said on Tuesday the U.S. government will have no reason to apply sanctions to Honor after it separates from Huawei.

Honor sells smartphones through its own websites and third-party retailers in China, where it competes with Xiaomi Corp, Oppo and Vivo in the lower-priced handset market. It also sells phones in Southeast Asia and Europe, and ships 70 million units annual, according to the Huawei statement.

Electronics products and appliance store Suning.com 002024.SZ is listed among the buyers, which include several state-owned investment firms in Huawei's hometown of Shenzhen.

Honor will look for more investment partners in the future, with the possibility of an eventual listing, the source said.

Reuters reported earlier this month that Huawei was in talks to sell Honor in a 100 billion yuan ($15.2 billion) deal to a consortium led by handset distributor Digital China and the government of Shenzhen.

The source said Digital China was not part of the final buyer group.

Huawei has said its higher-end smartphone line is under threat from the U.S. sanctions, with the head of its consumer business saying in August that it would be unable to continue making the Kirin chips that power its premium models.

-reuters-

Britain to stop mobile operators selling 'locked' handsets

LONDON - British mobile operators will be barred from selling smartphones locked to their networks, regulator Ofcom said on Tuesday, a change designed to remove a barrier to switching networks for some customers.

Companies including BT/EE, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone sell phones that cannot be used on other networks unless they have been unlocked, a potentially complex process that can cost about 10 pounds ($13), Ofcom said.

The ban will come into effect in December 2021.

O2, Sky, Three and Virgin Media sell unlocked devices to their customers.

The move is part of a package of measures designed to ensure customers are treated fairly and to make switching easier, Ofcom said.

It said it would consult on proposals to make it easier to switch from fixed-line broadband providers that use Openreach's copper network to those that use completely separate networks, such as Virgin Media, CityFibre, Gigaclear or Hyperoptic. 

(Reporting by Paul Sandle, editing by Estelle Shirbon)

-reuters-

Top 5 takeaways from Apple's iPhone launch event

Apple Inc on Tuesday announced four new iPhones that can tap 5G wireless data networks and a cheaper smart speaker that will compete with offerings from market leaders Amazon and Google.

In a bid to line up new hardware for the upcoming holiday season, Apple last month launched new smart watch models with blood oxygen sensors and updated its iPad range.

The Cupertino, California-based company's Tuesday launch included smartphones ranging from $699 to $1,399 with new designs and 5G technology.

Here are five key announcements from the event:

5G IN ALL THINGS 

Apple said all four new iPhone models in the United States will support millimeter wave 5G, the fastest variant of the technology, as well as lower-frequency bands. Some rival Android devices support only the lower-frequency versions of 5G.

Nearly all of Apple's rivals, including Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, have 5G models on store shelves already. The iPhone maker's announcement is likely to bring fresh attention to the technology, even if U.S. carriers are still years away from rolling out the fastest versions.

THE SMALLER PHONE 

Apple's newest base model, the iPhone 12 mini, sports a 5.4 inch (13.72 cm) full screen display, with a dual camera setup and is priced at $699. The device can be pre-ordered from Nov. 6 and shipping will begin a week later. (https://apple.co/3iVIvNR)

IPHONE 12 

The iPhone 12 has a 6.1 inch display and starts at $799. Customers in more than 30 countries will be able to pre-order the phone on Oct. 16 and it will be shipped from Oct. 23.

ONE FOR THE PROS 

The "Pro" iPhones come in two variants, Pro and Pro Max, with a price tag starting at $999 and three cameras each. The iPhone 12 Pro Max sports the company's largest ever display of 6.7 inches. Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 Pro begin Oct. 16 and it goes on sale on Oct. 23. 

HOMEPOD MINI 

Apple launched the HomePod mini, a smaller smart speaker priced at $99, still nearly two times more expensive than the starting offerings from rivals Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google which dominate the space. In comparison, Amazon's third generation Echo Dot was selling for $18.99, down from its list price of $49.99 on Prime Day. 

-reuters-

5G iPhone expected to star at Apple event

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple is expected on Tuesday to unveil a keenly anticipated iPhone 12 line-up starring models tuned to super-fast new 5G telecom networks in an update considered vital to the company's fortunes.

A streamed event was cryptically teased with the message "Hi, Speed" in an apparent reference to the faster wireless networks being introduced in many parts of the world.

Analysts expect Apple to introduce a selection of iPhone 12 models in multiple sizes, with some shipping earlier than others due to the toll the pandemic has taken on the company's supply chain.

"We believe iPhone 12 represents the most significant product cycle for Cook & Co. since iPhone 6 in 2014 and will be another defining chapter in the Apple growth story," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors, referring to chief executive Tim Cook.

The time is ripe, analysts said, for Apple to hit the market with an iPhone tailored to the super-fast 5G telecom networks taking root around the world.

"Apple absolutely needs 5G right now," said Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart, "not for the US, but for China, where 5G is driving purchase decisions."

Some Apple rivals have already produced 5G models, and China is far ahead of the US when it comes to the new-generation networks.

5G networks are touted as promising an exponential leap in the amount and speed of wireless data, enabling advances in self-driving vehicles, virtual reality, connected health and more as sensors and servers communicate instantly. 

"5G is happening in China with or without Apple; in fact, more 5G phones than non-5G phones are selling in China," said analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy.

New-generation 5G networks have also taken shape in South Korea and in parts of Europe.

Meanwhile, US telecom firms are looking at a 5G iPhone as a catalyst for consumer interest that will justify the big investments needed for those networks, according to analysts.

"US carriers are waiting for Apple to announce a 5G iPhone to put the pedal to the metal in the US," said Moorhead.

POWERING THE 'ECOSYSTEM'

Apple also needs a 5G-capable iPhone to maintain its premium image, analysts added.

Powerhouses Samsung and Huawei already have 5G smartphones on the market.

Google recently unveiled two new smartphones with 5G wireless capability under its Pixel brand, which showcases the Android mobile system but has limited market share.

"Apple got away with not releasing a 5G device last year because the 5G use-cases and network coverage simply wasn’t there," said Futuresource Consulting research analyst Stephen Mears.

"Apple won’t want to be perceived as being two generations behind on 5G handsets."

The streamed event comes a month after Apple unveiled new service bundles and smartwatch models tied to the iPhone, which remains at the heart of its money-making ecosystem.

Adding 5G iPhones to its line-up should help Apple "drive forward" with that lucrative blend of hardware, software, services and digital content, Mears said. From the health-centric Apple Watch to subscriptions to music and television services, the iPhone is at the center of the user experience.

Apple remains the most expensive company on Wall Street, where it ended the formal trading session Friday with a value of $2.03 billion, based on its share price.

PANDEMIC SLOWS SALES

Rumors swirling ahead of the event include that Apple will unveil new iPhones in an array of sizes, from a small model with a 5.4-inch (13.7-centimeter) screen to one with a 6.7-inch screen, measured diagonally.

Overall, it has been a tough year for the smartphone industry, with the pandemic disrupting economies and supply chains.

"Recovery will be slow, with tough market conditions expected to continue through 2021," Mears said.

Total smartphone sales were down 16 percent in the second quarter, according to research firm IDC.

Its survey showed Huawei leading the market, ahead of Samsung, Apple and Chinese firms Xiaomi and Oppo.

Agence France-Presse

Samsung unveils new Galaxy Note20 series with 5G, 108MP camera for ‘life maximizers’

MANILA - Samsung Electronics on Wednesday unveiled the Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra with 5G-capability, enhanced S-pen, and productivity tools as well as monster cameras that target “life maximizers.” 

The Note20 and Note20 Ultra are the "most powerful" Note series yet, the South Korean smartphone maker said in a global livestreaming event.

The Note20 Ultra has triple rear cameras including a main 108 megapixel wide lens, a 12MP ultra wide camera and a 12MP telephoto lens. It can take ultra-high resolution 8k videos for a “cinematic” experience with 21:9 aspect ratio and 24fps recording, Samsung said.

The Note20 has a 64MP telephoto lens, 12MP wide and 12MP ultrawide cameras at the back. Both versions have 10MP front cameras for selfies. 

A laser auto focus system allows for fast and accurate auto focus. Up to 50x zoom is available on the Note20 Ultra while 30x zoom for the Note20 without quality loss. The devices also have a “pro-grade” audio for a next level cinematic experience. 

Both devices run on Samsung’s "smarter” processor Exynos 990 for faster and smoother multitasking. Samsung said the new chipset is faster than its predecessor. Both run on Android 10 operating system.

The Note20 Ultra runs on 4,500 mAh and 4,300 mAh for Note20, which can charge over half of its capacity in just 30 minutes, Samsung said. 

Note20 Ultra also has a 6.9 inch WQHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2.0 Infinity-O display while the Note20 has a smaller 6.7 inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED Infinity-O display which is 25 percent brighter than previous models. The new series has a 120Hz refresh rate that automatically adjusts to optimize viewing and battery life. 

The 5G-capable Note20 Ultra is available for pre-order and it comes with a 12GB RAM and 256GB internal memory, expandable up to 1 terabyte. Its LTE version comes in 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. 

For the Note20, the 5G version is operator exclusive. Both 5G and LTE versions have 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. 

With refined camera housing at the back, the new series has a more “sophisticated” and iconic design compared to the Note10. The Note20 Ultra comes in bronze and black while the slightly smaller Note20 will be available in grey, green and bronze. 

“These are extraordinary times and we’re facing extraordinary challenge...Innovation has always been in our DNA, we don’t just innovate cutting edge tech, we innovate our ecosystem. Our mission is to give you new ways to communicate, new ways to get your job done,” said Samsung Electronics president and head of Mobile communication TM Roh.

“At the end of the day we’re about empowering you so that you can focus on what really matter, so you can work hard, play hard so you can live life to the absolute fullest,” Roh added.

PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCERS 

Both devices come with the signature S-Pen which allows jotting down notes anytime, anywhere. The enhanced S-Pen also evolved as a navigation tool, enabling users to control presentation using new gestures even from across the room. 

Its latency improvement makes it more responsive, providing a life-like true pen-to-paper-feel, the electronics maker said. The devices have Samsung DEX capabilities that connects wirelessly on any smart TV with support mirroring function, Samsung said. 

File sharing error will now be a "thing of the past" with the Note20 Ultra’s ultra-wideband (UWB) technology that enables users to interact with other UWB devices via sharing files by pointing the smartphone at another device. 

Samsung said its partnership with Microsoft took productivity to the next level. 

New improvements are introduced along with the new Galaxy series such as audio bookmark, capable of attaching audio to notes, PDF annotation, improved AI for handwriting and customizable folders that can be created like one would in a computer. 

NEW GALAXY ECOSYSTEM 

Along with the latest Galaxy Note20 series, Samsung also unveiled a new set of devices including the Galaxy Note Watch 3 which has built-in health sensors that can monitor blood oxygen levels, and can automatically detect a fall and send a message to emergency contacts.

The Galaxy Buds Live boasts of a more ergonomic design with live and deep sound, as well as a noise cancellation feature for the optimum listening experience. 

Samsung also introduced the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S7 and 12.4-inch Galaxy Tab S7+. 

Samsung has yet to reveal the release date and price range for the new Galaxy Note20 series but expect the devices to be available for pre-order soon with freebies and exclusive deals lined up. 

A midnight exclusive pre-order offer starts on Aug. 5, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Aug. 6 through Samsung online partners. Starting Aug. 7, the Note20 and Note20 Ultra will be available for pre-order through Samsung stores and other authorized retailers, it said.

The series will be available in stores and online merchants starting Aug. 21. Price starts at P53,990 for the Galaxy Note20, P67,990 for the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and P72,990 for the Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, Samsung said.

news.abs-cbn.com

Samsung, Apple to boost cellphone manufacturing in India

NEW DELHI (AP) — Three contract manufacturers for Apple iPhones and South Korea’s Samsung have applied for large-scale electronics manufacturing rights in India under a $6.5 billion incentive scheme announced by the government, a minister said Saturday.

The scheme will extend cash incentives of 4-6% for five years on incremental sales of goods manufactured in India with 2019-2020 as the base year, Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters

The international cellphone manufacturing companies that have applied under the scheme are Samsung, Rising Star and three Apple contract manufacturers — Foxconn Hon Hai, Wistron and Pegatron.

Prasad said the scheme is expected to increase Apple’s and Samsung’s manufacturing base manifold in India.

Nearly two dozen Indian and international companies in the cellphone segment have applied for the scheme, which is expected to generate 300,000 direct jobs in the country, Prasad said.

Associated Press

Sweden's Ericsson sees 190 million 5G subscriptions by year end

STOCKHOLM - Sweden's Ericsson has almost doubled its global forecast for 5G mobile subscriptions to 190 million by the end of this year, due to faster than expected uptake in China.

The telecoms equipment maker, which had previously forecast 100 million subscriptions by the end of 2020, said it had made small downward adjustments for other parts of the world due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"For example, several spectrum auctions in Europe have been delayed, with a slower uptake of 5G subscriptions in the near term expected as a result," it said in its biannual Mobility Report.

Ericsson nudged down its 5G subscriptions forecast for 2020 and 2021 in North America, but maintained 2025 forecasts for both Europe and North America.

It also confirmed it had raised its forecast for global 5G subscriptions to 2.8 billion by 2025, or around 30 percent of all mobile subscriptions, from 2.6 billion previously.

"Despite the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, service providers continued to switch on 5G, and more than 75 of them have now announced commercial 5G service launches," Ericsson said.

The mobile network industry has faced waning demand for 4G and older network equipment, but 5G spending in North America has helped to fuel a return to growth.

Ericsson, which competes with China's Huawei and Finland's Nokia, said 4G would remain the dominant mobile access technology by subscriptions during 2020 to 2025, with 5.1 billion in 2022 and 4.4 billion expected by the end of 2025.

But in 2025, 5G networks will carry nearly half of the world’s mobile data traffic, it forecast.

The new generation of mobile phone technology will bring faster data speeds and support a greater variety of connected devices. 

-reuters-

World smartphone shipments to fall 12 percent this year on virus woes: IDC

Global smartphone shipments will fall nearly 12 percent to 1.2 billion units in 2020, market research firm IDC said on Wednesday, citing lower consumer spending due to the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only disrupted business supply chains, with major smartphone makers such as Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd flagging financial hits, but also squeezed consumer spending worldwide.

"Nationwide lockdowns and rising unemployment have reduced consumer confidence and reprioritized spending towards essential goods, directly impacting the uptake of smartphones in the short term", said Sangeetika Srivastava, senior research analyst with IDC.


Apple, which was forced to shut retail stores in the United States and Europe following the outbreak, introduced discounts on the iPhone 11 in China and released a new low-price SE model to weather a plunge in global smartphone demand.

Research firm TrendForce said in April it expected global smartphone production to slump a record 16.5 percent in the June quarter from a year earlier.

That follows a 10 percent drop in output worldwide in the March quarter, when the outbreak spread and peaked in China before sweeping through Europe and the United States.

However, shipments from China's factories to vendors rose 17% in April from a year earlier, suggesting signs of an early rebound in domestic demand in the world's largest smartphone market.

In China, where the economy has begun to reopen and factories have resumed operations, IDC expects a single-digit decline in this year.

The research firm also expects upcoming 5G deployment to help the recovery of smartphone shipments next year, adding it does not expect growth to return until the first quarter of 2021.

-reuters-

Lenovo returns to smartphone market in PH, launches new home devices, PCs

MANILA -- Lenovo is re-entering the smartphone market in the Philippines with three new models, on top of the company's latest lineup of personal computers and home devices.

The Lenovo K5 Play, K5 Pro, and S5 Pro promise features such as multiple camera setups and advanced chipsets at affordable prices, starting at P3,990.

Michael Ngan, president and general manager of Lenovo Philippines, said they aim to "help create a more inclusive, trustworthy, and sustainable digital society for everyone" through their new offerings.

"Smarter technology can solve problems, create opportunities, and ultimately transform the way we all live. Bringing our expertise as the world's leading PC provider into our new smartphone and smart home technology solutions, we are able to give customers the ability to experience the world in a more intuitive, immersive way by providing end-to-end solutions across the entire customer journey," he said. 

Meanwhile, Lenovo's first smart home devices in the Philippines include a "Smart Tab" that allows users to control parts of a home such as lights and outlets; a laptop-tablet hybrid; and a robot vacuum cleaner that can sweep the floor on its own so homeowners can focus on other tasks. 

There are also accompanying accessories such as wireless headsets, "smart" watches, and power banks. 

NEW COMPUTERS

Also launched through a web event on Tuesday were personal computers with integrated AI that can customize performance levels depending on the user's needs. 

Ngan said the new PCs "combine what customers look for to become the ultimate companion tools" for work or recreation. 

"PCs have now become an essential tool, regardless of the user's background," he said, adding that their new products "provide the reliable performance, connectivity, and entertainment needed as we move forward in this period where technology has become indispensable in daily life."

Lenovo's 2020 lineup includes the IdeaPad Flex 5, IdeaPad Slim 5, new Yoga S and Yoga C devices, and the more affordable Chromebook models which start at P13,995. 

The new products will be available in Lenovo partner stores nationwide and online, and through the Lenovo Mobile Flagship store on Lazada. 

To mark the arrival of the new devices, Lenovo is offering a month-long June promotion that includes free gifts such as software, accessories, and peripherals. 

news.abs-cbn.com

Samsung opens online store in Philippines for Galaxy devices

MANILA -- Samsung said Wednesday it launched its online store in the Philippines for its Galaxy stable of smartphones, tablets, wearables and accessories.

Products sold on the virtual store come with official warranty and free delivery in select areas of Luzon, Samsung said in a statement.

Digital appliances, TVs, and monitors will also be available on the online store soon, Samsung said.

"At Samsung, we continue to find ways to bring our product innovations closer and more accessible to Filipinos," Samsung Philippines President James Jung said.

Consumers can pay through credit, GrabPay, GCash or cash on delivery, Samsung said. Discounts on select devices are available until June 14, it said.

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iPhone 9 may be coming as locked-down consumers seek bargains

SAN FRANCISICO - Is now the time to launch a new iPhone?

Despite a pandemic-induced global economic crisis, Apple is widely believed to be set to release a reduced-priced handset that aims to fill a gap in its lineup, as early as this month.

Google could also follow a similar path, after Samsung last week unveiled new devices costs less than $500.

Reports suggest that the new Apple handset, to be called iPhone SE or iPhone 9, could have a starting price under $400, and generate some growth with the timetable uncertain for a new flagship smartphone for the California giant.

"While launching a mid-cycle budget/entry-level smartphone into the backdrop of a consumer global lockdown and unprecedented pandemic will be head-scratcher to some, we note that Apple is viewing this as a low volume, low touch release with little fanfare as the phones are already ready to ship," Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives said in a research note.

Ives said Apple is likely to be able to sell 20 million to 25 million of the new devices before a new flagship iPhone 12 is ready to ship.

Any new smartphone release would be without the splashy unveiling for which Apple is known, and would rely on online sales with most retail stores closed.

CONSUMERS SEEKING UPGRADES 

South Korean colossus Samsung last week introduced new smartphones that included a model designed to work on much-hyped new-generation 5G mobile networks and priced less than $500.

"People might have less money to spend, but at the same time they want better technology," said Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi.

"In the US, where it was very high-end or cheap smartphones and the middle had disappeared, that mid-tier has come back." 

Milanesi said these new phones could have some appeal to financially strained consumers, as some high-end devices reach dizzying prices as much as $1,500.

TIS THE SEASON 

Design and production of smartphones launching this year began long before the coronavirus pandemic, meaning makers are locked into model specifications.

"We are getting into the season," Milanesi said of escalating rumors that Apple and Google are poised to announce new handsets.

But some of the new devices may end up being timely in appealing to budget-minded consumers seeking an upgrade or replacement.

A mid-priced iPhone has potential to appeal to users more interesting features such as cameras, screens, and battery life and less interested in "gimmicks" prized by early adopters, Milanesi maintained.

"This is not a response to coronavirus for sure; it just seems to suit the market better," she said.

Apple has remained mum on any iPhone plans.

Google has been known to introduce devices at its annual developers' conference, which was slated for next month but canceled due to the pandemic.

The likely entry for Google would be a Pixel 4A -- a successor to its reduced-price sibling for its flagship Pixel smartphone.

Analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights and Strategy said Apple and others are being forced to consider the economic upheaval.

"Forced to chose between buying a new iPhone and eating, people will chose to eat," Moorhead said.

"It's important for Apple to just not lose iPhone sales."

It remains to be seen if the new devices can generate traction during the deep economic slump.

The new models will be arriving at a time of surging use of desktop or laptop computers by people staying home instead of being out and about relying on smartphones, according to Milanesi.

"A lot of people are home, so mobility is not a top priority," the analyst said.

Agence France-Presse 

Huawei courts more developers in app rivalry with Google, Apple

MANILA -- Huawei called on developers to join its growing app marketplace, present in some 400 million devices, as it released its second premium smartphone with its own mobile services front and center.

AppGallery, available in 170 countries and with 1.3 million developers on board is the third biggest app store and Huawei recently offered $1 billion in incentives to catch up with Google and Apple.

Like the Mate 30 series from the last quarter if 2019, the P40 series which launched last March ships with Android, running on Huawei Mobile Services instead of its Google counterpart.

"We warmly welcome every app developer worldwide to joint the Huawei Mobile Services ecosystem to bring the best experience to Huawei users," Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu said during the P40 series virtual launch.

Notwithstanding the US sales ban, Huawei in 2019 shipped 240 million smartphones worldwide, said Yanmin Wang, President of Eco-partnership and Eco-development.

"That big customer base will enable us to develop a new mobile ecosystem," Wang said. "To create a new mobile ecosystem, we must have the new tech new approach."


FOCUS ON SECURITY

The AppGallery is built with a focus on security as apps have access to users' personal data and passwords, even bank information and fingerprints, said Wang during a recent developers' conference.

"All this personal data can be very risky," Wang sand. "Customers want a reliable, secure mobile ecosystem."

Developers need to authenticate with their real names before their app is released to prevent fake accounts that push out apps with malware. This also makes it easier for Huawei to monitor and ban developers when necessary, the company said.

During download, 4 layers of security are in place to protect user data, Huawei said. The platform can detect malicious behavior including eavesdropping and taking screenshots without consent, it said.

"By combining the intelligent detection methods and manual real-name authentication, AppGallery provides full-fledged coverage for users against most conceivable threats," Huawei said.

80 APPS PER DEVICE

Developers should build apps that encourage user engagement, said Jaime Gonzalo, Vice President of Huawei Mobile Services.

The average user has 80 apps on his or her device and the number can swell to 100 in developed countries, he said.

Android, the world's biggest mobile operating system, has 2.9 million apps, with 6,000 more added daily. Half of the world's mobile users download zero apps per month. A quarter of mobile users install less than 2 apps per month, he said.

"Users are very hard to acquire and very easy to lose," Gonzalo told developers.

The AppGallery is going "glocal" by ensuring that popular apps in a certain region are available on the platform. Agoda, for example, is the choice of the Asian market while Booking.com is for Europe, he said.

In the Philippine, AppGallery has grown its offerings. Dance video sharing app TikTok was the top download at the start of the Luzon lockdown. It also offers e-wallet apps PayMaya and GCash, offering millions on quarantine the opportunity to transact cashless.

Other popular apps on AppGallery include: Booking.com, Lazada, Camera 360, Lazada-Online Shopping & Deals, Shopee, SHAREit, Viber Messenger, SnapChat, BDO Personal Banking, Merriam Webster Dictionary, Globe Rewards, Speed Test, WeChat, Klook, WeSing, PhotoGrid, Philippine Airlines, CLiQQby7-Eleven, Booky, iFlix, WPS, MetroBank, Union Bank Online, SSS, Viu, Trivago, Traveloka, Wattpad, Eastwest Bank, Meralco, Canva and AliExpress.

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New foldable phone coming? Huawei sets Feb. 24 virtual launch

MANILA -- Huawei will host a virtual product launch on Feb. 24, promising "seamless" artificial intelligence and teasing new devices, including the successor to its Mate X foldable smartphone.

Shenzhen-based Huawei, the world's largest dealer of telecommunications equipment, was supposed to showcase its new tech and products during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Feb. 23, but the entire fair was canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.


Huawei is launching new products 2 weeks after chief rival Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S20 series with revamped cameras to challenge the Chinese giant's P series. The successors to 2019's P30 and P30 Pro, believed to be called the P40 series, are due to be announced as early as March.

On its official Twitter page, Huawei Mobile teased an outline image of a folding device, with a form factor similar to 2019's Mate X, it's first commercially released foldable phone. The device will be "unprecedented," according to the post.

Samsung recently announced its second foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip, which opens and closes like a makeup compact unlike its predecessor, the Galaxy Fold, which has a tablet form factor.

In another post, Huawei posted the outline of a laptop, promising "borderless" technology. The company recently released the Matebook D 15 laptop with slim bezels.

Huawei last year moved to tighten connectivity of its devices, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches and wireless earphones.

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Qualcomm says China virus threatens phone industry disruption

Qualcomm Inc raised concerns around the threat to the mobile phone industry's supply chain from the coronavirus outbreak in China, dragging down shares.

On a conference call with investors, Chief Financial Officer Akash Palkhiwala said Qualcomm expects "significant uncertainty around the impact from the coronavirus on handset demand and supply chain."

Shares fell 3.3 percent in after-hours trade.

The San Diego-based chip supplier forecast second-quarter revenue largely above Wall Street estimates on Wednesday, in the latest sign that a protracted slowdown in the global chip industry is easing.

Qualcomm is the world's biggest supplier of "modem" chips that connect mobile phones and other devices to wireless data networks. 

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Turn off your phones during holiday gatherings. You'll like it.

This week, Americans will endure flight delays, traffic jams and other logistical miseries to spend time with family and friends. And when the holiday weekend is ending, many will lament that they don’t get to spend enough time with those relatives and friends.

But during the weekend itself, these same lamenters will spend a lot of time ignoring the people around them and distractedly staring into their phones. They will get a notification and disappear down a digital rabbit hole of Facebook posts, text messages and fantasy-football updates. They will monitor the comments on the photos they just posted, instead of engaging with the human beings in those photos.

Many of us have a complicated relationship with our phones. We enjoy them in the moment. Yet when we reflect on all the time we spend looking at a tiny screen, we feel lousy about it. We pine for a less addictive relationship with the online world.

So let me make a suggestion for this Thanksgiving weekend: Turn off your phone, and keep it off for a full 24 hours. I predict you’ll be surprised by how much you’ll like it.

About a month ago, my wife and I decided that our family would spend a Saturday without the internet, a practice known as a Tech Shabbat (a reference to the Jewish day of rest). I wasn’t sure whether I’d like it, I’ll admit, and our kids were even less sure.

But it was wonderful. We hung out with friends, without distraction. We never had to ask, guiltily, “Sorry, what’d you say?” because we had been only semi-listening. In between scheduled activities, we took a walk and played a board game, Settlers of Catan. I spent time thinking about long-term projects instead of replying to unimportant emails. It felt productive, rejuvenating and, yes, fun.

Tiffany Shlain, a filmmaker who popularized the idea of a Tech Shabbat, says that on her day without screens, she laughs more, sleeps better and feels healthier. As she writes in her recent book, “24/6”: “Having one day off each week shocks you anew into the realization of how bizarre it is that everyone is head-down, looking at screens all the time. That should never feel normal.”

My family liked it so much that we did it again a week ago. This coming Saturday, we will put away the phones for a third time, while we are with my extended family.

You should try it, too. In between the material gluttony of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, enjoy a Phone-Free Saturday or Sunday (or, for that matter, Thanksgiving Day).

You’ll have company if you do. When I mentioned my first Tech Shabbat in the email newsletter that I write for The Times, I heard from dozens of readers who have done their own version. Some were Christians who put away phones on Sunday. Some were Jews who observe a full day of rest. Many were secular. Nearly all were trying to find a better balance in our digitally addled world.

“At first, it does feel awkward, not having screen time,” Barbara Mutezdi said. “But with time, it becomes a habit you crave.” Chantel Hanks said her three young boys make crepes with her husband or build Lego robot vehicles, rather than playing video games.

Arlaana Black, a high-school teacher, has assigned her students to put away their phones for an entire weekend and write a report about it. “Although it was difficult (like any addict weaning from addiction), most reported considerable less stress,” Black wrote to me, “and a few said that they actually sat down for dinner with their parent or parents and had meaningful dialogue for the first time in months.”

To have a successful Tech Shabbat, you should choose ground rules that work for you. We turn off our cellphones, tablets and laptops and stick them in a cabinet. We’re willing to watch sports on television, if more than one person is doing so. We rely on our landline to reach other people.

You may prefer stricter or looser rules. But I recommend against half measures, like keeping your cellphone in your pocket and claiming you’ll look at it only if it rings. Out of sight, out of mind.

There are certainly parts of Tech Shabbat that I find uncomfortable. Making a last-minute plan is tricky, and looking up the answer to an intriguing question is nearly impossible. That’s part of the point, though — to slow down and stop obsessing about the immediate. Many people come up with their freshest ideas when they’re not occupied.

You can also minimize the downsides with a little advance planning. Print out your family’s schedule, as well as anything you need for a looming work project. (I wrote part of this column with a pen.) Print out directions. If you’re smarter than I am, you’ll remember to print directions both to and from where you’re going. Following them in reverse doesn’t always work.

Part of an advance plan is telling friends and colleagues that you’re unplugging for 24 hours. They will probably respect you for it. Margaret Diddams, the provost of Wheaton College in Illinois, doesn’t check her email on Sundays. Her colleagues know to reach her on her phone if an urgent problem comes up. Most problems, of course, are not urgent.

I recognize this approach will be harder for teenagers, who have grown up with texting. But they may need a break more than anyone.

Perhaps most important, make sure that your Tech Shabbat includes a big dose of joy. Shlain’s family starts its 24 tech-free hours by eating a rollicking Friday dinner with friends. If you’re taking your first Tech Shabbat and need to win over a skeptic in the family, you could go out to a favorite restaurant for a meal.

The beauty of turning off your phone this holiday weekend is that there are so many joyful alternatives. Take a hike or play touch football with relatives or friends. Go with them to a museum or local bookstore. Cook an ambitious recipe.

And take a few minutes to give thanks, which is a whole lot easier when you aren’t staring into a screen.


2019 The New York Times Company

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Microsoft granted license to export 'mass-market' software to Huawei

Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it had been granted a license from the US government to export software to Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

"On Nov. 20, the US Department of Commerce granted Microsoft's request for a license to export mass-market software to Huawei. We appreciate the Department's action in response to our request," a Microsoft spokesman told Reuters via email.

The administration of US President Donald Trump said this week it would allow some suppliers to restart sales to the Chinese telecoms giant, which was placed on a trade blacklist over national security concerns 6 months ago.

The Commerce Department confirmed it had begun issuing licenses for some companies to sell goods to Huawei, expanding the company's supplier base and providing long-awaited clarity to the industry that once sold it billions of dollars worth of goods.

On Wednesday, a US official said it had received roughly 300 license requests, about half of which had been processed. Roughly half of those – or one quarter of the total – had been approved and the rest denied.

It was not immediately clear which products had been approved for sale to Huawei, which is the world's top telecommunications equipment maker and second-largest smartphone maker. A person familiar with the process said Wednesday that some licenses for sales of cellphone components and non-electronic components were approved.

Microsoft declined to comment beyond its statement on which products had been approved, and the Commerce Department declined to comment.

Dan Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities, said the license was most likely for the company's Windows operating system.

"This will be a major relief for Huawei after an arduous period with large technology players like Microsoft, Google and others restricted on the platform," Ives said.

Huawei has been anxiously awaiting a license for Alphabet Inc's Google to supply its mobile services to new models. Without access to Google services such as its Play Store for apps, Huawei phones will become harder to sell to consumers outside of China. Google declined to comment on Thursday.

The granting of licenses comes as the Trump administration is working to sign a phase one trade deal with China to end a tit-for-tat trade war that has roiled markets and hit global growth.

But the move immediately met with opposition. A bipartisan group of 15 senators urged the Commerce Department to suspend the issuing of licenses, saying it could threaten US security.

In a letter on Thursday to Trump, the senators said the administration should halt issuing licenses until it provides Congress "a report outlining specific criteria for determining whether or not the approval of any license poses a national security threat."

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